On December 16, 2014, the National Commission for Women (NCW) and the Pran Sabharwal Foundation (PSF) presented “Ji, Jaisi Aapki Marzi,” a play by Nadira Babbar and Ekjute, at Modern School, Barakhamba Road, New Delhi.
Lalita Kumarmangalam, Chairperson of the National Commission for Women, was the Chief Guest for the occasion, and Ashok Pratap Singh, President of the Board of Trustees of Modern Schools, presided over the event. Poonam Sabharwal, a founder trustee of the PSF, felicitated the Chief Guest.
The NCW and the PSF collaborated to organize this event with the aim of encouraging constructive discourse on such pressing social matters as gender discrimination and physical safety of women.
Students from city schools, such as Banyan Tree, and NGOs, such as the Salaam Baalak Trust, were in attendance, furthering the objective of promoting debate on such matters among the youth.
Addressing the audience, Ms. Kumarmangalam emphasized the need for civil society and governments to cooperate with each other to prevent crimes against women. She also underscored the importance of spreading awareness about the legal measures in place to protect women against various forms of persecution.
A prominent figure in the field of education, Mr. Singh opined that the best time make individuals aware of and responsive to the challenges of sensitive social issues is when they are students, as this would have the effect of gradually changing mindsets across the board for the better.
The play used satire to poignantly and evocatively depict the struggles of women. It consisted of monologues by four women leading very different lives, playing the roles women are commonly perceived to play in Indian society, namely those of mother, wife, sister, and daughter.
This event was part of the larger programme of the PSF to reach out to institutions of civil society, such as schools and colleges, and government agencies to promote debate, discussion, and concrete action on various social problems.