Sakhya Women's Guidance Cell

International day for elimination of violence against women

The 25^th November marked the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women – the United Nations annual effort to raise awareness about the women around the world who fall victim to gender base violence. It is the beginning of 16 day period of activism to address violation of women’s rights culminating with the Human Rights Day on December 10^th. The United Nations defines violence against women as “any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life”,

On the occasion of this 16 day period, Sakhya organized various awareness programme in Vasai Taluka including display of posters, banners, distribution of leaflets, talks, sessions, street plays and tempo rally. On 25^th November Sakhya Social Workers and volunteers displayed 100 banners and posters at main places in Vasai, Virar and Nalasopara  which included government hospital in Vasai, Bangli Naka, Vartak college, four bus depos, Vasai,Virar, Nalasopara and Naigaon railway station, local markets, etc. The Social worker gave talk in R P Vagh Schoo,l Vasai and New English School Junior college, Vasai on “Effects of domestic violence on youth and Gender sensitization”  sensitizing  400 on domestic violence issue. On 4^th Dec tempo rally was organized in order to raise public awareness of violence against women . The Social  Worker and Volunteers  decorated the tempo  beautifully with posters and banners spreading message of women’s empowerment. Tempo went to all main places in Vasai Taluka and stopped each place for 10 minutes. The Social Workers raised slogans of women’s empowerment, had dialogues with people who approached, distributed the leaflets. Total 6000 leaflets were distributed. VAW campaign increased the visibility of Sakhya among masses as  a number of people approached to have interaction with the Social Workers on violence issues. After VAW campaign 10 people personally approached  Sakhya to get the guidance , 12 cases  had telephonic counseling, two NGOs in Vasai approached  to know sakhya’s activities, three journalist  approached after watching banners.  At  Sakhya extension centre Thane also,  various activities were organized to  raise awareness of violence against women to support the day as International observance.On 26^th November OPD campaign was organized in Thane civil hospital. Posters and banner of Sakhya were put up in the OPD by the students of Nirmala Niketan .52 brochures were distributed and a small talk on domestic violence was given by the social workers.On 27^th November senior citizen campaign was organozed by the social workers in Thane civil hospital. 88 brochures were distributed and a small talk was given on domestic violence. Handbills describing the importance of domestic violence day were also distributed.

On 1^st December the Social workers  and the students of Nirmala Niketan went to different churches and corporate sectors for fund raising event.On 3^rd December campaign was organized by the social worker in the ANC ward at Thane civil hospital. 57 brochures were distributed and a small talk was given by the social worker on domestic violence week. On 4^th December fund raising was carried out by the students of Nirmala Niketan and later campaigning was organized by the social worker and the students at Thane bus depot.