On the occasion of “International Women’s Day 2026”, the Department of Arabic, Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) organized a series of academic programmes to highlight the significance of women’s empowerment and their vital role in the development of society. These activities aimed to encourage students to reflect on issues related to gender equality, education, and the contribution of women in various spheres of life.
The first programme was an Inter Faculty “Essay Writing Competition” organized on Friday, 6 March 2026 at Dr. Abdul Haleem Library, Department of Arabic, on the topic “Importance of Women’s Empowerment”. The initiative for organizing the event was taken by Prof. Nasim Akhtar, Professor and Head Department of Arabic. A total of 22 students from different departments registered for the competition.
Participants were given the option to write their essays in Arabic, English, Hindi or Urdu, enabling them to present their ideas effectively. Through their essays, students discussed various dimensions of women’s empowerment, including the importance of education, gender equality, and the role of women in social and national development. The programme was successfully organized and coordinated by Dr. Heifa Shakri, Associate Professor and coordinator of Women cell, Department of Arabic.
The second programme was an “Extempore Speech Competition” organized on 9 March 2026 at 12:00 PM in Room H12, Faculty of Humanities and Languages on the theme “Role of Women in the Society”. The event was conducted under the chairpersonship of Prof. Nasim Akhtar, while Dr. Heifa Shakri served as the coordinator.
Students participated enthusiastically and delivered insightful speeches highlighting women’s contributions in education, family life, social reform, and community development. During this interactive session, several students presented thoughtful reflections on the importance of women’s education and their influence on family and society. Rushda Ali emphasized that educating a woman is equivalent to educating an entire society.
Naqui Ahmad highlighted that if a family has limited resources to educate only one child, priority should be given to the girl. Sayeeda Khatoon stated that a mother is the first school of a child, while Waquar Ahmed stressed that mothers guide children from early childhood and therefore play a crucial role in shaping the character and values of future generations. Sayer Shabir Wani referred to examples from the history where women played an important role in the development of society. Tanzeel Ahmad concluded by stating that we should recognize the dignity and value of women and encourage their education and empowerment for the progress of society.
The programmes were conducted successfully and witnessed active participation from students. These events provided an important platform for academic engagement and meaningful discussion on issues related to women’s empowerment and gender equality. The Department of Arabic remains committed to organizing such activities that promote awareness, intellectual discussion, and social responsibility among students.
Source : Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi