Invitation for 12th Global Conference along with nomination for “PRIYADARSHINI AWARD” To outstanding women entrepreneurs

 Dated: 7th May 2012

FEDERATION OF INDIAN WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS IS HOSTING THE 12TH GLOBAL CONFERENCE ON “TRADE LIBERALIZATION AND ITS GLOBAL IMPACT ON WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS”

Greeting From FIWE!!!

We are pleased to inform you that the Federation of Indian Women Entrepreneurs (FIWE), an apex body of associations of women entrepreneurs and professionals spread across length & breadth in India, is organizing the 12th Global Conference on “Trade Liberalization and its global impact on women entrepreneurs", in association with International Federation of women entrepreneurs (IFWE) This conference would provide a common platform for networking, sharing ideas, exploring business opportunities, discussing tools, technologies, and processes in trade and entrepreneurs business, in New Delhi (India) from 5th Sept to 7th September, 2012.

In association with International Federation of women entrepreneurs (IFWE) UK, FIWE is commemorating  “PRIYADARSHINI AWARD” also in the  name of ‘Late Smt. Indira Gandhi’ to the women who have left a trail of success in the related field, entirely dedicated to foster economic empowerment of women. This year award ceremony is going to be held at hotel ‘The Lalit’ on 7th September, 2012

Many of the winners today are considered outstanding achievers in their countries. Former Priyadarshini Awardees like Ms Jennet from Srilanka, Ms Martha Thiller of Indonesia and Shahnaz Hussain of India are well known entrepreneurs and role models for new generations in their respective countries.

We hereby request you to take this conference as an opportunity to appreciate the efforts of the members of your organization and nominate the names of outstanding women entrepreneurs for “PRIYADARSHINI AWARD” along with the 12th Global Conference which will out mostly provide amalgamation of like-minded peoples from different sectors and fields, with their success stories, innovation and ideas.

We will be pleased to receive your nomination for “PRIYADARSHINI AWARD”. The nomination will go through the esteemed independent jury of the Award Committee. They will look for someone who has made a difference in their field of work.

We would require the following information through email and along with the nominee’s name:

• Age
• Type of entity-International or National
• Balance sheet of the company for the last 3 years (current and past financial performance)
• The line of activity, number of employees, products- manufactured/marketed/exporter
• Annual turnover and growth rate
• Address, Telephone No. and Bio-data of the proprietor/MD/Executive Director.
• Innovativeness of product or service offered
• Awards received, if any
• Please send us the soft copy and the hard copy of the above mentioned information.

Since this event is of international importance, we invite your urgent action in sending the nomination of the awardees. Kindly ensure that they are personally present for accepting the award.

Furthermore, we would like to join our hands with you and would like to request you to send us the information pertaining to the upcoming events, so that we can share those details with our esteemed members.

We are looking forward for your valuable feedback.

  

With Best Regards,

Pankaj Sharma

Event Manager

9873522127

Phone no. +91-11-26850395

Email: fiwe.event@gmail.com

FEDERATION OF INDIAN WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS

1-A, Lower Ground Floor, Hauz Khas Village, New Delhi – 110016

Phone: 011-26850395, 46089142 Fax: 011-26868531,www.fiwe.org

  

Enclosure:

1. 12th Global Conference Brochure.

2. Letter for "Priyadarshini Award".

3. Nomination for Letter for "Priyadarshini Award".

http://fiwe.org/News/admin/events/upload/12th_Global_Conference_brochure_Type%20Two_.pdf

http://fiwe.org/Priya-Darshani-Award-2012.html

http://fiwe.org/PRegistration-Information.html

Press Statement from AIDWA

Press Release

The National Women Organisations along with their Delhi Chapters came together on 22nd May 2012 at a "Call Attention Dharna" at Sansad Marg New Delhi and expressed their deep disappointment on the continued betrayal by the UPA Government and its failure to keep its promise in its electoral manifesto which ensured passage of the women’s Bill in the Lok Sabha .The failure to take positive measures in the direction of strengthening democracy in the country despite repeated verbal assurances made by its leaders, the Prime Minister, and by the President herself, has been an injustice to the women of the country.

The Women’s Organisations reiterated the facts position emphasising that 33% reservation will empower women by increasing their political representation; will open up new spaces for focusing on gender based discriminations in the political sphere; help to pinpoint the unequal status of women in the society and the underlying prejudices which perpetuate structural as well as gender based inequalities and exclusions.

Maintaining that democracy has to be inclusive and equitable, a demand was made to the UPA Government to fulfill its promise and forthwith introduce the Bill and allow it to be debated on the floor of the Rajya Sabha.

The Dharna was attended by eminent Members of Parliament Mr D Raja, Ms Jharna Das Baidya and Dr T.N Seema and more than 500 women cutting across boundaries of politics and class

The Women Organisations also adopted resolutions demanding for:

• The early passing of the Bill for Protection of Women against Sexual Harassment

• A Comprehensive Bill to address killings and crimes being perpetrated in the name of " honour" has to be formulated urgently.

• The Law on Sexual assault after due amendment to address the multiple dimensions of violence suffered by victims are addressed adequately.

• The Food Security Act be made a made a universal right by strengthening the Public Distribution System.

Sd/-                                                                 Sd/-

       Leila Passah                                          Sudha Sundararaman

(Gen.secretary, YWCA)                           (Gen.secretary,AIDWA)

on behalf of

AIDMAM, AIDWA, AIWC, CWDS, GOS, JWP, MWF, NFIW, YWCA

AIDWA

Basic Training on Gender, Sexuality and Sexual and Reproductive Health in Hindi

Crea organising Basic Training on Gender, Sexuality and Sexual and Reproductive Health in Hindi from July 9 - 11, 2012, Ranchi, Jharkhand 


Last date for submitting completed applications is June 10, 2012


Download Call for Training
http://web.creaworld.org/files/bt2012-info.pdf


Application Form
http://web.creaworld.org/files/bt2012-app.pdf

OBITUARY

 Leela Dube  (1923-2012)

A feminist anthropologist who pioneered studies on matriliny, kinship

  

Leela Dube, who passed away in New Delhi on Sunday aged 89, was one of the early pioneers of feminist scholarship in India along with Irawati Karve, Vina Majumdar, and Lotika Sarkar. Scan through the acknowledgements and citations of any sociological or anthropological book on kinship or gender in India, from the 1960s till the present, and her name comes up with unfailing regularity. 

In a delightful autobiographical essay published in the Economic and Political Weekly in 2000 (‘Doing Kinship and Gender'), Leela Dube nee Ambardekar describes the early influences that determined her future interests – her middle class Marathi Brahmin upbringing (her sister, Sumati Mutatkar went on to become a renowned classical vocalist), her mother's generosity within the family, literature that showed both the suffering and the strength of women, the everyday gossip around familial politics and intrigues, and the nationalist movement. Given the inchoate feminism of the time, she felt she had to marry but if she was to do so, she wanted a partner who would encourage rather than stultify her intellectually. While doing an MA in Political Science at Nagpur University she heard of Shyama Charan Dube, a reputedly brilliant student, and decided to propose to him. He later became a well-known anthropologist. Inevitably, Leela Dube had to carve her career around his, the fate of many women not just of her generation but also today. However, as with other such inspiring women, she managed to balance both home and work, and one might even say, surpassed her husband in her sociological legacy. She taught at Sagar University from 1960-75, and held several fellowships at the ICSSR, Teen Murti, the Centre for Women's Development Studies among others. 

Leela Dube's Ph.D. (1953, Anthropology) was on women in three adivasi groups, comparing their lives to upper caste women, but she is best known for her work on Muslim matriliny in Lakshwadeep, Matriliny and Islam: Religion and society in the Laccadives (1969) and marriage and kinship relations more broadly. Like many women scholars, it is her own experience which deeply shaped her interests - marriage as she describes it was a relation of both “gratification” and “agony”. In between, she also collaborated with S.C. Dube on research among rural communities in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. However, it was her work as a member of the National Committee on the Status of Women between 1971 and 1974 which transformed her into an established and internationally recognised feminist scholar. She served on several boards, including as chairperson of the Commission on Women of the International Union of Anthropological and Ethnological Sciences, from 1976-1993, and as series editor of the women and household volumes published by Sage. 

In 2007, Leela Dube was given the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Indian Sociological Society, and was awarded the UGC National Swami Pranavananda Saraswati Award for 2005. She remained active and engaged with scholarship till almost the very end. Her book, Anthropological Explorations in Gender: Intersecting fields, was published by Sage in 2001. Of a generation of multilingual scholars that is now sadly passing away, her very last publication was the Marathi Manavashastratil lingbhavachi shodhamohim (2009).

Leela Dube is survived by two sons.

Source: The Hindu 21 May 2012.

One World South Asia Invite for applications for the Akshaya Patra-One World Media Fellowships on Hunger – 2012

Dear Friends, 

Greetings from One World!

We take pleasure to inform you that OneWorld South Asia and The Akshaya Patra Foundation are collaboratively instituting a Media Fellowship programme for journalists in India to study, analyse and report on the issue of hunger and food security in India.

We invite applications from committed journalists to apply for this fellowship.

A brief of the call for proposals is attached herewith for your reference.

Request if you could kindly circulate this widely amongst your journalist friends.

We will be happy to help should you require any further information.

Many thanks and warm regards,

Satish 

==================

 Secretariat:

Akshaya Patra-OneWorld Media Fellowships on Hunger - 2012

One World South Asia

C 1/3 Safdarjung Development Area

New Delhi 110 016.

Tel: +91-11-41689000 - extn - 118

Fax: +91-11-41689001

The full details on the Fellowship can be found at:  

southasia.oneworld.net/special-events/call-for-proposals

AIDWA Press Statement on Bill for Protection of Women against Sexual Harassment at the Workplace.

ALL INDIA DEMOCRATIC WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION

NO. 2253- E , SHADI KHAMPUR, NEW RANJIT NAGAR,

NEW DELHI-110008

PH: 011-25700476, 25709565

Email : aidwacec@gmail.com, aidwa@rediffmail.com

 Date: 11^th May2012

                                              PRESS RELEASE

AIDWA Press Statement on Bill for Protection of Women against Sexual Harassment at the Workplace.

AIDWA welcomes the Union Cabinet’s approval of the Bill on the Protection of Women from Sexual Harassment at the Work place, and the inclusion of certain important demands such as bringing domestic workers within its ambit. However, it is most unfortunate that the clause relating to so called “false and malicious complaints,” which would make complainants punishable, has been reportedly retained under the proposed law.

AIDWA reiterates that this is totally against the Vishaka Judgment which had clearly stated that no action should be taken against a woman for making a complaint. The proposed civil law to deal with cases of sexual harassment is aimed at providing a conducive atmosphere in which women victims come forth to make a complaint given the fact that women employees are usually extremely hesitant to lodge a complaint for fear of reprisal. Experience of dealing with cases as members of Complaint Committees has shown that accusations of false complaints are routinely made against women victims. Though in the proposed draft ‘mere inability to substantiate the complaint or provide adequate proof’ has not been made punishable, this is not sufficient. The fact that she can be proceeded against will hang like a Damocles’ sword over the victim’s head. It would also be highly improper for the Complaints Committee to pronounce judgment on this matter.  AIDWA demands that this clause be removed from the Bill forthwith. There are rules and laws to deal with false statements and evidence-giving and these may be invoked when required, along with provision for filing of suits for defamation.

In fact it is notable that while no clear system of accountability of those responsible for acting on complaints of sexual harassment is spelt out in the proposed law, a lot of effort has gone into providing for an assumed scenario where the complainant is seen to be functioning with mala fide intent. AIDWA challenges this assumption and urges the government to address these concerns. The Bill must ensure that victims of sexual harassment are able to access justice without fear of victimization.

       Sd/-                              Sd/-                                         Sd/-

Shyamali Gupta      Sudha Sundararaman              Kirti Singh

    (President)        (Gen.  Secretary, AIDWA )   (Legal Convenor, AIDWA)

Press Statement on dress codes for Govt employees in Haryana

ALL INDIA DEMOCRATIC WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION

NO. 2253- E , SHADI KHAMPUR, NEW RANJIT NAGAR,

NEW DELHI-110008

PH: 011-25700476, 25709565

Email : aidwacec@gmail.com, aidwa@rediffmail.com

                                                               Date: 10^th May 2012

Press Statement on dress codes for Govt employees in Haryana

AIDWA strongly protests the order promulgated by the WCD Dept of Haryana on April 18^th 2012 imposing gender biased dress codes on women employees, in violation of their basic democratic rights.  The order directing the field staff to wear “decent” clothes, and prohibiting them from wearing  jeans and T-shirts to work,  exposes the outrageously feudal, and chauvinist mentality that is still dominant among the political and administrative ruling class of the state. The knee jerk reactions to public outrage that has resulted in an abrupt withdrawal of this order is not enough. There must be accountability for the actions of the state that infringe on democratic rights, and that reflect a deep seated anti women mindset. We demand that those who promulgated such an objectionable order should be identified and punished, in accordance with the existing rules and regulations.

Sd/-                              Sd/-                              Sd/-

Shyamali Gupta     Jagmati Sangwan           Sudha Sundararaman

(President)              (Vice president)           (General Secretary)

           

Press Statement

ALL INDIA DEMOCRATIC WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION

NO. 2253- E , SHADI KHAMPUR, NEW RANJIT NAGAR,

NEW DELHI-110008

PH: 011-25700476, 25709565

Email : aidwacec@gmail.com, aidwa@rediffmail.com

                                                      Date: 10^th May 2012

                                     Press Statement

The All India Democratic Women’s association (AIDWA) strongly condemns the statement of the DIG of Saharanpur, Shri SK Mathur, reported in the media on May 10^th 2012 which provides outrageous inducement to committing murder in the name of honour. In a situation where crimes and killings against innocent youth on grounds of so called honour by relatives and/or by the clan are on the increase, the implications of the DIG’s comment cannot be underestimated. It represents a blatant infringement of the directions given by various Courts that the police have to provide safety to young couples who are being threatened by their relatives, or by certain sections of their community for having contracted self choice marriages. If this is the attitude of the protection givers, how can the rule of law and order be maintained, and how can the effected couples get justice?  

AIDWA has been demanding that a comprehensive law should be enacted to tackle the various dimensions of such crimes that are being executed with great impunity. This incident once again underlines the urgent need for a law to address killings and crimes being committed in the name of honour.   

The UP state unit of AIDWA has also called for an appropriate legislation, and has demanded stringent action against the DIG, and his dismissal in the wake of his irresponsible remarks.  

      Sd/-                                 Sd/-                                 Sd/-

Shyamali Gupta         Madhu Garg              Sudha Sundararaman

(President)               (Secretary, UP)             (General Secretary)

           

AIDWA Press statement on IBM amendment

ALL INDIA DEMOCRATIC WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION

NO. 2253- E , SHADI KHAMPUR, NEW RANJIT NAGAR,

NEW DELHI-110008

PH: 011-25700476, 25709565

Email: aidwacec@gmail.com, aidwa@rediffmail.com                                                                                              

Date: 1^st May 2012     

                                                  PRESS RELEASE

 The All India Democratic Women’s Association expresses deep concern that the  the Marriage Laws ( Amendment) Bill 2010’ and the Amendments to it,  reintroduced in the Rajya Sabha on 30.4.12, is sought to be passed without first giving women equal rights to marital assets including the marital home, and without strengthening the laws relating to maintenance.

The amendment seeks to make irretrievable breakdown of marriage a ground for divorce, and proposes that the court may give the wife a share in the  property acquired during the subsistence of marriage. Unfortunately, whether a share should be given at all and the quantum of the share in marital property is left to be decided by the Courts on a case to case basis. Our experience in the courts has shown that a large number of courts have been very been very conservative and close-fisted about granting maintenance for wives and children and have awarded dismal sums. These courts have obviously acted with a bias towards women and have treated them unequally. When women approach the courts for maintenance, they are awarded sums that may normally range anywhere between five to thirty five percent  approximately of the man’s income, even if there are children to be supported. The courts’ evaluation of what constitutes adequate maintenance frequently falls far short of what women and children require even to survive in a dignified manner. Thus, allowing the courts to decide on a share in the marital property is no guarantee that the wife will receive her just entitlements.

In countries where irretrievable breakdown of marriage has been introduced as a ground of divorce, laws relating to an equitable division of all marital assets also exist. This is because the contribution of a woman in building up of the household and in primarily taking care of the children is recognized and is considered to be as economically valuable as work outside the house. Unless women are treated as equals in a marriage and given the same financial and other security that men have on its breakdown, it would be discriminatory to further liberalize the grounds of divorce.  

AIDWA demands that the amendments for irretrievable breakdown of marriage as a ground for divorce be introduced only after a law has been enacted for giving women equal rights in marital property. This law should allow for equal division of the marital property upon separation and not merely on divorce. A provision should also be made for women, and children to get more than the half share for example the matrimonial home if the children are living with their mother. The laws relating to maintenance for women and children must be strengthened to ensure that women/ children receive an adequate amount of maintenance. 

AIDWA has written a letter of appeal to the Rajya Sabha members to prevent the perpetration of injustice against women by the highest law making body of our country, and to oppose the law in its present form. 

With regards,                                                   

   sd/-        sd/-           Sd/-

Shyamali Gupta       Kirti Singh              Sudha Sundararaman

(President)            (Legal Convenor)     (General Secretary)