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

Tehzeeb v/s Progress: An Analysis of the Great Divide over Abdullah Hall

                       Abdullah Hall. Women’s College. A mere reference to these words is enough to set alight any dhaba discussion or hostel gup-shup in our University and immediately polarise the participants. Anyone taking a supposedly “pro-women” stance is immediately labelled anti-Islamic, ‘communist’, 'deheria' and the like. Anyone taking a “pro-tehzeeb” stand is immediately labelled anti-women, ‘conservative’, daqiya-nusi and their ilk.

             The only agreement that seems to exist is over the fact that there is some problem in the Women’s College, requiring some sort of a solution. The disagreement exists over everything else, be it the problems or the solutions to those contested problems.

An Appeal to all stakeholders of AMU

This is with regard to the latest decision from the honourable Vice Chancellor of AMU to separate the Women’s College Union from the main students’ Union. AMU being a campus which provides freedom of opinion to everyone, a variety of opinions may exist in the campus regarding the relative merits and demerits of the decision. Everybody has the right to agree or disagree with it and freely express their point of view IN A MODEST WAY.

However some people at the campus relate this division of Unions to religion, which in no way has been a party to the decision. These people unnecessarily bring Religion into a matter that is purely administrative in nature.  They try to create a religion based debate and start maligning the people with other opinion on an issue which in no way has any religious foundation.

In this regard we request one and all to understand the nature of this decision and stop giving heed to any such defective opinion that drags religion into this issue.  Let there be no baseless arguments and any wastage of time, and that would be for the greater good of the campus. This is an administrative issue and needs to be dealt with in that way.

We request everyone in the campus to respect the opinion of every other person, regardless of it being contrary to your own opinion. We request everyone to desist from labeling others with abusive tags and join hands to create a healthy environment for free and modest discussions at the campus.

Students’ Islamic Organisation of India(SIO)
Students of AMU
Muslim Students’Organisation(MSO)                              
Aligarh Activists’ Society(AAS)
AMU Discussion Forum(ADF)