Hundreds gathered in front of the Sealdah Railway station on Sunday evening, as Non Governmental Organisations conducted mass awareness programmes about violence against women.

Marking the South Asian Women’s Day for peace, justice, human rights and democracy, the NGOs also remembered those who lost their lives in the Mumbai terror attacks.

According to the programme coordinators under the banner of South Asian Network of Gender Activists and Trainees (SANGAT), NGOs across South Asia — Afghanistan, Burma, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka simultaneously celebrated the day on Sunday in their respective cities.

The event, which saw dance, song, recitation and street plays, also included a candlelight vigil to symbolise that the South Asian communities are united in their desire for peace and violence against women.

“We have chosen the railway station as our destination to hold the programme as we needed to address and spread awareness among people coming from all walks of life,” said Anuradha Kapoor, Director, Swayam.

“We are from different NGOs which are a part of SANGAT, which in turn is a network of different groups working for women rights,” she added.

Six year ago, SANGAT had declared November 30 as the South Asian Women’s Day.