Mangalore: Mangalore University along with UGC Centre for Women’s Studies, Bharathidasan University, Indian Association for Women’s Studies (IAWS), Regional Association for Women’s Studies and All Indian Women’s Studies Students Forum (AIWSSF), organised a National-seminar on “Unite! Activism to End Violence against Women and Girls” recently. ‘Violence against women is also a threat to economic growth, MU VC Prof. P S Yadapadithaya opines during a National-level webinar.
In his inaugural address, Mangalore University Vice Chancellor Prof. P Subrahmanya Yadapadithaya said that high levels of violence against women can decrease the number of women in the workforce, minimize women’s acquisition of skills and education, and result in less public investment. It is a threat to economic development and should be considered a global pandemic.
“Within Universities and educational institutions, we need to create a different set of values which respects everyone irrespective of gender, caste, class, region or religion. We in Mangalore University have developed a Gender Policy and we are committed to making our campus a safe place for learning,” he added.
In the keynote address, Prof. N Manimekalai of the Department of Women’s Studies at Bharathidasan University said, “In this campaign, everyone gets an opportunity to participate to create awareness about violence against girls and women. We need to raise our voices. This would empower survivors, and go a long way in reducing violence.”
The webinar was chaired by Mangalore University UGC Centre for Women’s Studies former director Prof. Kishori Nayak K. Present Director Dr Anita Ravishankar delivered an introductory note. Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, School of Communication Senior Assistant Professor Dr Kulveen Trehan, DEEDS Director Merlyn Martis, and Sakhi One Stop Centre Administrator Priya Rajmohan were the resource persons. Mangalore University Special Officer Dr Yashaswini Battangaya delivered the summative address.
