INDEPENDENCE DAY , 15th AUGUST 2024

"ONCE YOU LEARN TO QUIT, IT BECOMES A HABIT" - VINCE LOMBARDI

VENUE: AMPHITHEATRE- CMRU , OMBR CAMPUS

The school of legal studies in collaboration with the ministry of social justice and empowerment, Government of India, organised an impactful event under the "Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan" (Drug -free India initiative). This event was a part of broader effort to promote awareness about dangers of drugs abuse and to encourage students and faculty to commit to a drug free lifestyle. The event began with an insightful discussion on the rising issue of drug abuse, particularly among the youth , emphasizing the significant role that young people play in combating this menace. Speakers highlighted the importance of awareness and vigilance in creating a drug free society. This was followed by speeches in three different languages, ensuring the campaign's message reached a diverse audience. Each speech underscored the theme "Viksit Bharat Ka Mantra, Bharat Ho Nashe Se Swatantra", which translates to "The Mantra for a developed India, Let India be free from Drugs". The program culminated with students and faculty taking a solemn pledge against drug abuse reaffirming their commitment to contribute towards a drug free India. This event was a strong reminder of a collective responsibility to foster a healthy and prosperous nation.

Social Outreach Program  organised by Social Impact Club named, ‘Legal Literacy and Legal Awareness’ at the Government School, Munnekolala, by our first year B.A.,LL.B.(Hons) & B.B.A.,LL.B. (Hons) students and taught school students about fundamental legal principles, moral values etc.

 “Freedom is never dear at any price. It is the breath of life. What would a man not pay for living?"- Mahatma Gandhi

EVENT: Guest Lecture on the topic “Indian Freedom Struggle- Minestrone and Uniqueness”

TIME: 10.30 a.m. - 11.30 a.m.

VENUE: CMRU SOLS Training Centre

Disha Bharat is an NGO working in the field of value education since the year 2005. Various activity-based workshops are conducted for students, faculty, and parents on the theme “Know Yourself, Know Your Country, Know Your Culture”. This year, DISHA BHARAT organised a nationwide 15-day Youth Campaign “MyBHARAT 2023”, to commemorate 76 years of Indian independence to imbue patriotism in youth. With their collaboration, we had Ms. Sawan B.V. with us as a guest speaker. Ma’am is a Lawyer by profession, a youth orator, and a social activist. Ma’am is the Founder and CEO of team ‘Ujwala Bharatha’ which conducts: - Workshops and personality development classes for students. 

The Social Impact Club in collaboration with the Centre for Studies on New India, organized a compelling and enlightening event that delved into the history of the Indian Freedom Struggle. The event aimed to raise awareness and foster a deeper understanding of the historical context, key events, and remarkable figures that shaped India's path to independence. 

⦁ The guest lecture started with an introduction which was given by Ritika, a student of BBA LLB (3rd Sem), an invocation song sung by Vennela, a student of LLB (1st Sem), and Neha Astha, a student of BALLB (8th Sem) introduced the speaker.

The speaker, Ms. Sawan B.S. started the lecture with a prayer and then she highlighted the story of Chandra Shekhar Azad. She also asked the students about the true meaning of Freedom and highlighted the same. She told about the 4 important parts of Pre-Independence- Non-Violence, Press, Revolutionary and Religious Reform Movements. She further went on to ask the students what they  understand by the word "Independence".  She also highlighted the duties, rights and responsibilities of an Indian towards the country. Lastly she concluded by encouraging everyone to be united, come together with a purpose and take actions to achieve the goals.

The lecture ended with a vote of thanks delivered by Neha Astha where she thanked our Hon'ble dean and director sir. She also thanked all the faculty members and students for their presence.

Faculty coordinators

Prof. Ramya. R

Prof. Shraddha Chauhan

Student Coordinators

Adarsh Kumar

Neha Astha

"True happiness is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose."   

                                                                             —Helen Keller

EVENT: “ SPREAD HAPPINESS”-  INTERNATIONAL DAY OF HAPPINESS

TIME: 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

VENUE: JEEVITHA ANATHASHRAM, BALAJI LAYOUT, VARANASI, BENGALURU

This year Social Impact Club took the opportunity to celebrate International Happiness Day by organizing an event filled with activities and games with the children of Jeevitha Anathashram. The club had planned a day full of joyful activities and surprises for the children in the orphanage to make them feel happy and loved. The various games and activities for the children were Dancing, Passing the ball, Blind fold, Situation based task. As we arrived at the orphanage, we were greeted by a group of enthusiastic children who were eagerly waiting for us. The event started with a small introduction with the children then the club members distributed drawing books, color pencils, crayons, pencil boxes, etc. to the childrens and the club members also handed over a few grocery items to the incharge of the orphanage. The children's faces lit up with joy and excitement as soon as they received the gifts. The highlight of the day was the activities and games played by the children. Some children sang, while others danced and recited poems. It was heartwarming to see the children so confident and proud of their abilities. At last, we distributed chocolates among the children. As the day came to an end, we said our goodbyes to the children while assuring them for our next visit, for which they thanked us for the wonderful day. The visit to the orphanage had not only brought happiness to the children but also to the CMRU SOLS students who participated to make this event successful. It was a reminder of the power of kindness and the joy that comes from giving back to the community.                                                                              

                     Faculty coordinators

    Ms. Ramya .R

                     Ms. Shraddha Chauhan                    

“ It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles”

                                                                                                             - Buddha

EVENT: YOGA AND MEDITATION SESSION

TIME: 7.15am  to 8.15am

VENUE: Basketball Court, CMR OMBR Campus

YOGA INSTRUCTOR: Ms. Rhea MR

The Social Impact Club in collaboration with the Mental Model and Awareness club conducted a yoga and meditation session for the students of CMR School of Legal Studies. In these days when mental health issues are faced by younger adults it's always important for them to get involved in practices like yoga which helps them relieve the stress they face and aso helps them to balance their mind and body together. 

The session started at 7.15 , where the yoga instructor introduced the basics of yoga to the students, then after that to help the students warm up the instructor made them do a series of games which involved their mind as well as body, then later the instructor taught them do various yoga poses correctly and encouraged them to stay in the poses for a longer time.

The yoga instructor gave a good review about the crowd and told how cooperative they were and also said that maam was amazed by the amount of enthusiasm and the body flexibility the participants showcased during the event.

One of the participants Ruthwik shared his experience that it was nice to get up a bit more early and do yoga , which made him feel more energetic to face a new day in a students life.

The event was a grand success with a good amount of participation.

Faculty coordinators

Ms. Ramya .R

Ms. Shraddha Chauhan

“ Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”

                                                                                              -Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

VENUE: SOLS Building, CMR OMBR Campus

THEMES:

⦁ Gandhian Principle of Social Justice

⦁ Protective Discrimination for Women as in Article 15 and Article 16

⦁ Social Inequality in the contemporary world

Social Impact clubs main aim is to bring a positive change in the society and social justice day is one of many days celebrated all around the world towards upliftment of society and its inhabitants. On this year's social justice day we the social impact club conducted a  group discussion and that counts as our first event in this new semester and it was a grand success.

 This time we choose  three rational and thoughtful  themes on which the participants can speak their opinions on. Each theme has its own relevance in today's world and is a very debatable one. 

Our first theme was Gandhian principles and the participants discussed various quotes and principles of Gandhiji . We had very interesting discussions on truth, non violence, satyagraha, sarvodaya and many other principles of Gandhiji. The applicability of these principles in modern day has also been questioned . It was debated whether the Gandhian quote “ An eye for eye and tooth for tooth would lead to a world of the blind and toothless” applicability in a world where rule of law is being followed. While some other participants stated that Gandhian principles are always evergreen and not hypothetical. 

The second theme for the day was “Protective Discrimination for Women as in Article 15 and Article 16” and different participants had vibrant views towards this theme. Some of them stated that India had faced more discrimination through reservation and some others told that it's time to evolve from decades of providing reservation as they believed today women and men are equal.. And someone else talked about how education should be merit wise and not based on reservation. 

Reservation has been considered as something that was a compensation for years of facing discrimination but more than that it's also  a system for providing opportunities and encouraging the discriminated class to come up and uplift themselves to greater heights. But at least in some scenarios more than helping in bringing equality it has somewhere brought a feel of inequality. 

The participants always found it interesting to see the issues in todays perceptive and therefore they put forward some suggestion of including even men into the vulnerable category as even men get raped and being oppreseed  they too face domestic violence hence they also deserve to be legally protected under article 15 and article 16. 

The conversation not only supported that men need protection but also saw into modern day issues like workplace harassment etc that's faced by all genders .

Then we moved to our third theme for the day that was “ Social Inequality in contemporary world”  and the theme was so broad  all the participants could give few points about their views on it and that's when our respected Dean  Dr T R Subramanya Sir gave us a speech on many things related to Social inequality from the emergence of industrialisation to recent updates on the same.

Dean Sir started the speech by telling us about how men and women were treated like cattles while industrialisation was emerging  and then how books like black gold tragedy authored by  Charles dicken showed to the world the issues faced by people working in those industries or factories. Sir told us about how india has given equal voting rights for men and women in a time even developed countries like US only gave voting rights to women, and how india was one of the first country to prohibit dowry in the country , while other countries like UK took almost more than two years to discuss and bring in a statute regarding dowry prohibition and also talked about how india succeeded in bringing statutes against cultural discriminatory practices like sati to ensure equality in the country.

Dean sir also brought our attention towards international affairs regarding how afghanistan is facing issues like women taking too many birth control pills which is gradually decreasing the population and also about how the best professors of american universities are from countries like iraq than from america. Sir told that in this society the people who preach, bring law and those who bring reforms should be rational.

Dean Sir ended the speech by saying that nowadays what the younger generation wants is role models and not models. The whole speech given by dean sir helped all of us involve and develop our thoughts on social inequality on an international level.

Few students also broughton new thoughts on why social inequality is existing and how we can change our own mindset towards bringing in better change.

In CMR we  have a wide range of students who are coming from different cultures and belief system , so as law students its important for all of us to understand different viewpoint of a same topic and that's exactly what we mean by having a group discussion, to express our thought, to speak up and to bring the change from ourselves.

Faculty coordinators

Ms. Ramya .R

Ms. Shraddha Chauhan

“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”

-Jane Goodall.

EVENT: WORKSHOP ON PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT

TIME: 9:30 onwards

GUEST: DISHA BHARAT – VOLUNTEERS

An India-registered NGO, Disha Bharat delivers customized workshops, counselling sessions and sensitization programs to students and faculty of educational institutions across India. Our programs facilitate deep-dives into the Self, our Country and our Culture- the three interlinked facets that are critical to instilling pride in our nation and driving the multi-faceted changes needed to cleanse the system. Disha Bharat’s programs promote and sustain holistic development of students by enabling and supporting their development in five distinct, yet inter-related spheres, viz. an individual’s physical quotient, emotional quotient, intellectual quotient, social quotient and spiritual quotient. That is why Disha Bharat’s programs involve activity-based workshops, so that students learn by doing and experiencing. This focus on activity-based workshops differentiates us and positions us to engage more holistically with students.

Social impact club took an opportunity to a conduct a workshop to nurture strong values for positive self-transformation, to instill a sense of pride and belonging towards our nation and its rich culture, to inspire the youth to emerge as torchbearers of our glorious legacy and to kindle patriotism and empower youth to contribute to nation-building.

The workshop started with an introduction session where Disha and its team introduced itself. This was followed by Yoga- Pranayama session where they taught some asanas and its benefits; Group Counselling where they made a group of ten students each provided with a Counsellor, there they taught self-awareness which worked as an eye opener for the students; followed we had a quiz session named NAMASTE INDIA in which they asked questions about science, monuments, famous personalities, etc.; There was an Audio Visual Session where we saw three meaningful videos filled with life lessons; then they made us play games related to the Indian Army which was full of enthusiasm and energy which gave us an insight about what the Indian Army goes through while a mission; last but not the least at the end they gave Four Success Code which were very insightful for the students.

There were almost around 86 students from 1st year B.B.A., LL.B.(Hons); 1st year B.A., LL.B.(Hons); and 1st year LLB.

Faculty coordinators

Ms. Ramya .R

Ms. Shraddha Chauhan

“Purpose of education is to moralize and socialize the people”

-Dr B R Ambedkar

Event: MOU signing event

Guest: Mr. BadrinathVittal

The MOU signing event started at almost 9.30 am and we had with us to grace the occasion Our guest for today Mr. BadrinathVittal, our beloved dean Prof. Dr. T. R Subramanya, our beloved director sir, Prof. Dr. V.J Praneshwaran and all faculty and students School of Legal Studies, CMR University.

Education is a tool that really has the potential to reform and change a whole nation and it should reach every child. Free coaching Vidhya is an organization with a mission to provide education to the needy from grade 4 to degree students including students’ professional courses in rural India. The Organization has about 18000 students and 150 volunteers amongst their 150 were 20 volunteers from CMR University School of Legal Studies who taught the students of the organization current affairs and social responsibility in the year 2021. This experience has encouraged students to have a social responsibility to serve the needy, which lead us to collaborate with “Free Coaching Vidya” again  and for that reason the MOU is being signed today.

our dean Dr. T. R. Subramanya together with Mr. BadrinathVittal signed the MOU. Mr. BadrinathVittal our guest addressed the gathering and appreciated the students for their sincere involvement in volunteering and also mentioned his pleasure in continuing the collaboration with the university .

Faculty coordinators

Ms. Ramya .R

Ms. Shraddha Chauhan

GUEST LECTURE ON INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL CHILD 

In the Social Impact Club we believe that spreading socially relevant information and knowledge is really Important as it helps in giving our contribution for the change. So We Conducted a Guest Lecture on this “International day of the girl child” which is celebrated on 11th of October every year with the intention of improving opportunities for girl children all around the world. It is an initiative by the United Nations. The Main goal is to give girl children an opportunity to lead by putting them in the forefront of change efforts , hearing their voices, responding to their asks and welcoming them in decision making spaces - it is one of the ways to invest in the future that believes in girls agency. 

It is Our way of forming a commitment to work towards a day where girls can exercise and enjoy their rights and can play a full and equal part in their communities and societies as “ Investing in girls is investing in our common future”

 For this Guest Lecture we we had with us Mr. Vikram Srivastava Advocate and founder “Independent Thoughts”, Sir is part of the Parliament Planning commission and also is a person who aims towards a better world for girl children. 

During the Lecture sir talked about various issues faced by Girl Children all around the World and how Many Advocates and Social Reformers are trying each day to make a change in the Legal system inorder to make sure crime rates against girl children below 18 are Reducing. 

Sir talked about some provisions which lead to a lot of confusion and lated acted as a loophole which supported girl child marriage in India and also mentioned on how the state must act more on the protection of girls and Right to girls and make sure that they punish the criminals behind crimes against girl children .  

Sir talked about how Consent is not valid for minors in a child marriage and that just because a girl child is below the age of 18 and got married doesn't mean that we should make a different provision for that illegal marriage to be legalized. 

Sir gave us knowledge regarding POSCO , 2017 criminal amendment etc.. and concluded that no matter what we should not promote any culture which is restricting women to lead a life with dignity.

The Lecture was very helpful as it inspired many of us to think on what we can contribute towards a better tomorrow for the girl children as future lawyers.

Faculty Co-ordinator:

Ms. Ramya. R

Ms. Shradha Chauhan

“The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.” - B.B. King

International Literacy Day is celebrated “to remind the public about the importance of literacy as a matter of dignity and human rights.” 

THEME                     “ Transformation of learning space”

SUB THEMES

1. Comparison of learning spaces between 20th and 21st century.

2. Advantages and disadvantages of evolving learning spaces

3. Learning spaces in the classroom and at home

The event was organised with the intention of sharing different views and thereby increasing our knowledge on affairs of this world. 8th september was International Literacy Day and it was celebrated by UNESCO to remind people about the importance of literacy for betterment of communities , societies and individuals and also to highlight the positive effects of a higher literacy rate.

The Theme we choose for our group discuss was the same theme for the international literacy day which was “ Transforming Literacy Learning Spaces” and the theme was aimed to be focused on urging people to rethink the fundamental importance of literacy learning spaces to build resilience and ensure quality, equitable and inclusive education for all individuals around the globe.

The event was organised with the intention of sharing different views and thereby increasing our knowledge on affairs of this world. 8th september was International Literacy Day and it was celebrated by UNESCO to remind people about the importance of literacy for betterment of communities , societies and individuals and also to highlight the positive effects of a higher literacy rate.

The Theme we choose for our group discuss was the same theme for the international literacy day which was “ Transforming Literacy Learning Spaces” and the theme was aimed to be focused on urging people to rethink the fundamental importance of literacy learning spaces to build resilience and ensure quality, equitable and inclusive education for all individuals around the globe.

Under the first sub theme , some said that education is not only for the learning of facts but also for researching and training our minds, and participants talked about how the 20th century was more stricter, teacher oriented, govt job aimed.. And how the 21st century has made learning spaces more liberal , self improvement based, non classroom centric.. Some among us also mentioned how in 21st century education became technology centric and led students to be addicted to harmful games and other softwares which lead to health issues.And also the positive parts of technology centric learning was more opportunities, and easy access to the best resource till date, the Internet.

Under the second Sub theme, participants discussed the Advantages and Disadvantages of evolving learning spaces. Some talked about how students lost their empathy towards their own classmates due to over access to social media.And participants  also appreciated the opportunities that came with technology as technology helped us to not get stopped by the geographical distance. And also many other interesting knowledge were shared .

Under the Third Sub theme, participants discussed on the learning spaces at classroom and also at home , which was interpreted in two different ways which lead to a vast discussion , the first group interpreted the theme to be of a comparison on online and offline classes whereas the second group interpreted it to be what all we learn from classrooms and what all values and knowledge we should learn from home itself. And there the participants discussed how classroom teaching is syllabus centric and leaves behind a lot of learning which is required for being a good human. And some said home is where we learns our first values like respecting evering and not discriminating on the basis of gender, colour , caste…. And another notable statement discussed by one participant was that home is the best place for a child of 5 to 6 years but after that classroom learning is the best and classroom is where we evolve to be a part of this social structure.

The event was a great success as it was all about learning and not about winning or losing , the event was organised with an objective of making students lifelong learners and to help them develop their speaking skills and that objective was 100% fulfilled .

Faculty Co-ordinator:

Ms. Ramya. R

Ms. Shradha Chauhan

Competition (Painting & Write-ups)-  INTERNATIONAL GIRL CHILD DAY

It gives immense pleasure to Club to appreciate the submission made by the students in the Painting and Write-up Competition organized on the occasion of International Girl Child Day by the Club itself. We congratulate the Participants!!!!

THEME: MY VOICE, OUR EQUAL FUTURE

TOPIC: Laws related to the Girl’s Empowerment and Education

By:

Chirag Patel R S

LLM (Constitutional Law)

CMR SOLS

Introduction: 

The term “empowerment” is widely used in international development discourse in close conjunction with girls’ education and gender equality, implying a necessary correlation.

a) Introducing a new compulsory subject: Gender Education or commonly known as Sex Education - aimed at developing a social and political understanding of gender in as part of the official school curriculum for both boys and girls, at the post-primary level in all state and central education boards. Explicit conversations and critical dialogues on gender bias and power should officially become part of the student experience. Defining Gender Education as a standalone curricular subject will give it legitimacy and create a stronger impetus for incorporating gender in the classroom. This will also necessitate the development of the requisite curricular and teacher materials, which the National Council of Educational Research and Training should create in collaboration with NGOs and other service organizations.

b) Incorporate gender or sex education compulsorily, in pre- and in-service teacher trainings and teacher education programs. Teachers are potentially powerful agents of social change, provided they can perceive themselves as such. Training in effective communication of gender-related issues with the community should also be included in pre-service training. All the above implies intensive in-service training of teachers and educators, along with the development of teacher training materials and curriculum, which should be created by the State Education department in collaboration with NGOs and other service organizations.

Overview:

Although girls in India obtained the necessary constitutional right to equality between boys and girls and their right to life and independence, that ensured a dignified and fair status with a male under the Indian constitution. In fact, yet they are in violation rather than in conformity. In India, the personal laws regulate girl's lives. Boy's male supremacy and girl's unequal representation are influential topics that interlink with much of India's personal religious rule. While in society all girls experience the same sexism or similar discrimination, their personal laws differ ironically.

We are being in a secular country are not ready to accept the girls as equal to boys. Such a shame. It has been several years now; many freedom fighters have sacrificed the soul and blood of theirs to give us the freedom. Yet we stand as a divided strength with our limited minds telecasting the discrimination between boys and girls till today.

To overcome such constraints in the society the government has always been successful in introducing benefitable schemes and plans for the empowerment of girls in the society.

There are schemes to avoid girl infant kills and that has been very much successful in reducing the girl child mortality rate.

There are strict provisions which restrict the gender identification wherein that the sex of the child shall not be disclosed promoting the death of a girl child in worse circumstances.

We live in such a modern world and we as the new generation are not so broad minded to accept the equally to be served for each individual and it is the mandate right to be treated equally under any situation.

GOVERNMENT SCHEMES AND POLICIES FOR GIRL CHILD EMPOWERMENT

Schemes by the Central Government

1. Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao

Launched with initial funding of ₹100 crore the scheme aims to address the issue of the declining child sex ratio image (CSR) and is a national initiative run jointly by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Ministry of Human Resource Development.

Highlights

It is focused on multi-sector action in 100 districts across the country with a low CSR.

Aims at generating awareness about the importance of girl children and improving the efficiency of welfare services intended for girls in India.

Working towards preventing female infanticide.

Under the BBBP scheme, even district-level education officials must ensure that the benefit of free elementary education reaches all the girls in their area.

2. Sukanya Samriddhi Yojna

Part of the ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ campaign, this Government of India backed saving scheme is targeted at the parents of girl children. The programme encourages them to build a fund for future education and marriage expenses for their female child. Parents can start saving early as the minimum amount of investment required is small, and the account is active for 14 years from the date of opening the account.

Highlights

It has tax benefits and an interest rate of 9.1%.

It is meant for girls under the age of 10 years.

You can start the account with just Rs 1,000.

The maximum deposit is Rs 1,50,000 per year.

3. Balika Samridhi Yojna

This scheme was launched by the Government of India on 15th August 1997 and covered all girls born on or after 15 August 1997 who are below the poverty line. Aimed at offering financial aid to girl children born on or after 15 August 1997, the schemes key objectives include improving the enrolment and retention of the girl child in schools and helping raise daughters until their legal age of marriage. If successful, young girls will get an education that will help them with jobs to generate a steady income.

Highlights

Gift deposit of Rs 500 at birth and second fixed amount deposited every year of school she progresses until class 10.

Up to Class 3rd - Rs 300 per year

For Class 4 - Rs 500 per year

For Class 5 - Rs 600 per year

For Class 6 & 7- Rs 700 per year

For Class 8 - Rs 800 per year

For Class 9 & 10 - Rs 1000

Only one girl child per family can use this scheme.

4. CBSE Scholarship Scheme/Policy for Girl Education

This central government scheme is available at Government CBSE schools only. It is applicable for one girl child per family across India and aims to supplement the school tuition fee.

Highlights

Relaxation of Rs 500 per month in school tuition fee.

The girl should have scored at least 60% or 6.2 CGPA in her 10th board exams.

The girl child should be the single girl child of her parents.

Her school fees should not be more than Rs 1500 a month.

State Government Sponsored Schemes for Girl Child in India

Apart from the central government, the Indian State governments also actively offer several schemes that benefit girl children. Some of these include:

• Rajshri Yojna - Rajasthan

• Girl child protection scheme - Andhra Pradesh

• Sivagami Ammaiyar Memorial girl child protection scheme - Tamil Nadu.

• Ladli Laxmi Yojana - Madhya Pradesh.

• Ladli - Delhi & Haryana

• Mukhyamantri Laadli Yojna – Uttar Pradesh

• Mukhyamantri Kanya Suraksha Yojna - Bihar

• Ladli scheme - Haryana

• Kishori Shakti Yojana - Odisha

• MAMTA scheme for girl child - Goa

• Saraswati Bicycle Scheme - Chhattisgarh.

• West Bengal Kanyashree Prakalpa - West Bengal

• Bhagyalaxmi scheme - Karnataka

While many of these programs tackle the issue of savings and education, some like the Kishori Shakti Yojana also aim to educate adolescent girls about the importance of health care. Adolescent girls get access to current and updated healthcare initiatives and learn about good hygiene. As future mothers to be, knowing about thirteen life-saving vaccines that the government provides free of cost and the importance of MMR, Polio and similar vaccination is integral to their health and reducing child mortality through vaccine-preventable diseases in the future.

Barriers to girls’ education:

Girls and women face specific forms of discrimination in accessing education, within education systems, and through education. The accordions below explain the most common barriers girls encounter around the world. Each of these obstacles is underpinned by harmful gender stereotypes about the role of Children in society.

Although sex is an expressly prohibited grounds of discrimination under international human rights law, it is important to recognise that women and girls are highly heterogeneous. Gender inequality and discrimination to, in, and through education is experienced in varying forms and at all levels by women and girls, depending on their personal, local, and national context. But every girl who has attended school has likely encountered some form of discrimination in education at some point in her life.

Girls and women can face discrimination in all areas and throughout all stages of their life. Eliminating discrimination in education is an important start, but women and girls will often continue to face discrimination upon leaving school. Discrimination, in all its forms, whether it happens in public or private, needs to be tackled in a comprehensive and holistic manner (cross-sectoral and through various measures that take into account how discrimination and inequality aggregate throughout a girl’s life) and at all levels in order to ensure that women and girls enjoy and benefit from their education. Usual challenges include:

• the gender pay gap–girls/women, on average, earn less than boys/men (59% according to the World Economic Forum)

• unequal political participation and representation (according to the Inter-Parliamentary Union only 23% of parliamentarians and 5.7% of world leaders are women)

• under-representation in certain fields, such as in science, technology, engineering, maths (STEM), as well as sports, in leadership positions

• lack of flexible working arrangements, parental leave, and maternity benefits

• lack of access to healthcare and enjoyment of sexual and reproductive health and rights

• exposure to gender-based violence against girls/women, including harmful practices

• paid and unpaid care work which continues to be disproportionately borne by women and girls (Action Aid report that a girl will do an average of four years extra work compared to her male peers over her lifetime)

What Is Girls Empowerment?

Girls’ empowerment implies the ability in girls to take decisions regarding their life and work and giving equal rights to them in all spheres like personal, social, economic, political, legal, and so on. We are living in an age of girl empowerment where they are working shoulder to shoulder with boys. A girl also manages to balance between their commitment to their profession as well as their home and family. They are playing multiple roles - at home as a daughter, sister and at the same time in the working place playing the role of professionals with remarkable adaptability.

We have many young achievers in every filed wherein they give equal tuff fight to the opposite gender.

Some of the known girls who have engraved their names as an individual identity are:

Aashika Bhatia, actor, 18.

Anushka Sen, an Indian child actor, 15.

Avneet Kaur, actor and dancer, 16.

Bhavya Gandhi, Actor, 20.

Kautilya Pandit, a young genius, 10 and the list goes on.

If the parents or the people around them had thought that promoting their girl child into the society would be a disaster at that age, we would have not got such young influencers into our country. They all have contributed to the country in some or the other way round, they have represented the face of our country in their own fields.

The self-made star who raised from the dark:

Before she proved that star ships are meant to fly, Popstar Nicki Minaj (formerly, Onika Minaj) had to find her own set of wings within a broken nest. The singer-turned-actress revealed in 2010 that her father was a violent drug addict who subjected herself and her mother to neglect, theft and even arson.

“I thought we would just be happy, but with a drug-addicted parent there is no such thing as being happy,” she told Vibe Magazine. “When you have a father who is stealing your furniture and selling it so that he can buy crack, you suffer. You come home from school and your couch is gone. You’re like, ‘What happened?’”

Minaj, who was born in Trinidad but moved to New York at age five, reported being in constant fear that her father would end the life of her mother.

If she had misjudged her own life and had got herself into worse scenarios, we would have not got such a rockstar to the world.

Raising up the Standards:

Girls are now claiming the socio-political rights (right to work, right to education, right to decide, etc) for them. The Parliament of India too has passed various legislations to save girls from various forms of injustice and discrimination. Empower girls/women there are some following laws: 

1. Equal Remuneration Act, 1976

Act provides for payment of equal wages for work of same and similar nature to male and female workers and for not making discrimination against female employees in the matters of transfers, training, and promotion etc. Central Government is the appropriate Govt. in respect of industries/establishments for which it is appropriate Govt. under the Industrial Disputes Act. 1947.

2. Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961

The dowry prohibition law in our country prohibits the practice of taking dowry by either party to a marriage. It prohibits demand and advertisement of dowry during marriage. This act makes provision to punish anyone who takes or gives or demands dowry. However, at the same time, the intention of the law is not to penalize all voluntary exchanges or gifts given at the time of the marriage or during the marriage.

3. Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956

The Suppression of Immoral Traffic in Women and Children Act, 1956 was given assent on 30th December 1956 and was made applicable to the whole of India. ... This legislation aims to stop immoral trafficking and prostitution in India and is divided into 25 sections and one schedule

4. Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act, 1987

Sati (Prevention) Act, 1987 is a law enacted by Government of Rajasthan in 1987. It became an Act of the Parliament of India with the enactment of The Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act, 1987 in 1988. The Act seeks to prevent sati, the voluntary or forced burning or burying alive of a widow, and to prohibit glorification of this action through the observance of any ceremony, participation in any procession, creation of a financial trust, construction of a temple, or any actions to commemorate or honour the memory of a widow who committed sati. Sati was first banned under Bengal Sati Regulation, 1829.

5. Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006

Whoever, being a male adult above eighteen years of age, contracts a child marriage shall be punishable with rigorous imprisonment which may extend to two years or with fine which may extend to one lakh rupees or with both.

6. Pre-Conception & Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1994

The Act provides for the prohibition of sex selection, before or after conception. It regulates the use of pre-natal diagnostic techniques, like ultrasound and amniocentesis by allowing them their use only to detect genetic abnormalities and metabolic disorders.

7. Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Protection and) Act, 2013

Sexual harassment at a workplace is considered violation of women's right to equality, life, and liberty. It creates an insecure and hostile work environment, which discourage women's participation in work, thereby adversely affecting their social and economic empowerment and the goal of inclusive growth. With this idea the legislature formulated the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2013.

The need for such legislation was observed first time by the Supreme Court, in Vishaka v State of Rajasthan. In the absence of any law at that time providing measures to check the evil of sexual harassment of working women, the Supreme Court, in exercise of power available under Article 32 of the Constitution, framed guidelines to be followed at all workplaces or institutions, until a legislation is enacted for the purpose. The Supreme Court incorporated basic principles of human rights enshrined in Constitution of India under Article 14, 15, 19(1)(g) and 21, and provisions of Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), which has been ratified in 1993 by the Government of India. The guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court were to be treated as the law declared under Article 141 of the Constitution.

After 16 years of Vishaka, The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2013 ("the Act") was enacted with the objective to provide protection against sexual harassment of women at workplace and for the prevention and redressal of complaints of sexual harassment and for matter connected therewith or incidental thereto.

The Act defines sexual harassment as unwelcome acts or behaviour (whether directly or by implication) namely, physical contact and advances, a demand or request for sexual favours, making sexually coloured remarks, showing pornography, any other unwelcome physical, verbal, or non-verbal conduct of sexual nature. Any act of unwelcome and sexual nature shall be considered as sexual harassment. The Delhi High Court in Shanta Kumar vs CSIR held that “undoubtedly, physical contact or advances would constitute sexual harassment provided such physical contact is a part of the sexually determined behaviour. ...a physical contact which has no undertone of a sexual nature and is not occasioned by the gender of the complainant may not necessarily amount to sexual harassment.”

The Act also provides the circumstances under which an act may amount to sexual harassment. These are:

(i) implied or explicit promise of preferential treatment in her employment; or

(ii) implied or explicit threat of detrimental treatment in her employment; or

(iii) implied or explicit threat about her present or future employment status; or

(iv) interference with her work or creating an intimidating or offensive or hostile work

environment for her; or

(v) humiliating treatment likely to affect her health or safety.

The important feature of the Act is that it envisages the setting up of Internal Complaints Committee at every office of the organisation or institution, having more than 10 employees, to hear and redress complaints pertaining to sexual harassment. Where the number of employees is less than 10, the Act provide for setting up of Local Committee in every district by the District Officer. The committee while inquiring into such complaint shall have the same power as vested in a civil court. The Delhi High Court in its judgment in Ruchika Singh Chhabra vs M/s Air France India and Anr. "...directed that the ICC should be constituted in strict compliance with the requirements under law...".

An aggrieved woman can file a written complaint to ICC/LC from three months from the date of the incident and in case of series of such incidents within three months from the last such incident. However, any delay in filing the complaint can be condoned by the committee up to further three months. In case of physical or mental incapability of the aggrieved woman, her legal heirs or such other person as described in Rule 6 of The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Rules, 2013 ("the Rules") may make a complaint.

On receiving the complaint, the committee, before initiating an inquiry, may take steps to settle the matter between her and the respondent through conciliation and when a settlement is arrived no further inquiry is conducted. If the conciliation fails or any term of the settlement arrived at has not been complied with by the respondent, the committee shall proceed further with the inquiry.

In case of a domestic worker, the Local Committee shall, if prima facie case exists, forward the complaint to the police, within a period of seven days for registering the case under Section 509 of Indian Penal Code or any other relevant provisions of the said Code where applicable.

Where both the parties are employees, the principle of natural justice is followed, and both the parties are heard, and opportunity is given to make representations against the findings of the committee. For making an inquiry, the committee shall have the same powers as are vested in a civil court. The committee must complete the inquiry within a period of 90 days. The committee can give certain interim reliefs to the aggrieved woman during the pendency of the inquiry.

The committee within 10 days after completion of the inquiry shall provide the report of its findings to the employer/District Officer and the concerned parties. When the allegation against the respondent has been proved the committee shall recommend the employer/District Officer to take action for sexual harassment as misconduct in accordance with provisions of service rules or where no such rules have been made, as prescribed in Rule 9 of the Rules and to pay such sum to the aggrieved woman as it consider appropriate, in accordance with the provisions of section 15, from the salary of the respondent. The employer/District Officer shall act upon the recommendations within 60 days.

In case of filing of false or malicious complaint or false evidence the committee may recommend to the employer or District Officer to act in accordance with the provisions of service rules or where no such service rules exist, in such manner as prescribed in Rule 10 of the Rules.

An appeal can be filed against the recommendations made by the committee before the court or tribunal, within 90 days from the recommendations, in accordance with service rules and in absence of service rules, to the Appellate Authority under Section 2 of the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946.

There is a prohibition on publication of identity of the aggrieved woman, respondent, witnesses, contents of the complaint, inquiry proceedings or recommendations of the committee, except information regarding the justice secured to any victim of sexual harassment. In contravention of Section 16 of the Act, such person shall be liable for penalty in accordance with service rules and in absence of service rules, in accordance with Rule 12.

The Act lays down certain duties of the employer and District Officer under Section 19 and 20 respectively such as creating awareness on sexual harassment at workplace, sensitize the employees, assist the complaints committee in conducting the inquiry, act upon recommendations of the committee, monitor timely submissions of reports of the committee etc.

The non-compliance of the provisions of the Act by the employer may result in fine which may extend to fifty thousand rupees and can also lead to cancellation of his license or withdrawal, or non-renewal, or approval, or cancellation of the registration.

Even though the Act is in force since 2013, the awareness regarding consequences of sexual harassment and its redressal against the same is limited. The effective implementation of POSH Act not only requires creating an environment where women can speak up about their grievances without fear and get justice but sensitization of men towards treatment of women at workplace is equally necessary.

Conclusion:

To overcome any constraints in the society, more than bringing up the new laws or provisions, we must initiate the change in ourselves and bring the change around by improving in the methodology used in daily times boosting up the empowerment of the girl population.

We must establish gender quality, gender justice, gender education and other policies which work for the betterment of the society.

As we know, we respect our country as mother land, and we share a special bond with the feminine power around us. We almost rely on one or the other factor. Henceforth, we require to promote the youth and encourage them to provide equal opportunities and give the equal respect which they deserve.

MyBharat Student Outreach Program 2021, - Swarjay@752021- 4th August, 2021

The event took place through a virtual platform on 4th August, 2021 from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm, wherein all the students and faculties along with our respect Dean, Dr. TR Subramanya, Vice Principal, Prof. VJ Praneshwaran, our esteemed guest speaker, Sri Radhakrishna Holla and team of Disha Bharat graced this event with their presence.

The event started with the beautiful invocation song sung by one of the student which was further followed by introduction of Disha Bharat NGO, given by the host where the journey of the NGO in the last 16 years through their workshops for students, faculty and parents on theme “Know Yourself, Know Your Country, Know Your Culture” have reached over 4lakh students was highlighted. Moreover, the importance of Swarajya@75 was mentioned which was an online youth campaign organized by Disha Bharat in August 2020 under the concept of MyBHARAT.

Subsequently, the introduction of our esteemed speaker, Sri. Radhakrishna Holla was given by the host who has addressed audiences of all age groups on various platforms, especially the student community.

Following this, the gathering was addressed by the guest speaker where he explained why we celebrate these occasions and how it is important to look back in the past and review the past so that future can be planned. He also talk about the inspirational history of our freedom struggle from Mughals, British  to Indian freedom fighters who never stopped fighting for freedom of our mother land in spite of lot of struggle faced by them but never accepted slavery. Further he mentioned regarding practices followed in India for war i.e., ethical warfare for Indian emperors, story of Bahadur shah, Sawarker who was first person to start Swedish moment who inspired many people for the revolution, how messages of revolt 1857, was passed through flowers and roti among all people who were ready to fight,  Story of Gadar newsletter, story of Indians in Canada, Singapore were tortured where British not allowed ship for the supplies which was advertised  in gadar newsletter  to which there was growth of youth revolutionary which prepared of war against British and this was known as Gadar Movement, but unfortunately it failed due to leakage of information by insiders, etc.

Furthermore he also spoke on the concept of “swa” in swarajya, Swadharm, etc. he also laid emphasis on to serve nation it is not important to join army or military rather same can be done even by teaching students, planting trees, helping the needy ones, etc. he further said “Rebuilding our nation on basis of Indian-ness require huge dedication to serve the society.” Therefore, he stressed on the point that it is responsibility to serve our nation in any way possible. The event was then concluded by the Vote of Thanks.

Organizers of the event

Students- Harshita Raj- 6th sem, BBA.LLB (Host)

           Rashmi – 2nd sem, LLB (Invocation song)

FACULTIES- Prof. Ramya R and Prof. Vandana Rajput.

World Environment Day- 5th June ,2021

WORLD WATER DAY

“When the well is dry, we learn the worth of water.”

-Benjamin Franklin

World Water Day is an international observance and an opportunity to learn more about water related issues, be inspired to tell others and take action to make a difference. World Water Day dates back to the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development where an international observance for water was recommended. The United Nations General Assembly responded by designating 22 March 1993 as the first World Water Day. It has been held annually since then.

Today, 1.8 billion people use a source of drinking water contaminated with faeces, putting them at risk of contracting cholera, dysentery, typhoid and polio. The Sustainable Development Goals, launched in 2015, include a target to ensure everyone has access to safe water by 2030, making water a key issue in the fight to eradicate extreme poverty.

History of the Day:

The idea for this international day goes back to 1992, the year in which the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro took place. That same year, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution by which 22 March of each year was declared World Day for Water, to be observed starting in 1993.

Later on, other celebrations and events were added. For instance, the International Year of Cooperation in the Water Sphere 2013, and the current International Decade for Action on Water for Sustainable Development, 2018-2028. These observances serve to reaffirm that water and sanitation measures are key to poverty reduction, economic growth, and environmental sustainability. World Water Day, held on 22 March every year since 1993, focuses on the importance of freshwater.

 Objectives:

World Water Day is an international observance day. The intention is to inspire people around the world to learn more about water-related issues and to take action to make a difference. Relevant issues include water scarcity, water pollution, inadequate water supply, lack of sanitation, and the impacts of climate change (which was the theme of World Water Day 2020). The day brings to light the inequality of access to WASH services and the need to assure the human right to water and sanitation.

Valuing water:

Today, water is under extreme threat from a growing population, increasing demands of agriculture and industry, and the worsening impacts of climate change. As societies balance the demands on water resources, many people’s interests are not being taken into account.

On 22 March, 2021, World Water Day will be celebrated in an online event. The World Water Day celebrates water and raises awareness of the global water crisis, and a core focus of the observance is to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030.

The THEME of World Water Day 2021 is VALUING WATER. This target will extend beyond concerns of cost to include the environmental and socio-cultural value placed on water resources. World Water Day 2021, is about what water means to people, its value and how we can protect this essential life resource. The value of water is about much more than its price – water has enormous and complex value for our households, food, culture, health, education, economics and the integrity of our natural environment. If we overlook any of these values, we risk mismanaging this finite, irreplaceable resource. SDG 6 is to ensure water and sanitation for all. Without a comprehensive understanding of water’s true, multidimensional value, we will be unable to safeguard this critical resource for the benefit of everyone.

On the day itself, the United Nations World Water Development Report is also released, focusing on the same topic as the campaign and recommending policy direction to decision makers. UN-Water is the convener for World Water Day and selects the theme for each year in consultation with UN organizations that share an interest in that year's focus.

Some Water Facts:

●     2.1 billion people live without safe water at home.

●     One in four primary schools have no drinking water service, with pupils using unprotected sources or going thirsty.

●     More than 700 children under five years of age die every day from diarrhoea linked to unsafe water and poor sanitation.

●     Globally, 80% of the people who have to use unsafe and unprotected water sources live in rural areas

●     Women and girls are responsible for water collection in eight out of ten households with water off-premises.

●     Over 800 women die every day from complications in pregnancy and childbirth.

●     For the 68.5 million people who have been forced to flee their homes, accessing safe water services is highly problematic.

●     Around 159 million people collect their drinking water from surface water, such as ponds and streams.

●     Around 4 billion people - nearly two-thirds of the world’s population - experience severe water scarcity during at least one month of the year.

●     700 million people worldwide could be displaced by intense water scarcity by 2030.

● The wealthier generally receive high levels of WASH services at §low cost, whereas the poor pay a much higher price for a service of similar or lesser quality.

We can celebrate World Water Day by practicing ways to conserve water in our daily routine. Its’ just that we will have to pledge and give a thought as to what does water mean to us! 

For videos, Kindly check following links-

• https://fb.watch/5sZfYCDvYn/ 

• https://fb.watch/5sZmYi_lFu/ 

“Where there is a woman, there is magic.” –Ntozake Shange 

✓ What is International Women's Day? 

International Women’s Day (IWD) is dedicated to celebrating women’s achievements in the social, economic, cultural, and political spheres. The day, collectively founded by women, also brings attention to gender parity and women's rights. Gender parity is a statistical measure that compares women and men through their income, education, and work hours, among other points. This sociological metric helps researchers understand how society is progressing or regressing in specific areas. It’s also an important tool for policymakers striving towards gender equality. Of course, the global celebration of International Women’s Day is a time for reflection of how far women have come, advocacy for what is still needed, and action to continue breaking down barriers. With over a century of history, IWD is a growing movement centered around unity and strength. 

International Women’s Day was observed for the first time on February 28, 1909, in the United States. In 1910, leader of the women’s office of the Social Democratic Party in Germany, Clara Zetkin, tabled the idea before the second International Conference of Working Women. After that Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland marked International Women’s Day on March 19, 1911. People poured onto the streets and participated in rallies campaigning for women’s rights to work, vote and hold public office. In 1913, International Women’s Day was shifted to March 8 and has been celebrated on this date ever since. In 1914, women across Europe held rallies to campaign against World War I. On the last Sunday of February in 1917, women in Russia began a strike for “bread and peace” against the death of over 2 million Russian soldiers in World War I. The United Nations observed International Women’s Day for the first time in 1975. The UN General Assembly passed a resolution in 1977 proclaiming a United Nations Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace should be observed by member states. In 1996, the UN started the adoption of an annual theme. The year 2011 celebrated the centenary of International Women’s Day. 

✓ How is International Women's Day celebrated around the world?

 International Women's Day is an official holiday in at least 20 countries, including: Afghanistan, Cuba, Laos, Russia, and Vietnam. In many of these countries, tradition holds that men honour their mothers, wives, girlfriends, and colleagues with flowers and small presents. In other nations, the day is much like the holiday of Mother's Day, in which children give gifts to their mothers and grandmothers. In other countries, however, like Nepal and China, IWD is a holiday only for women. As for the United States, International Women's Day isn't recognized as an official holiday, although it's been proposed. This doesn't stop the flurry of lively celebrations from taking place across the U.S., though, as numerous political rallies, business conferences, and government and corporate events happen all across the country to honour the special day and bring together women of all different backgrounds and cultures. 

-POOJA GN BBA.LLB[HONS]

EMPOWERED WOMEN EMPOWER THE WORLD

 “A woman is like a tea bag – you can't tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water.” -Eleanor Roosevelt

 Since time immemorial, women have been stereotyped as weak, homely, and fervent. Although, there is nothing wrong in being any of these, it is unacceptable to restrict them with these adjectives. Women are much more than that. Despite being shackled by the chains of societal norms, women have continued to empower themselves. They can do anything they set their minds to! 

Their fight for their right to be treated equally has taken them further ahead as they infiltrated every male-dominated field in the world. The strength, courage, and perseverance that a woman has, has led them to lead the world in the direction it is supposed to be heading to. From Science to Sports, from Technology to Law, women are known to break barriers. While breaking themselves free from these shackles, they have also uplifted others. A major example of these women can be seen in the field of law, where several have devoted their lives in making this world a better place to live in. 

Ruth Bader Ginsburg – Despite facing discrimination at both her college and workplace, Ruth Ginsburg, the former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the USA, did not deter from her fight. She did not just fight for women’s right, but also strived for the constitutional principle of the equal citizenship stature of men and women. She played a vital role to bring the Equal Rights Amendment to the US Constitution in 1972, which ended the legal distinctions between men and women in matters of divorce, property, employment, etc. Despite not being in the best of her health, she continued the struggle, and held her position until her demise at the age of 87. 

Vrinda Grover – A Delhi-based lawyer and a well-known Human Rights Activist, Vrinda was recognized by the Times Magazine as one of the “Top 100 Most Powerful Women in 2013”. She was a firm believer in “not letting your emotions overtake the law of the land”, and did not back down from her duty as a lawyer even when she had to defend the criminals shunned by the society. She also played a prominent role in drafting the POCSO Act, 2012, Criminal Law Amendment, 2013, and Prevention of Torture Bill, 2010. Her struggle for equal rights did not just limit her from fighting for women, she was also one of the strongest advocates against the torture faced by the religious minorities. 

Seema Kushwaha – Also, famously known as the advocate of the Nirbhaya Rape Case. Seema hails from a small village in Uttar Pradesh, where women are still not allowed to lift their ghoonghat. She persevered to become a lawyer. From zero to “won”—she went from filing several petitions for Nirbhaya in the court to finally seeking justice for her. Her first case hasn’t been her last, and she has only marched forward to seek justice for several more daughters of our country. 

Arundhati Katju & Menaka Guruswamy – These women did not just revolutionize the legal system of India, but also the mindsets of its citizens. They did not let the age-old practices followed by our ancestors and precedence set by the court deter them from the fight for the LGBTQ+ rights. It eventually led to the Supreme Court passing a landmark judgement by decriminalizing homosexuality. 

All these amazing women have had one thing in common—they never let their obstacles deter them from the path they were set on. Fortunately, our world is not limited to these female lawyers, and there are several others breaking every single gender-based barrier set up by the society. They are not just fighting for women’s rights, but are fighting for the betterment of the entire nation. These women are an inspiration to all of us young law students, and hopefully, our world will see many more of them in future. 

- MISBAH SHAN 1 ST YEAR LLB