Priety asks women to stand up for themselves!

New Delhi, Mar 8 (UNI) It was actor Preity Zinta at her candid best, speaking her mind! ''Women's Day is a celebration of my being.... Frankly, women don't need any inspiration. They should inspire themselves each day as it comes,'' was her message to women self-help groups at a function to celebrate International Women's Day at Dilli Haat here.

Asking women to stand up for themselves in the male-dominated society, the actor, clad in a bright mustard salwar kurta, pointed out that even today women don't get equal opportunities.

''I really don't know why men think that women are physically weaker. When women can endure the pain of giving birth to another life, then why are we treated as the physically weaker sex?" she asked.

Sharing the dais with Preity, recipient of Godfrey Philips Bravery award, at the cultural extravaganza, organised by the Delhi Commission For Women (DCW), were Ms Gursharan Kaur, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's wife, and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit besides others dignitaries.

Ms Gursharan Kaur presented bravery awards to women who have shown unparalleled courage in their individual fight for women's empowerment.

The extravaganza showcased products, including soft toys, glass paintings, terracotta, jewelry, embroidered clothing and spices, made by women self-help groups.

''In order to promote self-help groups working with assistance from DCW, the Commission has facilitated stalls at Dilli Haat for as many as 242 groups who would be exhibiting and selling handmade and home-made products," DCW chairperson Kiran Walia said. UNI