MARGAO: The Goa Women’s Forum (GWF) will launch its year-long awareness campaign on civic and consumer rights for women on International Women’s Day, March 8, at Cuncolim.
GWF is a collective of women volunteers of civic and consumer forums in Goa. It has chosen the theme “Now is the time to Organise, not Agonise” for its awareness campaign.
GWF volunteers drawn from different villages of both Districts of Goa will deliberate on the issues and challenges faced by women covering various campaigns such as consumer literacy, sustainable living, waste management, road safety, legal and human rights education, health and sanitation and making democracy work.
The gathering will review the various activities conducted by GWF volunteers and identify the tasks that need to be taken up at the municipal, panchayat and taluka level.
GWF will examine the effective participation of women in gram sabha, public hearings, as witnesses in court proceedings and as complainants before various committees and grievance redressal forums.
GWF will also examine the challenges faced by women employees in offices, companies, factories, banks etc, the need for permanent jobs and just wages, facilities offered for maternity and child care and action on matters of sexual harassment in the workplace.
Special focus will be on the current problems faced by women such as loss of hard earned money due to financial frauds in banks and co-operative societies, rising crimes against women, and lifestyle diseases amongst others.
Focus will also be on the role of women in committees in municipal councils and panchayats under various Acts, Rules, notifications, circulars & guidelines as well as the need for women to access various services offered by Corporations, Departments, NGOs and Legal Aid Cells among others.
