Earlier this year, there was a spirited discussion on AID forums regarding women's dress code and its impact on their physical safety. To take the discussion to the next level, we decided to organize a session on gender issues at the conference. The session focused on issues such as public safety while traveling, experiences of inequality while growing up, bias, harassment and assault. We also discussed the factors which contribute to an environment in which women are more susceptible to rape, molestation and workplace harassment.

The session included a skit about the pressures faced by young women, like getting married before a certain age and the stereotypes associated with them pursuing a career. It concluded with an open discussion among attendees. The highlight of the session was a clothesline exhibit where several women of AID shared personal stories of their experiences, where they had faced bias and harassment.These stories had a deep emotional impact on many people, both men and women. The session concluded with a march, during which we filled the air with slogans like, “Whatever we wear, wherever we go, yes means yes and no means no!" and, "Take back the night!" Through this session and many more to come, AID aims to bring about gender-conscious thinking and discuss constructive ways to tackle various issues related to gender inequality.

Pallavi Shrivastava, AID-Tempe