DARJEELING: To celebrate International Women's Day, the District Legal Services Authority and the Legal Aid and Advice Society of West Bengal, jointly conducted a seminar at Kalimpong on Saturday. Key speakers invited by the organizers from Kolkata highlighted the rights of women.
Justice Asim Kumar Ray of high court said, "It is imperative that the society is sensitized to ensure that the rights of women are protected at the grassroots. Only this can bring about a change towards the way we look at women". Former judge of Kolkata high court, Prabir Kumar Samanta, also highlighted the right of women under the Legal Services Authority Act of 1987. "All the women of the country irrespective of financial stability are entitled to get free legal aid from the government. And this starts from the lower court to the Supreme Court," he said.
Other programmes were held at Gorubathan, also in Kalimpong sub-division, and at the town hall. More than 500 women participated in these programmes.
"We got a good response. It was nice and heartening to see the women folk of the region take interest and participate," said Biplab Kumar Roy, the chief judicial magistrate of Darjeeling court, who had organized the programme. The CJM spoke about how women from this region were being trafficked and pointed out the remedy to curb the menace.
"Women are especially vulnerable in areas of the Hills due to their financial conditions," Roy said.
"Women are easily lured by traffickers with promise of money and jobs in the cities. But sadly, in most cases these women are cheated," he added.
The CJM said the need of the hour was to create awareness in the society to the effect of this menace. "We must as a responsible citizen fight for the right of the women. We must create awareness in the society, first. Then the role of the police and the civil administration are also important. Overall we must work in tandem to rid the society of such evils," said the CJM.(TOI)
Justice Asim Kumar Ray of high court said, "It is imperative that the society is sensitized to ensure that the rights of women are protected at the grassroots. Only this can bring about a change towards the way we look at women". Former judge of Kolkata high court, Prabir Kumar Samanta, also highlighted the right of women under the Legal Services Authority Act of 1987. "All the women of the country irrespective of financial stability are entitled to get free legal aid from the government. And this starts from the lower court to the Supreme Court," he said.
Other programmes were held at Gorubathan, also in Kalimpong sub-division, and at the town hall. More than 500 women participated in these programmes.
"We got a good response. It was nice and heartening to see the women folk of the region take interest and participate," said Biplab Kumar Roy, the chief judicial magistrate of Darjeeling court, who had organized the programme. The CJM spoke about how women from this region were being trafficked and pointed out the remedy to curb the menace.
"Women are especially vulnerable in areas of the Hills due to their financial conditions," Roy said.
"Women are easily lured by traffickers with promise of money and jobs in the cities. But sadly, in most cases these women are cheated," he added.
The CJM said the need of the hour was to create awareness in the society to the effect of this menace. "We must as a responsible citizen fight for the right of the women. We must create awareness in the society, first. Then the role of the police and the civil administration are also important. Overall we must work in tandem to rid the society of such evils," said the CJM.(TOI)