Women engender invaluable contribution to the society. They play manifold roles in all spheres of life by overcoming hard circumstances. But most of their contributions remain unrecognized and unaccredited. Their multifarious talents go wasted. Even things are not very different in societies which claim high literacy rates. To affirm the gender equality and to identify the potentiality of women, D Y Patil Deemed to be University has initiated a Women Forum. This forum serves as a platform to tune a democratic conscience among the girl students community inside and outside the campus. This makes valiant efforts for women emancipation and development. The forum has an active unit of female teachers and girl students from the institution, who initiate and organize events aimed at supporting women. It strives to represent a create equity for women in academic and administration in terms of working conditions at all levels of employment.

Need for a Women’s Forum in Higher Education Institution

1) To encourage involvement through academic, cultural and outreach activities such as talks, programmes, seminars etc
2) To become a resource centre for women and provide a forum for exchange of ideas
3) To review safety and security measures for female employees and girl students on and off campus
4) The cell intends to bring girl students to the forefront of different activities in the college by offering various facilities and benefits to them
5) It provides a platform for the female students to explore their co-curricular abilities
6) To invite as and when feasible, cultural leaders, scholars, scientists and creative artists, who may or may not be members of the society

Objectives of Women’s Forum

1) To ensure participation of women in integrated development process with greater awareness of their roles, rights and potentials
2) To provide friendly environment to learn, develop and flourish in security
3) To inculcate talent and leadership qualities among girl students
4) To enhance knowledge to become economically independent
5) To integrate programmes focusing legal rights and societal issues
6) To provide skill training to become entrepreneurs
7) To reach out to rural women to enhance their status through productive employment

Highlights of Women’s Forum

1) Allotment of separate rooms for the women students
2) Arrangement of water facility
3) Availability of newspapers in the women’s rest room
4) Celebration of Samathuva Pongal
5) Organization of Women’s Day competitions like rangoli, cooking, art from waste, hair do, mehandi, jewel making, placards, vegetable carving and cultural events
6) Organization of a workshop for women staff members on women empowerment
7) Orientation programmes for I year women students (new entrants) every year