Chandigarh December 18, 2022
Carrying placards and charts declaring the necessity of a gender equal world for men and women alike, people from various walks of life participated in the ‘Walk for Gender Equality’ organized at Sukhna Lake by the Dept-cum-Centre for Women’s Studies and Development, Panjab University Chandigarh in collaboration with the Consulate General of Canada in Chandigarh. The walkers included faculty members, research scholars and students from various departments of Panjab University as well as senators of the University. They were joined by senior lawyers, members of civil society, NCC cadets, as well as a retired naval officer. The objective behind the walk was to raise awareness about the significance of gender equality for men as well as for women. One crucial strategy for promoting a gender equal world is to involve men and boys in advocating for gender equality. Males need to become allies in promoting gender justice, promoting reproductive health, addressing issues of violence against women and so on. This is crucial because men wield power over women’s lives; because the behavioural transformation of men is crucial to achieving gender equality which necessitates making men and boys sensitive to gender issues as well as making them advocates for gender equality. Furthermore, the Walk sought to take the conversation regarding a gender equal world out of the ivory towers of the University where such conversations regularly take place.
It was also a curtain raiser for a programme IMAGE- I’M ADVOCATING FOR GENDER EQUALITY which is to be collaboratively organized by the Dept-cum-Centre for Women’s Studies and Development and the Consulate General of Canada in Chandigarh over the course of the next two months. The programme seeks to get men and boys on board as advocates for gender equality and is scheduled to be formally launched by the Consul General, Mr.Patrick Hebert on January 6, 2023.
