Soroptimist Welfare Association (SIBC) in collaboration with Mahatma Night Degree College of Arts and Commerce, Chembur and Stree Mukti Sangathana organized an interactive webinar on 8th December, 2020 titled, ‘Ki and Ka: Balancing Gender Roles’. The resource person for the session, Ms. Urmila Suresh Salunkhe, Gender Expert and Sr. Program Coordinator, Akshara Project spoke on various gender roles and how all of us have been socialized into them since childhood because of the society we live it. Using very simple and relatable accounts, she was able to reach out to the participants and sensitize them on gender, patriarchy and the need and ways to bring about a change in the system. Around 80 participants attended the webinar. Many of our Soroptimist Sisters from other clubs in India also participated in it.

You can find the webinar on the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9OKCZvWakQ&t=8s

To commemorate 16 Days of Activism, Soroptimist Welfare Association (SIBC) in association with Pillai HOC College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Rasayani organized a screening of 2 short films on gender awareness –

Strong Women Fight Back- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHDX4jEE-ZE
That Day After Every Day- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQR6cB1DXzY&t=3s

The screening of these short films was them followed by a discussion on the films and gender issues. The facilitator and resource person for the discussion was Ms. Anahita Lee, Gender Expert. She touched upon various points related to gender harassment. She stressed on the point that boys and men need to be taught how to be better people. She spoke about the 3 Do Not D’s- Diminish the problem, Defend the perpetrators and Derail the discussion.

The session was very interactive and highly appreciated by the participants. Many SI sisters from other Clubs in India and also from London joined in for the session

“We’ve begun to raise daughters more like sons… but few have the courage to raise our sons more like our daughters.”

― Gloria Steinem