International Women’s Day was celebrated on 9th March 2016 at Poruwa in Tezpur city. Selected resource persons were called to give valuable knowledge to the participants. The programme started with a short prayer by Sr. Caroline Hemrom that called to reflect on the progress made for women and encouraging them on International Women’s Day. After which Daffodil Basumatary welcomed the resource persons and the participants present for the program. As she introduced the Resource persons the Domestic Workers welcomed them by offering Gamucha. There after the resource persons lit the lamp as a symbol of spreading light to the world on this auspicious day.
Daffodil Basumatary in brief explained the very purpose of celebrating the International Women’s Day. The theme for this year’s International Women Day Celebration was “Planet 50:50 by 2030: Step it up for Gender Equality”. Sr. Helen Barla, the councillor of evangelization explained about women’s rights and why women step behind in decision making for our daily life and for our future. The women should step forward towards their goal without fear. She also explained about women empowerment and motivated the participants well. She said that without women the homes will be empty. It is women who can play an extraordinary role in making a home and the village community vibrant and alive. Without the women a family cannot hope to live a perfectly and smoothly. Women are the pillar of strength in a home and in the society. So without women the whole world will be like a desert. Women’s have ability to work for her home, for her society and for the country. She motivated the Domestic Workers not to stay behind with fear.
Nima Begum one of the invitees spoke about how to take Care of oneself and the family. She too gave basic knowledge about HIV/AIDS, its symptoms, and how it affects human beings. She also explained how it can be transmitted from one person to another like sharing of used syringe, through unprotected sex, blood transfusion, from infected expecting mother to its child, breast feeding of infected mother etc. She made it very clear to the Domestic workers how this disease can harm the people if they are not careful. She also explained to them the preventive measures for it. She made them aware that a person cannot get HIV by touching or hugging or by sharing utensils with someone who has HIV/AIDS.
Sr. Caroline Hembrom talked on gender equality, women empowerment and rights. She said that the International women’s day has assumed new global dimensions for women developed and developing countries alike. She also explained about the growing international women’s movement which has strengthened the women’s empowerment and their rights.
The program ended with vote of thanks by Chandika Singhato the resource persons and to all the participants of the program for being part of it. She said if we know our rights and its use then we can reduce inequality among the gender which is a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world.
