NATIONAL POLICY FOR EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN2001

Ministry of Women and Child Development

Women empowerment refers to increasing the spiritual, political, social or economic strength of women. It often involves the empowered developing confidence in their own capacities.

Advancement, development and empowerment of women

in all spheres of life.

Encourage active participation of all stake holders.

GOALS OF THE POLICY

PUBLIC GOOD IN POLICY

• Supporting Positive economic and social policies.

• Ensuring fundamental and human rights.

• Equal access to participation and decision making.

• Strengthening legal systems.• Mainstreaming a gender

perspective and Changing societal attitudes.

• Elimination of discrimination.• Building and strengthening

partnerships with civil society.

Stakeholders'•In Narrow Perspective: Our Women Folk only•In Broader Perspective: every one of usReason: can we develop ourselves while keeping our other half subordinate and deprived of basic rights ?A society cannot develop to its full potential until half of its population is also developed and has full say in every walk of our life.

Women Empowerment

Poverty

Health

Education

Nutrition

HousingFighting Violence

Judicial Reforms

Decision Making

Action Plan

ELEMENTS OF THE POLICY

IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES

• Various proposals mooted are Institutional Mechanismsa. National and State Councils for Womenb. National and State Resource Centresc. Self-Help Groups Legislative Mechanisms. Gender Sensitization. Resource Management

SUCCESSES ACHIEVED

• Legislative Actionsa. Protection of women from

Domestic violence act,2005b. Hindu marriage (amendment) act• Various schemes being introduced

and implemented.( Sabla scheme, IGMSY etc.)

• Concept of GENDER BUDGETING

STILL A LONG WAY TO GO……

• National and State councils for women still on paper.

• National and State resource centers not functioning.

• Major legislative affirmative action of Women Reservation Bill still pending in Parliament.

• Not much participation of Private sector .• Gender Sensitization not being effectively done.

MERITS OF THE POLICY

• Emphasize economic empowerment of women.• Prioritizes women education, health and sanitation • Recognizes the special needs of weaker sections, SC/ST, minorities etc.• Comprehensively lists the action plan and institutional mechanisms needed.• Prescribes measures to achieve gender sensitization .

DEMERITS

Inadequate fund in gender budgeting

Finding targets

Gender Auditing

Resource management in human and marketing

No Social security in informal sectors, EPZ, SEZ

Position of Women-International Perspective

Developed Countries like Euro Zone and USA

Civil and political Rights

Economic and Social Rights

Security of women

Position of Women-International Perspective

Middle Eastern Countries

Economic and Social Rights

Civil and political Rights

Security of women

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women(CEDAW)

Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic

violence

Convention on the Political Rights of Women

Maputo Protocol

International Instruments for Women’s Rights

ALTERNATE POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS Improvised and well-coordinated data collection system required to

strengthen Gender Auditing, Gender Budgeting and Satellite Accounting.

Greater fund allocation and emphasis on decentralised implementation.

Future policy making requires identification of diverse and deep-rooted causes behind poverty, female foeticide, dropout issue, etc.

Measures to promote Awareness Building, Gender Equality and Gender Equity highly recommended, along with increased and effective government intervention to mitigate higher degree of evil practises.

Conclusion Current policy quite

elaborate.

Need of the hour – More Inclusive and Integrated Policy for Economic, Social and Political Empowerment of Women.

Effective implementation at the grassroots needed to ensure improvements in current living status of women.

THANK YOU