Adv. Ave Marea Babu was invited as guest speaker by the Women Empowerment Cell of St. James’ College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chalakudy, Kerala, to lead an interactive legal awareness session for its Women's Day Celebration on 7 March 2026.
Know Your Rights: Women, Law & Justice in India
The session, titled “Know Your Rights: Women, Law & Justice in India”, set out to educate and empower students through awareness of women's legal and constitutional rights in India.
It introduced the different ways women can seek justice when their rights are violated: approaching the police, seeking legal assistance, reporting harassment, using protection mechanisms and approaching the appropriate judicial authorities. Throughout, the session stressed the importance of speaking up rather than remaining silent out of fear or social pressure.
Key areas covered
- Constitutional rights and gender equality: the constitutional principles of equality, dignity and non-discrimination. Students were reminded that women and men are entitled to equal rights and opportunities under the law, and that gender should never be a barrier to education, personal development or participation in society.
- Legal protection against domestic violence and harassment: the safeguards available to women against domestic violence, physical and emotional abuse, intimidation and harassment, and the message that violence within the family or household is never acceptable and that women have the right to seek legal protection and support.
- Women's rights in education, employment and society: equal access to education, employment and social participation, and every woman's right to pursue her ambitions, build an independent future and take part in society without discrimination.
- Protection against sexual harassment and cybercrime: sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour, including at the workplace under the PoSH Act, as well as online abuse, cyberbullying, cyberstalking and the misuse of personal photographs or information. The session covered online safety, personal boundaries, reporting misconduct and seeking help from the appropriate authorities.
- Legal remedies for women seeking justice: the routes available when rights are violated, from the police and legal assistance to protection mechanisms and the courts.
- Legal literacy, self-empowerment and access to justice: why knowing one's legal rights, and how to exercise them, is an essential step towards empowerment, independence and a safer society.
Impact of the session
The session raised awareness among students of women's rights, gender equality and the importance of legal protection. It encouraged them to become informed, confident and responsible individuals who respect women's dignity, recognise and stand against discrimination, and help build a society based on equality and justice.
