Urgent Notice For Debate on Role Of Police In Women Empowerment

Students are hereby informed that a Debate will be held at सूचना भवन located in कचहरी कैंपस ,देवघर on महिला सशक्तिकरण  में पुलिस  की  भूमिका / दायित्व ( Role of Police in Women Empowerment) on 29-11-2012 from 10 am.Students willing to  participate may contact or SMS with their Name,Class & Roll No. as soon as possible or latest by 4P.M. 0n 28-11-2012 at 9934416123 and report to the Department's office by 9 a.m. on 29-11-2012 with their college identity card .

पुलिस की 150 वीं वर्षगांठ पर प्रतियोगिता 29 से

 

भारतीय पुलिस सेवा की 150वीं वर्षगांठ को लेकर 29 नवंबर से एक दिसंबर तक तीन दिवसीय प्रतियोगिता अलग-अलग तीन जगहों पर आयोजित करने का निर्णय लिया गया है. यहां से चयनित प्रतिभागी, राज्य स्तर की प्रतियोगिता में शामिल होंगे. वहां सफलता हासिल करने पर चयनित प्रतिभागियों को पुरस्कृत किया जायेगा. इस संबंध में एसपी सुबोध प्रसाद ने जानकारी देते हुए कहा है कि नारी सशक्तीकरण विषयपर 29 नवंबर को इंटर व कॉलेज स्तरीय छात्रों के बीच वाद-विवाद, क्विज प्रतियोगिता सूचना भवन में आयोजित होगी. दूसरे दिन 30 नवंबर को शिल्पग्राम में जूनियर-सीनियर वर्ग की पेंटिंग प्रतियोगिता आयोजित होगी. प्रतियोगिता में प्राथमिक स्तर से हाईस्कूल तक के छात्र-छात्राएं शामिल हो सकेंगे. आखिरी दिन एक दिसंबर को पूर्वाह्न् व अपराह्न् दो चरणों में रन फॉर पुलिस, साइकिल रेस, फुटबॉल प्रतियोगिता व प्रदर्शनी केके स्टेडियम में आयोजित होगी. पूर्वाह्न् में रन फॉर रेस प्रतियोगिता में बो सहित हाईस्कूल तक के छात्र शरीक होंगे. वहीं अपराह्न् बाद मधुपुर व देवघर अनुमंडल के महिला-पुरुष टीमों के बीच फुटबॉल प्रतियोगिता करायी जाएगी. उक्त सभी प्रतियोगिताओं को सफल बनाने के लिये डीएसए के सचिव युद्धिष्ठिर राय सहित जिला सांस्कृतिक परिषद के रामसेवक गुंजन व कोर्णिक कला संस्थान के पवन राय को प्रभारी बनाया गया है.

NATIONAL POLICY FOR THE EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN

Introduction The principle of gender equality is enshrined in the Indian Constitution in its Preamble, Fundamental Rights, Fundamental Duties and Directive Principles. The Constitution not only grants equality to women, but also empowers the State to adopt measures of positive discrimination in favour of women. Within the framework of a democratic polity, our laws, development policies, Plans and programmes have aimed at women’s advancement in different spheres. From the Fifth Five Year Plan (1974-78) onwards has been a marked shift in the approach to women’s issues from welfare to development. In recent years, the empowerment of women has been recognized as the central issue in determining the status of women. The National Commission for Women was set up by an Act of Parliament in 1990 to safeguard the rights and legal entitlements of women. The 73rd and 74th Amendments (1993) to the Constitution of India have provided for reservation of seats in the local bodies of Panchayats and Municipalities for women, laying a strong foundation for their participation in decision making at the local levels. 1.3 India has also ratified various international conventions and human rights instruments committing to secure equal rights of women. Key among them is the ratification of the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 1993. 1.4 The Mexico Plan of Action (1975), the Nairobi Forward Looking Strategies (1985), the Beijing Declaration as well as the Platform for Action (1995) and the Outcome Document adopted by the UNGA Session on Gender Equality and Development & Peace for the 21st century, titled "Further actions and initiatives to implement the Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action" have been unreservedly endorsed by India for appropriate follow up. 1.5 The Policy also takes note of the commitments of the Ninth Five Year Plan and the other Sectoral Policies relating to empowerment of Women. 1.6 The women’s movement and a wide-spread network of non-Government Organisations which have strong grass-roots presence and deep insight into women’s concerns have contributed in inspiring initiatives for the empowerment of women. 1.7 However, there still exists a wide gap between the goals enunciated in the Constitution, legislation, policies, plans, programmes, and related mechanisms on the one hand and the situational reality of the status of women in India, on the other. This has been analyzed extensively in the Report of the Committee on the Status of Women in India, "Towards Equality", 1974 and highlighted in the National Perspective Plan for Women, 1988-2000, the Shramshakti Report, 1988 and the Platform for Action, Five Years After- An assessment" 1.8 Gender disparity manifests itself in various forms, the most obvious being the trend of continuously declining female ratio in the population in the last few decades. Social stereotyping and violence at the domestic and societal levels are some of the other manifestations. Discrimination against girl children, adolescent girls and women persists in parts of the country. 1.9 The underlying causes of gender inequality are related to social and economic structure, which is based on informal and formal norms, and practices. 1.10 Consequently, the access of women particularly those belonging to weaker sections including Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes/ Other backward Classes and minorities, majority of whom are in the rural areas and in the informal, unorganized sector – to education, health and productive resources, among others, is inadequate. Therefore, they remain largely marginalized, poor and socially excluded. Goal and Objectives 1.11 The goal of this Policy is to bring about the advancement, development and empowerment of women. The Policy will be widely disseminated so as to encourage active participation of all stakeholders for achieving its goals. Specifically, the objectives of this Policy include (i) Creating an environment through positive economic and social policies for full development of women to enable them to realize their full potential (ii) The de-jure and de-facto enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedom by women on equal basis with men in all spheres – political, economic, social, cultural and civil (iii) Equal access to participation and decision making of women in social, political and economic life of the nation (iv) Equal access to women to health care, quality education at all levels, career and vocational guidance, employment, equal remuneration, occupational health and safety, social security and public office etc. (v) Strengthening legal systems aimed at elimination of all forms of discrimination against women (vi) Changing societal attitudes and community practices by active participation and involvement of both men and women. (vii) Mainstreaming a gender perspective in the development process. (viii) Elimination of discrimination and all forms of violence against women and the girl child; and (ix) Building and strengthening partnerships with civil society, particularly women’s organizations. Policy Prescriptions Judicial Legal Systems Legal-judicial system will be made more responsive and gender sensitive to women’s needs, especially in cases of domestic violence and personal assault. New laws will be enacted and existing laws reviewed to ensure that justice is quick and the punishment meted out to the culprits is commensurate with the severity of the offence. 2.2 At the initiative of and with the full participation of all stakeholders including community and religious leaders, the Policy would aim to encourage changes in personal laws such as those related to marriage, divorce, maintenance and guardianship so as to eliminate discrimination against women. 2.3 The evolution of property rights in a patriarchal system has contributed to the subordinate status of women. The Policy would aim to encourage changes in laws relating to ownership of property and inheritance by evolving consensus in order to make them gender just. Decision Making 3.1 Women’s equality in power sharing and active participation in decision making, including decision making in political process at all levels will be ensured for the achievement of the goals of empowerment. All measures will be taken to guarantee women equal access to and full participation in decision making bodies at every level, including the legislative, executive, judicial, corporate, statutory bodies, as also the advisory Commissions, Committees, Boards, Trusts etc. Affirmative action such as reservations/quotas, including in higher legislative bodies, will be considered whenever necessary on a time bound basis. Women–friendly personnel policies will also be drawn up to encourage women to participate effectively in the developmental process. Mainstreaming a Gender Perspective in the Development Process 4.1 Policies, programmes and systems will be established to ensure mainstreaming of women’s perspectives in all developmental processes, as catalysts, participants and recipients. Wherever there are gaps in policies and programmes, women specific interventions would be undertaken to bridge these. Coordinating and monitoring mechanisms will also be devised to assess from time to time the progress of such mainstreaming mechanisms. Women’s issues and concerns as a result will specially be addressed and reflected in all concerned laws, sectoral policies, plans and programmes of action. Economic Empowerment of women Poverty Eradication 5.1 Since women comprise the majority of the population below the poverty line and are very often in situations of extreme poverty, given the harsh realities of intra-household and social discrimination, macro economic policies and poverty eradication programmes will specifically address the needs and problems of such women. There will be improved implementation of programmes which are already women oriented with special targets for women. Steps will be taken for mobilization of poor women and convergence of services, by offering them a range of economic and social options, along with necessary support measures to enhance their capabilities Micro Credit 5.2 In order to enhance women’s access to credit for consumption and production, the establishment of new, and strengthening of existing micro-credit mechanisms and micro-finance institution will be undertaken so that the outreach of credit is enhanced. Other supportive measures would be taken to ensure adequate flow of credit through extant financial institutions and banks, so that all women below poverty line have easy access to credit. Women and Economy 5.3 Women’s perspectives will be included in designing and implementing macro-economic and social policies by institutionalizing their participation in such processes. Their contribution to socio-economic development as producers and workers will be recognized in the formal and informal sectors (including home based workers) and appropriate policies relating to employment and to her working conditions will be drawn up. Such measures could include: Reinterpretation and redefinition of conventional concepts of work wherever necessary e.g. in the Census records, to reflect women’s contribution as producers and workers. Preparation of satellite and national accounts. Development of appropriate methodologies for undertaking (i) and (ii) above. Globalization Globalization has presented new challenges for the realization of the goal of women’s equality, the gender impact of which has not been systematically evaluated fully. However, from the micro-level studies that were commissioned by the Department of Women & Child Development, it is evident that there is a need for re-framing policies for access to employment and quality of employment. Benefits of the growing global economy have been unevenly distributed leading to wider economic disparities, the feminization of poverty, increased gender inequality through often deteriorating working conditions and unsafe working environment especially in the informal economy and rural areas. Strategies will be designed to enhance the capacity of women and empower them to meet the negative social and economic impacts, which may flow from the globalization process. Women and Agriculture 5.5 In view of the critical role of women in the agriculture and allied sectors, as producers, concentrated efforts will be made to ensure that benefits of training, extension and various programmes will reach them in proportion to their numbers. The programmes for training women in soil conservation, social forestry, dairy development and other occupations allied to agriculture like horticulture, livestock including small animal husbandry, poultry, fisheries etc. will be expanded to benefit women workers in the agriculture sector. Women and Industry 5.6 The important role played by women in electronics, information technology and food processing and agro industry and textiles has been crucial to the development of these sectors. They would be given comprehensive support in terms of labour legislation, social security and other support services to participate in various industrial sectors. 5.7 Women at present cannot work in night shift in factories even if they wish to. Suitable measures will be taken to enable women to work on the night shift in factories. This will be accompanied with support services for security, transportation etc. Support Services 5.8 The provision of support services for women, like child care facilities, including crèches at work places and educational institutions, homes for the aged and the disabled will be expanded and improved to create an enabling environment and to ensure their full cooperation in social, political and economic life. Women-friendly personnel policies will also be drawn up to encourage women to participate effectively in the developmental process. Social Empowerment of Women Education 6.1 Equal access to education for women and girls will be ensured. Special measures will be taken to eliminate discrimination, universalize education, eradicate illiteracy, create a gender-sensitive educational system, increase enrolment and retention rates of girls and improve the quality of education to facilitate life-long learning as well as development of occupation/vocation/technical skills by women. Reducing the gender gap in secondary and higher education would be a focus area. Sectoral time targets in existing policies will be achieved, with a special focus on girls and women, particularly those belonging to weaker sections including the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes/Other Backward Classes/Minorities. Gender sensitive curricula would be developed at all levels of educational system in order to address sex stereotyping as one of the causes of gender discrimination. Health 6.2 A holistic approach to women’s health which includes both nutrition and health services will be adopted and special attention will be given to the needs of women and the girl at all stages of the life cycle. The reduction of infant mortality and maternal mortality, which are sensitive indicators of human development, is a priority concern. This policy reiterates the national demographic goals for Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) set out in the National Population Policy 2000. Women should have access to comprehensive, affordable and quality health care. Measures will be adopted that take into account the reproductive rights of women to enable them to exercise informed choices, their vulnerability to sexual and health problems together with endemic, infectious and communicable diseases such as malaria, TB, and water borne diseases as well as hypertension and cardio-pulmonary diseases. The social, developmental and health consequences of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases will be tackled from a gender perspective. 6.3 To effectively meet problems of infant and maternal mortality, and early marriage the availability of good and accurate data at micro level on deaths, birth and marriages is required. Strict implementation of registration of births and deaths would be ensured and registration of marriages would be made compulsory. 6.4 In accordance with the commitment of the National Population Policy (2000) to population stabilization, this Policy recognizes the critical need of men and women to have access to safe, effective and affordable methods of family planning of their choice and the need to suitably address the issues of early marriages and spacing of children. Interventions such as spread of education, compulsory registration of marriage and special programmes like BSY should impact on delaying the age of marriage so that by 2010 child marriages are eliminated. 6.5 Women’s traditional knowledge about health care and nutrition will be recognized through proper documentation and its use will be encouraged. The use of Indian and alternative systems of medicine will be enhanced within the framework of overall health infrastructure available for women. Nutrition 6.6 In view of the high risk of malnutrition and disease that women face at all the three critical stages viz., infancy and childhood, adolescent and reproductive phase, focussed attention would be paid to meeting the nutritional needs of women at all stages of the life cycle. This is also important in view of the critical link between the health of adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women with the health of infant and young children. Special efforts will be made to tackle the problem of macro and micro nutrient deficiencies especially amongst pregnant and lactating women as it leads to various diseases and disabilities. 6.7 Intra-household discrimination in nutritional matters vis-à-vis girls and women will be sought to be ended through appropriate strategies. Widespread use of nutrition education would be made to address the issues of intra-household imbalances in nutrition and the special needs of pregnant and lactating women. Women’s participation will also be ensured in the planning, superintendence and delivery of the system. Drinking Water and Sanitation 6.8 Special attention will be given to the needs of women in the provision of safe drinking water, sewage disposal, toilet facilities and sanitation within accessible reach of households, especially in rural areas and urban slums. Women’s participation will be ensured in the planning, delivery and maintenance of such services. Housing and Shelter 6.9 Women’s perspectives will be included in housing policies, planning of housing colonies and provision of shelter both in rural and urban areas. Special attention will be given for providing adequate and safe housing and accommodation for women including single women, heads of households, working women, students, apprentices and trainees. Environment 6.10 Women will be involved and their perspectives reflected in the policies and programmes for environment, conservation and restoration. Considering the impact of environmental factors on their livelihoods, women’s participation will be ensured in the conservation of the environment and control of environmental degradation. The vast majority of rural women still depend on the locally available non-commercial sources of energy such as animal dung, crop waste and fuel wood. In order to ensure the efficient use of these energy resources in an environmental friendly manner, the Policy will aim at promoting the programmes of non-conventional energy resources. Women will be involved in spreading the use of solar energy, biogas, smokeless chulahs and other rural application so as to have a visible impact of these measures in influencing eco system and in changing the life styles of rural women. Science and Technology 6.11 Programmes will be strengthened to bring about a greater involvement of women in science and technology. These will include measures to motivate girls to take up science and technology for higher education and also ensure that development projects with scientific and technical inputs involve women fully. Efforts to develop a scientific temper and awareness will also be stepped up. Special measures would be taken for their training in areas where they have special skills like communication and information technology. Efforts to develop appropriate technologies suited to women’s needs as well as to reduce their drudgery will be given a special focus too. Women in Difficult Circumstances 6.12 In recognition of the diversity of women’s situations and in acknowledgement of the needs of specially disadvantaged groups, measures and programmes will be undertaken to provide them with special assistance. These groups include women in extreme poverty, destitute women, women in conflict situations, women affected by natural calamities, women in less developed regions, the disabled widows, elderly women, single women in difficult circumstances, women heading households, those displaced from employment, migrants, women who are victims of marital violence, deserted women and prostitutes etc. Violence against women 7.1 All forms of violence against women, physical and mental, whether at domestic or societal levels, including those arising from customs, traditions or accepted practices shall be dealt with effectively with a view to eliminate its incidence. Institutions and mechanisms/schemes for assistance will be created and strengthened for prevention of such violence , including sexual harassment at work place and customs like dowry; for the rehabilitation of the victims of violence and for taking effective action against the perpetrators of such violence. A special emphasis will also be laid on programmes and measures to deal with trafficking in women and girls. Rights of the Girl Child 8.1 All forms of discrimination against the girl child and violation of her rights shall be eliminated by undertaking strong measures both preventive and punitive within and outside the family. These would relate specifically to strict enforcement of laws against prenatal sex selection and the practices of female foeticide, female infanticide, child marriage, child abuse and child prostitution etc. Removal of discrimination in the treatment of the girl child within the family and outside and projection of a positive image of the girl child will be actively fostered. There will be special emphasis on the needs of the girl child and earmarking of substantial investments in the areas relating to food and nutrition, health and education, and in vocational education. In implementing programmes for eliminating child labour, there will be a special focus on girl children. Mass Media 9.1 Media will be used to portray images consistent with human dignity of girls and women. The Policy will specifically strive to remove demeaning, degrading and negative conventional stereotypical images of women and violence against women. Private sector partners and media networks will be involved at all levels to ensure equal access for women particularly in the area of information and communication technologies. The media would be encouraged to develop codes of conduct, professional guidelines and other self regulatory mechanisms to remove gender stereotypes and promote balanced portrayals of women and men. Operational Strategies Action Plans 10.1 All Central and State Ministries will draw up time bound Action Plans for translating the Policy into a set of concrete actions, through a participatory process of consultation with Centre/State Departments of Women and Child Development and National /State Commissions for Women. The Plans will specifically including the following: - i) Measurable goals to be achieved by 2010. ii) Identification and commitment of resources. iii) Responsibilities for implementation of action points. iv) Structures and mechanisms to ensure efficient monitoring, review and gender impact assessment of action points and policies. v) Introduction of a gender perspective in the budgeting process. 10.2 In order to support better planning and programme formulation and adequate allocation of resources, Gender Development Indices (GDI) will be developed by networking with specialized agencies. These could be analyzed and studied in depth. Gender auditing and development of evaluation mechanisms will also be undertaken along side. 10.3 Collection of gender disaggregated data by all primary data collecting agencies of the Central and State Governments as well as Research and Academic Institutions in the Public and Private Sectors will be undertaken. Data and information gaps in vital areas reflecting the status of women will be sought to be filled in by these immediately. All Ministries/Corporations/Banks and financial institutions etc will be advised to collect, collate, disseminate and maintain/publish data related to programmes and benefits on a gender disaggregated basis. This will help in meaningful planning and evaluation of policies. Institutional Mechanisms 11.1 Institutional mechanisms, to promote the advancement of women, which exist at the Central and State levels, will be strengthened. These will be through interventions as may be appropriate and will relate to, among others, provision of adequate resources, training and advocacy skills to effectively influence macro-policies, legislation, programmes etc. to achieve the empowerment of women. 11.2 National and State Councils will be formed to oversee the operationalisation of the Policy on a regular basis. The National Council will be headed by the Prime Minister and the State Councils by the Chief Ministers and be broad in composition having representatives from the concerned Departments/Ministries, National and State Commissions for Women, Social Welfare Boards, representatives of Non-Government Organizations, Women’s Organisations, Corporate Sector, Trade Unions, financing institutions, academics, experts and social activists etc. These bodies will review the progress made in implementing the Policy twice a year. The National Development Council will also be informed of the progress of the programme undertaken under the policy from time to time for advice and comments. 11.3 National and State Resource Centres on women will be established with mandates for collection and dissemination of information, undertaking research work, conducting surveys, implementing training and awareness generation programmes, etc. These Centers will link up with Women’s Studies Centres and other research and academic institutions through suitable information networking systems. 11.4 While institutions at the district level will be strengthened, at the grass-roots, women will be helped by Government through its programmes to organize and strengthen into Self-Help Groups (SHGs) at the Anganwadi/Village/Town level. The women’s groups will be helped to institutionalize themselves into registered societies and to federate at the Panchyat/Municipal level. These societies will bring about synergistic implementation of all the social and economic development programmes by drawing resources made available through Government and Non-Government channels, including banks and financial institutions and by establishing a close Interface with the Panchayats/ Municipalities. Resource Management 12.1 Availability of adequate financial, human and market resources to implement the Policy will be managed by concerned Departments, financial credit institutions and banks, private sector, civil society and other connected institutions. This process will include: (a) Assessment of benefits flowing to women and resource allocation to the programmes relating to them through an exercise of gender budgeting. Appropriate changes in policies will be made to optimize benefits to women under these schemes; (b) Adequate resource allocation to develop and promote the policy outlined earlier based on (a) above by concerned Departments. (c) Developing synergy between personnel of Health, Rural Development, Education and Women & Child Development Department at field level and other village level functionaries’ (d) Meeting credit needs by banks and financial credit institutions through suitable policy initiatives and development of new institutions in coordination with the Department of Women & Child Development. 12.2 The strategy of Women’s Component Plan adopted in the Ninth Plan of ensuring that not less than 30% of benefits/funds flow to women from all Ministries and Departments will be implemented effectively so that the needs and interests of women and girls are addressed by all concerned sectors. The Department of Women and Child Development being the nodal Ministry will monitor and review the progress of the implementation of the Component Plan from time to time, in terms of both quality and quantity in collaboration with the Planning Commission. 12.3 Efforts will be made to channelize private sector investments too, to support programmes and projects for advancement of women Legislation 13.1 The existing legislative structure will be reviewed and additional legislative measures taken by identified departments to implement the Policy. This will also involve a review of all existing laws including personal, customary and tribal laws, subordinate legislation, related rules as well as executive and administrative regulations to eliminate all gender discriminatory references. The process will be planned over a time period 2000-2003. The specific measures required would be evolved through a consultation process involving civil society, National Commission for Women and Department of Women and Child Development. In appropriate cases the consultation process would be widened to include other stakeholders too. 13.2 Effective implementation of legislation would be promoted by involving civil society and community. Appropriate changes in legislation will be undertaken, if necessary. 13.3 In addition, following other specific measures will be taken to implement the legislation effectively. (a) Strict enforcement of all relevant legal provisions and speedy redressal of grievances will be ensured, with a special focus on violence and gender related atrocities. (b) Measures to prevent and punish sexual harassment at the place of work, protection for women workers in the organized/ unorganized sector and strict enforcement of relevant laws such as Equal Remuneration Act and Minimum Wages Act will be undertaken, (c) Crimes against women, their incidence, prevention, investigation, detection and prosecution will be regularly reviewed at all Crime Review fora and Conferences at the Central, State and District levels. Recognised, local, voluntary organizations will be authorized to lodge Complaints and facilitate registration, investigations and legal proceedings related to violence and atrocities against girls and women. (d) Women’s Cells in Police Stations, Encourage Women Police Stations Family Courts, Mahila Courts, Counselling Centers, Legal Aid Centers and Nyaya Panchayats will be strengthened and expanded to eliminate violence and atrocities against women. (e) Widespread dissemination of information on all aspects of legal rights, human rights and other entitlements of women, through specially designed legal literacy programmes and rights information programmes will be done. Gender Sensitization 14.1 Training of personnel of executive, legislative and judicial wings of the State, with a special focus on policy and programme framers, implementation and development agencies, law enforcement machinery and the judiciary, as well as non-governmental organizations will be undertaken. Other measures will include: (a) Promoting societal awareness to gender issues and women’s human rights. (b) Review of curriculum and educational materials to include gender education and human rights issues (c) Removal of all references derogatory to the dignity of women from all public documents and legal instruments. (d) Use of different forms of mass media to communicate social messages relating to women’s equality and empowerment. Panchayati Raj Institutions 15.1 The 73rd and 74th Amendments (1993) to the Indian Constitution have served as a breakthrough towards ensuring equal access and increased participation in political power structure for women. The PRIs will play a central role in the process of enhancing women’s participation in public life. The PRIs and the local self Governments will be actively involved in the implementation and execution of the National Policy for Women at the grassroots level. Partnership with the voluntary sector organizations 16.1 The involvement of voluntary organizations, associations, federations, trade unions, non-governmental organizations, women’s organizations, as well as institutions dealing with education, training and research will be ensured in the formulation, implementation, monitoring and review of all policies and programmes affecting women. Towards this end, they will be provided with appropriate support related to resources and capacity building and facilitated to participate actively in the process of the empowerment of women. International Cooperation 17.1 The Policy will aim at implementation of international obligations/commitments in all sectors on empowerment of women such as the Convention on All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD+5) and other such instruments. International, regional and sub-regional cooperation towards the empowerment of women will continue to be encouraged through sharing of experiences, exchange of ideas and technology, networking with institutions and organizations and through bilateral and multi-lateral partnerships.

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT IN INDIA – MILESTONES & CHALLENGES

Empowerment is now increasingly seen as a process by which the one's without power gain

greater control over their lives. This means control over material assets, intellectual

resources and ideology. It involves power to, power with and power within. Some define

empowerment as a process of awareness and conscientization, of capacity building leading

to greater participation, effective decision-making power and control leading to

transformative action. This involves ability to get what one wants and to influence others on

our concerns. With reference to women the power relation that has to be involved includes

their lives at multiple levels, family, community, market and the state. Importantly it involvesat the psychological level women's ability to assert themselves and this is

constructed by the'gender roles' assigned to her specially in a cultural which resists change like India.

The questions surrounding women's empowerment the condition and position of women

have now become critical to the human rights based approaches to development. The Cairo

conference in 1994 organized by UN on Population and Development called attention to

women's empowerment as a central focus and UNDP developed the Gender Empowerment

measure (GEM) which focuses on the three variables that reflect women's participation in

society – political power or decision-making, education and health. 1995 UNDP report was

devoted to women's empowerment and it declared that if human development is not

engendered it is endangered a declaration which almost become a lei motif for further

development measuring and policy planning. Equality, sustainability and empowerment wereemphasized and the stress was, that women's emancipation does not depend on nationalincome but is an engaged political process.

Drawing from Amartya Sen's work on 'Human capabilities' — an idea drawn from Aristotle a

new matrix was created to measure human development. The emphasis was that we need

to enhance human well being flourishing and not focus on growth of national income as a

goal.

People's choices have to be enlarged and they must have economic opportunities to make

use of these capabilities. States and countries would consider developments in terms of

whether its people lead a long healthy painless life or no are educated and knowledgeable

and enjoy decent standards of living.

The intuitive idea behind the capability is twofold according to Martha Nussbaum (2003) first,that there are certain functions that are particularly central to human life. Second, that thereis something do these in a truly human way, not a mere animal way. The list of capabilitiesthat she draws is cross-cultural as necessary element of truly human functioning. Theyinclude:

1. Life-being able to live to the end of human life of normal length: not dying prematurely, or

before one's life is so reduced as to be not worth living.

2. Bodily health – being able to have good health including reproductive health, to be

adequately nourished, to have adequate shelter.

3. Bodily integrity – Being able to move freely from place to place, to be secure against

violent assault, including sexual assault and domestic violence; having opportunities for

sex satisfaction and for choice in matters of reproduction.

4. Senses, imagination and thought – Being able to use the sense, to imagine, think and

reason in a truly human way including but not limited to literacy. Being able to use one's

mind and imagination protected by freedom of expression.

5. Emotions – being able to have attachments, to love, to grieve to experience longing

gratitude and justified anger. Not having one's emotional development blighted by fear

and anxiety.

6. Practical Reason – Being able to form a conception of the good and to engage in critical

reflection about planning of one's life's protected by liberty of conscience.

7. Affiliation – Being able to live with and toward others to have social interactions, to have

the capability of both justice and friendship. This would entail freedom of assembly and

free speech. Having social bases for self-respect and non-humiliation, being protected

against discrimination on the basis of race, sex sexual orientation religion caste or

region.

8. Other species – Being able to concern with nature.

9. Play – being able to laugh, play and enjoy.

10. Control over one's environment.

a) Political. Being able to participate effectively in political choices that govern one's life,

having the right to political participation, protection of free speech and association.

b) Material. Being able to hold property to seek employment on equal bases and having

freedom from unwarranted search and seizure. In work, being able to work as a

human being, exercising practical reason and entering into meaningful relationships

of mutual recognition with the workers.

These capabilities cover the so called "first generation rights" (political & civil liberties) as

well as the "second generation rights" (economic and social rights0. It has been emphasized

that women all over the world have been short shifted and have not found support for their

central human functions. Women are capable of these functions given sufficient, nutrition,

education and other support. Women are most often not treated as subjects. Women are as

capable as men of exercising will, controlling desires and taking decisions but males enjoy

support of social institutions and women are excluded as the 'other'. Women are often not

treated as "ends in themselves" persons with dignity who deserve respect from laws and

institutions instead they are treated instrumentally as reproducers, caregivers, sexual

receivers, agents of family's general prosperity.

Human development report since 1999 demonstrate that practically no country in the world

treats its women as well as men according to the measures of life expectancy wealth and

education. Developing countries present especially urgent problems where caste and class

result in acute failure of human capabilities of women. Women in this part of south East Asialack essential support for fully functioning human lives. Within the country there are many issues to be addressed closely.

GDI: Inter State Comparison

The virtues of a measure such as the GDI, which can project the status of women by

encapsulating achievements in three basis dimensions, soon become clear to policy makers.

It spurred efforts to rank States in India by calculating their GDI (Shiv Kumar 1966, Seeta

Prabhu, Sarkar and Radha 1996; Aasha Kapur Mehta 1996; Hirway and Mahadevia 1996).

A comparison of the HDI and GDI reveal that in Punjab, Haryana, Bihar. West Bengal and

Rajasthan development has been inequitous and women did not get equal share in the

development. For Uttar Pradesh which has the lowest HDI rank as well as the lowest GDI

rank, the challenge is to see how men and women can more from being equal partners in

slow development to partners in dynamic growth.

Empowerment of women is a commitment for PACS and some others strategic programmes,

while developing strategies for empowering women some programmes are sensitive to

recognizing women's contribution and their knowledge as the first step. The appreciate that

women require principally social support to fight their sense of inadequacy and fears to

enhance their self-respect and dignity. Empowering women means control over their bodies

and becoming economically independent, controlling resources like land and property and

reduction of burden of work. A society or programme which aims at women's empowerment

needs to create and strengthen sisterhood and to promote overall nurturing, caring and

gentleness. PACS emphasis on emphasis on women SHG's as a collective is one such

efforts. Being conference 1995 had identified certain quantitative and qualitative indicators ofwomen empowerment.

 

Beijing conference 1995 indicators of women empowerment, qualitative & quantitative

Qualitative:

1. increase in self-esteem, individual and collective confidence;

2. increase in articulation, knowledge and awareness on health, nutrition reproductive

rights, law and literacy;

3. increase an decrease in personal leisure time and time for child care;

4. increase on decrease of work loads in new programmes;

5. change in roles and responsibility in family & community;

6. visible increase on decrease in violence on women and girls;

7. responses to, changes in social customs like child marriage, dowry, discrimination

against widows;

8. visible changes in women's participation level attending meeting, participating and

demanding participation;

9. increase in bargaining and negotiating power at home, in community and the collective;

10. increase access to and ability to gather information;

11. formation of women collectives;

12. positive changes in social attitudes;

13. awareness and recognition of women's economic contribution within and outside the

household;

14. women's decision-making over her work and income.

 

Education:

Women's education is extremely important intrinsically as it is their human right and required

for the flourishing of many of their capacities.

It is, however, noticed that most programmes for education of girls and women in India have

reinforced Gender roles specially motherhood in curriculum as well as impact evaluation.

The huge study of nearly 94% of India's population done by Drez and others looks at female

literacy and its negative and statistically significant impact on child mortality.

The questions of power are interlinked and we understand that what is necessary is both

objective power in terms of economic resources, laws, institutional roles and norms held by

others as well as subjective power in terms of self efficacy and entitlements. Empowerment

of women is closely related to formal and informal sources of education. Late 19th century & 20

th century reformers advocated women's education as a principal strategy to answer the

'women's question'. Many innovative efforts are accelerated after the NPE. In UP a renewal

process of correcting gender stereotyping was initiated in 1998 looking at textbooks and

training besides infrastructure and community mobilization. There is marked improvement ingirls enrollment and steady decline in drop out rates.

Despite statistically positive trends closer studies show that privileged spaces in classrooms

are occupied by boys. Girls are rarely addressed by their names. Girls sit in last rows in

classes of mathematics and rarely muster courage enough to come close to the board where

the teacher sits (usually a male in most remote areas? Private school initiative for gender

concerns is rare Madarsas have large number of girls but like convents and Arya Kanya

Pathshala's gender transformation is not their agenda. Moral science text books still have

preponderance of men. Women as agents of social reform are not mentioned. CSO efforts

have very often shown greater enhancement of girls self-esteem but in many cases there is

poor cognitive development generally attributed to low paid, low qualified but highly

motivated instructor. Kanya Vidya Dhan, free uniforms, mid-day meal, school attached

crèche, mothers meetings have all had positive results.

In various surveys conducted by ISST it has been apparent that parental apathy or

opposition to girl child education is fast reading even in traditional male dominated states of

north Indian. Given the right infrastructure-schools located in neighbourhoods, preferably

with female teachers parents would allow girls to study "as long as they would like to". It may

however be noticed as evidenced by researchers, the same families who are willing to see

girls in college react violently if the girl decides to choose her partner in marriage or

challenge other norms of feminine behavior.

Health:

2005-06 National Family Health Survey (NFHS –3) conducted through 18 research

organizations between 2005 December and August 2006 provides us with several important

data based insights not provided by earlier surveys. There has been a steady increase in

institutional delivery percentages from NFHS – 1 to 3 from 26 to 41 the increase in rural from17 to 31 is more promising than urban from 58 to 69. Overall fertility rate has declined from 3.4 to 2.7. The states of Punjab and Maharashtra have reached the replacement level of

fertility, i.e. around 2 children per woman. Women in Chatisgarh and Orrissa are expected to have an average of about 2.5 children at current fertility rates. The urban areas in five states studied by NFHS, Chattisgarh, Gujrat, Maharashtra, Orissa and Punjab have reached below replacement level fertility. There is a difference between the fertility of women with no education and those with 10 or more years of schooling. Trends in antenatal care have

remained more or less constant in NFHS – 1 and 2 between rural and urban women but

have increased from 65 to 77% total. The five state study shows regional imbalances in post

natal care from only 23 per cent in Chhatisgarh to 54-59 per cent in Maharashtra, Punjab

and Gujrat.

More than 40% ever married women and about one third men in orissa and Gujrat are thin

for their height, undernutrition is much lower in Punjab (12-14%) obesity is the major

problem in Punjab 38% women are overweight. Overweight or obese women percfedntage

hjas incrfeased in the last 7 years from 16 to 20 per cent in Gujrat from 12 to 17 per cent in

Maharashtra and from 4 to 7 per cent in Orissa. The extent of overweight is greater in

women than men. Overall 14.8% women are obese. Except in Punjab in the other states

more than 50 per cent of the children of women without any education are underwseight.

The percentage of anaemia ranges from 38% in Punjab to 63% in Orissa. Anaemia

prevalence is alarming among pregnant women 57.9 which is more than last recorded

49.7%. 33% of women still have BMI below normal, which has declined from 36.2. IMR has

gone down but gender differences persist. This is true also of under 5 mortality. Life

expectancy of women however stands a level higher than that of men. From 1961 to 2001

both in total population as well as in the population of 0-6 there has been a decline in sex

ratio from 943 to 935 and 976 to 927 respectively. There is a fear that overall reduction of

state resources in the welfare sector and specially less than 1% investment in health is going

to exacerbate the existing gender bias in society.

Political Participation:

Women's political participation has been considered a major measure of women's

empowerment. Globally, through histories of the world we have records of very few regents,

sovereigns, and active agents in nobility who were women. Champions of liberalism like

John Stuart Mill had advocated women's participation in governance by the struggle for

women suffrage in the self avowed liberal west very well illustrates the entrenched nature of

Patriarchical resistance to women's empowerment. In the last century more women heads of

state could be counted in Asia as compared to Europe and the struggle for women suffrage

in India was physically less violent but this is not reflective of greater acceptance of women

in decision-making in public spaces.

To measure women's empowerment now GEM takes 3 indicators, women's participation in

economic, political and professional activities. Within political power what is measured is

mainly women in parliament, judiciary or in local bodies. Women's empowerment or

disempowerment has to be seen in all areas physical, socio cultural religious, political legal

and economic.

It is also now often pointed out that women's empowerment must be seen as a process

where in we must consider women's awareness consciousness, choices with live

alternatives, resources at their disposal, voice, agency and participation. These are all

related to enhancement of women's capabilities and decisions they take individually or

collectively for themselves.

Several programmes in India like Mahila Samakhya have accepted the process nature of

women's empowerment. The understandings of empowerment in PACS has also been

similar but planning of activity, time and budgets to ensure the empowering processes need

greater scrutiny. Women's education, livelihood and personal exercise of agency have to be

systematically promoted .

The 73rd and 74th Amendments of the Constitution have impacted nearly 600 million Indianpeople in 500,000 villages. Interestingly the percentage of women at various levels of

political activity have risen from 4-5% to 25-40%. Both nationally as well as at the state and

local levels women in elected bodies have been very few and even those who have been

elected when observed from closer quarters present a complex picture. The money and

muscle associated with the electoral process inhibits a large number of women from joining

politics. Restriction on mobility, lack of control over resources and low literacy rates are well

known obstacles but recent panchayat elections have evidenced a phenomenally large

number of elected leaders much beyond reserved 33% seats. Areas where PACS, Mahila

Samakhya or other CSO initiatives are working women are more articulate and vigilant and

have used opportunity to improve ICPS centres, primary schools sanitation and have also

publicly dealt with issues of misbehavour with girls, violence and alcoholism as well as

sensitive issues of widowed women dressing in coloured clothes. Women are increasingly

demanding not only basis but also land literacy and fuller longer trainings instead of being

short changed through orientations.

It is obvious that a more active Gram Sabha which is sensitive to women's specific issues is

a much desired goal as a woman sarpanch or BDC member in a gender hostile panchayat

may not be able to accomplish and sustain much for the benefit of women or the village

community at large. More women in grass root organizations; better law and order will

ensure better engagement of women in decision-making.

More than one million women have now entered political life in India and 43% of the seats

are occupied by them district, province and national level. Women's participation is

understood in terms of voter turn out, number of women contestants apart from the number

of those who succeeded in winning.

In an interesting study sponsored by State Planning Commission in U.P. 2006 about 45%

women both rural and urban reported being influenced by men of the family (father/husband)

in decision-making in the exercise of their ballot. 9 per cent reported external influence while46 per cent exercise independent choice.

However, the battle to make the PRI's affective instruments of local rural governance is a

battle, a struggle of the grass roots, population (women and men) against administrative

apathy and listlessness, against ignorance and low awareness. For women these odds are

accompanied and intermeshed with deep rooted patriarchal practices that determine and

sanction norms of speech and behaviour both within and outside the home.

Thus while Pre election trainings of voluntary organisations and CSVOs serve to build

awareness about the duties, responsibilities of PR's and about voting practices, the

presence and working of women's voluntary organisations at the grass roots have served to

sharpen women's understanding about the operation of patriarchy in personal lives and workplaces and the methods and practices to overcome and combat them individually and

collectively.

Organisations such as Mahila Samakhya working to conscientise and organise women in

groups and sanghas are able to address the issue of women and their participation in a two

fold manner. On the one hand they organise intensive training programmes for women PRI

representatives to make them effective functionaries and on the other hand tghere own

programmes with their members within there collectives serve to build a culture of

questioning, critical thinking, collective decision-making and mobilisation on public issues.

A mobilised community of women is thus able to raise issues of significance to the local

community within the meetings, demand accountably from representatives and

administrative officials regarding financial and procedural matters and intervene with creative suggestions.

It is thus that the dominance of patriarchy money power, party politics muscle power are

steadily undercut and eroded and women's concerns are gradually pushed to the forefront of

local politics.

Drawing from intensive discussions at the level of sanghas and mahasanghas and the

experiences culled called from functionaries and from trainings, Mahila Samakhya has

drawn out learnings to strengthen women's participation in the Panchayats. A memorandum

incorporating these has been presented to the Panchayat Raj Department. It states —

It is imperative to inscribe the budget for the village on the Panchayat Bhawan.

Thefore should be rules and strategies to train and activate women members who have

been elected to the post of Pradhans or members.

There should be strict rules for ensuring the participation of 2/3 voters in the open

meeting.

 

the signatures of the people in the executive register of the open meeting should be

ensured.

 

 

It should be compulsory for the Pradhan/Secretary to sit in the panchayat Bhawan.

•

The development plan should be widely disseminated so that it can reach the general

public.

•

The dates and time of the panchayat meetings in the state of U.P. should be decided in

advance.

•

The venue of the meeting should be either the Panchayat Bhawan ofr a public place, to

enable all gram sabha members to present their problems.

Thus it is apparent that women see effective and efficient functioning of panchayats closely

linked to the issue of active women's participation. (Mahila Samakhya U.P. Annual Report

20045-05.

Entry into public space, utilisation of authority in practice, trainings by government and nongovernment

agencies are all part of a process of gradual growth of knowledge, self-esteem

and empowerment, which gives women the agency to function effectively in the political

process.

Even proxy and dummy candidates may experience this process of empowerment women

who stand and win from general seats are more likely to have a higher commitment towards,

and an understanding of the political process.

Having a high participation of women at the local self government level can create an

environment which is enabling for other women, receptive to the idea of gender based

initiatives and can serve to monitor and implement community and gender based

programmes of the government related to education, nutrition and health.

It offers a potential opportunity which can be utilised at an optimum level by appropriate

trainings both capacity binding and information enhancing – by government departments and

the NGO Sector.

Decision-Making:

In terms of decision-making NFHS II had reported in the rural areas women take 71%

decisions regarding "what items to cook" 26% decisions regarding obtaining health care fro

herself 10% in purchasing jewellery or other major household items. 12% decisions were

taken by women with reference to staying with their parents or siblings and 37% about how

to spend money, which they had earned. In the urban areas these figures were 71%, 35%,

13%, 18% and 57% respectively. Women between ages 15 to 19 nearly 24% are not

involved in any kind of decision-making only. 14% do not ask permission to go to the market.

In rural sector 10% are involved with any decision-making and 74% need permission for

going to the market. In urban sector however only 7% are not involved with any decisionmaking

and 53% need permission for going to the market. Survey reports that of the 52%

illiterate women 74% of urban resident and 55% of rural resident have access to money.

Small studies on elected Panchayat leaders show episodic increase of their decision-making

in personal, social and political spaces. Studies of the NFHS scale are necessary to retrieve

such data specially in PACs programme areas. This could be done with reference to internal

lending of SHG's as well as leveraging through other agencies in terms of both economic

status enhancement and their decision- making. Interestingly some studies reflect that

women's working outside home in paid job does not always translate into appreciably

greater autonomy within the household for most women. In a sample study at Sonepat and

Noida 66% need to consult somebody and take permission before changing jobs 27.6%

women in Noida and 35.3% in Sonepat said they are allowed to buy nothing at all.

Working outside home women do believe that they have more experience (91.6%), enlarged

social networks (48.3%) and stronger personality (32.2%) and an increased self esteem

985.3%) besides their decision-making power (62.2%). The researchers however observe

that objective state of affairs do not bear this out and women's decision-making is

concentrated to making small purchases. In buying and selling assets they have no say.

Methodologically here there is a dilemma about privileging of perspective – that of the

responmdent or that of the urban middle class educated researcher. This is particularly

pertinent as the sense of being empowered is also importantly about "feeling empowered".

Self Help Groups:

PACS programme has largely utilized SHG's as an empowsering instrument. More than 80%

of these are exclusively for women. The fifth national synthesis report (Draft) reports that

official perception has changed as SHG's are firmly raising voices and SHG's are being used

to achieve RTI awareness:

Women members are elected as PRI representatives.

SHG/PRIs are regularly organising Gram Sabha as a forum for public appraisal.

Anecdotal accounts suggest that women are economically empowered those suffering

domestic violence are given legal reference and awareness to prevent child marriage

promote girls education and prevent dowry marriage and alcoholism.

Self-help groups have emerges as an important strategy for empowering women and

alleviating poverty. SHG's are based on idea of dialogic small groups, which shall function at

developing collective consciousness. Linked with micro credit these groups are able to

access credit and subsidy to meet crisis needs as well as developmental needs reducing

their dependence on money lenders. There is fair amount of evidence to suggest that PACS

SHG's have successfully ensured people's entitlements including women.

Statistically PAC's initiatives in realizing entitlements show that – In Balika Samriddhi Yojana

189 females have been benefitted rfealizing 2572400 Rs. in Employment Guarantee

Scheme 55397 women have been provided, 1271 girls enrolled and 9524 women provided

Indira Awas Yojna. Kanya Vidya Dhan has been availed by 131 girls while Mahila Samridhi

Yojana has benefitted 7 women. Maternity benefits have reached 2943 women and NFE

educated 862 women. Old age pension went to 7774 women while no woman benefitted

from the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna. Sam Vikas Yojna benefitted 975 women compared to

467 men Bridge courses benefitted 740 girls. Widow pension was ensured to 2948 women

and 217 women get yellow cards.

The realization of entitlements has been primarily through RTI, NREGS and the women

further train communities. in Jharkhand a large number of women were trained in social

audit. In total number of beneficiaries of entitlement 13342 women in Bihar 156217 in

Jharkhand 19906 women in Maharashtra 18762 in M.P. and Chhattisgarh and 55114 in U.P.

were reached. Men have however benefitted more except in Bihar.

Violence:

The questions regarding crimes against women are most entrenched, as most of them are

committed within the family NCRB records that the highest percdentage of crime against

women is torture (37.7%) followed by Moleslation (22.4%), Rape (11.8%), Kidnapping

(8.8%) and immoral traffic (3.7%). 4.6 Dowry Death and 6.5% eve teasing were recorded.

the further details report that in victims of rape 532 were below 10 and 1090 below 14. 3189

within ages of 30-50. No age is safe for women. In U.P. nearly 32% crimes against women

were committed within the family by husbands and relatives. This figure when compounded

with 12% dowry deaths makes 45% of crimes domestically located. Incidents of honour

killings and battery through not large are often threats to women's functioning and their

emotional development is severely blighted. In caste ridden society women's caste

membership increase her vulnerability. Small efforts to train police by UN agencies and state

initiatives are encouraging but very small in scale. They require follow-ups and support

monitoring.

Women and Work

Women's work is statistically less visible non monetized and relegated to subsistence

production and domestic side this accounts for 60% of unpaid family work and 98% of

domestic work. The non paid work includes domestic chares like cooking, cleaning, child

care aand care for the elderly and the handicapped-traditonally understood as women's

work. Subsistence activities like pitches gardening post harvest processing, feeding farm

hands, live stock maintenance, gathering of fuel, forest produce, unpaid family labour in

family farm or enterprise are done by women who are reported to be non working

housewives Census estimates 51.93% men & 25% women workers while NSS estimates

52.7 male and 25.68 female workers. Most men are in stable employment. Micro studies

report many challenges – 20 out of 104 women reported in a survey as non working were

actually winnowwwing, thrashing or paraboling (WB). S. Mukhopadhyaya in her study

reports 4 times more work participation in her study. Female work participation rate in U.P. is reported as 11% with a Gender gap of 52% equal to. West Bengal but less than Punjab.

56% women are in community service 17% in Manufacturing & 8.6 rural women in

agriculture. Only 4% women as against 10% men are in the formal sector. If women's work

is rendered visible specially unpaid household work there will be many dramatic results.

Studies show that working women but 664 hours & others put 872 hours on child care,

womens' share of work in 55% women's unpaid work is 51% while men's is 33%. R.

Malathy's extrapolation estimates 23,773 core as the value of wowmen's household reserve

rendered by women in the urban sector alone. From 17% women's contribution will increase

to 33% of agricultural earning will include unpaid household work. Restriction on women's

mobility, complete child care responsibility ideology of female seclusion, vulnerability to

abuse, low access to information and mass media, low literacy, assumption that women's

supplementary and confinement to largely manual untrained tasks leads to women's poor

access to income.

 

Women and Reforms:

It is often argued that economic reforms have had a differential gender impact but there are

further complexities. The reforms have meant more openness in trade regime and

progressive decontrol of domestic production sector. There seems a steady withdrawal of

state presence from the production sector arguing that this would promote greater efficiency

and accountability. There has however been much protest that this will leave labour more

vulnerable as profit motive alone drives the market. Market argue that since women are

crowded towards the bottom end of labour market they will be more adversely impacted. The

55th round of National Sample Survey organization (1999-2000) generally reflects that over

the years specially in urban areas gender differences in the structure of industrial and

occupational distributions and distribution of labour status categories seems to have

lessened. There is higher demand of female labour in some sectors which can be linked to a

thrust towards export orientation and deregulation in the domestic production sector.

According to Swapna Mukhopadhyaya changes in structure of job opportunities have not

translated into overall reduction in the degree of market segmentation along gender lines.

There is marginal decrease in employment of men and marginal increase for women in

urban India. Educated women in the labour market who are unemployed are for more than

their male counterparts 62.7% unemployed women in rural areas as compared to 56.9%

men. It seems IT enabled sectors in recent years may have benefitted educated women.

There is not enough reliable data but persistently low wages of women to the tune of 50% to

80% compare to men suggest systematic wage discrimination. Wage earnings in casual

female workers in 1999-2000 were 64.70% of corresponding male earnings in rural India areven lower at 60.57% in urban India. 2005 HDR reports that women spend 457 minutes at

work as compared to 391 minutes per day for men.

Ownership of Land:

A recent legislation of the Central Government, the Hindu succession Amendment Act 2005

has also moved towards women's equality in property rights. It makes Hindu women's

inheritance rights in agricultural land legally equal to those of men. All daughters including

married daughters age Co-parceners in joint family properly daughters now have the right to

claim partition and to become 'Karta'. All daughters, married or unmarried can reside, seek

partition of the parental dwelling place.

This law of the centre well have the power to displace any conflicting laws of the state which

are unequal to women. this is a far reaching message to assure women control over

property.

According to a recent study made by Bina Agarwal in Kerala, women's risk of physical

violence from husbands is dramatically less of they own hand or a house. The incidence of

violence is 49 per cent among women without property, but 18 per cent among land owning

women and 7 per cent of they own both land and house.

Recent initiative of the state of U.P. (ordinance of 23 Feb. 2006) regarding the reduction of

stamp duty on the purchase of land from 7 per cent 6 per cent has worked in the direction of

more land being bought in the name of women in the family. This transfer of asset in favour

of women though initially used by male members of the family to save family money will

gradually contribute to build women's agency. 2,97715 transactions have been done in the

name of women in 68 districts of Uttar Pradesh between April 2006 and August 2006. The

women move out of their homes to sign the papers in Tehsils and in many cases it is their

first exposure to an office. This initiative developed with women's trainings on legal, land and

human rights literacy will go a long way.

However, this effectiveness is greatly linked with the willingness of the state administration to

devolve effective administrative and financial power to the local self-governing units, and the

responsiveness and sensitivity of the lower echelons of the administrative machinery to the

aspiration and needs of the local population. Alcohol has not favoured women and increase

in indirect taxes has also impacted them poorly. The thrust of budgets also seems to push

people to private providers.

Government schemes could be seen as Relief policies like widow pension schemes. Genderreinforcing assistance

like mother support schemes in health and Empowering schemes for

women to demand and enjoy full human rights.

State Initiatives:

Development writers are so often used to repeating that focus of women development in

India has shifted from 'welfare' in the 50's to development in the 70's and now to

empowerment. This is hardly borne out in the programmes on the ground. There are largely

schemes for relief like old age and widowhood schemes and major schemes related to

Gender reinforcing assistance related to reproduction National Institute of Public Finance

and Policy undertook the first gender budget exercise and categorized expenditure in 3

categories.

National Institute of Public Finance & Policy Gender Analysis of the Budget

NIPFP undertook the first gender budget exercise and categorized expenditure in 3

categories.

1. Specifically targetted expenditure on women.

2. Pro women allocation – composite expenditure in the women component (at least 30%).

3. Mainstream expenditure with gender differential impact.

It was understood that public expenditure can be clustered in terms of 4 categories:

a) Protective and welfare services accounting for 67%

b) Social service-education, water housing health 26%

c) Economic resources-self employment training fuel supply management 4%

d) Regulatory services – awareness generation NCW 3%

Allocation for women directed scheme is pitiful. Only ten ministries/Departments have

specially targetted schemes for women in India. The share of women specific programmes in

departments like education, agriculture, tribal affairs and social justice is also only around

one percent. No proper administrative mechanism for execution and monitoring of

expenditure. Heads still under ruberic of benefits for mother and child. Shelter homes and

counselling centres are still low on priority. NIPF observed that reduction in cost of foreign

liquour has not positively impacted them.

It is, however, necessary that even though schemes are relief oriented the process of

accessing them has often been an individual and collected struggle which has sometimes

led to empowerment and at others disheartening. PACS strategy of collective pressure to

access public resources for women has largely been empowering though anecdotal.

There are several critical issues to ensure a just an equitable state with reference to gender.

Some issues are not addressable due to procedural limitations of data collection which

makes specific recommendations difficult. There is need to develop a workable gender audit

system for govt. & CSO programmes which would look at targets, training recruitments

promotion, infrastructure and decision making opportunities. The verbal change from women

welfare to women rights needs to be converted into reality. This has some direct fall outs.

Pitiful allotment for Vriddha and Vidva Pension and minimum wages will have to be

reconsidered in terms of living wages, recent work and human right to opportunities for

highest form of physical and mental health.

Greatest inequity exits in family but poverty alleviation schemes address only the family. Just

as one poverty calculation takes per capita consumption it should also address per capita

income enhancement not family.

Gender budgets need participation of other departments besides the existing ones. Gender

auditing of all organizations is necessary.

As is evidenced in many studies level of awareness of government schemes is very low so

more effective publicity is necessary. A more effective MIS system for monitoring women

welfare, women empowerment programmes is to be developed which is simple, transparent

and involves both government and non government functionaries. Gender resource centres

with autonomy need to be established in all states and in case of larger states there must be

more than one such centre involving academic & activities.

Practically no schemes exist to encourage women in non stero typical occupations. Training

of women in leadership market research and entrepreneurship with follow ups must be

institutionalized. At the national as well as state levels we need a full fledged mechanism to

ensure gender sensitive policy, implementation through a participatory apex body. Clearer

definition of work, Joint Pattas for women & men will ensure better control of women over

resources as well as their acknowledgement in National income. Country's inclusive agenda

requires a consistent engendering at all levels.