Bhubaneswar: The Shakti application, which was inaugurated by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday, will be a game-changer when it comes to ensuring safety of women in the State, said Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida.
Delivering the inaugural address at the second foundation day of Odisha Women in Media (OWM) – an association of over 200 women media professionals from the State – here on Sunday, the Deputy Chief Minister said that a rape survivor will no longer have to go through the ordeal of narrating what happened with her before the lawmakers and the judiciary. “Instead, she can give her statement in the app and it will be kept as a record in it and this recorded statement can be used in the court. Currently, she has to go through the trauma of narrating the heinous incident before her parents, police, doctor, advocate and judge,” she said.
The deputy chief minister added that the government is also planning a court where everything will be handled by women, be it the position of judge, lawyers or the peshkars and where a rape survivor can speak without any hesitation or shame.
The Deputy CM said at a time when women are at the forefront of many organisations, the need to look into their safety is itself a concern. She urged the women mediapersons to carry out a safety audit of cities they live or work in through their work to find out how safe they are for women in the next one year. Parida said the government will extend all help that is required for the purpose.
She also urged Odisha Women in Media to consider upskilling women journalists or help women who want to pursue journalism but aren’t able to do so due to financial constraints.
On the occasion, journalists Sobha Surin and Sumitra Sahoo were felicitated with OWM Awards for excellence in journalism and a cash reward of Rs 5,000 each. The annual magazine of OWM ‘Arohi’ was released by Parida and senior journalists Uma Sudhir and Alka Sahani who attended as chief speakers.
A session was organized where women entrepreneurs who are working at the grassroots like Bhagabati Sahu of Jajpur, Jayanti Maharana from Balasore, footballer Pusparani Bhuyan spoke about their struggles and successes. Similarly in another session, Sudhir and Sahani spoke about various challenges and work scenarios for women journalists in the country.
Speaking at the event, Mayor of BMC Sulochana Das said women journalists have an important role to play in the society. While OWM president Kasturi Ray delivered the welcome address, secretary Minati Singha shared the annual report of the organization. OWM vice-president Sharada Lahangir gave the vote of thanks.
