Srinagar, Mar 08 (KNO): To celebrate the International Women’s Day, a women's day event was held by a voluntary women's network, Kashmir Women's Collective (KWC) in Srinagar.
According to a statement issued to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Dr Hussain, Principal, Music and Fine Arts, KU, Dr Shazana Andrabi, Assistant Professor, IUST, Shafaqat Geelani, Founder Learning Edge Autistic Center, Tahira Aapa, Principal, Salvation home and Jamia Rozatul Mumin at, and Owais Wani, DSP Crime Branch were the speakers at the event who highlighted various aspects of women issues in our society, like livelihood, harrasment at workplace, laws to safeguard women, disability and gender, and religious advocacy for women's rights in marriage.
Participants and Instructors of Project Wand'e were felicitated by awards and certificates for learning and teaching various small courses like calligraphy, painting, computers, scooty mechanics, self defense etc.
Project Wand'e was launched by KWC in February for one month which successfully ended today with training at least 40 young girls in different hobbies which can be pursued as vocation.
Mantasha Binti Rashid, Founder KWC speaking at the occasion said that Women's Day 2021 is different from other years due to the impact of pandemic and the financial, mental and physical stress that it has caused to the global population, more so women.
To mitigate some stress, KWC announced an activity of 'Climb and Conversation': three Sunday shankaracharya climb for women starting 730 am each Sunday from Sonwar. 'It is open to everyone and women are requested to join this recreational activity', said Mantasha.
KWC team is run by voluntary efforts of many concerned men and women, nearly 70 out of them participated in the event today. Project wande was deeply appreciated by the learners who were facilitated.
Rahat Mase, a fisher woman who has been selling fish on Amira Kadal, all her life, was given a token of appreciation by the KWC team who by this gesture wanted to celebrate womanhood across class and work.
Rifat Andrabi, a KWC member, said, 'empowerment doesn't always come by sitting in big offices, having college degrees and fat pay cheques, the ability to stand in a market, negotiate for selling one's product and standing up if someone misbehaves which is also an empowerment that Rahat Mase represents'—(KNO)