State Govt now ready with women policy

AFTER INTRODUCING gender budgeting for the first time in the State, the Government is now ready with the first-ever Mahila Neeti (women policy) that will soon be put before the Cabinet for its approval.

AFTER INTRODUCING gender budgeting for the first time in the State, the Government is now ready with the first-ever Mahila Neeti (women policy) that will soon be put before the Cabinet for its approval.

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The 12-point maiden women policy aims at sensitising the society and to change its attitude and outlook towards women’s problems and issues and to ensure implementation of various rights given to them in the Constitution. Various steps have been suggested to make them independent, particularly in financial matters, and to prevent increasing atrocities and violence against them besides ensuring their proper and effective participation in all social activities to raise their confidence level.

The women policy suggests preparing a work plan with the assistance of the women and child welfare and other related departments for effective implementation of the policy. An independent high-level implementation and monitoring committee comprising representatives of organisations/NGOs working in the women-related fields and prominent persons from law, education, medical and health fields would also be set up under the policy which would meet at least once in three months. At least 50 per cent members of the proposed high-power committee would be women and suggestions would also be invited from people to effectively implement the proposals of the policy.

Women’s right in the family property would be defined and ensured and special training courses would be introduced in Government institutions for job-oriented training to women.

The policy proposes to make it mandatory to give mother’s name along with the father in all documents. Age limit in the Government jobs would also be relaxed for women applicants.

The UP Government has taken a pledge in the women policy to implement it properly and efficiently and said that the policy would be reviewed every three years to include new points in view of the fast changing scenario, social needs and requirements.

The very first point of the 12-point policy — Sexual discrimination — is aimed at taking effective steps to prevent female foeticide, child marriage and prostitution and implementation of various laws enacted to check such social evils.

Under the head — Adolescence— the policy suggests to set up special cells in schools and colleges for counselling of adolescence girl students for living a secured, respectful and healthy life and to become independent. They would be empowered to fight against exploitation, violence and get proper education with special courses on personality development and confidence building.

Laying stress on education the policy has suggested special curriculum for psychology, sex education, HIV, hygiene, sexual discrimination and sharing the responsibility at home besides other equally important issues. Women would also be encouraged through various awareness programmes to actively participate and take advantage of a number of ongoing government schemes.

Free career counselling centres would be established across the State for their proper guidance in training and getting suitable jobs and free training would also be given to enable them to look for jobs in call centres and other areas of the information technology.

Special attention would be paid for the women living below the poverty line and all of them would be covered under the new insurance policies.

Media could play an important role in empowering women and their assistance would be sought in a big way, said the policy.