‘Baatein Aman Ki’ campaign launched to highlight violence against women

A campaign has been launched by women activists to sensitise people about the violence being faced by women in the country “in the name of religious and nationalist sentiments”.

As part of the ‘Baatein Aman Ki’ campaign, the activists would travel to various parts of India and hold public meetings on the issue, the organisers said. Also, various women groups in different cities, towns, villages will be invited to form local coordination committees, they said.

“In the last four years, the position of women in India has deteriorated alarmingly. This is mainly because of bringing religion into politics, where the Hindu right-wing organisations are playing a leading role in deciding moral values and ascribing the role of women in society,” said Annie Raja, Secretary of National Federation of Indian Women.

“This government has betrayed women and the time has come to raise our voice. Through ‘Baatein Aman ki’, we will stand against all those forces which are trying to break the country in the name of religious or nationalist sentiments,” Annie Raja, Secretary of National Federation of Indian Women.

“This government has betrayed women and the time has come to raise our voice. Through ‘Baatein Aman ki’, we will stand against all those forces which are trying to break the country in the name of religious or nationalist sentiments,” added Annie.

Elaborating the problems faced by women, Mariam Dhavle, General Secretary of the All India Democratic Women's Association, said, “All the stereotypes in the name of tradition imposed on women over the centuries that we have fought against, to demand equal participation in public affairs and in public spaces, and establish ourselves in the context of an empowered democratic India is at stake. In the name of culture and tradition, women are pushed further. The concept of RSS that women should be at home is being propagated.”

“Women are deeply concerned by the growing violence in the country. All major women groups and people’s movements are joining hands together. It is for the first time, perhaps since the freedom struggle, that women are coming together not for talking about women rights only but about the country as a whole and all problems faced by different sections of the people including farmers, students, unorganized sector, professionals, women, Adivasis, Dalits and minorities and safeguard the Indian Constitution,” said Shabnam Hashmi of India Inclusive.

The campaign has been planned between September 22 and October 15, 2018, around the country. It will be funded by donations from ordinary people and women groups.