On Sunday, 17th October, the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) and Committee of Gender Champions organised a talk on ‘Claiming Gender Equality’. The talk, which was previously scheduled for 26th August, was postponed due to unavoidable reasons. The speaker was Shabnam Hashmi, an Indian social activist and human rights campaigner nominated for the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize as part of the 1000 PeaceWomen Across the Globe initiative. The talk was conducted in the NAB auditorium and saw a turnout of about a hundred people, including professors and students from BITS and nearby schools alike.

Hashmi talked about the right of every individual to claim equality on the grounds of gender. She believes that except for reproductive organs and certain other physical characteristics, there is no difference between the two sexes, making everyone entitled to the same rights. She explained that the fight for gender equality manifests itself on three platforms: at home, in one’s immediate surroundings and subsequently, in national policies. She also narrated some very inspiring anecdotes from her years working for women’s rights.The talk was followed by a question and answer session where females in the audience talked about their struggles and raised some thought-provoking questions. This talk was definitely a new experience for BITS, which has largely remained non-political.