People's Democracy

 

PUNJAB

 

AIDWA Holds Eighth State Conference

 

 

THE eighth state conference of the Punjab unit of the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) was  held at Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna Bhawan, on September 25. It was presided over by Surinder Kaur, Pritam Kaur, Tara Sharma, Sarbjit Kaur and Krishna Dutta. The conference was also attended by Sudha Sundararaman, all India general secretary, Asha Lata, treasurer and  Jagmati Sungwan, central office bearer of the AIDWA. The flag of the organisation was hoisted by Surinder Kaur, state president of AIDWA. The delegates from all over the state entered into conference hall after paying tributes to the martyrs. Amarjit Kaur, chairperson of the reception committee for the conference delivered the welcome address.

 

Sudha Sundararaman inaugurated the conference. While addressing the delegates, she said women are marginalised in the Indian society and are suffering from social insecurities, sexual violence, rape, evil of dowry, domestic violence etc. She said the daughters are being killed before birth during the pregnancy. The building of women’s movement for the rights of women should not be construed as a war against men. Our struggle is to change the outlook of the society about the women in our society. She said that AIDWA is struggling for the rights of the women since coming into being in 1981. It is the outcome of our struggle that the bill for the 33 per cent reservation for women in the legislative assemblies and parliament has been passed in Rajya Sabha. She told that the economic self reliance plays an important role in the development of an individual and the social status of almost every person in the society. She said that almost all women are deprived of the right to property and demanded that an act should be passed for the right of women in the matrimonial property after marriage. She called upon the delegates to build a strong movement in the state so that the rights of the women can be achieved as soon as possible.

 

The work report was placed by Surinder Kaur and discussion on report took place. During the inaugural session, Subash Choudy, Snehlata Misra, Rajinder Kaur Virdi and Manjit Kaur was also present on the stage.