Srinagar, Aug 18: A two-day national conference on gender equality and sustainable development began at Government College for Women (GCW), M.A. Road, Srinagar, on Tuesday, bringing together academicians, researchers and students to discuss challenges and pathways towards achieving gender equality.
The conference, titled “Gender Equality in the 21st Century: Perspectives and Pathways to SDG-5”, was inaugurated in the presence of noted scholar and former Director of the Centre for Women’s Development Studies, New Delhi, Prof Indu Agnihotri, and J&K Bank Executive Director Sudhir Gupta, besides senior academicians, principals, faculty members and delegates.
According to an official statement, Prof Agnihotri delivered the keynote address, asserting that gender equality was central to achieving all Sustainable Development Goals. She called for greater recognition of women’s contribution to society and the economy.
Pro Agnihotri highlighted the issue of unpaid work, saying women contribute extensively in homes, farms and fields, but much of their work remains unrecognised. “There is a need for better gender-sensitive data to bridge the gap between research, policymaking and ground realities,” she said.
Referring to Jammu and Kashmir, she said progress towards the SDGs in the region would have wider significance for India.
Earlier, Principal GCW M.A. Road Prof (Dr) Yasmeen Farooq said that despite greater opportunities for women, inequalities continued in areas including economic participation, decision-making, technology and leadership.
“Education must go beyond providing degrees and should enable young women to make independent choices, build confidence and participate meaningfully in society,” she said.
Conference Coordinator Dr Jaleel Ahsan said gender inequality was rooted in social structures and practices and could not be addressed as an issue concerning women alone. “Gender equality was a question of justice, dignity, human rights and social development,” he said, calling for collective efforts involving families, educational institutions, workplaces, government and civil society.
The inaugural session began with the National Song and National Anthem, followed by the traditional Izband ceremony and College Tarana. An abstract book containing papers to be presented during the conference was also released, while a student poetry recital marked the occasion.
The conference will continue on Wednesday with technical sessions examining the social, economic, political, cultural and institutional dimensions of gender equality—(KNO)
