A two-day workshop on the theme “Promoting Understanding and Respect: Gender Sensitization” was organised at IIT Indore under the joint aegis of the District Hub for Empowerment of Women, Department of Women and Child Development, District Indore, and IIT Indore, on Wednesday. The workshop aimed to foster awareness, inclusivity, and sensitivity towards gender issues among students, staff, and faculty members.
The inaugural session of the workshop was attended by Suresh Tomar, Member Secretary, Madhya Pradesh State Women’s Commission, Bhopal, as the chief guest. Dr. Suhash Joshi, Director, IIT Indore; Rajnish Sinha, District Programme Officer, Indore; Dr. Vanchana Singh Parihar, Administrator; and Advocate Bhavana Tripathi, Bhopal, attended the event as guest speakers.
Delivering the welcome address, Prof Dr. Kiran Bala, In-charge, Women Cell, IIT Indore, underlined the need for collective efforts in creating gender-equitable spaces. In his inaugural remarks, Dr. Suhash Joshi emphasised the importance of gender sensitivity as an institutional value.
Tomar spoke on “Patriarchal Society and Gender Sensitivity”, while Sinha delivered a session on “Protection of Women from Sexual Harassment at Workplace Act and SHE Box”. Dr. Vanchana Singh Parihar discussed provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and various government schemes related to women.
Interactive sessions on women’s rights and laws were conducted by Advocate Bhavana Tripathi, who also led the discussions on the second day of the workshop. The sessions witnessed active participation from non-teaching and housekeeping staff, security personnel, PhD scholars, faculty members, and students.
The vote of thanks was delivered by S.P. Hota, Registrar, IIT Indore, while Apeksha Rajpurohit conducted the proceedings. The programme was facilitated by Professor Dr. Preeti Sharma.
The two-day workshop provided participants with valuable insights into gender concepts, relevant laws, and government initiatives, contributing to a more inclusive and respectful institutional environment.