Women’s Empowerment Day).
9.3. Government Response
1) Committees on the status of women in India (CSWI) – This was set up in a response to United Nation’s general assembly Declaration of Elimination of Discrimination Against Women 1967. It submitted its report in 1974, which stressed the fact that poor are not a homogenous group & highlighted the unequal burden of poverty on women.
2) Draft National Plan of Action for Women- GoI has drawn up a national plan based on CSWI report. The plan accords priority to the need of concrete action in the areas of education,
health, welfare and employment with special reference to weaker section of society especially women.
3) It was only in 1980s that women were recognized as a separate group and a separate chapter viz “Women and Development” was included in the 6th Plan Document (1980- 1985) for the first time. Then subsequently it was included in the 5 year plans to ensure that fruits of development & benefits of Govt. programs do reach women.
4) National Commission for women 1991 - The National Commission for Women was set up as statutory body in January 1992 under the National Commission for Women Act, 1990 to:
♤ Protect and promote the interest and safeguard the right of women.
♤ Study all matters related to constitutional and legal safeguards provided for women, to review existing legislation & suggest amendments if necessary.
♤ Look into the complaints and take notice of the cases involving deprivation of women & provide support legal or otherwise to helpless and needy women.
♤ It recommended the Govt. to play an active role by incorporating a component of organizing in all govt. schemes, project etc for the poor, to promote organization of women at a broader level.
National Commission for Women: A toothless tiger?
♤ NCW is the apex national level organization of India with the mandate of protecting and promoting the interests of women.
♤ The major functions of NCW include:
o Investigating and examining all the matters relating to the safeguards which women are provided under the Constitution
o It presents reports to the central government on the work done by the commission
o It also makes recommendations for effective implementation of safeguards to the central as well as state governments
o It reviews the legislations related to women, and points out the shortcomings
o It looks into complaints, and can take suo moto action in such cases
o It works towards women rights and women empowerment
♤ But the NCW has not been able to play a very effective role. This can be clearly seen by the slow improvement in the status of women in India, and also the increasing cases of violence against women.
♤ Some of the reasons for this are:
o The financial assistance provided to the commission is less to cater to its needs, and to fulfill its mandate
o The members are appointed by the government, and this is a major shortcoming, as the commission cannot select its own members
o The recommendations of the commission are not mandatory; therefore the NCW lacks any concrete legislative power. Recommendations of the commission are not binding on the government
♤ All these reasons have led the commission to be more of a toothless tiger.
5) National Institute of Public Cooperation and child Development- NIPCCD, New Delhi is an autonomous organization under the aegis of Department of women and child development. Its objective is to:
♤ Develop and promote voluntary action in social development through training & capacity building of Govt. and Non Govt. functionaries
♤ Take a comprehensive view of women and child development & develop and promote programs in pursuance of national policy of children.
♤ Develop measures for coordination of governmental and voluntary action in social development.