We hold two major types of seminars and advocacy workshops. One is a series of seminars on the theme of women's social and political empowerment that is held in various regional localities through our network of community workers.

The other type is on specific issues such as women and violence, women's movements in Kerala, women in media, women in unorganized sector etc. This year alone we have organized seven seminars on gender awareness, including three on women's empowerment.

The community workers also organized thirty legal literacy classes in local areas, laying the qualitative and quantitative ground work for sustained activism in the long term.

These seminars addressed special issues and topics that define the growing interests of the movement. The participants were social workers, activists of the Kerala Stree Vedic journalists, students, lawyers, panchayat members, women workers in unorganized sectors, etc.

At least a hundred women participated in each of these seminars. "Women and Violence", February 13, 2000: This seminar was inaugurated by the chairperson of the Kerala Women's Commission, Sugatha Kumari. The UNFPA state programme officer also participated in the function.

The meeting felicitated an unwed mother who won a long drawn-out court battle for the custody of her son. On International Women's Day, March 8, 2000: "Appraisal of the women's movements in Kerala" in which both senior women activists and women from remote villages participated.

We also organized a seminar on "women and media" (12-7-00) in which well-known national journalists Ms. Kalpana Sharma and Ms. Ammu Joseph participated.

Through networks of support built by our community workers with local organizations, we conducted a series of seminars in remote regions of the district such as Thamarassery, Narangathode and Mukkam. The theme of the series was women's social and political empowerment, which we wished to communicate to women of different classes and social backgrounds.

With the help of grassroots level voluntary organizations listed below, we were able to attract hundreds of women. Local mahila samajams (women's forums) and anganwadis (child care forums) were also part of the organizing process. Seminar, April 12, 2000: "Women's empowerment and legal rights" held at the remote hilly village of Narangathode, with the help of Sreyas, a local organization. Seminar, August 5, 2000: "Women and empowerment," With Women's Action Society, Thamarassery. Seminar, October 8, 2000: "Women and empowerment," With Agastya Vijayan Kendra, Mukkam.

Three workshops were organized. One in the Indian legal system, the other on international law and the last one on health. The first workshop was inaugurated by Prof. Meenakshi Thampan (M.L.A and Chairperson of the legislative committee for the welfare of women & children).

The senior Supreme Court Lawyer, Adv. Indira Jaising presented a paper on the draft bill on prevention of domestic violence drawn up by the 'Lawyers Collective - the Women's Rights Initiative' .Adv.Indira Jaising also did not accept the air travel charges as a gesture of support to Anweshi. Mr. Jacob Thomas, D.I.G. of police moderated the discussion on the 1st day. Eminent lawyers like D.V. Narayanan, P.V. Hari, Sabi Joseph and the Calicut Law College principal, Prof. Sathyaseelan felicitated the gathering. The next day religious personal laws and criminal laws concerning women were the two sessions in which senior High Court lawyer Lekha Suresh, Law college tutor Sathyavathi and P.K. Saru (a muslim women's activist in Coimbatore) presented papers. Adv. P.V. Hari & Prof. Sathyaseelan presented papers on criminal laws.

The participants in this workshop were lawyers from Kerala Sthree Vedi apart from the local organizing team of lawyers, social activists etc. Participants came from Vimochana, Bangalore and Anweshi, Hydrabad. The two-day workshop gave a big impetus to the project work in the Calicut as well as Kerala. The second one was on CEDAW (12th & 13th August, 2000). The workshop was inaugurated by Ms.Ruth Manorama (NAWO, .Bangalore). The mainresource persons were Madhu Mehra (Partners in Law for Devolopment,New Delhi) and famous Chennai High Court lawyer, Geetha Ramasheshan..Sakhi Women's Resource Centre, T.V.M gave all the support neededfor the workshop.

In this workshop also, local lawyers and lawyersand activists ofSthree Vedi participated along with the level socialworkers. Thiswas one of the best workshops conducted by Anweshi.Madhu Mehra who came from New Delhi also did not accept air travelcharges. The 3rd workshop was on Women & Health (9th & 10th November, 2000). This was conducted by Sakhi Women's Resource Centre, T.V.M. Ms. Aleyamma Vijayan, the director of Sakhi was the main resource person along with Ms. Sandhya. This workshop went deep into the issues of women's health and sexuality which was refreshing for the participants.