The Bombay Archdiocese will later this month start a campaign to create awareness about violence against women in the country.
Initiated
by the women commission of the archdiocese, the campaign is named “37
Million Diyas (lamps) Campaign” which would start on Jan. 27.
The number “37 Million” is the gender gap between males and females in the country according to the 2011 census.
The campaign would focus initially on the gender gap to get people to reflect on the larger picture of violence against women.
This campaign will begin with observing an hour of solidarity between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. in all parishes on the day.
Cardinal
Oswald Gracias has sent out a circular requesting parish priests in the
diocese to observe this day as suggested by the women commission.
He
pointed out that “the marginalization of God from people’s lives has
resulted in the weakening of our spiritual moorings causing a loss of
respect of the human person and ethical values.”
The campaign
aims to raise awareness about female feticide, female infanticide, dowry
deaths, sexual assault and high mortality rates of girls under five due
to neglect.
It would also focus on the low status of women in India which is the root cause of this female feticide.
The commission has drawn up a list of suggestions for parishes to observe the hour of solidarity.
The
parishes can conduct various programs, including candle-light
processions, public gatherings, street plays, power point presentations,
formation of human chains to express solidarity with women.
The
commission suggests that if such public expressions are not possible, a
holy hour service or an inter-faith prayer service during that time may
be arranged.
“We need to go beyond the law, beyond self-interest
and beyond self-preservation to always seek what is good for the
wellbeing of others as indeed of the whole of society,” the Cardinal
said.
He sad that the process of changing mind-sets and attitudes
derogatory towards women should begin with the family as it is in the
family that the foundation of our and approach toward women is formed.
The
women commission, in collaboration with other bodies in the
archdiocese, is meeting on Jan. 25 to draw up a long term plan that aims
to conduct awareness programs about safety of women.