Women log in to show they care

LUDHIANA: Moved by the horrific Delhi gang rape, a group of six women from the city have come together to create a Facebook page, "Ludhiana cares" to enhance security for women through social networking. They will meet the police commissioner to formulate a set of rules in this regard.
The group, which met at Ivanna Institute of Fashion Technology includes chairperson of the LMA Women's forum Harpreet Soin, senior vice-chairperson, FICCI-FLO and Punjab Thalassemia Welfare Society president Komal Agarwal, BCM Arya School, Shastri Nagar principal Paramjit Kaur, chairperson, FICCI- FLO Rashmi Bector, Kitty Bakshi and Navneet Kaur who are associated with Nirdosh School, associate director, INIFD Amardeep Lall and director, Ivanna Institute of Fashion Technology Manmeet Sodhia.
Institute director Manmeet Sodhia said with women being involved in professional activities, steps need to be taken to provide them with a safe environment. "Since women in Ludhiana are actively involved in all spheres of social and professional life, they need full support of the administration and the society. Marginalization on the basis of gender is outdated and should be discouraged," she asserted.
Group member Kitty Bakshi questioned the huge security accorded to VIPs when women constituted a vulnerable group. "We will actively promote this cause. It is strongly felt that VIP security must be scaled down to free police personnel for the security of city residents," she said.
Besides other steps, members also plan to spread awareness by putting up posters at women's restrooms at malls.
Keep safe
Installing surveillance cameras at parks, parking lots, food joints
District police women cell to have at least one helpline number for women, operational at all times
Ban on public or private vehicles with dark glasses and curtains
24-hour deployment of a woman officer by the PCR
Safety articles like pepper spray to be made readily available
Girls to be trained in self defence and boys to be made gender sensitive
Helping girls and women understand how to handle harassment
Employability of underprivileged, imparting of professional skills and facilitating employment through various trade bodies
To encourage schools and colleges to make sex education part of the curriculum