The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) is an international campaign that takes place annually. It starts on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and concludes on December 10, Human Rights Day.
Dr Kunal Sarkar, eminent Cardiac Surgeon, Debater and Socio-Political analyst, spoke on 5th December on the 11th day of the 16 Day of Activism,in an event organised jointly by SI of South Kolkata and IPER. He spoke about patriarchy in societies that pushed back women into illiteracy centuries back and their very slow turn into a minority educated class that still has a long way to go. Though India’s global economy has put it into the top bracket, the progress of women has not kept pace. That anomaly is heightened with increased violence as the women workforce increases.
Women have proven that their longevity is not merely a statistic and spoke of the need for women to take care of their health, in an area they woefully lag behind as they place themselves last in the household. He offered his help in partnering health camps with Soroptimists.
He felt that each of us should light a flame that together can spearhead a change. We need to choose carefully even as globally misogynistic traits are more apparent.
