Civil Society, Academia and Students Unite to Build Safe and Respectful Campuses in Odisha
Nationwide Campaign for Safe Campuses Launched from Odisha
- With 12 lakh students, half of them women, Odisha can set an example in building gender-just campuses
By Our Correspondent
Bhubaneswar, Aug. 6: Building safe campuses requires not only robust mechanisms but also collective ownership, continuous sensitization and engagement with all stakeholders—from students to top university leadership and the surrounding community, said Dr. Rajesh Tandon, UNESCO Co-Chair on Community-Based Research and Social Responsibility in Higher Education. While progressive laws exist, their impact can only be felt when institutions and individuals internalize and act upon them, he underlined.
Dr. Tondon was speaking during a sensitization programme on “Empowering Campus: Safety, Security and Inclusivity” that was organised by CYSD in collaboration with Martha Farrell Foundation (MFF), UNFPA, UNESCO and PRIA to mark the launch of Nationwide Campaign for Safe Campuses in Higher Educational Institutions. The campaign is an initiative of the MFF in association with the Association of Indian Universities.
The event deliberated on the growing need to ensure physical, emotional and psychological safety for students—particularly women—as Odisha undergoes a major social and demographic shift.
“With over 2,500 colleges and nearly 12 lakh post-secondary students, half of them women, Odisha has a unique opportunity to lead the way in creating gender-just campuses,” Dr Tondon added.
He emphasized that those involved in academia have a moral and institutional responsibility to begin the change on their own campuses and then extend the effort outward and foster collective responsibility.
Shri Jagadananda, Mentor and Co-Founder of the Centre for Youth and Social Development (CYSD), emphasized that creating safe and inclusive campuses requires not only awareness but also a shared understanding among stakeholders about the structural issues associated with gender justice. Aligning institutional goals with the lived realities of students and faculty is essential for translating dialogue into meaningful and sustained action, he noted.
Dr. Nadeem Noor, State Head of UNFPA Odisha, reflected on the evolving definition of safety and security that goes beyond just physical protection—it now encompasses mental, emotional, social and digital well-being, while traditionally, safety and security focused on physical threats or law-and-order concerns.
Today’s campuses operate amidst major global and national shifts, including demographic transitions like declining fertility rates and rising life expectancy, rapid technological and AI advancements, economic restructuring and the growing impacts of climate change. These transformations demand that educational institutions adopt an inclusive and forward-looking approach to safety, well-being, and gender justice, Dr. Noor added.
Among others, Rukmani Panda, State Head of Breakthrough, emphasized that gender justice must be integrated into the curriculum; Pramila Swain, State Convenor of NAWO, highlighted the need to challenge and transform deeply ingrained gender norms in society; and Biraj Patnaik from PCI India stressed the importance of systemic changes to achieve gender justice.
The programme, which brought together faculty members and students from 17 universities, along with gender focal points, civil society leaders, experts and volunteers from across the state, pledged to foster inter-organisational support and collective action to achieve gender sensitive culture in both public and private institutions of higher learning.
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