Brave Souls Foundation, an NGO founded by Ms. Shaheen Malik in 2021, celebrated its 2nd Foundation Day on 29th July 2023 by honouring individuals and organizations working against acid attacks and gender-based violence. BSF comprehensively engages with the issues, providing — treatment, rehabilitation, awareness, and legal aid. On the occasion of 2nd Foundation Day, An impactful symposium “Beauty, Society and Acid attacks” was organized at The Lalit Hotel, Connaught Place, Delhi-110001. It was celebrated with great zeal and zest. To mark the occasion remarkable, a brief film depicting a residential facility operated by Brave Souls Foundation, was displayed showcasing the strength and growth of acid attack survivors, called ‘Journey of Acid Assault Survivors: From Devastation to Empowering Metamorphosis. The programme was presided over by the inspirational words of our Director i.e., Ms. Shaheen Malik about the change in life perspective of acid burn victims after the incident and evaluated the effects on their personal and social life. She stated “Acid has only changed our face, not ruined our soul. We are the same inside out and we should accept ourselves who we are and live our lives happily. I had isolated myself for 3 years after the attack, but then the turn happened in 2013 when I walked with my face fully revealed and started working for other acid attack survivors. Whenever I come across a situation where I find out that someone (usually a girl or woman) has been exposed to an acid attack, being a survivor and a human being, I can feel that pain, the torture, it passes. Such attacks usually leave victims handicapped in some way therefore I decided to dedicate the rest of my life to the betterment of all the acid attack survivors. During a meeting, I met with Mrs. Poonam Muttreja, Executive Director of Population Foundation of India. She has helped me a lot in this journey and she introduced me to Smt. Sharmila Tagore, Kashmir ki Kali, who has always guided me as a friend and a mentor.” Following this, Smt. Sharmila Tagore talked about the beauty of all the survivors and in her speech, she stated “Today, we are living in 2023 and even in this era, acid is thrown on women due to some petty issues which destroy their whole life. Now, it is the need of the hour to implement proper legislation for the prevention of this heinous crime.” Smt Sharmila Tagore met Ms. Shaheen in 2014, she stated that Ms. Shaheen has been the inspiration to her in terms of women-hood, she witnessed Ms. Shaheen standing on her own after such a traumatic phase of her life.’ Following this, Ms. Shaheen said “Finding successful employment is extremely difficult for survivors due to the discrimination, and many of them have a sense of meaninglessness in life as a result. Because they are socially outcast due to no fault of their own, acid attack survivors frequently depend on others for their livelihood but the Keshav Suri Foundation has come forward and provided job opportunities to our survivors.” She invited Dr. Jyotsna Suri, Chairperson & Managing Director, of Keshav Suri Foundation onto the stage. Dr. Jyotsna Suri, one of the leading privately-owned domestic hotel brands in India, with a focus on the luxury segment, came forward in support of acid attack survivors in giving them employment and has been supporting survivors from the scratch. She outlined the issues faced by the survivors. The objective of the foundation is to bring forth the unheard voices of people and provide them equal opportunities to have a dignified livelihood. Following the Director’s address, there were a series of talks on the crime of acid tttacks. Following this, Panel-1, Sale, and use of Acid, was invited onto the stage. Before the panel was called on the stage, Mr. Kabir addressed the audience about what exactly acid attacks constitute. He explained how acid is easily available and can be thrown on the body of a person. It is proven that no one notices whether you have water in a bottle or acid, you can very easily evade any kind of culpability after throwing acid on someone’s face by disposing the plastic bottle and getting rid of other evidence th He further emphasised on the consequences of acid attack, that it created a permanent disability in a person, it propagates mental illnesses. The victim suffers financial distress as well because the treatment of burn and acid attacks is very expensive. Panel -1 consisted of: 1. Reema Kumari, Activist and Survivor. She has faced not only acid attack but life threatening blackmails as well. She has been fighting for her dreams and is now a part of Brave Souls Foundation. 2. Dr. Poonam Muttreja, Executive Director, Population Foundation of India. She studied in Delhi university and completed her further studies from Harvard university school John F. Kenndy. 3. Dr. Shelly Oberoi, Mayor, Municipal Corporation of Delhi 4. Dinesh Kumar, owner of a Retail Shop, Delhi 5. Brijesh Goyal, National Chairman, Chamber of Trade & Industry (CTI) 6. Moderator, Chaudhary Ali Zia Kabir, Human Rights Advocate. He handles all the legal matters in BSF, and is a very talented advocate. He has been working in women rights, refugees rights and human rights. He has a very versatile personality and takes pride in working for these causes. This panel explored the issue of retail sales of acids: consequences, alternatives, and regulatory implementation. And also discussed the efficacy of acid sale regulations and strategies for their optimal implementation. Mr. Kabir, raised a question on easy availability of acid in the shops to the panel and panel discussed it thoroughly. Ms. Poonam started the discussion by saying, "Those who go through the pain are the ones who can bring about change." Explaining this quote, she mentioned that she has seen many people suffering from HIV bringing change in the system, and similarly, it is powerful to witness acid attack survivors working towards changing the system. She expressed her concern about the sale of acid in local shops and emphasized that those who sell, buy, and certainly the attacker should face strict punishment. Ms. Poonam emphasized the need to work on the idea that not even one acid attack is accepted by society. Ms. Shelly, discussing the Laxmi v. Union of India case, highlighted Supreme Court guidelines requiring licensing and registration for acid sales. She assured survivors of government action against this crime, underlining the link between attackers' lack of education and extreme psychological tendencies. Emphasizing the need to define these factors for future evidence, she stressed robust law enforcement. Ms. Shelly noted challenges for vocal women in society, citing Ms. Shaheen's offer of money to drop her case. She urged a reevaluation of societal norms to protect women, concluding with the quote: "These women fighting for themselves are not survivors but fighters who have worked hard to achieve their name in society after such traumatic incidents." Mr. Brijesh Goyal expressed gratitude for the invitation, discussing the business perspective on acid use and sale. As a businessman, he noted acids like Sulphuric Acid are essential for cleaning steel in factories. Previously, buying toilet cleaner would provide Sulphuric Acid, used for metal cleaning. Despite Supreme Court regulations requiring licenses, local paint shops still sell acids. Mr. Goyal emphasized the need for a complete acid ban, restricting sales to government-authorized shops for industrial use. He urged police action and improved authorities' management to achieve the goal of preventing acid attacks. In the discussion, the owner of the retail shop, Dinesh Kumar, talked about the sale of acid in an open market without having a license and maintaining the log/register, even after the directions of the Supreme Court. He spoke on behalf of all the sellers, stating that as sellers and shop owners, they are also responsible for this issue and should not sell these acid products in their shops. He informed that he stopped selling acid 25 years ago and has been encouraging other shopkeepers not to sell them. He also expressed the opinion that laws need to be strong, and executive authorities need to be very strict with implementation. Ms. Reema, an acid attack survivor said “I have seen the acid being sold on a bi-cycle just for Rs. 10 and that 10-rupee acid takes 20-30 years of an acid attack victim and ruins the whole life. “अगर एसिड बिकता नहीं तो हम सब Survivors मे कभी फिकता नहीं”. She shared her disappointment with police authorities that they do not take strict actions, sometimes they don’t file complaints but even if they do, there remains no update in the cases. She expressed her deep concern with the sale of acid and demanded that acid sale needs to be banned. If such actions and laws are taken seriously then a lot of girls who might be possible victims of acid attack in future will be safe and no other girl will go through such a challenging and traumatic phase. The discussion of Panel -1 was concluded by the Moderator i.e., Advocate Ali Zia Kabir Choudhary, by mentioning the recent Judgment of Delhi High Court refusing to impose a blanket ban on the sale of acid in the National Capital and further discussing the need for the complete ban of the sale of acid. And opened the platform for the questions. Dr. Kuldeep (Senior Plastic Surgeon) made a strong point by stating that, "The sale of acid has to be banned in retail. There are many cases where the trial has been prolonged, and no laws or judgments are serving justice to the victims." He pointed out that conviction rates are very poor in our country, and while a ban on acid sales might help, the system needs to take action. Ms. Shelly and Mr. Brijesh responded to this comment by advocating for a complete ban on selling acid in retail shops. They argued that there is no need for acid other than for industrial purposes, and only authorized shops should sell them. They expressed agreement on a complete ban and the need for strong laws, assuring survivors that they would work towards it. Ms. Poonam also emphasized that if retail shopkeepers voluntarily stop selling acids and start following government regulations, acid availability in local communities would decrease. She stressed the need for community participation in achieving this. Ms. Sharmila Tagore also made a crucial point, stating, "The court cannot ban the sale of acid; it is the government's duty to make policies and implement them." Ms. Shelly agreed, emphasizing that government implementation is key, and the government needs to take action in enforcing guidelines and imposing strict measures against authorities who neglect their duties. An audience member raised a question about acid being used in public transportation toilets and washrooms, expressing concerns about its dangers and asking about regulations. Ms. Shelly and Ms. Poonam addressed this question, stating that there are existing government and Supreme Court regulations, but the general public is not following them. They emphasized the need for stricter laws and policies, along with public commitment. They encouraged authorities to use alternatives for cleaning public transport toilets and to avoid using acid. Mr. Santosh Jagdhane, the Corporate Social Responsibility Head at Dorf Ketal and a valued partner of Brave Souls Foundation, expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to speak. He thanked all the dignitaries, BSF-India, and survivors for their support. Mr. Santosh addressed the issue of acid attacks, highlighting the societal problem of viewing women as property rather than as human beings. He emphasized that acid attacks are just one aspect of the broader issue of gender-based violence that women face, extending to class and caste discrimination. During his presentation, Mr. Santosh showcased a video and PowerPoint presentation illustrating Dorf Ketal's initiative to develop safe non-corrosive acids. These acids aim to reduce the dependence on strong acids, contributing to environmental sustainability. Dorf Ketal, a global company manufacturing organometallic titanates and zirconates, is leading the way in creating less harmful acids. Mr. Santosh shared the company's commitment to building a better and sustainable marketplace through technological innovations. The event continued with the award ceremony, and Ms. Krittika invited our chief guest, Ms. Sharmila Tagore, to the stage to facilitate the dignitaries for their work in helping acid attack survivors in their respective fields. It was an honor for our team to have such honorable people with us. Dr. Kuldeep Singh was awarded the "Medical Excellence" award for his 27 years of experience as a plastic surgeon. He has assisted many acid attack survivors with his skills and succeeded in performing extreme surgeries. Ms. Swati Maliwal, the chairperson of DCW, received the "Exemplary Leadership" award for her great enthusiasm in helping women, children, and those in need of support. Ms. Maliwal has resolved more than 1.23 lakh cases of violence against women and established anti-human rights and anti-human trafficking cells, as well as rehabilitation and cyber cells. The Brave Souls Foundation honored her for her excellent support for women. The next award was presented to Dr. Jyotsna Suri of the Keshav Suri Foundation, who received the "Special Impact Award." Their team accepted the award on behalf of Dr. Jyotsna. The Keshav Suri Foundation has played a crucial role in providing employment to survivors and helping them become independent. Dr. Jyotsna Suri has been instrumental in supporting survivors in terms of work and economic independence, instilling confidence in them. After the award ceremony, the event started its second panel discussion. The host called upon the panellists on the stage. Reshma Bano Qureshi, an acid attack survivor. She is an inspiration to all the women out there as is an activist and working as an office manager at Brave Souls Foundation. She has also presented India as a first acid attack survivor walking on the ramp in New York Fashion week in 2017. Dr. Kuldeep Singh is a plastic surgeon, with 27 years of experience. He is also a part of Association of Plastic Surgeon of India, Indian Association of Plastic Surgeons, and International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Dr. Lokesh Kumar is a principal director and head of department of Plastic and cosmetic surgery at BL Kapoor Hosital, Delhi. He is national secretary of International society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Ms. Swati Maliwal, chairperson of Delhi Commission of Women, being an engineer she has contributed to safety and governance of women in Delhi as well as India. She has a positive approach towards women safety and has been working for the same since 2006. Ms. Aishwarya Sharma, India’s first Fashion Activist, she is an United Nation Global Goal Ambassador, she is also a social media influencer who takes pride in using social media to talk about social issues. Ms. Archana, she is a jewellery designer and philanthropist, she is a Founder and creative designer at Archana Timeless Jewellery. Manvi Khurana, she is a founder, CEO and senior counselling psychologist at Karma centre of Counselling and Well-being. She has 10 years of experience in counselling and has a very sensitive counselling approach. The panel engaged in a discussion on the concept and definition of beauty within society, its representation in media and popular culture, the imposition of unrealistic standards, and the subsequent social exclusion of individuals, particularly those like acid attack survivors who are perceived as lacking conventional beauty. The panel discussed how survivors are isolated and forced to live in seclusion due to shame, rejection, and fear of the outside world without any fault of their own. Ms. Reshma Ban Qureshi addressed the audience on the question, "How do you see the concept of beauty?" She provided a beautiful answer, stating, "The concept of beauty is in our hearts; we humans have created a definition of beauty based on what is seen, not what is felt. In reality, what we feel, having a kind heart, can guide us in our lives." Ms. Reshma further emphasized that the concept of beauty in today's world is man-made, and we can both create and end this concept. She urged people to focus on a person's talent and heart rather than their physical attributes. Ms. Aishwarya spoke on "How beauty is presented on social media and what the standards of beauty are on social media." As a fashion influencer and activist, she addressed the media's obsession with fairness and how it has been influenced by Western culture. She emphasized the need to embrace India's own culture and redefine beauty. Ms. Aishwarya stressed the importance of fashion activism and aligning ourselves with what truly makes us happy. Discrimination makes it difficult for survivors to regain their confidence and find gainful employment. During an interactive discussion, survivors raised questions about the regulation of acid in an open market. Ms. Swati Maliwal, Chairperson of DCW, shared an incident in 2015 where a survivor from Bihar faced difficulty getting treatment. Ms. Shaheen Malik and Ms. Swati assisted her, highlighting the need for the government and administrations to address this crime. Ms. Maliwal emphasized the positive impact of appointing acid attack survivors in DCW, stating that they changed the working environment with their confidence, courage, and dedication. A subsequent question addressed the impact of beauty standards on survivors' mental health. Ms. Manvi emphasized the unrealistic nature of beauty standards, urging people not to comment on things that cannot be changed quickly. She highlighted the efforts survivors make to represent themselves in the world. Mr. Lokesh, leading the event, discussed the landscape of cosmetic surgery in India, stating that there is no shame in getting cosmetic surgery. He explained that cosmetic surgery is an individual decision for beautification, acknowledging the societal norm of physical beauty. Dr. Kuldeep Singh emphasized the need for an effective deterrence strategy, ensuring that punished individuals do not repeat the crime and deterring potential offenders with harsh punishment. The Program ended with a Fashion show ceremony. Thw show featured an assortment of collections by prominent fashion designers i.e., Asha Gautam, adorned by acid attack survivors to raise awareness of the impact of violence against women. The acid attack survivors sparkled in colorful Indian Garments and Jewellery at the fashion show to highlight their beauty and spirit. The hall was filled with a huge round of applause for all the survivors who had regained their confidence and participated in thisramp walk. The Foundation Day was finally concluded with a vote of Thanks by the Director, Shaheen Malik to all the attendees and with an oath – “हम सभी ये वादा करते है, की किसी भी एसिड अटैक सर्वाइवर को देख कर, न तो मन में कोई भेदभाव की भावना लाएंगे और न ही भेदभाव करेंगे” We wish our Hon’ble Director all the very best in her future endeavours. We wish to see the organization on new horizons in the near future.