Lucknow,

7 December (H.S.): Transform Rural India (TRI) hosted a virtual session titled

#NoExcuse - Rural Youth Speak Out on Safety, in which youth and women from

rural regions discussed systemic gender-based violence (GBV) and shared their

lived experiences. The session, which featured actor Padmapriya, women's rights

lawyer Flavia Agnes, and social justice activist Prabhleen Tuteja as key

speakers, was attended by rural participants and youth from across the country,

primarily from Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Jharkhand, through TRI's

Youth Resource Hubs and Nari Adhikar Kendras.

The

dialogue session was organized by TRI as part of the 16 Days of Activism

Against Gender-Based Violence, an annual international civil society-led campaign

that begins on November 25th, International Day of Elimination of Violence

against Girls and Women, and ends on December 10th, Human Rights Day.

The

talks emphasized the significance of this year's campaign, especially given the

forthcoming 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action

on Women (BPOA), which will be commemorated at the 69th Commission on the

Status of Women (CSW) in March 2025. While India has passed legislation to

combat domestic violence, such as the Protection of Women from Domestic

Violence Act of 2005, new research, such as 'Ambivalent Sexism and Tolerance of

Violence Against Women in India' published in the journal Psychological

Science, indicate alarming findings. The paper emphasizes how condescending

views, disguised as protective measures, can exacerbate power disparities,

making women more vulnerable to violence by subordinating them to their male

relationships.

The

virtual discussions also highlighted the need for comprehensive steps to

prevent GBV from having long-term physical and mental health consequences for

survivors. It also advocated for more sophisticated policies that promote

victims' socioeconomic growth and prevent them from being marginalized.

Addressing

the issue of safety involves more than simply safety. Padmapriya, an actor,

believes that it is necessary to overhaul the entire system, including the

culture. After making her Malayalam film debut with Blessy's 'Kaazhcha', the

actor was instrumental in organizing the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) in

the aftermath of the 2017 actor assault case that shocked Mollywood. Women in

Malayalam film, notably Padmapriya, worked together to create the Hema

Committee, which raised awareness of the industry's injustices against women.

Seema

Bhaskaran, Senior Practitioner, Gender, Inclusion, and Diversity at TRI,

emphasized the need of providing spaces for such essential talks. She stated

that this is only one of many meetings in which TRI seeks to raise and confront

tough but vital issues in order to effect meaningful change. Speakers at the

workshop also emphasized the need for real efforts to combat GBV in India and

minimize underreporting of such instances. They also emphasized the importance

of tougher legislation, enhanced processes, and more understanding of women's

rights so that more women may come forward to report crimes against them.

Many

women are unaware that what they are experiencing is violence,” laments Taniya

Khan, Coordinator at the Nari Adhikari Kendra in Barwani, Madhya Pradesh, who

opined that women must have agency to recognize this and realize that there are

various routes open for them to seek aid, such as Nari Adhikari Kendras.

Many

women's rights exist now as a result of demands made by women's movements.

However, we have come to know that rules alone are insufficient; there must

also be awareness, says Flavia Agnes, a women's rights lawyer.

With

a rising number of occurrences involving both online and offline sexual

assault, women leaders underlined the importance of increased efforts to

promote awareness about GBV prevention. TRI intends to produce further video

campaigns, disseminate information via local social media platforms and

WhatsApp groups, and organize village-level awareness events. It will also

focus on providing rural women with practical recommendations for safe internet

use.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi