Gandhi Smriti & Darshan Samiti (Ministry of Culture, GOI) and Nari Manch in association with Maulik Bharat, CCBOS of India, IIP Foundation and Sepia Advertising organized a one day seminar on ‘BETI BACHAO BETI PADHAO’ on 30th March 2016 at the Constitutional Club, Rafi Marg, New Delhi.

This seminar carried forward the vision of Shri Narendra Modi, the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India to empower women in every sphere of life.

The seminar saw participation by many eminent personalities including social activists, senior lawyers and political leaders. The seminar was also attended by woman achievers from different sections of the society.

The seminar started with the lighting of the lamp by Smt. Sadhana Singh Gaur ‘Naini’, Chairperson Nari Manch and Member Vigilance & Monitoring Chhatisgarh and Shri. Rajesh Goyal, Executive Chairman CCBOS & IIP Foundation.

Welcoming the participants and distinguished guests, Shri. Rajesh Goyal, Executive Chairman CCBOS & IIP Foundation laid stress on many issues regarding woman and girl child. Mr. Goyal also exhorted the participants to take oath to protect the rights of woman.

Inaugurating the first session of the seminar, Smt. Sadhana Singh Gaur ‘Naini’, Chairperson Nari Manch and Member Vigilance and Monitoring Chhatisgarh spoke on the equal rights for women and highlighted discrimination against women on religious and cultural grounds.

Also speaking on various women related issues were eminent personalities like Shri. Deepankar Shri Gyan, Director, Gandhi Smriti & Darshan Samiti, Ministry of Culture, GOI; Captain Vikas Gupta, Vice President, Maulik Bharat; Dr. Urvashi Makkar, Director General, GL Bajaj Institute of Management & Research; Ms. Anita Singh, General Secretary, Nari Manch, Madhya Pradesh; Shri. Ashutosh Singh, National Convener, Swasth Bharat Abhiyan and Mr. Rais Khan Pathan, Member, Central Waqf Council, Ministry of Minority Affairs and State President, CCBOS, Gujarat.

The second session of the seminar was presided over by Shri. Umesh Chandra Gaur, Chairman, CCBOS of India. He raised many vital issues concerning women and strongly backed 33% reservation for women.

Some of the important personalities who attended the second session of the seminar included Shri. Anuj Agarwal, General Secretary, Maulik Bharat Trust; Dr. Chandralekha Sharma, Vice President, Nari Manch; Ms. Shamina Raina, Member, National Committee for Promotion of Social and Economic Welfare, Ministry of Finance, Govt. of India and Vice President, CCBOS of India and Mr. Viraj Gupta, Advocate.

Issues that were mainly highlighted during the seminar included Female Infanticide, Malnutrition, Early Marriage & Complications of Child Birth, Domestic Violence, Women Reservation, Dowry Evil and Vocational Education for Women.

At the end of the seminar, awards were also given to exceptional women achievers including Smt. Poonam Prakash Shukla, Social Activist and Writer; Smt. Smita Pandey who has done pioneering work on community mental health; Smt.Ishu Mittal, eminent art personality among others.

The seminar concluded with the passing of a proposal to the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India that included 33% reservation for women in the Parliament, State Legislative Assemblies and Govt. jobs; free healthcare and legal aid for women; unique identity cards for widows & differently abled women and free hostel for them in their districts; stringent punishments for those who commit atrocities on women and debarring them from Govt. jobs and other privileges.