BENGALURU: NGO Child Rights and You (CRY) held a walkathon, “CRY Walk to EmpowHER”, on Sunday. Over 1,400 people gathered at Cubbon Park for the event in order to raise awareness on the difficulties faced by women in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). The walkathon featured participation from students, professionals, volunteers, social workers, and more. The event held equal opportunity as a key necessity in national progress, while the unfair discrimination faced by women in STEM fields was cited as a key hindrance to the same.
The stories of Pallavi and Lakshmi, two women who braved these challenges, was a key motivator in the walkathon. According to a release shared by CRY, “They urged the setting up of STEM labs at rural government schools to further strengthen girls’ enthusiasm for science and technology.”
“Far too often, girls are told it’s okay to be weak in maths or science, and families push them into ‘safer’ careers. We must shed these stereotypes so that girls believe in their scientific abilities and stand equal to boys. Our future depends on half the nation not being left behind,” CRY Chief Executive Officer Puja Marwaha said.