New Delhi
(AsiaNews) - The death penalty eliminates criminals, but will not stop the
crimes. Caritas
India it reiterates its opposition to capital punishment, responding to
those who demand the execution of perpetrators of sexual violence, after the shocking
New Delhi gang rape. The
organization expresses "grave concern" at the results emerging from the
debate, which on the contrary, has failed "to address the lack of gender
sensitivity" and the reasons behind "the growing incidents of
violence, particularly against women and children." For
this reason, Caritas has submitted a document to Justice (Retd) JS Verma Committe, athe commission headed by Minister
Sushil Kumar Shinde set up to study changes to the current law on rape and
crimes against women. In
the report, the Catholic organization indicates some suggestions aimed at
promoting equality between men and women.
Among
the many groups working together with Caritas is Chetanalaya, a New Delhi Diocese
NGO. The Director, Fr. Savari
Raj, tells AsiaNews: "One of our main missions we have to spread gender
equality. We operate in those areas of high humanitarian emergency, such as
resettlement colonies and slums. Following the serious gang rape of New Delhi,
we have launched initiatives in all of our locations. "
The
projects range from symbolic moments - like candlelight marches in 30
resettlement colonies - to more practical examples, such as seminars and
training courses. "After
several meetings with our staff, with more than 18 thousand women, we initiated
a kind of dialogue with women in the slums." In
the slums children often do not receive basic education. "To
Mothers - says Fr. Raj - we explained the importance and their responsibility
to educate their children at home, from an early age, and highlighted the sex and
emotional education."
Another
project that Chetanalaya will shortly be launching is a sex education course
aimed at teenage boys and girls. In
addition, the director adds, "We want to create a 'female leadership', to help
these women educate people close to them." The
"self-defense course, to teach the girls how to react to the attacks on their
way to work, or home has been very useful."
In
the campaign for equality between men and women, the NGO has also focused on
other forms of violence, such as female feticide and selective abortions. "We
are firm - says Fr. Raj -: we are opposed to abortion, whether it is a boy or a
girl, and advise people to make other choices."
For Fr. Raj,
Chetanalaya's success of "also depends on our approach. Where we can, we
try to form leaders and staff from among the members of local communities. In this
way, we offend no-one. We're a lay Church organization; we bring our
Catholic values to the service of these people. So the people, whatever their
religion, know that we do our best to help them. "