NEN collaborated with Assam Police HQ to organise an Orientation workshop on Gender, Violence against Women and New Laws for active members (18 women & 19 men) belonging to village defence parties from different 10 districts of Assam. It was a certificate programme for 2 days and was conducted from 22 to 23 September 2015 at Guwahati . The workshop was inaugurated by Ms Leena Doley, Addnl Sp and Senior Staff, Village Defence Organisation-Assam Police. Resource persons included Devyani Borkataki and Anurita Pathak of NEN, Nilanju Dutta-legal activist and Navneet Mahanta-Addnl. SP. Sessions include building conceptual clarity on gender and understanding violence against women from a woman’s rights viewpoint. It included awareness generation on the new laws for women, namely,
- Protection of Children from Sexual Offence Act(POCSO),
- Criminal Law (Amendment Act,
- Assam Witch Hunting Act,
- Domestic Violence Act
- Human Trafficking laws and schemes
- Gaps and challenges faced by VDP with respect to handing women’s issues.
It was important to conduct a gender sensitisation workshop for VDP as they are a strong community policing force and assist the police to check crimes. Crimes against women is on the rise in Assam.
