Mysore/Mysuru: Stating that the Indian Constitution has many laws and sections to protect the rights and dignity of women, Principal District and Sessions Court Judge Ramachandra D. Huddar said that Special Courts have been established across the country to try violence, atrocities, harassment and such other crimes against women.

He was speaking after inaugurating International Women’s Day celebration and Poshan Pakhwada Programme organised jointly by the District Administration, Zilla Panchayat, District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Mysore Bar Association and Women and Child Development Department at Sthree Shakthi Bhavan near Krishnadevaraya Circle (KD Circle) in Vijayanagar 2nd Stage here this morning.

Regretting that the status of women in some  interior and rural parts of the country has not changed much despite over seven decades of independence, Judge Huddar said that women should face challenges in life by using  women’s laws. Stressing on the need for ending gender discrimination and building of an equal society, he said that women have the ability to either light up a house or destroy one. 

Pointing out that women should compete with men in all spheres of life, the Judge said that women should strive with dedication and determination to dismantle the  notion that the world is a patriarchal society.  He further said that Women’s Day celebration can garner more strength with the active participation of men.

Karnataka Bar Council Member B.S. Chandramouli, in his address, said that parents must focus on providing education to girl children, rather than getting them married off at a minor age. Pointing out that the current situation is totally different from what it was in the previous century, he said that the country is witnessing a steady rise in the number of working couples. 

Stating that dowry harassment cases are coming down of late, Chandramouli said it is gladdening to note that now there are instances of marriage expenses being shared between the parents of brides and bridegrooms. Stressing on the need for women empowerment, he said that women must compete with men in taking up challenges.

M.S. Savithri, senior panel advocate of DLSA, spoke on Women’s Rights.

Prize winners: C.R. Kala of  K.R.Nagar (first), Pratibha of Hunsur (second) and Shilpa of Periyapatna (third), who topped cooking without fire contest organised by Women and Child Development Department as part of International Women’s Day, were distributed prizes on the occasion.

Also, Poshan Pakhwada, the Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment was also part of the programme. The Poshan Abhiyaan, launched by the PM on Mar.8, 2018 marking International Women’s Day, aims to eradicate malnutrition in the country in a phased manner through good nutritional practices and behaviours. The goals of Poshan Abhiyaan are to achieve improvement in the nutritional status of children from 0 to 6 years, adolescent girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers in a time- bound manner.

Senior Civil Judge and DLSA Member-Secretary Devaraj Bhoote, Additional District and Sessions Judge Saraswathi Vishnu Kosandar, ZP CEO A.M. Yogesh, Women and Child Development Deputy Director K. Padma,  District Presenting Officer Geethalakshmi  and others were present.