Empowerment means self-empowerment

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: "A strong nation cannot be built up with a generation of oppressed and exploited modern women,’’ said danseuse Dr Mallika Sarabhai, while releasing a video documentary, as part of a gender awareness initiative of the Kerala State Women’s Development Corporation (KSWDC) here on Wednesday."Empowerment of women also means self-empowerment, in today’s environment,’’ said  Sarabhai after releasing the documentary film series titled ‘Awakening of Woman’, which will now be screened in 40 colleges in the State in the presence of a gender expert and an expert counsellor. Inaugurating the video tour and interactive seminar campaign intended to create gender awareness among college students, Social Welfare Minister M K Muneer said that ensuring the safety and social security of women in Kerala will be one of the priorities of the State Government."Today’s women should definitely seek assistance like counselling, to settle their anxieties and insecurities,’’ said the Minister. The documentary film series made by Darpana Academy of Performing Arts, of which  Sarabhai is the director, deals with several sensitive issues such as sexual exploitation, cyber crimes, depression, pre-marital guidance and other gender issues.The screening of the documentaries in colleges will be followed by an interactive seminar based on gender awareness. The seminar is envisaged as an interactive session, through which the experts can understand and analyse the problems of students.  After the completion of the programme in 40 educational institutes across the State, the KSWDC will have a group of 40 students for whom it will provide a residential training programme, to groom them into gender experts. These gender experts will then be engaged for all gender awareness programmes conducted by KSWDC in future.