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VAW campaign on international women's day. . . .
Trivandrum and Kollam
Theerasesa Mahila Vedi(Women's wing of KSMTF) conducted a secretariat march on world women's day demanding for taking necessary steps from the part of government on various issues like violence against women especially in disasters, move of the state government and corporations in the state to oust fish wending women from street side market, effective intervention on price hike of essential commodities, effective implementation of 2006 domestic violence act etc. The march was inaugurated by noted writer in Malayalam and feminist Ms.SarahJoseph who also called for a series of agitations against any move to keep out fisher women from the street market and she also accused the state government of supporting ADB and large super markets and retail chains to oust fish vending women from street market. She also sought for people's collective to fight against any kind of vested interest and agenda by ADB and other international players. Theera Desa Mahila Vedi president, Mrs. Elizabeth, Secretary Mrs. Freeska Kurisappan, Sr.Mercy, Mrs. Magline Peter,Jencila Antony,Mable Nasiance, Girly John and Everesta Jose led the march. Almost 500 women from the coastal areas of Trivandrum and Kollam especially women from Tsunami affected areas participated in the rally. This march was the part of village level campaign process by the organization on violence against women campaign for last one week in coastal areas of Trivandrum and Kollam.
Collectorate march of fisher folk women in Calicut on world women's day - Calicut
Fisherwomen from Malabar coasts marched towards Calicut Collectorate on world women's day protesting against growing violence against women in coastal areas and also against government's anti-fishermen policy towards Malabar fishermen community especially on women. Around 350 fisherwomen (majority of them are Muslim women) from the Muslim majority areas participated in the 'Dharna'. They were also demanding for the inclusion of Malabar coastal areas into Tsunami affected areas' list of the state and also demanding for spending Rs.1440 crore of central assistance for the development of the region too. Increasing violence against women in Tsunami affected areas during Tsunami relief ad rehabilitation time were also become one of the major reasons of their protest. There was a week long village level campaign organized in the villages of Calicut and other regions of Malabar as apart of ongoing state level violence against women campaign. Later they submitted a memorandum to the district collector asking for demands. it was a great success as far as the women protestors were concerned as this protest rally was conducted on the harthal day and the entire public life was paralyzed due to bandh.
VIOLANCE AGAINST WOMENS IN THE DIASTER AFFECTEDA AREAS
-Ernakulam
In connection with the State wide campaign on VIOLANCE AGAINST WOMENS IN THE DIASTER AFFECTEDA AREAS the Costal Women Forum celebrated the International Women’s Day on 09th March 2007. The Costal Women’s Forum has conducted a Seminar for the women of the costal area of Ernakulam. In the seminar the forum demand the following to be implemented at the earliest. They are mainly, to rehabilitate the tsunami victims in a time schedule and in the work place and during the travel the women’s rights should be protected.
Mr. T Peter, the State President of the Kerala Independent Fish Workers Federation inaugurated the seminar; Prof. Neena George of Institute of Management made the subject presentation in the seminar. The inaugural function was chaired by Ms. Sheela Shaji. Ms. KP Safiya, Ms. Pushpa John, Ms. Chinna Joseph, Mr. P S Kishore, Ms. Mary John, Ms. Soni and Ms. Magline Peter had expressed in their talk, the need of implementing the Domestic Violence Act at the earliest to prevent the violence against women and especially in the disaster affected areas. They also expressed their views and suggestion how it can be implemented effectively.
A group discussion also conducted to get the opinion and suggestions of the all the members participated in the seminar. The main issues discussed were:
1.Housing in the Fishing Sector
2.Health Problems
3.Educational Problems
4.Employment Problems
5. Other Social Issues
After the group discussion each group made a short presentation of the out come of the group discussion. There were around 250 women representatives from different organization like SEWA, Ernakulam Social Service Society and Kerala Independent Fish Workers Federation |
