Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee at the launch of the Jago Nari Gram Jagao programme at Jadavpur University on Monday. Picture by Sanjoy Chattopadhyaya

To spread awareness on the entitlements of women, chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Monday launched a programme called Jago Nari Gram Jagao at HL Roy Auditorium in Jadavpur University.

The chief minister also released on the occasion a training manual, compiled from a National Commission for Women booklet, that provides guidelines on women’s legal rights and their entitlements. In addition, the manual contains a section on self-employment and self-help groups.

The manual will guide women in choosing a profession and pursuing it. An overview will be provided on banking and marketing.

“Most women are not aware of their rights and abilities. The programme will extend a helping hand and familiarise them with their qualities. It will also show them ways to become self-sufficient,” said Jasodhara Bagchi, chairperson, West Bengal Commission for Women.

The commission will from now be the nodal agency to implement the programme in the state.

At the launch, Bhattacharjee pointed out the basic problems faced by women in Bengal: “Lack of education and malnutrition are the two major problems faced by the women in our state. Though there is no scarcity of food, yet women do not eat properly due to lack of awareness. As a result, the percentage of women suffering from anaemia is increasing slowly.”

The chief minister also spoke about increase in violence against women.

The number of cases of atrocities against women has increased from 4,948 to 6,319, rapes have gone up from 1,002 to 1,436 and sexual harassment from 1,186 to 1,591 between 2004 and 2005.

“Sexual harassment against women has increased marginally. To get rid of this vice and improve the condition of women, we need to make them self-sufficient and spread education among them,” Bhattacharjee asserted.

The programme will include a training session that will help women tackle problems in a holistic manner. It will provide information related to legal and other entitlements, and indicate sources of redressal of problems.

“We already have programmes for women. But this time, women leaders from the district and panchayat levels will be roped in. A coordinated effort will help us in spreading the message across the state,” said National Commission for Women member Malini Bhattacharya.

Women and child development and social welfare minister Biswanath Chowdhury, self-employment and self-help groups minister Rekha Goswami and law and judicial affairs minister Robilal Moitra attended the function.