THE VISHAKA CELL

The Vishaka Cell of Government General Degree College Mangalkote was formed in 2016 maintaining the guidelines promulgated by the Supreme Court of India in 1997 and further superseded in 2013 as an Act for prevention, prohibition and redressal of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace. It was a landmark judgment for India, acknowledging and recognizing for the first time, sexual harassment at workplace and the fact that it is a violation of women’s fundamental rights. Hence, the formation of a Vishaka Committee is significant and essential to create a safe and harassment-free work environment for women and also further ensures more participation of women in workplace catering to the development and growth of the nation. The Vishaka cell empowers women employees to speak-up against sexual harassment and seek redressal for their grievances.
In this context, the Vishaka Cell of GGDC Mangalkote actively organized several gender sensitization programs and seminars to spread awareness about the importance of the Vishaka guidelines to the students as well as to the teaching and non-teaching staff of the college:

On 9th June 2022, Dr. MadhumitaSen, eminent Professor and ICC coordinator of Government Girl’s General Degree College, Kolkata enlightened us with her deliberation on how to combat patriarchy and the historical story behind this landmark judgement by Indian Supreme Court after the Bhanwari Devi gang-rape case in Rajasthan. Dr. SahanaSen, Assistant Professor, St. Xavier’s College Mumbai further discussed about the various aspects of gender values and how gendered socialization impacts in establishing patriarchal mind-set and values which ultimately affects the society in the long-run.

The Vishaka Cell on 7th October 2023 conducted a webinar on ‘Upliftment of Rural Women’ celebrating International Day of Rural Women, where Ms. RahinaKhatun, Secretary, Nari o ShishuKalyan Kendra, Howrah, Ex-Member of Child Welfare Committee and Ex-Member of Juvenile Justice Board, Howrah, shared her valuable insights about the role and participation of rural backward women in different work-fields leading to financial and social upliftment as well as contributing to rural development at large.

A two-day workshop on gender sensitization was also organized in collaboration with Women’s Cell on 10th and 11th February 2024 to observe International Day of Women and Girls in Science. Resource persons, Prof. Snehabrata Mukherjee, Assistant Professor of Sociology, Government General Degree College Mohanpur and Prof. Sampa Das, Senior Professor, Bose Institute and INSA Honorary Scientist, University of Calcutta discussed about the various contributions women made in STEM fields and also what kind of struggles, challenges and obstacles they still face in this 21st C while pursuing their career in science and research and how they overcome them in their everyday life.

The Vishaka Cell with great enthusiasm collaborated with the Anti-Ragging Committee and the Women’s Cell of GGDC Mangalkote on 3rd April 2024 in organizing a sensitization program on ‘My Rights-My Choices’ which dealt with gender issues, sexual harassment, rights and Zero Tolerance policy.

Thus, through these multi-dimensionalsensitization workshops and webinars, the Vishaka Cell continues to spread awareness to the students as well as to the teaching and non-teaching staff of the college to voice against any kind of discrimination and sexual harassment faced within the institute so that everyone can feel mentally and physically safe to work and add to the effective functioning and productivity of the college.

VISHAKA CELL OF GGDC, MANGALKOTE