Dharwad: The Family Planning Association of India (FPAI), Dharwad Branch, has launched 16 programmes to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. The events, which will continue across the district until Dec 10, aim to raise awareness among women, men, youth, and children on the significance of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, World AIDS Day, and Human Rights Day.Inaugurating the event, FPAI general manager Sujatha Anishettar said that this year’s theme is “Join the campaign to stop digital abuse.” She expressed concern that the rate of violence against women in India remains alarming. “Women face various forms of violence, inclduing physical, sexual, psychological, verbal, economic and social,” she said.She highlighted the growing threat of digital misuse, which has intensified harmful practices such as image-based harassment, non-consensual sharing of intimate images, misinformation on social media, online sexual exploitation, and cyberstalking. “Empowering women and girls with proper knowledge, problem-identification skills, and relevant training is essential to counter these emerging challenges,” she said. “FPAI has been consistently working toward this goal,” she added.Programme officer NF Madivalar stressed the significant role men play in women’s empowerment, adding that their strong participation in these initiatives reflects meaningful involvement. He also pointed out pressing health concerns faced by many women, including anaemia, and emphasised the importance of safeguarding women’s health to ensure their overall empowerment.“An empowered woman can address challenges across all sectors of society. Through self-employment, unity, confidence, and skill development, women can achieve economic independence,” he said.Deepa Mala, Dr Sharada Kematur, Dr Narsarin Honalli, FPAI staff, and over 150 women from the community took part in the programme.
