Marya
With major decisions being made in favour of women’s safety, this week’s top stories highlight them and all the achievements done by women. Women have been constantly pushing boundaries and making their mark in male-dominated fields and this week’s news highlights the agricultural sector and politics as well.
Reading about women who have succeeded in life motivates millions of other women and young girls to dream big and to have the courage to speak up for themselves and achieve their goals.
From Sufiya Khan to Anjali Sharma, this week’s top stories constitute the letters of firsts and resilience. Women are asking for their shares with the “hissedari” in politics and shares in safety by the deployment of Damini squads. Let’s catch up with this week’s top stories concerning women this week.
1. Women in leadership ‘must be the norm’, Security Council hears
The UN president told the Security Council on Thursday that half of humanity can no longer be excluded from international peace and security issues, underlining the need to completely address the obstacles and gaps that continue to hinder women from having an equal say. “Women’s leadership is a cause today. “It must be the norm tomorrow,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said during the gathering, referring to the historic UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security.
Women are still marginalized in official peace efforts, and they are usually excluded from decision-making chambers. “We must fight back and turn the clock forward for every woman and girl,” the UN head said. Women’s leaders and networks must be supported in order to participate actively in peace and political processes.
2. Himachal’s women farmers expand their horizons, without hurting the nature
Women farmers in Himachal Pradesh’s hill state are increasingly shifting to low-cost, non-chemical “natural farming,” which has not only provided them with a sustainable living but also given them more authority.
The Prakritik Kheti Khushhal Yojana (PK3Y), which was launched in 2018, promotes climate-resilient Subhash Palekar Natural Farming (SPNF), commonly known as ‘Zero Budget Natural Farming.’ So far, more than 1.5 lakh farmers have been taught in natural farming throughout the state, with a large number of women taking part.
Furthermore, the gathering of women from the hill regions for natural farming has helped them build confidence in areas other than agriculture, regardless of their degree of education. Rural women in Himachal Pradesh are gaining confidence as a result of practical instruction in natural farming, which is boosting family income.
3. Swiggy Introduces ‘No Questions Asked’ 2 Day Period Leaves for Women Delivery Partners
Swiggy’s policy allows women delivery partners to take two days off per month, and those who do so will be guaranteed a minimum wage for the duration. The corporation will support female delivery executives with a ‘no-questions-asked, two-day compensated monthly period time-off policy‘ for all regular female delivery partners in order to assist them with such menstruation-related issues.
One of the most under-reported reasons why many women don’t consider delivering to be a feasible job is discomfort from being out and about on the road while menstruating. Swiggy’s announcement received enthusiastic feedback from the public, who hoped that the policy would be implemented as soon as possible so that employees may benefit from its services.
4. Congress’ move to field more women raises the bar for national parties, will inspire women to ask for ‘hissedari.’
The statement by AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra that 40 per cent of party tickets for the 2022 UP assembly elections will be reserved for women is expected to increase the standard for national parties in terms of gender inclusion, and motivate women to push for political representation. Gandhi’s declaration indicated that out of 403 assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh, which is under-represented by women lawmakers, the Congress will issue at least 160 tickets to women candidates.
It sends a message to women that they are welcome in politics, as well as to other political parties that they must lift the bar. Regional parties have done this previously, and it has been followed up with other key initiatives. The woman would speak in the assembly, and this type of decision-making would assist the state, particularly in terms of women’s empowerment.
5. Pune Police to deploy Damini squads again to curb crimes against women
In Bibwewadi, a 14-year-old kabaddi player was just brutally killed by a 21-year-old stalker. In light of the incident, the Pune Police Department has decided to resurrect historic crime-prevention programs such as Damini Squads.
“We have already resurrected programs like ‘Damini Squads’ and ‘Police Kaka’ to support women and girls in trouble,” said Pune Police Commissioner Amitabh Gupta. These plans were devised a few years ago but were subsequently abandoned. We’re also working on restarting other programs aimed at improving women’s safety.”
They have a helpline number as well. The ‘Damini Squads,’ according to sources, were founded in 2015 to combat crimes against women. The “Damini Marshals,” a group of 33 female police officers dressed in commando outfits, were dispatched to assist women and girls in difficulty. Under the ‘Police Kaka’ and ‘Police Didi’ schemes, a police constable has been assigned to each school as a nodal officer.
6. Sufiya Khan is the first Female Runner To Complete Manali To Leh Ultramarathon
Sufiya Khan is the first female runner to complete the Manali to Leh Ultramarathon in the world. She completed the task in six days. The ultra-marathon began at 7.34 a.m. on September 25, 2021, and ended on October 1, 2021. She travelled 480 kilometers in 156 hours.
She took a 15-day acclimatization period before the race. During her training days, she concentrated on strength workouts in order to conquer the steep mountains and never-ending uphill roads. Her lungs were stronger as a result of yoga and pranayama. She also made sure she worked hard on her mental fitness, which helps her to push herself to new heights. She holds two Guinness World Records.
7. Indian-Origin Teen Climate Activist Anjali Sharma Is On A Crusade For Change In Australia
Climate activist Anjali Sharma is fighting the Australian government in court over a problem that affects all of us: climate change. In May of this year, Indian-origin Sharma, who led a team of seven young environmentalists, raised attention to how officials in control were entrusted with mitigating future harm caused by climate change. The government’s role in this regard has been called into doubt by the expansion of a coal mining operation in Australia. The ‘Sharma decision,’ as the case is called in Australia, was welcomed as a major victory for the adolescent activists, who were commended for their unwavering commitment to change.
