Thu Sep 25 19:41:08 UTC 2025: ## News Article:
**Chennai, India – September 26, 2025** – Experts and gender equality advocates convened in Chennai on Thursday to address the persistent challenges women face in accessing justice and navigating legal systems. The State-level consultation, titled “Debriefing Beijing +30,” was jointly organized by the Ekta Foundation, Justice Shivraj V. Patil Foundation, and Women’s Collective, in collaboration with the National Alliance of Women.
Advocate B.S. Ajeetha of the Madras High Court emphasized the need for greater support and empowerment for women to effectively utilize existing laws and institutions. “Empowerment is also to guide women to justice through the law,” she stated.
Panel discussions focused on eliminating gender-based violence and strengthening access to justice. Esther, Associate Director of ActionAid Association, highlighted the difficulty in implementing existing policies and laws despite their enactment. She also stressed the importance of monitoring the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) Act and ensuring the establishment of functional Internal Complaints Committees.
Stegana Jency, Director of the Centre for Child Rights and Development, pointed to the weak investment in violence prevention. She recounted an incident during a sexuality education class involving the defacing of educational materials related to the female reproductive system, underscoring the critical need to educate children, particularly boys, about sexuality. “Only then can we break the patriarchal knots in the system,” Jency stated, emphasizing that foundational work with children is essential for lasting change.
The consultation highlighted the need for a multi-faceted approach, encompassing increased awareness, robust implementation of existing laws, support for civil society organizations, and comprehensive education initiatives, to ensure women’s access to justice and achieve true gender equality in India.
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