Legal literacy and health awareness programme for women organized

The Helping Hands Society organized an Interactive Session on legal literacy and health awareness for female students of Aligarh Muslim University titled “Quwwat-e-Niswaa'n”, at Women's College auditorium. Mrs. Sabiha Simi Shah, wife of the Vice Chancellor, Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Zameer Uddin Shah, presided over the inaugural session. Dr. Nahid Murtaza Khan, Principal, Women’s College, was the Guest of Honour.

The interactive session commenced with the welcome address by Areeba Siddiqui, President, Helping Hands Society, who highlighting the mission and vision of the society.

Mrs. Qurratul-Aein Ali, Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work delivered a talk on personal health and hygiene concerning women. She said that most of the women are careless about their health, which, in the long run, leads to serious health issues. From hand washing to reproductive health, every aspect of general health should be taken care of, she added. She also informed the girls about various reproductive tract infections including sexually transmitted diseases, their prevention and cure.

Anam Rais Khan, a student of BALLB enlightened the girls about their legal rights and procedural safeguards under the Criminal Procedure Code with special reference to the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 2013. She said, “I believe that the major cause of exploitation of women in India is not the dearth of laws, but the fact that women at large are unaware of their rights. Laws are rotting in law books and restricted to court rooms.” She observed that no woman can be arrested after sunset and before sunrise and no woman can be called as witness to police station but have to be examined at their place of residence only.

Sarah Hashim Khan, another student of BALLB described rules and procedure of filing complaint to the Committee against Sexual Harassment and for Gender Sensitization existing in the AMU i.e., which acts as a grievance redressal body for sexual harassment of students, teachers or non teaching staff.

Nabeela Siddiqui and Roshan Alam shed light on the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Indian Constitution. Deeba Abrar, a research scholar in the Department of Women Studies presented a poem “Betiyan” composed by renowned poet, Johnny Foster.

Samia Siddiqui, Secretary of the Society, proposed the vote of thanks. Over 500 girls from various courses of AMU were present at the session.




Press Release Submitted to AMU PRO Office

Commitment of AAS on CASHFGS

In its commitment to strive for gender justice, the Aligarh Activists’ Society (AAS) would actively engage itself for the cause of gender sensitization, especially among the female students of the campus, through a number of ways mainly, distribution of pamphlets, organizing discussions, enacting street plays and a number of other means as may be necessary in the University campus. We are dedicated in ensuring a harassment free and gender sensitive AMU. It has also been decided that the AAS would extend all possible co- operation and support to the newly formed Committee Against Sexual Harassment and Gender Sensitization (CASHFGS). In this regard our main objectives are:-

• Spreading awareness about the bylaws of the CASHFGS among the students of the University. 
• Sensitizing the students about the legal procedures that are to be followed in case of occurrence of an incident of sexual harassment. 
• Making the female students aware of their rights as enshrined by the statutes of the CASHFGS.
• Ensuring that both emotional as well as legal support is provided to a victim of sexual harassment. 

In this regard, we would like to appeal to the AMU fraternity at large to join hands in eradicating the menace of eve- teasing and crimes against women in our beloved University and make efforts to ensure that the campus is conducive to the idea of mutual respect and sensitiveness towards gender-related issues.

Provisions & Rights of Women under CASHFGS of AMU

• The provisions of the rules and procedures of CASHFGS shall apply to all students,academic staff, and non teaching staff on active rolls/service of the Aligarh Muslim University as also to residents, service providers and outsiders who may be within the campus of AMU at the time of commission of the act attracting CASHFGS Rules.
• Sexual harassment includes any unwelcome physical, verbal or non verbal conduct of sexual nature.
• The CASHFGS shall take suo moto notice of grave violations of the basic principles of gender sensitivity and justice on this campus.
• Complaint shall be lodged directly to the Chairman of the Committee.
• The complaint shall only be in writing and authenticated by the complainant under her dated signature or thumb impression as the case may be.
• Third party complaints and witness complaints shall also be entertained.
• At no time shall the defendant and the complainant be placed face to face, keeping strictly in view the need to protect the complainant from facing any serious health and/or safety problems.
• At no time in the complaints shall the past sexual history of the complainant be probed into, as such information shall be deemed irrelevant to a complaint of sexual harassment.
• The identities of all witnesses shall throughout be protected by the enquiry committee by the use of a coding system.
• If the complainant or witness is a student and defendant(s) is a teacher, the defendant shall not supervise any academic activity of the student, including but not limited to, evaluation and examination, re-examination, and supervision of research.
• If both the complainant or witness and the defendant(s) are members of the academic and/or non teaching staff of the university, the defendant shall not write the Confidential Reports of the complainant, if he is otherwise so authorized and shall not participate in the deliberation of selection committees.
• The Enquiry Committee shall strive to complete the enquiry in the shortest possible time not exceeding three months from the date that a complaint is made.
• In case of any false complaint a show cause notice shall be sent to the complainant.
• In the event of the CASHFGS not taking action on a complaint, or if the complainant or defendant is dissatisfied with the disciplinary action taken by the University authorities/officers, she/he shall have the right to appeal to the Executive Council of the University.
• The complainant may withdraw her complaint in writing at any time during the complaint receiving or enquiry procedure. Complaint Screening/Enquiry committee will enquire whether if the reason for such withdrawal are the consequences or effect of coercion and intimidation.
• Counseling services shall also be made available if so desired.
• Penalties may be in the form of warning, reprimand or censure, a letter communicating his misconduct to his place of education, employment or residence, declaration of the campus as out of bounds for him, cancellation license to run and manage any commercial activity and/or a bar on appearing for the entrance examination/interview to any programme of study offered by AMU, or any other action as may be necessary.