Xavier Institute of Social Service (XISS) Ranchi, Jharkhand, in collaboration with the Indian Association for Women’s Studies (IAWS), commemorated International Women’s Day 2024 with a thought-provoking film screening event in the Michael Van den Bogaert SJ Memorial Auditorium on Friday.
The programme commenced with a brief on the significance on the day by setting the stage for an insightful discourse on menstrual health and women’s empowerment. Amidst the spirit of empowerment and advocacy, the thoughtful discussion was followed by a poignant screening of an Oscar winning documentary “Period. End of Sentence”, which sheds light on the stigma surrounding menstruation in rural India and the transformative impact of menstrual hygiene awareness.
Earlier, in the beginning of the event Dr Joseph Marianus Kujur SJ, Director, XISS, delivered a compelling address, emphasizing the importance of gender equality and social inclusion. He said, “Recognizing and celebrating women’s achievements and qualities is crucial, but we need to have a deeper understanding of women’s resilience and support gender equality through our actions.”
He also addressed the challenge of ingrained societal attitudes and stereotypes and urged a call to change mindsets enabling women to progress. He suggested to make this effort a campaign which is sustained and is a concerted effort to bring about meaningful change. He concluded by saying that lifting women up, the entire community stands to benefit. Women’s empowerment can lead to positive changes in education, healthcare, economic stability, and overall societal well-being.
Following the screening, students of Rural Management engaged in a lively session of opinion sharing, facilitated by Dr Mamta Kumari, IAWS. This interactive dialogue allowed participants to reflect on the issues raised in the film and explore avenues for collection and advocacy. A slogan making competition on the theme, ‘Breaking menstrual taboo’ was conducted on this occasion.
Dean Academics, Dr Amar Tigga, Head of Rural Management Programme, Dr Anant Kumar, along with faculty members and students of both years of the programme were in attendance. The event was coordinated by Dr Raj Shree Verma, XISS and it concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Neety Tirkey from IAWS, expressing gratitude to all participants and collaborators for their commitment to advancing gender equity and social justice.
