MUNICIPAL ARTS & URBAN SCIENCE COLLEGE, MEHSANA
COLLEGIATE WOMEN DEVELOPMENT CELL (CWDC)
Women Development Cell (WDC) was constituted in Municipal Arts & Urban Bank Science College, Mehsana in 2010 with the initiative to raise and resolve the problems faced by girl students and women staff of the college. The issues related to violence against women have paralyzed our society for years. There is an ardent need to take concrete steps to bring a halt to this problem. Women Development Cell is a platform to unite the youth who can ignite a wave of change in the society. It calls upon all the boys of this college to take a stand and make a promise to respect all the girls. The objective of the Women Development Cell is to create awareness among the girls and the women staff, apart from maintaining congenial working environment for all the women employees and students. When out of more than 3000 students enrolled in the college, nearly 1467 are girl students and 17 are women employees of the college, it is imperative to establish an effective CWDC to look into the problems of women and resolve them on a priority basis.
Constitution of Women Development Cell
Women Development Cell is constituted of following members:
- Dr. D.R. Patel
- Sushila I. Patel (HOD, Home Science)
- Savita N. Purohit (HOD, Hindi)
- Shyama N. Pandya (Physics)
- Asha H. Trivedi (Home Science)
- Neha R. Shah (Home Science)
- Hasumati C. Patel (Sanskrit)
- Sharmishtha I Patel (Hindi)
- Miss Palak Patel (Bio Technology)
- Miss Himani Raval (Bio Technology)
- Miss Zalak Sheth (Bio Technology)
- Miss Jinal Patel (Bio Technology)
- Miss Binal Solanki (Botany)
- Miss Archna Patel (Botany)
- Miss Puja Modi (Economics)
- Gita A. Patel (Lab Assistant, Home Science)
- Asha Vyas (Senior Clerk)
- Asha Thakor (Librarian)
Apart from college employees, the following girl students of the college are also members of the CWDC:
- Patel Ayushi Tarunkumar (B.Sc. Sem. 2)
- Dave Krishna Manishbhai (B.Sc. Sem. 4)
- Patel Riya Mukeshbhai (B.Sc. Sem. 6)
- Patel Pragna Ratilal (B.A. Sem. 2)
- Patel Priya Shaileshbhai (B.A. Sem. 4)
- Nayi Zarna Rasikbhai (B.A. Sem. 6)
Aims & Objectives of Collegiate Women Development Cell (CWDC)
- To prevent sexual harassment and to promote the general well-being of female students, teaching and non-teaching women staff of the college.
- To orgainze various types of training programmes and self-employment schemes for the encouragement of self-reliance among women.
- In case of sexual harassment in the premises of the college, active assistance shall be provided to the complainant by the cell to pursue the complaint and the safety of the complainant shall be ensured.
- Organizing various seminars and workshops for the female students and teaching/non-teaching staff of the college.
Procedure of Investigation of Complaints
- Any woman employee/female student of the college shall have a right to lodge a comlaint with any of the members of the cell.
- Such complaint may be oral or in writing.
- The complaint committee shall afford fair and reasonable opportunity to the delinquent to defend himself and shall ensure observance of the principles of natural justice.
Penalties and Punishment for Sexual Harassment
The committee shall impose the following penalties on a person found guilty of sexual harassment:
A student found guilty of sexual harassment shall be liable to following penalties:
- Warning
- Written apology
- Bond of good behaviour.
- Suspension for a specified period of time
Instruction to the Students
- Proper dress code should be followed. Body fit clothing, transparent or revealing outfits should be avoided.
- Girl students should refrain from using shortcuts to reach their places.
- Sharing of mobile phone numbers with the unknown persons should be avoided.
- Harassment of any nature should be reported to the WDC for redressal.
- Sexual harassment involves unwelcome words, deeds, symbols actions, gestures that make the woman uncomfortable.
- Sexual assault or sexual harassment or sexual misconduct is an offence and viable for criminal proceedings.
Steps towards Safety of Female Students & Employees
- Surveillance cameras are installed at various places of the college to monitor and safeguard the safety of students and employees of the college.
- Woman Police is deployed at the entrance of the college gate.
- Security guards are instated in the college campus to restrict the entry of any person other than student or employee of the college.
- Identity cards of the students are checked by the guards at the entrance.
- A complaint box is kept by Mahila Suraksha Squad (Women Security Squad) at the entrance of the college so that girl students can drop their complaints in it. The box is opened and checked every fortnight. The complaints if any are immediately addressed and resolved.
- Rules pertaining to discipline are displayed on the Notice Board of the college which are required to be strictly adhered to by all the students of the college.
Working of Women Development Cell
- A meeting of all the members of the WDC is convened on a regular basis in which issue related to women safety and security are discussed.
- The programme related to women empowerment, health and awareness are chalked out by the members of the cell.
- All the girl students of the college are gathered in the Conference Room of the college every fortnight and their suggestions and complaints are heard.
- A facility of first aid is created in the Home Science department exclusively for girl students of the college.
Programmes Conducted by Women Development Cell (WDC)
- Documentary films related to women safety were shown.
- Lectures on Gender Education were conducted.
- Breast Feeding Awareness Week was celebrated.
- Lectures on the significance of Nutritional Diet in children and adults were organized.
- Programmes concerning Gender sensitization were arranged.
- Expert Lectures related to the issues of under nourished children and anemia were organized.
- Gender related courses are incorporated in the syllabus of Home Science subject which is taught as degree course in the college.
