Lucknow: A state-level women advocates’ conference was organised by Adhivakta Parishad Awadh on Saturday at Babu Banarasi Das University in Lucknow to mark International Women’s Day.The conference was themed ‘Women’s Dignity, Equality and Justice – Women Empowerment in 75 Years of the Constitution’. Women advocates from 16 units of the council as well as the high court’s Lucknow unit participated in large numbers.Chief guest, Justice Brij Raj Singh of Lucknow bench of Allahabad high court said that the chief architect of the Constitution, BR Ambedkar, believed that the progress of a society could be measured by the status of its women. He said that Indian women have made remarkable progress in various fields and continue to move forward with confidence.Justice Babita Rani highlighted the rights guaranteed to women under the Indian Constitution and encouraged them to break social barriers, move ahead with courage and strive for excellence in every field.Special guest, chairperson of the UP state commission for women, Babita Singh Chauhan spoke about initiatives and schemes being undertaken by the commission for women’s empowerment. Advocating greater representation, she said that since women constitute nearly 50% of society, they should receive proportional reservation and participation in all spheres.Pro-vice chancellor of BBD University, Viraj Sagar Das said that women’s participation in the legal profession is steadily increasing, which is a positive sign for society.Seema Singh of Delhi University presented a detailed overview of the evolution of women’s rights from ancient times to the present.Parishad’s state general secretary, Meenakshi Parihar Singh spoke about the organisation’s work and outlined seven stages of women’s dignity.
