'Ensure Women's Safety In And Around Campus'

October 22nd 2019

'March for Women’s Safety' in Manipur University campus on October 22nd 2019

NEFIS UNDER THE AEGIS OF MUSU ORGANIZES ‘WOMEN’S MARCH FOR SAFETY’ IN MANIPUR UNIVERSITY CAMPUS!
DEMANDS THAT ICC BE MADE FUNCTIONAL IMMEDIATELY AND PROPER REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN STUDENTS BE ENSURED!
ALSO DEMANDS IMMEDIATE STEPS TO ENSURE WOMEN’S SAFETY IN AND AROUND CAMPUS!

North-East Forum for International Solidarity (NEFIS) activists along with Manipur University Students’ Union (MUSU) and the common students of the university today ( October 22nd 2019) organized a 'March for Women’s Safety' in Manipur University campus. The march was organized in the wake of a non-functioning Internal Complaints Committee at MU and grave concerns of women students concerning their safety in and around the campus.

It should be known that due to lack of a functioning Anti-Sexual Harassment Committee / Internal Complaints Committee, the women students find the campus highly insecure for themselves. There is an ICC in the campus, but its functioning remains confined to paper, thereby making it out-of-reach for complainants.

This violates the basic principles for which ICC were made mandatory for educational institutions by the University Grants Commission (UGC). According to the UGC, the ICCs were to have a proper representation of women students in it and were envisaged as being easily accessible by the prospective complainants. But, at MU the said objectives have been marred by the non-functional ‘paper-confined’ ICC.

'March for Women’s Safety' in Manipur University campus on October 22nd 2019

There is also a lack of security in and around campus which gives leeway to lumpen and anti-social elements to eve-tease and stalk women students of the university. The said incidents have led to an ingraining of fear and insecurity among women students of the university and the same has been apprised to the university authorities, but there has been no action till now on this particular issue being faced by the women students of the university.

Regarding the above concerns as well as other issues, the common students, NEFIS and MUSU representatives met MU administrator and demanded that the ICC which is already constituted should be made functional immediately and proper representation of women students in it should be ensured.

The students also demanded that immediate steps should be taken by MU authorities to ensure women’s safety in and around the campus, and extend the closing time of MU library and the curfew time of women’s hostels. MU administrator, agreeing to the demands has assured the students that ICC would be made functional with women students’ representation within 15 days.

Likewise, he has also promised to extend the library closing time to 9 pm and accordingly, also extend the curfew time of women’s hostels. NEFIS hails today’s March as the victory of common students’ struggle and would be further intensifying its campaign on students’ issues in the coming days.

'March for Women’s Safety' in Manipur University campus on October 22nd 2019

Reema,
Member,
Manipur Unit,
North-East Forum for International Solidarity (NEFIS)