The Lokepara Mahavidyalaya collectively believes in the Constitutional principles of substantive equality, gender justice and inclusivity.These transformative and constitutional values are the guiding principles of Lokepara Mahavidyalaya for fostering and creating capabilities among the different stakeholders. In the last few decades there has been massive expansion of higher education as a result we are witnessing huge urge and aspiration for higher education among the underprivileged section of the society and large section of them are females. Lokepara Mahavidyalaya is located in the remote area of rural Birbhum district of West Bengal with limited connectivity and infrastructure. Large majority of students of Lokepara Mahavidyalaya comes from socially and economically underprivileged sections of the society and also the first generations learners. As a result college faces different kind of challenges which requires very sensitive and firm intervention to create gender just college campus.

Being a rural educational institution located in the socio-economically backward region, we faces different kind of challenges including early marriage of female students, chronic issues of rural poverty, lack of resources, issues of social mobility, stereotype and stigma. Hence as a responsible institution our task become manifolds and we try our best to engage with multiple stakeholders of the college (including parents of the students) and bridge the gender and cultural gap by installing confidence among them. In doing so, we also learn about the different kind of hurdles and struggles embedded in the hierarchical social structures.

The Gender Cell of Lokepara Mahavidyalaya was established in 2019. Since then, it is active. We publish leaflets, innovative posters to reach out within the student’s community and the local youths. It has a dedicated email Id (gendercell318@gmail.com) and dedicated contact no- 9434161979. There is a complain box in the campus to receive complaints, suggestions and feedbacks. These are being regularly monitored by the specific committee and keep it highly confidential. Any kinds of complaints regarding gender- oriented bias, discrimination and disadvantage is addressed through this Cell. Institutional grievance redress mechanism with time bound investigations enquires and aims to take legal actionsbased on the impartial investigations and findings, if needed.

Objectives

The objectives of the Gender Cell are following:

1. To ensure equal opportunities for all stakeholders in the college campus irrespective of their gender and sexual orientations.
2. To spread general and specific awareness regularly about the idea and importance of gender equality and gender justice.
3. To identity gender related issues and address those issues with seriousness.
4. To nurture gender sensitive work environment based on the Vishaka guidelines.
5. Zero tolerance policy towards any kind of gender discrimination.
6. To inculcate self-confidence among all gender and ensure them that the proper and prompt institutional grievance redress mechanism in place.

Mission and Vision

1. Any kinds of complaints regarding gender- oriented bias, discrimination and disadvantage would beaddressed on emergency basis through this Cell.
2. The Cell would organize regular workshops, webinars, seminars, special lectures on various socio-economic aspects of gender sensitizations.
3. Keeping the rich local and traditional folk culture in mind, the Gender cell would organize folk festivals such as Baul and sahajia tradition where the idea of gender equality is deeply embedded and hence it would become easy to disseminate the ‘culture of gender equality’ quite rapidly.
4. The Gender cell in collaboration with other departments within and beyond college would sensitize the college fraternity through the inclusive idea of wall painting and graffiti.
5. We would also engage with the local NGOs and Civil Society Organizations to inspire female students to go for higher studies and be the ‘inspiring figures’ for their village community.
6. We would develop short videos to reach out within the student’s community and the local youths.
7. The Gender cell in coordination with the academic departments (Science, Humanities) would create a common short -term course for the gender sensitization program and also encourage humanities and social sciences disciplines to teach from the prism of gender perspectives.
8. The Gender cell also would encourage the faculty members to go through proper training on gender, culture and society by HRDC, HEIs, National Commission for Women etc.

Activities of the Gender Cell

Activity-1

Session 2019-2020

Event: A One Day State Level Distinguished Lecture

Theme: Gender Equality: Women’s Representation in Legal, Political and Decision Making Spheres

Title: Gender Inequality: Unrecognised Work, Health and Well Being of Women

Organised by: The Gender Cell, Lokepara Mahavidyalayain collaboration with Department of Political Science and Department of Philosophy, under the Guidance of IQAC, Lokepara Mahavidyalaya

Conveners: Seema Ahmed, Convener, Gender Cell;Tapashi Sarkar, Assistant Professor, Department of Philosophy; Bapan Mahara, Guest Teacher, Department of Political Science

Date and Time: 9 November, 2019 (11 am)

Number of Participants : 34

Concept Note

21st c India is developing in every aspect according to various data. In the larger glamourous scenario, the deeper and subtle layers often remain unnoticed and unacknowledged. The societal and cultural manifestation of an age bears many indications of the actual condition of the milieu. The gender question is one among many such questions which needs to be addressed over the times in order to have a proper understanding of the functioning of different mechanisms in society. Indian constitution has given several gender rights to its women but in spite of all those rights women often face injustice at every step in her life. Legal rights, economical rights and right in decision making are few indicators of a woman’s empowerment. All these aspects need to be thoroughly analysed. The hours spent after the unpaid care work given by women is far greater than the men in a family. The extreme form of income and time poverty suffered by women compared to men is a matter of severe gender injustice. This in return affects the mental and emotional well being of a woman. The entire all-round health and condition of women suffer extremely in a male dominated society. Even educated and economically women suffer from different types of violence and injustice by male members within a family. Oxfam India Household Care Survey 2014 has also addressed the issue of physical violence inflicted upon women by male members of a family. In matter of decision making within a family women participate least. The elderly women enjoy the privilege of decision making after the male members leaving the young women members deprived of the opportunity. Do other sectors also need to be evaluated in order to understand the gender injustice played in society? What can be the suggestions to overcome those? What are the other manifestations of gender injustice would be explored in the lecture.

Outcome of the Distinguished Lecture

The objectives of the distinguished lecture are successfully met and the participants benefited from lively discussions on issues related to the gender injustice practiced in society. The outcome of the lecture can be summarised thus:

1. One of the main objectives of the lecture is to address the concept of gender inequality in everyday life that we don’t even acknowledge. Instances of inequality float around us but we take those as normal. The achievement of the lecture is that students start to recognise those unnoticed moments and instances as gender injustice.
2. Students could get the updated reports on the inequality of women in India.
3. Their idea about women’s rights described by Indian Constitution, in few aspects, become clear to them.
4. They become aware of the higher studies trends on women’s studies across India.

Keeping in mind all these issues the lecture was an eye- opening experience. The lecture not only presented data but also connected all those data with the ground reality.

Activity – 2 (Session – 2023-24)

Report on the State-level Seminar on “Caged by Discrimination: Ethos of Gender Equality in Women Folksongs of Bengal”