Session: Breaking the frontiers: Women on a mission
Speakers: Simran Sheikh, Human rights activist
Ria Sharma: Social Activist
Also part of the session, acid attack survivor Reshma Qureshi
New Delhi, September 29, 2019: With three strong women � human rights activist Simran Sheikh, social activist Ria Sharma, and acid attack survivor Reshma Qureshi – take the dias at India Today Mindrocks 2019 session titled �Breaking the frontiers: Women on a mission�, the conversation centred around acceptance and making a change in society.
Talking about acceptance, Simran mentioned that parents are not out of the system; in fact they are a big part of the system. Stating figures, she said that about 98% of children who identify as transgender are either thrown out of their house or they leave their house willingly. This has a lot to do with the lack of awareness and society. Sheikh also added that there�s no indicator of struggles and it isn’t measurable; in fact everyone faces it. Sheikh, who doesn�t follow gender norms and can goes beyond the binary, said that it�s important to contribute to society over and above the struggles you go through.
Ria Sharma who started an NGO Make Love Not Scars when she was 21, helps rehabilitate acid attack survivors. She discussed that five years back, acid attack was a form of gender-based violence, normally by a scorned lover attacking a girl. But that has changed and now, acid has turned into a weapon; one that�s as easily available as a gun or a knife. She also added that while we do have great laws, what is missing is the implementation of those laws.
Sharma introduced acid attack survivor Reshma Qureshi on stage, who narrated her traumatic experience and how acid was thrown on her face by her brother-in-law as an act of revenge. She spoke about a turn of events in her life after she met Sharma. Qureshi also expressed how happy she was went to New York Fashion Week, where she walked the ramp not as a model but as an acid attack survivor. She relived the walk on stage, as the audience cheered for her.
The three panelists concluded by agreeing that while there are laws in place, these laws need to be implemented. There should be stricter laws as far as the sale of acid in India goes as well and strict punishment for the attacker.
Takeaways
#Simran Sheikh, Human rights activist spoke how everyone goes through their own set of struggles and struggle is not quantifiable.
#Simran Sheikh mentioned that is important to make the system right.
#Ria Sharma talked about acid attack now becoming more than a gender-based violence. Acid has now become a weapon and is easily available as is a gun or a knife.
#Reshma Qureshi that it�s important that the law punishes the attacker stringently so that he/she never has the courage to do this to anyone else.
Quotes:
� Rome was not built in a day. Even our constitution was not built in a day. It took years for them to understand. I especially got my independence in 2014 when the highest court of India gave me legal recognition as a third gender. It requires ample amount of evidence for us to change our thought. – Simran Sheikh, Human rights activist
� I think thoughts have changed to an extent. If thoughts hadn�t changed today, people wouldn�t have been a part of this session to hear a hijra talk, instead they�d have walked out. If thoughts hadn’t changed today, then I wouldn�t have represented the community in the world. If thoughts hadn’t changed, then I wouldn�t have been the first transgender principal in a West Bengal college. – Simran Sheikh, Human rights activist
� Everyone in this room has struggled in their life, and struggle can�t be measured. You need to go beyond struggle and contribute to someone�s life. It is important to invest and invent on contribution rather than struggle. – Simran Sheikh, Human rights activist
� Today I am here because I am a transgender. But I am not taking leverage because of my gender. I am here because I have contributed to the society. – Simran Sheikh, Human rights activist
� Anything is achievable; and any obstacle is overcomable. – � Ria Sharma, Social Activist
� We have a long way to go. It is important for us to have faith if we need humanity to stay alive. � Ria Sharma, Social Activist
� Acid is now turned into a weapon. It is easily available than a gun or a knife. It is as easy as throwing a glass of water at someone and it can ruin their life forever. While India has great laws, but we have no implementation of those laws. � Ria Sharma, Social Activist
� It is important to punish the acid attacker so he/she never tries this with someone else. Even if acid is banned, it is still sold for as low as Rs. 10. � Reshma Qureshi, Acid attack survivor
Corporate Comm India(CCI NewsWire)
