Women pin hopes on Gender Park

KOZHIKODE: With the opening of Gender Park is around, the leading women’s organisations in the town are hopeful as well as skeptical about the project.

Though they insist that such a project is the need of the hour for women empowerment and overall development of women, they say further comments can be made only after the project fell on track.

Some of them also complained that they are yet to receive any intimation regarding the inauguration of Gender Park despite announcements in the newspapers.

For P Viji, who spearheaded the ‘Irikkal samaram’ (protest to sit) told DC that though the project looked positive, she had fears if common women would get access and acceptance to the Gender Park.

“From the projects it looks like they are being offered to the elite class. We need to see if this is another election gimmick from the UDF government. They started with the announcement and extended till the end of the tenure for the inauguration,” said Viji.

Sthreechethana general secretary K S Jayasree said that they were yet to get invitation for the inauguration of Gender Park. “We are doing voluntary work in the field of women empowerment for the past 10 years. Yet we are yet to get informed of the inauguration. From the announcements of the project, the concept looks perfect and we need to wait to see how it will materialise. It is high time we need a gathering place for the cultural and social activities, exclusively for the women,” said Jayasree.

Kerala State Women’s Development Corporation chairperson advocate P Kulsu says that like the Social Justice Department introduced and promoted She-taxi to international level, this can also be a big hit.

“Once the concept is materialised, this would be a dream model before the world. The concept is highly motivational and the need of the hour, where women empowerment is being discussed in all strata,” Kulsu said.