The WB National University of Juridical Sciences "Dr. Ambedkar Bhavan" 12, LB Block, Sector III, Salt Lake City, Kolkata - 700098 Phone: (033) 2335 7397 / 0510 / 2806 / 2809 / 2811, 2569 4700 to 30 • Fax: (033) 2335 7422 / 0511 E-mail: info@nujs.edu • Gram: JURVARSITY • Website: www.nujs.edu STUDENT JURIDICAL ASSOCIATION To The Vice Chancellor WBNUJS – 700098 Dear Sir, SUB: GRIEVANCES OF THE RESIDENTS OF GIRLS’ HOSTEL We, the residents of the Girls’ Hostel, write to draw your attention to the differential attitude adopted towards female students. In this petition, we have collectively identified the grievances we face and have demanded systems to counter this systematically oppressive and rampantly misogynistic atmosphere that has emerged in the University lately. 1. Access and Usage of CCTV footage We are increasingly concerned at the CCTV regime that the University has adopted and the many ramifications it has particularly for female student. Several recent incidents have made it apparent that the security staff and the administration have unrestricted access to the recorded footage. Further, they are abusing this access by retaining and circulating the footage amongst themselves. Women students’ are regularly hounded and harassed by the guards, as are their friends who are pushed to identify them. This has resulted in the creation of an extremely oppressive atmosphere for women, where they are constantly afraid of the being watched by men. In fact, the larger fear is the constant threat of calls being made to parents and the same footage being used for arbitrary and unequally applied disciplinary action. 2. Harassment by Security Staff Residents of the women’s hostel are distressed that they are regularly taunted, abused, singled out and harassed by the very security staffs that are entrusted with their safety. These remarks are often sexually-coloured, cruel and intended to assassinate the character of these women. These remarks do not come from just the women staff but also the men who regularly conjecture about these women amongst themselves in Bangla often under the impression that it would be not be understood due to the language barrier. We feel that such an atmosphere is poisonous and restricts the independence of female students. The University must afford female students’ individual freedom more respect and desist from adopting a patronizing and moralising stance. 3. Differential Curfews It is troubling that curfew regulations apply differentially to female students. Women are denied the right to exit the Hostel after 2:00 AM, including situations of medical emergencies, academic commitments and extramural work that might require them to be in the Academic Block for work. Recently, the Girls’ Hostel Warden has also been found to be unavailable even when urgent decisions need to be taken with regard to letting a student out for a legitimate reasons, including medical emergencies. 4. Privacy Concerns With Regard to Entry of Male Workers The current system that exists conveys information to the General Body when male staffs are required to be in the Girls’ Hostel for repair work or any such tasks. However, this has proven to be an insufficient system and must be supplemented as information is often not conveyed to everyone in time and female students are regularly shocked at seeing men in their Hostel. We have suggested supplementary mechanisms in our demands. DEMANDS 1. Creation of a Committee to Monitor Release of and Usage of all CCTV Footage We demand that the access and usage of all recorded CCTV footage recorded on the University premises be restricted strictly. We further demand the University to shift away from its current surveillance model and access and use the footage only when a complaint is received. We suggest that the University create a Committee with both faculty and students to address any such complaints and make a decision about the release of the footage. Further, the concerned students should be allowed a fair hearing and an appeal mechanism before the Vice Chancellor to deny any release of footage. The practice of constantly monitoring, recording, and using the footage to harass women students must end. To this effect, we urge the University to also look into the policy adopted by NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad with regard to the usage of CCTV footage. 2. Sensitisation of the Security Staff We demand that the University conduct urgent sensitisation programs addressed at both the male and female security staff. These sensitisation activities must be targeted at helping them adopt a more progressive and student-friendly approach. The current relationship between the female students and the security staff is deeply strained, thus compromising a healthy and positive living environment. The misogynistic and often verbal abuse directed at women must immediately desist – the women of this University deserve better. 3. Alternate Mechanisms to informs about presence of male staff We suggest that the University take more effective steps to ensure our safety. Therefore, we propose that an alarm system be installed to inform the women residents of the arrival of male staff in the Hostel. Alternatively, the University could designate a particular hour on a set day of every week when male staff can visit the Girls’ Hostel for their work. This will ensure that the population of the Girls’ Hostel is informed is not taken by surprise at the arrival of male staff. 4. Appointment of additional warden We believe that the current Warden is unable to singularly discharge all her duties. This is proven from her constant unavailability even in emergency situations. We understand that a single individual might not be able to execute all the functions of the wardenship sufficiently. Therefore, we demand that an additional warden be urgently appointed for the Girls’ Hostel whose safety and welfare is constantly compromised due to unavailability of the current Warden. We hope that the University will give due consideration to our grievances and treat the demands on priority and with seriousness. Sincerely,