- To mark International Women’s Day 2024, the Women’s Cell at FLAME University organized a series of events that involved students, faculty, and staff.
- The four-day-long celebration also saw notable guests like Ms. Jyoti Yadav, Assistant Editor, The Print, and Dr. Anagha Tambe, Head of Women’s Studies Center, Pune University, deliver important talks on critical issues of gender, violence, justice, and empowerment.
FLAME University, renowned for its commitment to interdisciplinary education, took a significant stride towards inclusivity and empowerment as it celebrated International Women’s Day (IWD) 2024 between March 5-8, 2024. Under the theme of “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress,” the university’s Women’s Cell planned a series of enlightening discussions with students and faculty, a movie screening, and an informative session with the staff. Over four days, FLAME University became a platform of diverse voices, welcoming students, faculty, staff, and even schoolchildren from Lavale Village to its events.
Dr. Anagha Tambe’s talk on March 6 centered on the “Paradoxes of Gender Equality in Higher Education,” where even though we see a lot more young women entering higher education in India, we do not see them entering and thriving in the workforce. Women are being educated to primarily enhance their ‘value’ in the marriage market, as an educated bride is considered more ‘desirable’. The talk raised important questions about the goal of the feminist movement, where we ought to not only focus on increasing the enrolment of women in universities but also ponder their journeys after they complete their education.
On Thursday, March 7th, 2024, the Women’s Cell organized a session on the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) for the ground staff of the university. Mr. Mahesh Prasad Saha, Regional Director of NIOS (Maharashtra & Goa), explained in detail about the inclusive and flexible educational opportunities offered by the NIOS board. He talked about how the NIOS board provides elementary, secondary, and senior secondary education alongside vocational courses, catering to diverse educational needs. The curriculum emphasizes language proficiency and subjects that cover sciences, humanities, and commerce. Ms. Sulbha Shantwan, Founder and Director of Sandbox Academy of Alternative Learning, who was the other speaker at this event, shared about how the NIOS board caters to a wide range of learners, including school dropouts, working professionals, individuals with disabilities, and people living in remote areas.
Finally, on International Women’s Day on March 8, Ms. Jyoti Yadav, Assistant Editor at the Print, gave a fascinating talk attended by students and faculty from various departments. She began by narrating her journey as one of the first women to move out of her small town in Haryana to study Humanities at Delhi University and then later to join India Today as a reporter. Her talk touched upon a range of issues, covering the need for data-driven stories, innovative storytelling to capture a new generation of readers, and the need to practice empathy while covering stories of rape victims. She spoke about how her stories on women achievers in Haryana, victims of the deadly second wave of COVID-19, and gang rape survivors have not only shed light on little-known aspects of gender-based discrimination and violence but also led to important policy changes in the country. Finally, she also highlighted the importance of women’s reservation by citing a steep rise in women judges across small towns in north India.
The celebration also paid tribute to women’s resilience with a special screening of Nil Battey Sannata, a poignant film depicting the educational aspirations of a widowed mother for her young daughter. The screening was attended by 8th and 9th grade students from a government school in Lavale village.
Reflecting on the event, Prof. Dishan Kamdar, Vice-Chancellor of FLAME University, remarked, “Our celebration of International Women’s Day this year underscores our commitment to fostering awareness and dialogue on crucial issues. The Women’s Cell curated insightful sessions that not only sparked meaningful discussions but also inspired our community to drive change.”
FLAME University’s commemoration of International Women’s Day 2024 reaffirms its dedication to effecting positive change and empowering its community to champion inclusivity and progress.
