Wouldn’t the world be a better place if we created a more inclusive, respectful, and equitable environment for people of all genders?

A society where everyone has equal opportunities, rights, and respect, regardless of their gender.

Unfortunately, that’s not the current state of the world. And so, raising awareness about gender-based discrimination and challenges is the need of the hour to unleash people’s potential and boost their opportunities.

That’s exactly what our recently held session on gender sensitization did!

The Internal Committee (IC) for POSH organized ‘Harmony: A Dialogue on Diversity and Inclusivity’, for students of NICMAR University, Pune on 25th January, 2023 at the main auditorium. The session was conducted by Dr. Gopa Samanta, who works as a Professor and Head of Department of Geography at Burdwan University.

Dr. Samanta has worked as Director of UGC-HRDC and Presiding Officer of ICC at Burdwan University. Her areas of expertise include Urban Development and changing economic, social and cultural spaces in small cities, urban environment and water in cities, and gender studies - work and emancipation.

A detailed elaboration by Dr. Samanta on the importance of having more women in construction management, architecture, and planning kicked off the session. She then went on to emphasize on the need for a dialogue about inclusivity and diversity.

Dr. Samanta also talked in detail about the concept of femininity and masculinity and its burden on people through behavioral norms and codes. She highlighted the need for awareness and frequent dialogues on gender sensitization and inclusivity. She also stressed the need for ICC in institutions of higher education and mentioned about the value of Vishakha guidelines on sexual harassment at workplace.

The event initiated a dialogue among students and faculty about gender issues and involved several question-answers and discussion after the talk.

Gender sensitization is particularly important for empowering women and girls, who often face gender-based discrimination and barriers to their progress and success. By promoting gender equality and challenging gender stereotypes, this step helps to create a world where women and girls can reach their full potential and achieve their goals.