24 October 2019

Carmel conducted a workshop on Gender Sensitization as a part of British Council International School Award activity 4 on the theme “Empowering Girls for Better Tomorrow”.

Carmel Convent Hr. Sec. School, Kunjwani conducted a workshop on Gender Sensitization as a part of British Council International School Award activity 4. The theme of the workshop was “Empowering Girls for Better Tomorrow”. Rev. Fr. Shaiju Chacko was the resource person. The talk addressed Gender sensitizing, which is about changing behavior and instilling empathy into the views that we hold about our own and the other genders.
The workshop opened with a short lively activity to help the Carmelites explore the basis of their individual perceptions of gender roles and stereotypes and how these shape our definitions of appropriate behaviour. This was followed by a session in which videos of gender equality and women empowerment were shown to the students to make them feel equal and strong.
Fr. Chacko spoke about the Ws (What, Where, When & Why) of Gender Sensitization and highlighted on certain code of behaviour and protocol to be followed for a sensitised society. He emphasised on the fact that gender sensitivity applies to not just girls or boys but both the genders and one must learn to respect each other. The Do's and Don’ts, Female stereotypes like being compliant, caring, soft, relational, weak, hysterical/emotional, home oriented ways to prevention of gender based malpractices and the current judicial scenario were explained during the were discussed in detail and . He insisted that the youth must make an effort to break stereotypical thinking and make way for a new order. The aim of the session was to make the girls aware of the laws of women safety and to make them feel as equal beings with decision making power and not as people who should be teased and humiliated. At the end of the workshop, participants gave their commitment to making changes in their attitude, feel confident and promote gender equity.
Ms. Palakpreet Kour, in her concluding address thanked Fr. Chacko for his valuable views to empower girls and drew attention on Sustainable Development Goals 4 (Quality Education), 5 (Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment) and 16 (Promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies) to promote gender equality.