NAWANSHAHR:Besides a "kavi darbar", seminars were also organized by various social and political organizations to mark the International Women's Day here Saturday.

The Kavi Darbar was organized at Baradari Gardens here by Punjabi Sahit Sabha, Nawanshahr where noted Punjabi poets including Ulfat Bajwa, Lachhman Singh Rathore, Varinder Ummat, Mohan Singh Shonki, Darshan Dardi, Gurcharan Badhan read out their poems dedicated to women empowerment.

The Sabha also presented a computer to the newly opened local branch of Language Department. Chetan Singh, Deputy Director, Language Department, received the computer.

NRI poets Bhag Singh Rakkar, Gurdev Singh Rai, Gurbhaksh Singh Sachdeva and Charanjit Singh Pannu were honoured on the occasion. District NGO Upkar Coordination Society organized a seminar at DAN College of Education for Women to celebrate the Day. ADC Pritam Singh Johal who inaugurated the seminar urged for ensuring equality for women in all spheres in the society.
Besides J.K.Datta, vice president of Arya Samaj Prabhandak Committee, Upkar's senior functionaries J.s.Gidda, Yashpal Hafizabadi, Gurcharan Singh Basiala and Ranjit Kaur also addressed the seminar.

College students  Amandeep Kaur Mann and Rozy in their poems like "Aurat maa hai", and "main butt (statue) nahin han" highlighted the role of women in the social set up. Octogenarian social activist Baba Naubat Rai along with college principal  Saroj Bhalla and members of managing committee honoured five girls for showing excellence in different fields on the occasion.

At the second seminar organized by Istri Jagriti Manch, Punjab at Mara Vidyawati Bhavan here, as many as 11 resolutions including ensuring of property rights to women, ending exploitation of women in private sector, stringent implementation of anti-foeticide and anti-dowry laws, reservation to women according to their population and early passing of Bill  for ensuring reservation for women in Parliament were unanimously passed.

Manch president Gurbakhash Kaur Sangha, Rupinder Kaur and Jasmine were the key speakers at the seminar who lamented that the unfortunate fact that women were still not paid equally to that of their male counterparts, they still were not present in equal numbers in business or politics, and globally women's education, health and the violence against them was worse than that for men. Reports also poured in from other places in the district regarding the celebration of the Day by different educational and socialorganisations.

Friday too, Punjab Istri Morcha affiliated to All India Istri Federation, had held a state level convention here to discuss issues concerning women.

State president Asha Rani had presided over the convention.