Kerala's Gender Park announces new projects

Thiruvananthapuram:  Kerala's Department of Social Justice initiative, The Gender Park, designed to pioneer gender equity and empowerment in the state, has announced a slew of new projects following the success of its She-Taxi project, an official said on Tuesday.

Among the new projects that have been planned include a Gender library, a Gender museum, fellowships, skilling and training centre, a women's trade centre and an international conference next year.

Speaking to IANS, The Gender Park Chief Executive P.T.M. Sunish said that the She-Taxi services that began in 2014 currently have 30 taxis operated by women in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode.

"We are soon spreading out this taxi service to other cities in the state and this service has not only envisioned livelihoods for these women but has also provided security to women travellers in Kerala," Sunish said.

He said the proposed library would focus on gender rights, experiences, feminist literature and transgender journeys.

"The library will be a central point of reference for academic research as well as light reading, with a focus entirely on building a better understanding of gender and normalise them to further their acceptance," he added.

The Gender Museum will focus on the history of Kerala's stellar women, their struggles, their victories, and on their contribution in making Kerala a unique confluence of cultures and ideologies .

About the fellowships, he said these would be piloted in association with an international university and a national university.

"Fellows will be a mix of national and international participants, and will work towards achieving select sustainable development goals, as directed by the United Nations, with a focus on gender equality, equitable workplace, and addressing climate issues," Sunish added.

On the Trade Centre, he said it will focus on trades run by women, giving them the opportunity to have a permanent work space.

"Our aim is to become the premier convergence point for gender-related activities and we are working towards that," the CEO said.