DODA: The Department of Rural Development (RDD), under the aegis of Jammu & Kashmir Rural Livelihood Mission (JKRLM), in collaboration with the Social Welfare Department organised a one-day gender sensitization workshop across all 17 Community Development (CD) Blocks of Doda district today.

The event was held under the guidance of District Social Welfare Officer, Tariq Parvez Qazi, with the support of field teams from Social Welfare, Mission Shakti, District Hub for Empowerment of Women (DHEW), and the One Stop Center.

The workshops aimed to enhance awareness among rural women and women Self-Help Group (SHG) members, especially those engaged under the UMEED initiative, about gender equity and social empowerment. Key objectives of the program included promoting understanding of gender beyond biological differences, challenging traditional roles and stereotypes, and fostering a more inclusive and respectful society. Special emphasis was laid on breaking myths related to menstruation, early marriage, caregiving roles and domestic violence.

Interactive sessions were conducted by gender experts who educated participants about government schemes and welfare entitlements available for women in Jammu & Kashmir. They were acquainted with State Marriage Assistance Scheme (SMAS), Tejaswini - Women Entrepreneurship Scheme, Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), Women Helpline (181), Child Helpline (1098), Ladli Beti Scheme, Poshan Abhiyaan and Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS). The experts also encouraged women to take leadership roles within their communities and become agents of change.

As part of the awareness campaign, career guidance booklets were distributed under the banner of ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' initiative to promote girl child education and rights. The program served as a participatory platform for rural women to engage, learn, and become more informed citizens, thereby fostering a stronger and gender-equitable rural society.