Back KSWDC Women Cell
About the Club
Women Cell in Union Christian College is an organisation supported by Kerala State Women Development Corporation ( KSWDC) and is an essential part of our colleges that focuses on the welfare of female students. It plays a crucial role in empowering female students by supporting and guiding them to achieve their goals. Women Cells offer a safe space for female students to discuss their issues, concerns, and fears without the fear of judgement. Women cell policies are,
- Addressing gender inequality
Women Cell help to address the issue of gender inequality in our society. They strive to create a safe and secure environment for female students, which promotes their rights and provides them with access to resources and facilities. The women’s cell also helps in spreading awareness about gender equality and works towards creating a gender-neutral campus where everyone has equal opportunities.
- Offering support
Women Cell provides emotional and psychological support to female students who may be facing any physical or mental trauma. They offer guidance and counselling services, which can boost the mental health and well-being of female students. Moreover, they also act as a bridge between female students and the legal system, which can help in resolving any issues that may arise.
- Promoting gender literacy
Women Cell help to promote gender literacy by organizing various seminars, workshops, and discussions throughout the year. These events are aimed at spreading awareness about gender discrimination, sexual harassment, and violence against women. By educating female students about their rights, they empower them to speak out against any form of injustice and discrimination.
- Creating a safe environment
Women’s Cells are responsible for creating a secure and safe environment for female students. They make sure that female students feel comfortable and can study without any distractions or harassment. Women Cell take measures to prevent any incidents of sexual harassment or exploitation from taking place on campus.
Women Cell in our college, throughout these years, played an essential role in promoting gender equality and empowering female students. They offer support, address issues related to gender inequality and promote gender literacy. By creating a safe and secure environment for female students, Women’s Cell trying to create a gender-neutral environment in campus that ensures equal opportunities for all. Ultimately, on this campus, Women Cell activities are pivotal in creating a more equitable and just society.
Convener : Ms. Tresa Divya
ഏകദിന സെമിനാർ – 07-03-2023
ലോക വനിതാ ദിനാഘോഷത്തിന്റെ ഭാഗമായി ആലുവ യു സി കോളേജിലെ വുമൺ സെൽ, ഏകദിന സെമിനാർ സംഘടിപ്പിച്ചു. “ബന്ധങ്ങളിലും സൗഹൃദങ്ങളിലും ഇന്നും തുടരുന്ന ജൻഡർ ഓഡിറ്റിങ്ങു എന്നതായിരുന്നു പ്രധാന വിഷയം.” ഹോമോ സോഷ്യൽ ഗ്രൂപ്പുകളുടെ അഭാവം, പെൺകുട്ടികളുടെ സാമൂഹ്യ പരിധി നിർണയത്തെ എങ്ങിനെ സ്വാധീനിക്കുന്നു എന്ന വിഷയം പങ്കെടുത്ത വിദ്യാർഥികളുമായി ചർച്ച ചെയ്തു. തൃശൂർ ചൈൽഡ് ട്രസ്റ്റ്ലെ മായ എസ് പരമശിവം ആയിരുന്നു മുഖ്യാതിഥി. പ്രിൻസിപ്പാൾ എം ഐ പുന്നൂസ്, വുമൺ സെൽ കോഓർഡിനേറ്റർ ട്രീസ ദിവ്യ, വിദ്യാർത്ഥി പ്രതിനിധി ടെസ്സ കുര്യാക്കോസ്, കോളേജ് യൂണിയൻ ചെയർമാൻ എമിൽ എൽദോ എന്നിവർ ആശംസകൾ അറിയിച്ചു സംസാരിച്ചു.
Maya S Paramasivam leading the session
Self Defense Programme – 06-03-2023
Women Cell, UCC associated with the college union for conducting a self-defense training programme for our students. The programme was scheduled for 6th March 2023, 2.30 pm at History Seminar Hall. Sifu Mansoor M K was the trainer of the programme. He is a trainer of Teakowonda, kalary and martial arts at various nearby schools. Around 35 students from various dept actively participated and trained in the basic lessons in self-defence. The programme was focused on disseminating that energy of defence and training them to keep the presence of mind in a crisis. Both Union and Women Cell representatives led the session and concluded it around 4.30 pm.
Gender Sensitisation Class – 03-03-2023
Women cell UCC, in association with Mathematics and History departments, organised a gender sensitisation class on March 3rd 2023 at History Seminar Hall at 2.30 pm. Transgender activist Surya Ishan was the key speaker at the session. Ms Tresa Divya delivered a welcome speech that tried to narrate the importance and relevance of women’s cells and their activities on campus. Surya spoke on the different dimensions of sex, sexuality and gender existence of our times. Staff coordinator Tresa Divya, Student Coordinator Tessa Varghese, students and teachers from the History and Mathematics dept participated in the programme. Around 60 students and teachers were there through out the session. The programme was well conceived and executed. Tessa extended thanks to the guest and the participants. The programme concluded around 4.30 pm.
Kerala State Women Development Corporation- Women Cell Annual Programme Report 2021- 2022.
An array of scholars and gender activists became a part of the KSWDC Women cell during the academic year 2021-22, both on offline and online mode. Here we are submitting a detailed report of the programmes conducted by women’s cell during this period. We received a wide range of participation and appreciation for the activities from students and management. We extend our sincere gratitude to the Kerala State Women Development Corporation for your financial support and orientation for programmes.
“Let’s Talk”-REPORT
LET’s Talk was an interactive webinar jointly organised by KSWDC Women’s Cell, UCC and Ambedkar Reading Circle, UCC on 12/06/2021 at 10 am on the google platform. The objective of this webinar was to celebrate Pride month and to know more about the LGBTQIA+ community. Rosa Felicia (Trans-person, Activist), Vishnu (Queer Activist), Aleena Akashmitayi ( Dalit and Gender Activist) and Adhi (Queer Activist) were the main speakers of the event.
The event was divided into three sessions- an introductory session, where the speakers talked about themselves, their experiences and their social encounters. The second session was the Q&A session, where the speakers answered questions that were already collected. In the last open session, the audience asked questions to the speakers.
The event started with a welcome speech by Liya Louis. It was followed by the introductory session where both Rosa Felicia and Adhi shared their personal experiences and their views on various issues regarding the LGBTQIA+ community. The Q&A session was moderated by Akansha K Sudheer(Coordinator, Ambedkar Reading Circle ), Devika Dilip (Secretary, Women’s Cell, UCC), and Sandra Sundakaran (Secretary, Women’s Cell, UCC). The moderators asked the selected questions that were already collected from the students. After the Q&A, the webinar was open, and the audience was allowed to ask questions directly to the speakers. The event was felicitated by Ms Tresa Divya (Teacher-Coordinator, Women’s Cell, UCC). Aleena M.B delivered the Vote of Thanks.
The webinar was attended by many students of UC College and other colleges and was conducted well without any hindrances.
Film Festival 2021
KSWDC Women Cell UCC organised a one-week comprehensive screening of short films to underline the importance of cinema as entertainment and a medium to express political ideas and ideologies.
The screening was conducted from the 2nd to the 8th of August via discord. On the 2nd of August, an inaugural event to mark the commencement of the film festival was conducted. Shinos Rahman, Director of Vasanti, which won the Best Film in the Kerala State Film Awards, was the Chief Guest. Following the inaugural address, an interactive session.
Fazil Razak, Recipient of Best Director award for ‘Athiru’ in me. V Sasi National Film Festival was also a discussant at the event. He spoke about his experiences and insights about cinema. ‘A third’ was screened as the inaugural film. On the second day of the festival, students joined the discord group and watched the short movies and then shared their insights on the film. Everything went well, and the event was successfully conducted.
Legal Protection for Women – Challenges and Possibilities
A webinar titled ‘Legal Protection for Women- Challenges and Possibilities’ was organised by the KSWDC WOMEN CELL UCC to create better awareness about the legal perspective regarding women’s rights and safety. The webinar was held on 30th August 2021. Adv conducted it. Bhadra Kumari, Advocate of High Court.
Dyuthy moderated the event. Devika Dilip delivered the welcome speech. Ms Tresa Divya, the teacher coordinator of Women Cell and Assistant Professor in the Department of History at UC College, introduced the guest. Following the introduction, Adv Bhadra Kumari spoke about various legal tools and aides to protect women from abuse and ensure their rights. Following this, an interactive session was held, and students asked questions and cleared their doubts with Adv Bhadra Kumari. The event ended with a vote of thanks delivered by Sandra Sudhakaran.
E-certificates were delivered to all the participants.
Sex Education talk – Report
A webinar on sex education organised by KSWDC Women Cell, UCC, on 5 September 2021 at 6.30 0n the google meet platform. Dr Veena J S was the key speaker on the subject. The webinar was seriously engaged with individuals’ biological and social gender roles in our society. Dr Veena’s talk elaborately discussed the biological differences and features of the human body and its different functions in it. Scientific understanding of sex, sexuality and the sexual role of an individual make them live in pride and in dignity.
The webinar started with a welcome speech by Mileena Saju and the inaugural address by the principal of our college Dr Thara K Simon. The speaker spoke about different sex groups and the biological and sociological aspects of sex and gender. Following this, an open discussion was held. Many students enthusiastically participated in the debate. Many personal instances of students and their willingness to share them in an open forum of the context made the session fruitful. The event ended with a vote of thanks by Devika Dileep.
Break the Bias – Women’s Day talk
‘Break the Bias’, the theme of 2022 International Women’s Day, was the topic we selected for the invited talk. Prof Kusumam Joseph, a retired professor and an activist, was the chief guest. We celebrated the day on 8th March at 7 pm on the online platform google meet. We announced a curtain-raiser of the day with competitions in poetry, essay writing and painting competitions on the theme “Break the Bias”. The webinar started at 7 pm with a warm welcome by Sandra Sudhakaran ( Secretary of Women Cell) and an introductory speech by the Staff Coordinator Tresa Divya, Assistant professor in History. The talk was very relevant to the topic and timely. She explained How Gender biases lead to violence, hatred, inequalities, and abuses in society. The conference was an inspiration for the long-lasting fight to end the gender biases and yelling to break the prejudice in future.
After that, many students asked questions in the open discussion forum and earnestly engaged in the discussion. The chief guest announced the names of competition winners, conducted by the women’s cell as a part of the women’s day and congratulated Diya Ummer ( II BA Malayalam), Patricia Vismaya (II BA Economics) and Milca Mariyam Mathew (I MA History).
Community Extension Programme.
As a part of our community extension programme, women cell UCC extended a gender-sensitive class to Kudumbasree, Asha workers of Karumalloor Panchayath on 8th March 2022.
Ms Tresa Divya was the chief guest of the programme and delivered a class on the theme. Kudumbasree, Asha workers and Ankamvadi teachers were the primary audiences. Family, society, parenting, and women’s space in public and political activities were the audience’s concerns, raising questions.
Gender Sensitisation Programme- Report
KSWDC Women cell, U.C. College conducted a gender sensitisation webinar on March 19th Saturday at 5 pm through the online video platform Google meet. The webinar was coordinated by Ms Tresa Divya T J, Assistant Professor, Department of History. The main speaker was Dr Malavika Binny, Assistant Professor at Kannur University presented ‘Gender in Everyday Life’ which was by the way intended to communicate to the participants the very basics of gender, still unclear to many.
The webinar started with the welcome speech of student coordinator Sumi Sivan. Many people including faculty and research scholars from different arenas participated in the webinar. Throughout the talk which lasted for more than an hour, Dr Malavika Binny presented on how gender works through roles, norms and expectations and why it is a disabling identity for many under patriarchy. Within the limitations, she spoke on themes of body politics, internalised patriarchy and sexism and different aspects of feminism in a very simple and understandable way. The webinar ended with a dynamic and meaningful discussion on the topic. Ms Resmi J, III BA History student extended sincere gratitude to the speaker and to all other participants. At the end of the session, feedback links were circulated which recorded an excellent positive response from the majority and e-certificates were provided through email.
It was a well-coordinated and well-communicated webinar and the first step for women cell in educating the public even through in background of the peculiar pandemic scenario of 2020.
‘Dalit women- Representation – programme – Report
Mridula Devi Sasi Dharan, (Dalit Activist, Lyricist) joined with KSWDC Women cell UC College on Google meet platform on March 26, at 6 pm. The session was very interesting and engaging. She introduced the students to the issues in the categorisation of Dalit women, and their social background, class difference and caste inequalities. Ms Vani Welcomed and introduced the speaker and Mileena Saju extended a vote of thanks. The floor was open for discussion after the talk and many students and the public interacted with her on different concerns.
Meet a Trans Person- Report
Meet a Trans person is a sex orientation programme organised by KSWDC Women Cell, on 4th May, Wednesday 2022, at TB Ninan Seminar hall at 10 am. The programme is intended to train our students to respect the other sex orientation categories in our society. Ms Surya Ishan, a trans activist, was the chief speaker of the session. She talked about the social taboos and struggles she faced in her life and trans activism in Kerala. She explained and distinguished Sex, Sexuality and Gender from a trans person’s perspective.
Ms Tessa Kuriakose, II BA History Student, welcomed the guest, teachers and student participants to the programme. The staff coordinator, Ms Tresa Divya, introduced the guest to the participants, explained the session’s relevance, and again welcomed all to the women’s cell fraternity of the college. Students from different departments actively participated in the whole session. Sreelakshmi, III BA History Student, extended a vote of thanks after the speech.
Self-Defence Training Programme- Report
On May 4th, Wednesday afternoon at PJ Auditorium Lobby, a Self-defence training programme was organised by the KSWDC Women cell, UCC,to empower the womenfolk in the college and train them to defend themselves in crucial, unexpected situations in life. The public space violence against women is progressively reduced during these years only because of the proper govt interference through different agencies. Mr Mansoor, a taekwondo and fitness trainer, led the session. Around 50 students from the various departments actively participated in the sessions.
In the context of the pandemic and various restrictions on gatherings and socialisation on campus, many of our activities have happened on the online platform; I hope everything will go on smoothly in the coming years.
