YOJANA June 2012

56 Pages·2012·7.72 MB·English

June 2012 Vol 56
Chief Editor : Rina Sonowal Kouli Joint Director (Production) : V.K. Meena
Editor : Manogyan R. Pal Cover Design : Ruby Kumari
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Let noble thoughts come to us from every side
Rig Veda
CONTENTS
RETHINKING POLICY ON CHILD SEx RATIOS WOMEN AND PANCHAYATI RAJ
Mary E John ......................................................................................5 Nupur Tiwari ...................................................................................36
DO YOu KNOw?
NCW: TWENTY YEARS OF EMPOWERING WOMEN
SOME FACTS ABOUT DOMESTIC
Mamta Sharma ..................................................................................9
VIOLENCE ACT, 2005 ..................................................................41
STREE SHAKTI WOMEN SELF HELP GROUPS
Rashmi Singh ..................................................................................13 Kahnu Charan Dhir .........................................................................42
BEST PRACTICES
NORTH EAST DIARY ...............................................................18
PEARL IN THE SAND – TARA DEVI
Dilip Bidawat ..................................................................................47
EMPOWERING WOMEN IN AGRICULTURE
Amrit Patel ......................................................................................19
SHODHYATRA
ELECTRIC PAINTING BRUSH ....................................................50
EMPOWERED WOMEN, EMPOWERED NATION
Shahin Razi .....................................................................................24 AMENDING ARCHAIC LAWS TO EMPOWER WOMEN
Moushumi Das Gupta .....................................................................52
WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT ACROSS INDIAN STATES
Arundhati Chattopadhyay ...............................................................29 J&K wINDOw ..........................................................................56
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2 YOJANA June 2012
About the Issue
Empowerment of women is a major social phenomenon which requires an understanding
of its multi-dimensional influence, including our family structures and units. The 2011
Census contains an important message because it is far from a balanced gender ratio.
More worrisome is the child sex ratio in the 0-6 age group as it reflects the continuing bias
against girls. The challenge is to work towards a balanced population and if these prejudices
are to be overcome, the rights of women need to be protected. Greater access to education,
health, skill building, credit facilities and opportunities for decision making and legal rights
should be made available to women to empower them.
The principle of gender equality is enshrined in our Constitution which guarantees
equality to women, and empowers the State to adopt measures of positive determination
in favour of women for removing the cumulative socio-economic, educational disadvantages faced by them.
Within a framework of democratic polity, our laws, development policies, plans and programmes have aimed
at women's advancement in different spheres.
The government has several programmes which cover welfare and support services, awareness generation
and gender sensitization. These programmes play a supplementary role to other developmental programmes
in health, education, agriculture and rural development sectors. All these efforts are directed to make women
economically and socially empowered so that they can become equal and active partners in national development
along with men.
The National Policy for Empowerment of Women, 2001 has outlined three policy approaches to do away
with gender inequality. It has been proposed to make the legal system more responsive and gender sensitive to
women's needs. Moreover, women must be economically and socially empowered through focussed efforts.
Statistics showed the overall picture of gender inequality in India is stark and the way out is not to camouflage
reality by resolving to tokenism and parading exceptions, but tackling problems head on. But mere Government
intervention is not enough. Better results can be produced by determined women citizens empowering themselves
and being encouraged to do so by enlightened segments of society and public opinion.
Government of India's policy on women development has undergone various shift of emphasis since
independence. The most significant changes occurred during the Fifth Five Year Plan with the shift from welfare
to development. During the Eighth Plan, there was a renewed emphasis on development of women as equal
partners in the development process. Today, with focus on inclusive growth, there is a heightened awareness
about inclusiveness and empowerment. Women need to empower themselves from below, and this calls for a
change of values and behavior and the need for economic empowerment. All problems centre around inequality
and therefore, steps to promote equality of treatment and full integration of women in the development of the
country must be promoted.
This edition of Yojana dwells on some of these contentious issues, initiatives, success stories, and the problems
and prospects that confront the policy makers in bringing about holistic empowerment of women in India.
It would be apt to quote Swami Vivekananda "There is no chance of the welfare of the world unless the
condition of women is improved. It is not possible for a bird to fly on one wing." Surely it is time to change
this. q
YYOOJJAANNAA JJuunnee 22001122 33
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4 YOJANA June 2012
WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT
CONCERNS
Rethinking Policy on Child Sex Ratios
Mary E John
OW SHOULD we overview of broad patterns in the
H
approach the whole last two decades. (One might keep
question of sex ratios at the back of our minds not just that
and the counting of this period happens to correspond to
girls? This is a very the so-called era of neo-liberalism,
important question to ask at a time but also that it spans roughly a
when the child sex ratio has dropped generation.) At the national level,
from 927 in 2001 to an all time low the decline of 18 points in 2001
of 914. Even the Secretary in the has now been followed by a further
Rather than
Home Ministry said in the wake decline of 13 points. As more
only worry about of the Census 2011 results that the families are having fewer children
government must re-examine its (registered by the reduced fertility
balancing numbers, policies. But first, what has been rates) there is therefore an ongoing
the story so far and what can we gendering in their sex composition.
what is required
learn from Census 2011? To put it briefly, practices leading
are state policies to fewer girls in the 0-6 age group
Child Sex Ratios in India since
have been spreading more thinly
that actually 1991 over the last decade over a much
larger proportion of the country.
In order to begin a discussion
seek to create the
The circle is widening.
of India’s child sex ratio patterns,
conditions for a Table has been prepared drawing The figures from 1991 have been
from both earlier Census figures and included in order to recall why the
meaningful life-
the provisional figures available. Census 2001 made such headlines
chances, beginning The difference in successive a decade ago. This was when the
decades has also been included child sex ratio (CSR) first dropped
with those of girls for easy reference. The break-up below that of the overall sex ratio:
of the country into the regions of While the child sex ratio fell from
and women
the North-west, North-central, 943 in 1991 to 927 in 2001, that of
West, East and South offers a quick the overall sex ratio rose from 927 to
The author is Director, Centre for Women's Development Studies (CWDS), New Delhi.
YOJANA June 2012 5
now resorting to similar practices
Table: Child Sex Ratios (0-6 years) Census 1991,
probably for the first time.
2001, 2011, Select States
State (Females per 1,000 males) Moving on to Census 2011,
1991 2001 difference 2011 difference the state figures point to a clear
2001-1991 2011-2001 difference between the north-west
and the rest of India. It would
INDIA 945 927 - 18 914 -13
appear that there has been a peaking
North-west
(or plateauing) of the practice of
Himachal P 951 896 -53 906 +10
sex selection in states like Gujarat,
Punjab 875 798 -77 846 +48 Haryana, Delhi and Himachal
Haryana 879 819 -40 830 +11 Pradesh, with small improvements
Chandigarh 899 845 -46 867 + 22 from very low levels in Chandigarh
and Punjab. (Notice that none of
Delhi 915 868 -47 866 2
the north western states have fallen
North-Central
further, though they have by no
Uttar Pradesh 928 916 -12 899 -17
means come back to 1991 levels,
Madhya P 952 932 -20 912 -20 which were themselves well below
west the 950 mark.) Punjab’s rise from
Gujarat 928 883 -45 886 +3 798 to 846 (48 points) according
to 2011 figures makes it now look
Rajasthan 916 909 -7 883 -16
more like its neighbours, but only a
Maharashtra 946 913 -33 883 -30
district wise analysis would reveal
Goa 964 938 -26 920 -18
where the real changes are. In states
East like Delhi and Gujarat roughly
Bihar 959 942 -17 933 -9 the same proportion of families
Jharkhand NA 965 943 -22 are resorting to sex selection as
was true a decade ago (since this
West Bengal 967
is a comparison of the number
Nagaland 993 964 -29 944 -20
of girl children born and alive
Orissa 967 953 -14 934 -19
between 1996-2001 and 2006-
South 2011). In Punjab the severity of
Andhra P 975 961 -14 943 -18 the practice has thus only eased
Karnataka 960 946 -14 943 -3 slightly. According to a news report
mentioning district level data for
Tamil Nadu 948 942 -6 946 +4
the state of Haryana, the district of
Kerala 958 960 +2 959 -1
Kurukshetra (which had the worst
933 in the same period (a clear sign sex ratios falling below the 950 CSR of 771 in 2001) now has a
that life expectancy among women mark (taken as the general norm CSR of 817, similar to the trend
was increasing significantly). It the world over) in other parts of for Punjab. However, many more
was in 2001 that several states in the country outside the north-west, districts (Jhajjar, Mahendragarh,
north west India witnessed plunges such as Goa, urban Orissa, and Rewari, Bhiwani, Faridabad,
in their child sex ratios – with even pockets in the North-East. In among others) have worse CSRs
Punjab leading the way by dropping the North-west these patterns were than in 2001.
below the 800 mark, while other put down to the intensification of
Whatever the ‘improvements’
states such as Himachal Pradesh practices of sex selection at birth in
(if that is the right word) in north-
experienced huge declines for the regions with known prior histories
west India, CSRs are falling in
first time. Secondly, 2001 made of female infanticide and higher
history (especially at the district female mortality; elsewhere, a large parts of western, central and
level) because of evidence of child smaller proportion of families were eastern India – Maharashtra, Goa,
6 YOJANA June 2012
Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar like Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, as such, and few are interested
Pradesh, and even Andhra Pradesh and then again with a heterogenous in anything beyond it. One must
has joined the ranks from among state like Maharashtra witnessing underscore, therefore, the extent
the southern states. (Of course, the one of the steepest declines in 2011 of activism and analysis both in
state of Tamil Nadu is well known of 30 points, make it absolutely India and abroad, and the range of
for its history of female infanticide necessary to wait for the time when organisations, from local groups,
and sex selection in districts like a more contextual micro level the state, religious organisations,
Salem and Dharmapuri – so it understanding can be undertaken. international bodies, and so on,
remains to be seen what a more who are closely monitoring these
To give an example of such
disaggregated picture of that state figures. In a more self-critical vein,
contextual analysis during the
would reveal.) In other words, the the child sex ratio has become a
previous decade, in a study
state wise figures demonstrate a veritable academic and advocacy
conducted by a group of researchers
widening of the circle – even if the industry in its own right.
(John et al 2008) during 2003-05
numbers are not dramatic – well
in five of the lowest CSR districts The results of the Census 2011
beyond the so-called prosperity
of north west India, it became have therefore been highly awaited,
belt of north-west India, to the
evident that within this broad belt if from varying perspectives. Some
poorer states. A recent news report
where child sex ratios had dropped scholars have offered predictions
on UP, for instance, highlights the
severely, local contexts were of likely patterns, drawing from
spread of sex selection to eastern
nonetheless extremely significant. the National Family Health
towns and districts where it was
Thus for instance, while Fatehgar Surveys (the most recent being
hardly known before. (The only
Sahib in Punjab demonstrated the NFHS III, 2005-06), as well as
state whose figures are so strange
presence of families with just one the Sample Registration at Births
that there is every reason to doubt
son (especially among Jat Sikhs and (SRBs) made available every
them is Jammu and Kashmir,
urban upper castes), and families in year. Significant differences have
where the Census was undertaken
Kangra and Rohtak strived for two also been crystallising.. Has there
after a gap in 1991, in 2001 and
children (but very few with only been too great or too little a focus
2011. According to the provisional
girls), in the districts of Dholpur on the PCPNDT Act? Counter
figures the CSR has plummeted
and Morena significant forms of intuitively, could there be reduced
from 941 to 859, namely 82 points;
child neglect leading to high rates son preference even though the
along with this, J&K is the only
of mortality among girls in larger numbers are skewed? Is the problem
state in the whole country to have
one of “mindsets” out of synch with
families went hand in hand with the
registered a positive increase in
modern values of equality, or, does
growing practice of sex selection.
its fertility during this period.
modernity itself have a lot to do
Whatever the form that the ongoing The Debate so Far with what is happening? On the
conflict is taking, such figures are
one hand, some advocates believed
In order to get a better
hard to make sense of, and require
that the main focus ought to be the
perspective on adverse sex ratios,
further investigation.)
criminalisation of unscrupulous
let us recall the decade of the 1980s
medical practitioners, while others
It is likely that the ‘improvements’ when practices of amniocentesis
warned of how the very advocacy
in the north-west are related to for sex selection became the subject
against sex selection was turning
efforts at monitoring the use of sex of the first campaigns by women’s
into a problematic campaign against
determination testing, in contrast groups and health activists in
abortions per se. While some
with its spread elsewhere. But it Maharashtra, Delhi and Punjab.
predicted heightened practices of
would be wrong to equate the two, At that time, this issue garnered
“female genocide”, others saw
since the picture is more complex little public support, indeed, it
signs of a turn-around.
than that. The very fact that the was not even clear to most people
CSRs are falling in such a wide what the problem was. Today we There is something curious
variety of states – from Goa in the might be in the opposite situation, about much of this debate and the
west, which is not associated with where the sex ratio has become the positions that have been taken.
high levels of poverty, to poor states symbol for gender discrimination On what basis would we, after all,
YOJANA June 2012 7
expect change to happen? Planning and literacy, little attention is given percent of all women are destined to
the size and sex composition of to what is arguable the most critical find their future through structural
one’s children is surely at the indicator of the status of gender in forms of dependency. This does
confluence of a range of processes, our country. The most recent round not even begin to discuss the
from stretching limited resources, of the National Sample Survey (64th nature of the work that constitutes
wanting the ‘best’ for one’s children Round, 2007-8) has the stunning the 15 percent. Therefore, rather
with the effect of heightening the revelation that, after twenty years than only worry about balancing
burden of having them, extreme of unprecedented economic growth, numbers, what is required are state
socio-economic volatility, varying the total proportion of women in policies that actually seek to create
individual morality, the kinds of any kind of paid work is no more the conditions for meaningful life-
technologies available, and the than 15 percent. Another way of chances, beginning with those of
nature of gender disparities across putting this would be to say that 85 girls and women. q
classes in contemporary society.
Much has been said about signs of
reduced son preference as more and (cid:44)(cid:41)(cid:3)(cid:60)(cid:50)(cid:56)(cid:3)(cid:36)(cid:53)(cid:40)(cid:3)(cid:51)(cid:53)(cid:40)(cid:51)(cid:36)(cid:53)(cid:44)(cid:49)(cid:42)(cid:3)(cid:41)(cid:50)(cid:53)(cid:3)(cid:55)(cid:43)(cid:40)(cid:3)
more families say that they want
(cid:38)(cid:44)(cid:57)(cid:44)(cid:47)(cid:3)(cid:54)(cid:40)(cid:53)(cid:57)(cid:44)(cid:38)(cid:40)(cid:54)(cid:3)(cid:40)(cid:59)(cid:36)(cid:48)(cid:44)(cid:49)(cid:36)(cid:55)(cid:44)(cid:50)(cid:49)(cid:3)
a girl and a boy. But what if this
(cid:55)(cid:43)(cid:44)(cid:54)(cid:3)(cid:60)(cid:40)(cid:36)(cid:53)
preference actually translates into
the statement “at least one boy, and
(cid:54)(cid:74)(cid:71)(cid:80)(cid:2)(cid:46)(cid:81)(cid:81)(cid:77)(cid:2)(cid:48)(cid:81)(cid:2)(cid:40)(cid:87)(cid:84)(cid:86)(cid:74)(cid:71)(cid:84)(cid:3)(cid:3)
at most one girl”? Moreover, what
kind of structural changes are we (cid:40)(cid:38)(cid:50)(cid:49)(cid:50)(cid:48)(cid:44)(cid:38)(cid:3)(cid:36)(cid:49)(cid:39)(cid:3)(cid:51)(cid:50)(cid:47)(cid:44)(cid:55)(cid:44)(cid:38)(cid:36)(cid:47)(cid:3)(cid:58)(cid:40)(cid:40)(cid:46)(cid:47)(cid:60)
witnessing such that expectations of
(cid:11)(cid:40)(cid:51)(cid:58)(cid:12)(cid:2)(cid:75)(cid:85)(cid:2)(cid:67)(cid:2)(cid:79)(cid:87)(cid:85)(cid:86)(cid:2)(cid:84)(cid:71)(cid:67)(cid:70)(cid:2)(cid:72)(cid:81)(cid:84)(cid:2)(cid:67)(cid:78)(cid:78)(cid:2)(cid:86)(cid:74)(cid:81)(cid:85)(cid:71)(cid:2)(cid:89)(cid:74)(cid:81)(cid:2)(cid:67)(cid:85)(cid:82)(cid:75)(cid:84)(cid:71)(cid:2)(cid:86)(cid:81)(cid:2)(cid:76)(cid:81)(cid:75)(cid:80)(cid:2)(cid:86)(cid:74)(cid:71)(cid:2)(cid:85)(cid:71)(cid:84)(cid:88)(cid:75)(cid:69)(cid:71)(cid:85)(cid:16)(cid:2)
a turn around could have a genuine
basis? (cid:39)(cid:88)(cid:71)(cid:84)(cid:91)(cid:2)(cid:89)(cid:71)(cid:71)(cid:77)(cid:2)(cid:39)(cid:50)(cid:57)(cid:2)(cid:82)(cid:84)(cid:81)(cid:88)(cid:75)(cid:70)(cid:71)(cid:85)(cid:2)(cid:75)(cid:80)(cid:72)(cid:81)(cid:84)(cid:79)(cid:71)(cid:70)(cid:2)(cid:69)(cid:81)(cid:79)(cid:79)(cid:71)(cid:80)(cid:86)(cid:67)(cid:84)(cid:75)(cid:71)(cid:85)(cid:2)(cid:81)(cid:80)(cid:2)(cid:69)(cid:87)(cid:84)(cid:84)(cid:71)(cid:80)(cid:86)(cid:2)(cid:67)(cid:72)(cid:72)(cid:67)(cid:75)(cid:84)(cid:85)(cid:2)
(cid:80)(cid:81)(cid:86)(cid:2)(cid:69)(cid:81)(cid:88)(cid:71)(cid:84)(cid:71)(cid:70)(cid:2)(cid:68)(cid:91)(cid:2)(cid:86)(cid:74)(cid:71)(cid:2)(cid:79)(cid:67)(cid:75)(cid:80)(cid:85)(cid:86)(cid:84)(cid:71)(cid:67)(cid:79)(cid:2)(cid:79)(cid:71)(cid:70)(cid:75)(cid:67)(cid:16)(cid:2)(cid:43)(cid:80)(cid:2)(cid:67)(cid:70)(cid:70)(cid:75)(cid:86)(cid:75)(cid:81)(cid:80)(cid:14)(cid:2)(cid:75)(cid:86)(cid:2)(cid:73)(cid:75)(cid:88)(cid:71)(cid:85)(cid:2)(cid:70)(cid:71)(cid:86)(cid:67)(cid:75)(cid:78)(cid:71)(cid:70)(cid:2)(cid:67)(cid:80)(cid:67)(cid:78)(cid:91)(cid:85)(cid:75)(cid:85)(cid:2)
As already mentioned, the
(cid:81)(cid:72)(cid:2)(cid:69)(cid:81)(cid:80)(cid:86)(cid:71)(cid:79)(cid:82)(cid:81)(cid:84)(cid:67)(cid:84)(cid:91)(cid:2)(cid:86)(cid:84)(cid:71)(cid:80)(cid:70)(cid:85)(cid:2)(cid:75)(cid:80)(cid:2)(cid:43)(cid:80)(cid:70)(cid:75)(cid:67)(cid:2)(cid:67)(cid:80)(cid:70)(cid:2)(cid:86)(cid:74)(cid:71)(cid:2)(cid:71)(cid:90)(cid:86)(cid:71)(cid:84)(cid:80)(cid:67)(cid:78)(cid:2)(cid:89)(cid:81)(cid:84)(cid:78)(cid:70)(cid:16)
Secretary to the Home Ministry
(cid:52)(cid:71)(cid:67)(cid:70)(cid:75)(cid:80)(cid:73)(cid:2)(cid:39)(cid:50)(cid:57)(cid:2)(cid:89)(cid:75)(cid:78)(cid:78)(cid:2)(cid:73)(cid:75)(cid:88)(cid:71)(cid:2)(cid:91)(cid:81)(cid:87)(cid:2)(cid:86)(cid:74)(cid:67)(cid:86)(cid:2)(cid:71)(cid:70)(cid:73)(cid:71)(cid:2)(cid:75)(cid:80)(cid:2)(cid:67)(cid:78)(cid:78)(cid:2)(cid:85)(cid:86)(cid:67)(cid:73)(cid:71)(cid:85)(cid:2)
went on record to say that , in the
(cid:81)(cid:72)(cid:2)(cid:91)(cid:81)(cid:87)(cid:84)(cid:2)(cid:82)(cid:84)(cid:71)(cid:82)(cid:67)(cid:84)(cid:67)(cid:86)(cid:75)(cid:81)(cid:80)(cid:16)(cid:2)
face of this further decline in the
child sex ratio, the state should
(cid:54)(cid:50)(cid:3)(cid:58)(cid:43)(cid:36)(cid:55)(cid:3)(cid:36)(cid:53)(cid:40)(cid:3)(cid:60)(cid:50)(cid:56)(cid:3)(cid:58)(cid:36)(cid:44)(cid:55)(cid:44)(cid:49)(cid:42)(cid:3)(cid:41)(cid:50)(cid:53)(cid:34)
re-examine its policies. There has
been far too much focus on the (cid:53)(cid:55)(cid:36)(cid:53)(cid:37)(cid:52)(cid:43)(cid:36)(cid:39)(cid:2)(cid:48)(cid:49)(cid:57)(cid:3)
need to restore the ‘balance’ to the
skewed numbers. What is forgotten (cid:35)(cid:88)(cid:67)(cid:75)(cid:78)(cid:2)(cid:53)(cid:82)(cid:71)(cid:69)(cid:75)(cid:67)(cid:78)(cid:2)(cid:37)(cid:81)(cid:80)(cid:69)(cid:71)(cid:85)(cid:85)(cid:75)(cid:81)(cid:80)(cid:2)(cid:72)(cid:81)(cid:84)(cid:2)(cid:67)(cid:85)(cid:82)(cid:75)(cid:84)(cid:67)(cid:80)(cid:86)(cid:85)(cid:2)(cid:82)(cid:84)(cid:71)(cid:82)(cid:67)(cid:84)(cid:75)(cid:80)(cid:73)(cid:2)(cid:72)(cid:81)(cid:84)(cid:2)(cid:86)(cid:74)(cid:71)(cid:2)(cid:37)(cid:75)(cid:88)(cid:75)(cid:78)(cid:2)(cid:53)(cid:71)(cid:84)(cid:88)(cid:75)(cid:69)(cid:71)(cid:2)(cid:39)(cid:90)(cid:67)(cid:79)(cid:85)(cid:16)(cid:2)
is that, in a growing population
(cid:53)(cid:87)(cid:68)(cid:85)(cid:69)(cid:84)(cid:75)(cid:82)(cid:86)(cid:75)(cid:81)(cid:80)(cid:2)(cid:84)(cid:67)(cid:86)(cid:71)(cid:85)(cid:2)(cid:72)(cid:81)(cid:84)(cid:2)(cid:49)(cid:80)(cid:71)(cid:2)(cid:59)(cid:71)(cid:67)(cid:84)
like ours with its hypergamous
(cid:50)(cid:84)(cid:75)(cid:80)(cid:86)(cid:2)(cid:39)(cid:70)(cid:75)(cid:86)(cid:75)(cid:81)(cid:80)(cid:2)(cid:81)(cid:80)(cid:78)(cid:91)(cid:28)(cid:2)(cid:52)(cid:85)(cid:2)(cid:25)(cid:23)(cid:18)(cid:2) }
marriage market, male privilege has (cid:67)(cid:86)(cid:2)(cid:23)(cid:18)(cid:7)(cid:2)(cid:70)(cid:75)(cid:85)(cid:69)(cid:81)(cid:87)(cid:80)(cid:86)(cid:16)
(cid:50)(cid:84)(cid:75)(cid:80)(cid:86)(cid:2)(cid:82)(cid:78)(cid:87)(cid:85)(cid:2)(cid:38)(cid:75)(cid:73)(cid:75)(cid:86)(cid:67)(cid:78)(cid:2)(cid:35)(cid:84)(cid:69)(cid:74)(cid:75)(cid:88)(cid:71)(cid:85)(cid:12)(cid:28)(cid:2)(cid:52)(cid:85)(cid:2)(cid:27)(cid:18)(cid:18)(cid:2)
benefited over generations from an
excess of marriageable women in (cid:43)(cid:82)(cid:90)(cid:3)(cid:87)(cid:82)(cid:3)(cid:54)(cid:88)(cid:69)(cid:86)(cid:70)(cid:85)(cid:76)(cid:69)(cid:72)(cid:29)
any given cohort. In other words, (cid:53)(cid:71)(cid:80)(cid:70)(cid:2)(cid:75)(cid:80)(cid:2)(cid:67)(cid:2)(cid:82)(cid:74)(cid:81)(cid:86)(cid:81)(cid:69)(cid:81)(cid:82)(cid:91)(cid:2)(cid:81)(cid:72)(cid:2)(cid:91)(cid:81)(cid:87)(cid:84)(cid:2)(cid:43)(cid:37)(cid:67)(cid:84)(cid:70)(cid:14)(cid:2)(cid:69)(cid:81)(cid:79)(cid:82)(cid:78)(cid:71)(cid:86)(cid:71)(cid:2)(cid:82)(cid:81)(cid:85)(cid:86)(cid:67)(cid:78)(cid:2)(cid:67)(cid:70)(cid:70)(cid:84)(cid:71)(cid:85)(cid:85)(cid:2)(cid:67)(cid:80)(cid:70)(cid:2)(cid:71)(cid:79)(cid:67)(cid:75)(cid:78)(cid:2)(cid:67)(cid:70)(cid:70)(cid:84)(cid:71)(cid:85)(cid:85)(cid:16)
(cid:50)(cid:67)(cid:91)(cid:79)(cid:71)(cid:80)(cid:86)(cid:2)(cid:69)(cid:67)(cid:80)(cid:2)(cid:68)(cid:71)(cid:2)(cid:79)(cid:67)(cid:70)(cid:71)(cid:2)(cid:68)(cid:91)(cid:2)(cid:71)(cid:75)(cid:86)(cid:74)(cid:71)(cid:84)(cid:2)(cid:85)(cid:71)(cid:80)(cid:70)(cid:75)(cid:80)(cid:73)(cid:2)(cid:67)(cid:2)(cid:70)(cid:71)(cid:79)(cid:67)(cid:80)(cid:70)(cid:2)(cid:70)(cid:84)(cid:67)(cid:72)(cid:86)(cid:17)(cid:69)(cid:74)(cid:71)(cid:83)(cid:87)(cid:71)(cid:2)(cid:75)(cid:80)(cid:2)(cid:72)(cid:67)(cid:88)(cid:81)(cid:87)(cid:84)(cid:2)(cid:81)(cid:72)(cid:2)
there has been an invisible structural
(cid:39)(cid:69)(cid:81)(cid:80)(cid:81)(cid:79)(cid:75)(cid:69)(cid:2)(cid:67)(cid:80)(cid:70)(cid:2)(cid:50)(cid:81)(cid:78)(cid:75)(cid:86)(cid:75)(cid:69)(cid:67)(cid:78)(cid:2)(cid:57)(cid:71)(cid:71)(cid:77)(cid:78)(cid:91)(cid:2)(cid:81)(cid:84)(cid:2)(cid:68)(cid:91)(cid:2)(cid:79)(cid:67)(cid:77)(cid:75)(cid:80)(cid:73)(cid:2)(cid:81)(cid:80)(cid:78)(cid:75)(cid:80)(cid:71)(cid:2)(cid:82)(cid:67)(cid:91)(cid:79)(cid:71)(cid:80)(cid:86)(cid:2)(cid:89)(cid:75)(cid:86)(cid:74)(cid:2)(cid:67)(cid:2)(cid:69)(cid:84)(cid:71)(cid:70)(cid:75)(cid:86)(cid:2)(cid:69)(cid:67)(cid:84)(cid:70)(cid:17)
imbalance at work in most parts of
(cid:80)(cid:71)(cid:86)(cid:2)(cid:68)(cid:67)(cid:80)(cid:77)(cid:75)(cid:80)(cid:73)(cid:2)(cid:81)(cid:80)(cid:2)(cid:81)(cid:87)(cid:84)(cid:2)(cid:85)(cid:71)(cid:69)(cid:87)(cid:84)(cid:71)(cid:2)(cid:85)(cid:75)(cid:86)(cid:71)(cid:2)(cid:67)(cid:86)(cid:2)(cid:89)(cid:89)(cid:89)(cid:16)(cid:71)(cid:82)(cid:89)(cid:16)(cid:75)(cid:80)(cid:16)(cid:2)
the country outside the north west,
but which was never considered
to be a problem to be ‘corrected’. (cid:21)(cid:20)(cid:18)(cid:15)(cid:21)(cid:20)(cid:19)(cid:14)(cid:2)(cid:35)(cid:2)(cid:86)(cid:81)(cid:2)(cid:60)(cid:2)(cid:43)(cid:80)(cid:70)(cid:87)(cid:85)(cid:86)(cid:84)(cid:75)(cid:67)(cid:78)(cid:2)(cid:39)(cid:85)(cid:86)(cid:67)(cid:86)(cid:71)(cid:14)(cid:2)(cid:41)(cid:67)(cid:80)(cid:82)(cid:67)(cid:86)(cid:84)(cid:67)(cid:81)(cid:2)(cid:45)(cid:67)(cid:70)(cid:67)(cid:79)(cid:2)(cid:47)(cid:67)(cid:84)(cid:73)(cid:14)(cid:2)
Indeed, the peculiar case of Kerala (cid:46)(cid:81)(cid:89)(cid:71)(cid:84)(cid:2)(cid:50)(cid:67)(cid:84)(cid:71)(cid:78)(cid:14)(cid:2)(cid:47)(cid:87)(cid:79)(cid:68)(cid:67)(cid:75)(cid:2)(cid:22)(cid:18)(cid:18)(cid:2)(cid:18)(cid:19)(cid:21)(cid:16)(cid:2)
(cid:54)(cid:71)(cid:78)(cid:28)(cid:2)(cid:10)(cid:18)(cid:20)(cid:20)(cid:11)(cid:2)(cid:22)(cid:18)(cid:24)(cid:21)(cid:2)(cid:26)(cid:20)(cid:26)(cid:20)(cid:14)(cid:2)(cid:40)(cid:67)(cid:90)(cid:28)(cid:2)(cid:10)(cid:18)(cid:20)(cid:20)(cid:11)(cid:2)(cid:20)(cid:22)(cid:27)(cid:21)(cid:2)(cid:22)(cid:23)(cid:19)(cid:23)(cid:16)(cid:2)(cid:39)(cid:79)(cid:67)(cid:75)(cid:78)(cid:28)(cid:2)(cid:69)(cid:75)(cid:84)(cid:69)(cid:87)(cid:78)(cid:67)(cid:86)(cid:75)(cid:81)(cid:80)(cid:34)(cid:71)(cid:82)(cid:89)(cid:16)(cid:75)(cid:80)
with its positive sex ratio but highly
discriminatory practices against (cid:13)(cid:3)(cid:39)(cid:76)(cid:74)(cid:76)(cid:87)(cid:68)(cid:79)(cid:3)(cid:36)(cid:85)(cid:70)(cid:75)(cid:76)(cid:89)(cid:72)(cid:86)(cid:29)(cid:3)(cid:55)(cid:75)(cid:72)(cid:3)(cid:73)(cid:88)(cid:79)(cid:79)(cid:3)(cid:70)(cid:82)(cid:81)(cid:87)(cid:72)(cid:81)(cid:87)(cid:3)(cid:82)(cid:73)(cid:3)(cid:87)(cid:75)(cid:72)(cid:3)(cid:40)(cid:51)(cid:58)(cid:3)(cid:68)(cid:85)(cid:70)(cid:75)(cid:76)(cid:89)(cid:72)(cid:86)(cid:3)(cid:71)(cid:68)(cid:87)(cid:76)(cid:81)(cid:74)(cid:3) 12
0
women is a case in point. Secondly, (cid:73)(cid:85)(cid:82)(cid:80)(cid:3)(cid:20)(cid:28)(cid:23)(cid:28)(cid:3)(cid:76)(cid:86)(cid:3)(cid:68)(cid:89)(cid:68)(cid:76)(cid:79)(cid:68)(cid:69)(cid:79)(cid:72)(cid:3)(cid:87)(cid:82)(cid:3)(cid:86)(cid:88)(cid:69)(cid:86)(cid:70)(cid:85)(cid:76)(cid:69)(cid:72)(cid:85)(cid:86)(cid:3)(cid:82)(cid:81)(cid:79)(cid:92)(cid:3)(cid:82)(cid:81)(cid:3)(cid:87)(cid:75)(cid:72)(cid:3)(cid:40)(cid:51)(cid:58)(cid:3)(cid:90)(cid:72)(cid:69)(cid:86)(cid:76)(cid:87)(cid:72)(cid:3) 0/2
in all the focus on sex ratios, fertility (cid:11)(cid:90)(cid:90)(cid:90)(cid:17)(cid:72)(cid:83)(cid:90)(cid:17)(cid:76)(cid:81)(cid:12)(cid:3)(cid:68)(cid:86)(cid:3)(cid:68)(cid:79)(cid:86)(cid:82)(cid:3)(cid:87)(cid:75)(cid:72)(cid:3)(cid:79)(cid:68)(cid:87)(cid:72)(cid:86)(cid:87)(cid:3)(cid:76)(cid:86)(cid:86)(cid:88)(cid:72)(cid:17) E-5
Y
8 YOJANA June 2012
WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT
PROSPECTS
NCW: Twenty Years of Empowering
Women
Mamta Sharma
A T I O N A L the legislations made to protect
N
COMMISSION for the rights of women, so as to
Women (NCW) has enable them to achieve equality
completed 20 years in all spheres of life. The primary
of successfully mandate of the Commission is to
empowering women. review the constitutional and legal
safeguards provided for women,
The NCW tirelessly works
recommend remedial legislative
round the year for empowerment
measures, facilitate Redressal
of women. An apex national
of grievances and advise the
organization, NCW was constituted
government on all policy mattes
on January, 31, 1992 as a statutory
affecting women.
body in pursuance of the NCW Act,
Empowerment 1990 to safeguard the interests of Structure and Functions of
women in India. NCw
of women will
NCW has a wide mandate As per NCW Act, there is to
covering almost all aspects of be one Chairperson, one Member
also bring down
women’s development and plays Secretary and Five non-official
a pivotal role in studying and members in the Commission. The
atrocities against monitoring all matters relating to functions of the Commission are
the constitution and legal safeguards mainly divided in to four cells
women as they will provided to women. It reviews the namely Complaints & Investigation
existing legislations and suggests Cell, Legal Cell, NRI Cell and
have the strength amendments wherever necessary Research and Studies Cell. Almost
to meet any lacunae, inadequacies all the activities of the Commission
and knowledge to or shortcoming in such laws and are undertaken through these
also suggests fresh legislations. cells.
stand up for their It looks into the complaints and
takes suo-moto notice of cases The Complaints and
rights involving deprivation of women’s Investigation Cell is the core unit
rights, etc, of women in order to of the Commission. It processes
provide them support, legal care oral/written complaints / newspaper
and assistance. It also monitors reports and takes suo-moto
the proper implementation of all cognizance of cases under Section
The author is Chairperson, National Commission for Women.
YOJANA June 2012 9
10 (1) 7 94) of the NCW Act, 1990. takes up publicity against female sensitizing the police personnel.
For serious crimes, the Commission foeticide, violence against women, Some of these initiatives include
constitutes Inquiry Committees child marriages etc. in order to ‘Violence free home-a women’s
which make on the sport inquiries, generate awareness among women right’, ‘Jago’ as well as MOUs
examine various witnesses, about these issues. signed with other organizations for
collect evidence and submit partnership.
In complaints related to sexual
reports with recommendations.
harassment at work place, the Mahila Adhikar Abhiyan,
Such investigations help in
concerned organization / department has been launched in Rajasthan
providing immediate relief and
is urged to constitute an internal successfully in 2011, Street Plays
justice to the victims of violence
Complaints Committees as per the initially in few states namely
and atrocities. The Commission
Hon’ble Supreme Court Judgement Rajasthan, Punjab and Participation
monitors the implementation of the
in Vishaka Vs. State of Rajasthan in Vatsalya Mela etc.
recommendations of the Inquiry
(AIR 1997 Supreme Court 3011).
Committees by taking up the The Commission has also brought
The complaints received relate to
matter with the concerned State out a number of publications.
various categories of crimes against
Governments/Authorities. Some of them are ‘Chalo Gaon
women such as domestic violence
Ki Ore’, Meera Didi Se Poocho’,
In keeping with its mandate, dowry demand and harassment,
Sexual Harassment at work place’,
the Commission initiates various torture, murder, kidnapping/
Problems relating to NRI Marriages
steps to improve the status of abduction, complaints against NRIs/
– Dos and Don’t’s, The Nowhere
women and works for their socio- NRI marriages, desertion, bigamy,
Brides, Handbook on Laws relating
economic empowerment. The rape, police apathy, harassment/
to Dowry and Domestic Violence,
Commission’s Chairperson, brutality, cruelly by husband,
Do not Fear – Do not Bear – Do not
Members and officers visit various deprivation of women rights, gender
Admit, Abandoned Indian Women
part of the country to attend discrimination, sexual harassment /
Trapped in NRI Marriage and the
meetings/seminars/workshop/ harassment. Way Out’, Bahut Hua Ab Aur Nahi
public hearings, organized by NCW/ The Commission was made Sahna’ etc.
Non Government organizations
National Level Nodal Co-ordinating
(NGOs) ;Women Study Centres NCW concentrates not only on
Agency in 2009 to receive and
of Universities and investigates women’s empowerment but also
process all complaints from India
various cases of atrocities committed on their growth and development
and abroad related to Indian Women
against women. Besides, they including health care and education.
deserted by their overseas Indian
visit jails, hospitals to know the In order to bring down atrocities
husbands resulting from cross –
plight of women prisoners and committed against women, there
country marriages and a NRI Cell
should be interaction between
women patients respectively and
was inaugurated on September
NCW, the police and the Media.
recommend to the concerned 24, 2009. The complaints relate to
Rashtra Mahila, a monthly news
authorities for their redressal. deprivation of women’s rights or
letter of the Commission, highlights
They attend legal awareness camps any issue involving grave injustice
the activities of the Commission
on legal rights of women etc; to women. Since its inception, 933
as well as successful stories with
organised by NGOs/Women study cases have been registered in NRI
regard to complaints lodged before
centres of the Universities to gain Cell till March, 31, 2012. A need was
the Commission and also important
first hand knowledge about the felt to review the MOIA Scheme for
court and Government decisions
problems faced by women there so providing legal and financial help
affecting women.
as to suggest re medial measures to the deserted women in foreign
and to take up the issues with the lands. The amendments proposed A number of foreign delegations
concerned authorities. by the Commission regarding the have visited NCW to have an insight
scope of the scheme to be widened about the working of NCW and its
Redressal of Complaints
were taken seriously by MOIA role in safeguarding the interests
The Commission receives a large and the scheme has been modified of women and also understand the
number of complaints and also takes accordingly. status of Indian women in politics
suo-moto cognizance in several and their empowerment.
Recent Initiatives
cases to provide speedy justice by
Consultations, Public Contact
constituting Inquiry Committees. The Commission has taken
Programmes and Research
The commission sponsors legal a number of initiatives to create
Activities
awareness programmes, Parivarik awareness among women and
Mahila Lok Adalats and organizes their capacity building to exercise The Commission undertakes
seminar/workshop/consultation and their right for dignified life and promotional and educational
10 YOJANA June 2012