"Male brigade" to combat violence against women

New Delhi, May 25 (UNI) "Male brigades" comprising of volunteers are being trained to combat rising crime against women, especially in the slum areas of the national capital.

Addressing mediapersons here today, Delhi Commission for Women(DCW) Chairperson Prof. Kiran Walia said the Commission and Jamia Millia Islimia's Sarojini Naidu Centre for Women Studies were jointly working to build male brigades, the first of its kind in the country, to fight crime against women.

A week-long training programme is currently on with a financial grant from the DCW. The training is aimed at increasing male involvement in gender sensitisation programmes, she said.

It is expected to bring about a change in the behaviour and attitude of men and also to equip them with knowledge of legal system to deal with instances of violence, Prof. Walia said.

Master trainers from 18 NGOs affiliated to DCW that have been working with its Mahila Panchayats and Self Help Groups are being trained. Each master trainer would build a brigade of 20 youths in his area. The focus would initially be on the slum areas of the capital, she added.

Describing the training programme, Prof. Anjali Gandhi, Hony. Director, Sarojini Naidu Centre for Women Studies said resource persons, drawn from various sections of the society to train these men include Jt. Commissioner of Police (Crime Against Women Cell) Aneeta Roy, Dr Renu Chopra (Director, Prayatn) and Ms Abha Singhal (Executive Director, MARG), among others.

The comprehensive course deals with issues such as gender-based violence, why women tolerate violence, patriarchy, sexuality, domestic violence, laws on marital violence, community intervention and so on.

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