PLEDGE TO HELP END GENDER – BASED VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMAN

Bureau,Odishabarta

Bhubaneswar: 25th November- In an effort to help end gender based violence in the society, more than 2000 members of people’s collectives across the state took a pledge to symbolise their commitment to helping end violence’s against women.

This mass pledge, which was organised by women collectives Mahila Shramajeebee Mancha, Odisha, Odisha Shramajeebee Mancha and non-profit Atmashakti Trust, came as a part of the event to celebrate the day of Convention of Elimination of Domestic Violence against Women which falls on 25th November every year and the launching of the UN’s 16 days of Activism campaign against Gender-Based Violence in the state.

While the mass pledge took place in both at the state as well as the district level by the local Sangathan members of these outfits, many of the members raised awareness in the Master Canteen square of capital city where they were holding placards with messages to end violence against women and showing their pledges to garner public support for the cause.

“We took the pledge to draw attention to this issue that pervades our society. It is a problem that we come across each and every day around us,” said Ms Shanti Bhoi, President of the Mahila Shramajeebee Mancha, Odisha.

“We are happy to be a part of the UN’s 16 days of Activism campaign against Gender Based Violence and are taking vow to never be a silent bystander and to be strong allies in raising our voices against violences that women are being victimised to”, said Ms Ruchi Kashyap, Executive Trustee of Atmashakti Trust.

ODISHA FARES POORLY ON GENDER EQUALITY

Odisha government has taken several steps to curb violence against women such as launching a What’s App number for reporting cases of domestic violence during the Covid-19 lockdown. Similarly, the Women and Child Development Department has also issued a helpline number 181 to address issues related to violence against women. However, Odisha has achieved the shady variance of claiming the 3rd place in the country as far as crime against women is concerned, as per the latest report of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

According to the NCRB report, for every one lakh population in Odisha, 91.3 number of crimes are committed against women while the conviction rate stands at negligible 8.3 per cent. Similarly, cyber crime  has also increased by nearly 76 percent in the state in 2019 as compared to 2018, the latest data released by the national crime records bureau (NCRB) revealed.

Also, according to the Odisha government’s Economic Survey report 2018-19, women earn nearly 3 times less than men in the state which is a worrying trend. Women are still not considered a skilled workforce. Therefore, to end violence against women, there is a need for leadership and political participation, said the members of the outfits.