Women empowerment need of the hour: Syeda Hameed

Empowering women will go a long way in ensuring social balance and also help them in coming forward and fighting against the ills that they have to suffer from, a women rights activist and Planning Commission member said here today.
"Today the society required a concerted effort from all concerned to make women feel more safe...Women from minority and other sections are a deprived lot. They have to be given education and confidence to come forward and fight for their rights," Syeda Hameed said at the event 'Khwatein Ki Bedaari-Yuva Ki Pehel' organised by Delhi Police.
The event highlighted the 'Yuva' initiative wherein numerous programmes have been conducted to empower women in the Delhi-6 (old Delhi) area.

"The initiative started by the police last year aims at weaning away adults from crime and involve them in constructive activities," additional police commissioner Divesh Chandra Srivastava said.
"Women were made priority in our initiative. We have tried to help them realise their legal and human rights. We have provided them computer training, personality development sessions apart from life skills programme which helped them to get jobs making them self-independent," he said.
Under the 'Yuva programme', over 200 women were given personality enhancement training, while another 205 were provided computer training.

Many women from the Walled City have also undertaken self defence classes, Srivastava said.

Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar said Delhi Police started this project with just a few delinquents last year but the aim of 'Yuva' is to salvage the lives of the adults from the walled city area.
"Things have started changing for the women in the area. With active participation of corporates, we have been able to provide jobs for youngsters," he said.