Media Release
Mangaluru, Jul 13: The department of Political Science at St Agnes College (Autonomous), successfully organised a prestigious one-day national training programme on July 10. Sponsored by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the event was themed ‘Nurturing health, ensuring safety: Empowering women and children’ and took place at the Conference Hall in the Sofia Block.
The training programme commenced with the traditional lighting of the lamp. Kolladi Balakrishna Rai, president of the Human Rights Federation of India, graced the occasion as the chief inaugurator and delivered the inaugural address. The session was presided over by Sr Dr Marie Prem D’Souza AC, joint secretary of St Agnes College, who highlighted the critical institutional role in advancing human rights education.
Technical sessions and expert insights
The day-long programme was divided into four comprehensive technical sessions, bringing together domain experts to address various facets of welfare, sociology, law, and healthcare: Sachitha Nandagopal, member of the Juvenile Justice Board, Dakshina Kannada (Govt of Karnataka), led the first discussion on ‘Nurturing health, ensuring safety: An integrated approach to women and child welfare.’ Dr Suparna Majumdar Kar, professor and head of the department of sociology at Christ (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru, spoke on ‘Family and society: Strategies for promoting the wellbeing of women and children.’ Shifting the focus to legal protections, Maheshchandra Nayak, associate professor at SDM Law College, Mangaluru, delivered an insightful lecture on ‘Policy frameworks and legal safeguards for women’s and children’s rights.’
The final technical session was spearheaded by Dr Joylene D Almeida, professor & consultant and laparoscopic surgeon from the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Father Muller Medical College Hospital, Mangaluru. She addressed ‘Advancements in maternal and child healthcare: Strategies for improved outcomes.’
The programmer concluded with a valedictory session. Suraiyya Anjum, state general secretary of the Karnataka Pradesh Youth Congress Committee, attended as the chief guest and delivered the valedictory address, emphasizing the practical enforcement of safety and health policies at the grassroots level. Sr Dr Roopa Rodrigues AC, vice principal of St Agnes College, presided over the concluding ceremony.
The event was meticulously coordinated by convener Gayathri B K, student coordinator Sampoorna V Prabhu, drawing substantial participation from students, academicians, and human rights advocates.