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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 cr�ches 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-�-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.
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