Where do we stand in empowering women in India?
~Lalit Kishore
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.
Some of the steps taken for by the GoI for women empowerment are:
• From the Fifth Five Year Plan
(1974-78) onwards there has been a marked shift in the approach to women’s
issues from welfare to development.
• The national commission for women
(NCW) was set up by an Act of the 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.
• National policy for the empowerment
of women (2001) spelled out.
Furthermore, India has also ratified various international conventions and human rights instruments committing to secure equal rights of women. Key among these is the ratification of the convention on elimination of all forms of discrimination against women (CEDAW), in 1993.
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