CJ calls for creating a legal eco-system responsive to the needs of women

Madras High Court Chief Justice Justice Shriram on Saturday that apart from judicial intervention, a legal eco-system must be created that would be accessible, inclusive and responsive to the needs of women.

He was delivering the inaugural address at an awareness programme on ‘Gender sensitisation and elimination of violence against women’ at Horticultural College and Research Institute, Periyakulam, in Theni district.

The Chief Justice said that unique challenges faced by women shall be solved through awareness, empathy and education. “Violence against women is a grave and persistent challenge. It takes many forms. Physical, emotional, economic and increasingly virtual. Behind every statistics, there is a story of pain and resilience. As members of legal fraternity, we must recognise that violence against women is not a private harm, but a societal wound.

Further, the judiciary had a profound role to play, and women being the torchbearers of transformation, general sensitisation was a process, which required continuous and pro-active programmes.

Appreciating the organisers, the CJ said the awareness may also be taken to the masses by showing slides during intermission in cinema houses and at vantage locations in shopping malls.

Quoting Subramania Bharati, Justice Shriram said that women empowerment should start from every home and from within everybody. “Gender sensitisation is not merely a procedural requirement, but a transformation of thought reshaping of institutional behaviour and reorientation of our sense of justice.”

For the young minds, he said: “You are the agents of change…. let us create a new world….”

He also appealed to the people, irrespective of caste, creed and community, to respect each other in a society. Parents had the responsibility to teach their children from the time of birth as it was essential in a rapid growing world.

Justice Anita Sumanth, in her address, said that women should not be made to feel uncomfortable or give discomfort to them. Be it at work spot or in a public place, womenfolk should feel safe in a society.

Appreciating the Theni district police for having put up good and informative stalls, she said it was a landmark moment as they had conducted similar programmes in almost 50% of the districts in the State.

The Judge urged women to understand their rights, responsibilities and be aware of the laws through such events.

Justice M. Jothiraman said that though there may be many parameters to measure a nation’s growth, women’s growth played a pivotal role. Not just safety of women was important, but respect and equality was also mandatory in every society.

Though it had been mentioned that all were equal by birth several hundred years ago, in the present era, miles had to be crossed, he underlined and appreciated the organisers for taking efforts to bring about a change for good.

Theni Principal District Judge Swarnam J. Natarajan welcomed. Justices R. N. Manjula, S. Srimathy spoke on technical sessions along with resource persons professor G. Uma and N. Murugeswari and advocates Aruna Ganesh and Roseann Rajan.

The guests went around the stalls put up on the campus and Theni Collector Ranjith Singh was present.

Chief Judicial Magistrate Theni G.N. Saravana Kumar proposed a vote of thanks.