Helping Staff of GIP Partner Schools Oriented on Girls Rights at St Joseph’s
Women and girls are entitled to the full and equal enjoyment of all of their human rights and to be free from all forms of discrimination – this is fundamental to achieve human rights, peace and security, and sustainable development.
Highly aware of the responsibility towards the society and younger generation, St Joseph’s School Sector 44 D Chandigarh, under Girls India Project, conducted a Guidance Session on Girls and Women’s Rights. The attendees were the helping staff members of St Joseph’s, GHS 53 and GMSSS 44. The august guest speaker on the occasion was Mr J.S. Jayara, the Principal of the Institute for the Blind, Chandigarh. He delivered an extremely motivational talk to aware everyone present there that all must know and exercise their rights whether they are women or children. Our Constitution provides exclusive rights to women for their protection and development. Every woman should have the freedom to make her own choices and claim her rights. He shared some stories of success and emphasized that if even the disabled people like the blind can achieve them then why can’t they.
The Principal Monica Chawla enlightened them all, about the POCSO Act i.e. the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences. It is an Act to protect children from offences of sexual assault, sexual harassment and pornography and provide for establishment of Special Courts for trial of such offences and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. She provided significant information regarding Girls rights such as right to education, right against sexual harassment, right to be raised in a safe environment, right against abusive family members and so on. She urged that women should empower themselves with education and knowledge.
Ms Shimmi Jassal provided a deep insight on financial frauds and how to protect ourselves from it. She gave some examples of online frauds and guided about the solutions such as how to be vigilant while using smartphones, not to share OTP with anyone, not to respond to unsolicited calls, SMS or emails etc. To make the talk more lively, a skit on Child Safety was also presented by the teachers wherein they enacted to show how they can guide their children about good and bad touch and stranger-danger.
The School Director, Mr. Paramdeep Grewal, and the Principal, Ms. Monica Chawla accentuated that girls and women have the right to be free from violence, harassment and discrimination and removing the barriers of an unsafe environment can help women fulfil their potential as individuals and as contributors to work, communities and economies. They urged all to empower women and promote girls education.