Patna, March 8: Even 100 years of celebrating Intern-ational Women’s Day has not brought about the desired gender equality, said delegates at a seminar on “atrocities on women and the law”, organised by All India Mahila Sanksritik Sangathan at IMA Hall today.

“Of all the days in the year, we owe at least one to ourselves. At least on this day, we should take some time off from our family and work,” said Angana Bhagat, a lawyer at Patna High Court.

“To initiate changes to ensure gender equality, women should know the right forum to voice their thoughts. Atrocities against women are perpetrated very often. Victims have to face awkward questions in courts. They also suffer because of the time-taking legal procedures,” added Bhagat.

“Things have, however, improved over the time,” she added. Organisations like Mahila Ayog have been given the power to act on their own in cases of violence against women. Victims can also take help of legal-aid communities in various courts. They can also lodge complaints on phone.

Bhagat also said women should come out in support of other women in crisis. “When her relatives are guilty of domestic violence, women tend to become inhibited. Women need to protest and lodge complaints,whether or not they are the victims,” she said.

Patna University history teacher Daisy Narayan said: “Hardly any improvement in the condition of women has been witnessed under different governments. Though punishments have become more rigorous, the rate of convictions has dropped. The ground reality has not changed much.”