SECOND ALL INDIA WORKING WOMEN CONVENTION AT MYSORE - A GRAND SUCCESS

ALL INDIA INSURANCE EMPLOYEES’ ASSOCIATION

LIC BUILDING  SECRETARIAT ROAD  HYDERABAD  500 063

Cir. No. 12 /2012                                                                           27^th July, 2012

To

All the Zonal /Divisional/State/Regional Units,

Dear Comrades,

SECOND ALL INDIA WORKING WOMEN CONVENTION AT MYSORE

-  A GRAND SUCCESS

The second All India Working Women Convention was held at the historic city of Mysore on 15^th July 2012 as per the decision of the AIIEA.

Since the first Working Women Convention held at Kolkata in July 2007, there is a definite increase in the participation of women comrades in the second Convention.  Women across the country traveling for more than 38 hours attended the Convention.  More than 325 women comrades participated in the Convention. Working Committee members of AIIEA were also present in the Convention apart from the entire Secretariat of AIIEA. 

The Presidium for the Convention consisted of Com. M.Girija, Joint Secretary of SZIEF, Com. M. Kameshwari, Zonal Working Women Joint Convener, SCZIEF, Com. Geeta Pandit, Divisional Convener, CZIEA, Com. S. Shobhana, Regional Convener, CRGIEA.

The Convention was inaugurated by Com. Amanulla Khan, President, AIIEA. In his address, he said that the decision of AIIEA in its General Conference of AIIEA held at Jaipur in 1988 to organize women in the trade union activities was absolutely right and the participation of women in this Convention reflects the same.  While congratulating all the women comrades for their magnificent response to the calls of AIIEA he appealed that there should be further consolidation of activities of women in a more organized way which will certainly strengthen the AIIEA.  He criticized the neo-liberal economic policies which is causing an enormous sufferings to the women who are already been exploited by this male dominated society.  However, he said that AIIEA’s struggle is not to create wedge between men and women but to unify them in the struggle against the society of inequity. He also beckoned women comrades along with men to expand their work to unorganized sectors also and help the oppressed sections of working class to build unity among the working class to fight this capitalist exploitative system on the basis of class struggle to achieve a better society.

Com. K. Venu Gopal, General Secretary, AIIEA placed a discussion paper which exposed social injustices and problems of women.  He also expressed satisfaction that since the first Convention, all the zones in LIC and SZGIEA in general sector formed their Zonal Women Coordination Committees. He acknowledged that the women participation in our trade union activities has increased and there is still scope for improvement in the future.  He also stressed on the need to defeat feudal society and its values in India to emancipate women from exploitation and make them equitable citizens in the society. He also appealed to all the women employees to strengthen AIIEA and assured that AIIEA always strives to protect the rights of women comrades.

In the discussion, 27 women comrades participated. Com. R.Sarva Mangala, C.H. Sapna, R.S.Chenbagam, G.Sudha, S.Sridevi from South Zone; Com. Anupama Sachdev, Neeta Singhal, Rajni Gupta from North Zone; Com. Gita Pegu from East Zone; Coms. Usha Parganiha, Anjana Babar, Sareena Kher from Central Zone; Coms. Smriti Rekha Sahoo, Manorama Mohanty from East Central Zone; Coms. M.Kameshwari, B.Lalita, S. Jagadeeshwari, Nirmala, V.Lata from South Central Zone; Coms. Geeta Shant, Madhu Tiwari from North Central Zone; Coms Falguni Mehta, Neha Mote from West Zone; Com. Jayasudha Rajan, Sikha Chadda, N.S.Shailaja, Rina Bhair from General sector  spoke on varied topics including political and social issues confronting women.

Summing up the entire discussion, Com. K. Venu Gopal, set the following tasks before the second Women Convention :-

i)              to conduct special trade union classes / work shops on gender issues

ii)             to organize family get –to-gethers, trade union picnics and other such innovative programmes to instill confidence among family members about trade union and its activities.

The Convention adopted these proposals unanimously.

The second Working Women Convention successfully concluded with a pledge to strengthen AIIEA by involving more women in the activities of trade union in the future.

With greetings,

Comradely yours,

V.Ramesh

p. GENEAL SECRETARY.