By Amrit Pal Sidhu #Babushahi Network
Malout, 02 August 2026:
The Punjab State Women Commission organised a comprehensive Women’s Legal Rights Awareness Programme at the Malout Institute of Management and Information Technology (MIMIT), Malout, with the objective of sensitising women and young students about their constitutional and legal rights, mechanisms for seeking justice and safeguards available to them under various Indian laws.
The programme brought together students, women, officials and other participants and focused on creating greater awareness about women's safety, dignity, equality and access to justice.
Addressing the gathering as the key speaker, AIG Intelligence Avneet Kaur Sidhu explained in detail the legal rights available to women under various provisions of Indian law. She emphasised that awareness of the law is one of the most powerful tools for preventing exploitation and ensuring that women can confidently assert their rights.
“A woman cannot effectively exercise a right if she does not know that the right exists. Legal awareness gives women the confidence to recognise injustice, report violations and seek appropriate remedies. Every woman should know that the law provides protection against violence, harassment, discrimination and exploitation.” — AIG Intelligence Avneet Kaur Sidhu
AIG Avneet Kaur Sidhu explained several important legal safeguards relating to women, including constitutional guarantees of equality and dignity, protection from domestic violence, prohibition of dowry, safeguards against sexual harassment at the workplace, protection against sexual offences, rights relating to marriage and maintenance, property and inheritance rights, maternity-related protections, prohibition of child marriage and access to free legal services where applicable.
She particularly stressed the importance of women and young students understanding the mechanisms available for reporting harassment and violence. She urged participants not to remain silent in situations involving abuse, intimidation, stalking, harassment or exploitation and to approach the appropriate authorities and support institutions without unnecessary delay.
“Silence should never become a barrier to justice. Women must know where to approach, whom to contact and what legal remedies are available when their rights are violated. Awareness, timely reporting and access to the proper legal mechanism can make a decisive difference.” — AIG Intelligence Avneet Kaur Sidhu
She also highlighted the growing importance of awareness regarding cybercrime and online harassment, advising young women to remain cautious about digital interactions, threats, stalking, blackmail and misuse of personal information. She encouraged participants to preserve relevant evidence and report serious incidents through appropriate legal and institutional channels.
Raji Gill, Chairperson of the Punjab State Women Commission, said that the Commission was committed to taking legal-awareness programmes to educational institutions and communities across Punjab so that women, particularly young women, could understand their rights and available support mechanisms.
“Women’s empowerment is meaningful only when women are aware of their rights and have the confidence to exercise them. The Punjab State Women Commission will continue to work at the grassroots level to ensure that legal awareness reaches every section of society and that women know that institutional support is available to them.” — Raji Gill, Chairperson, Punjab State Women Commission
Raji Gill emphasised that many women continue to face difficulties not because legal protections are unavailable, but because they are unaware of the laws, complaint mechanisms and institutions designed to protect them. She called for greater coordination among educational institutions, government departments, law-enforcement agencies and civil society organisations to strengthen awareness.
She also urged students to become ambassadors of legal awareness by sharing authentic information about women's rights with their families and communities.
Punjab Cabinet Minister for Social Security, Dr. Baljit Kaur, while addressing the programme, said that women's empowerment must go beyond welfare measures and include education, legal awareness, economic opportunity, safety and dignity.
“A strong and empowered woman is one who is educated, aware of her rights and confident enough to seek justice when those rights are violated. Our collective responsibility is to create an environment where every woman can live with dignity, security and equal opportunity.” — Dr. Baljit Kaur, Punjab Cabinet Minister for Social Security
Dr. Baljit Kaur underlined the importance of connecting women with government welfare programmes, support services and legal institutions. She said that awareness programmes in educational institutions are particularly important because young women need to understand their rights and responsibilities at an early stage.
The Minister called upon educational institutions to actively promote awareness regarding women's safety, legal rights and government initiatives and encouraged students to raise their voices against discrimination and violence.
The speakers also highlighted the importance of constitutional equality, the right to dignity and personal liberty, protection from domestic violence, prohibition of dowry, workplace safety and prevention of sexual harassment, property and inheritance rights, maternity protections, prevention of child marriage and access to legal aid.
The interaction session provided participants an opportunity to seek clarification on issues concerning women's safety, harassment, domestic disputes, workplace rights, cyber-related offences and available legal remedies.
The programme stressed that women should not consider themselves helpless in the face of injustice. Instead, they should be aware of their rights, understand the available institutional mechanisms and seek timely assistance from the appropriate authorities.
The Punjab State Women Commission reiterated that such awareness initiatives would continue to be organised to build a stronger culture of legal literacy, gender equality and women's empowerment across the state.
The programme concluded with a collective message that an informed woman is an empowered woman, and that creating a safe and equitable society requires women to be aware of their rights and society as a whole to respect and uphold those rights.