District Collector Navjot Khosa noted that the new generation consists of change-makers who may reevaluate the status of women in society and stated that economic independence plays the most significant part in women's empowerment.
Dr. Khosa said in his keynote address at an awareness programme held as part of the GATI activities by the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB) here on Friday that giving women financial independence was not enough; it was also important to ensure that they had enough opportunities to realise their full potential.
As part of GATI, the RGCB has been chosen as one of the key organisations in the nation to advance gender equity in the STEAM (science, technology, engineering, math) disciplines.
She used her experience joining the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) after earning her medical degree to demonstrate how a woman can succeed in her field with the correct focus, tenacity, and mental health.
Since gender prejudice often starts in childhood, according to Pathanamthitta District Collector Divya S. Iyer, families are the keystones of gender equality in our society.
Even while the number of women working in the education sector is increasing, according to RGCB head Chandrabhas Narayana, their representation in jobs in other important sectors is still lagging behind their progress in education. “I strongly feel that we need to actually empower the environment for women so that they do not get any special considerations to vie with their male counterparts,” he said.
The RGCB is one of 30 institutions of higher learning and research that the Department of Science and Technology (DST) has chosen to implement the ground-breaking programme, which aims to address the structural and cultural barriers that prevent women from advancing academically and professionally across a variety of disciplines.
There was also a discussion on "Gender Equal Opportunities: A Myth or Reality." Winners of essay writing competitions held as part of the event received prizes.
