A Akhter /
President Paranb Mukherjee today called for increasing women representation as legislators. Addressing a two-day National Conference on Women Legislators in New Delhi, Mr Mukherjee said, commitment of political parties was required to increase the number of women legislators in Parliament as well as State Assemblies.
The President said empowerment of women in the country couldn’t be completely ensured until their participation is increased in every field. India has nearly 12 per cent women representation in Parliament. Mr Mukherjee said the global community has to rededicate themselves for women empowerment.
Speaking on the occasion, the President said that the Constitution of India provides for equal rights for men and women. It has also been enshrined in the Constitution that there shall be no discrimination, between men and women, in matters relating to employment or appointment to any office under the State. He said that underlining the need for upliftment and empowerment of women the Constitution of India was amended in 1993. The Seventy Third Amendment to the Constitution inserted new Articles from 243A to 243O.
*National Conference on Women Legislators*
Vice President Mohammed Hamid Ansari stressed on political equality between women and men legislators. He said women candidates have performed well in local bodies despite several challenges.
The Vice President said that women’s political participation results in tangible gains for democratic governance, including greater responsiveness to citizens’ needs. Women’s leadership and conflict resolution styles embody democratic ideals and they tend to work in a less hierarchical, more participatory and more collaborative manner than male colleagues, he added.
The Vice President said that the increase in women representation at local bodies has not led to commensurate increase of women members in legislatures both at the Centre and State. He further said that our Parliament’s gender profile is woefully unbalanced with women constituting only 12 per cent of the total membership. To shore up women’s political representation, all political parties need to extend their support to ensure that the Constitutional Amendment Bill to provide for 33 percent reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies is not delayed further, he added
Addressing the conference, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said the aim of the conference is to tell women legislators how more efficiently they can contribute in nation building.
. She emphasised that the conference is about how and in what way women legislators can proactively and productively contribute towards national welfare and development.
Observing that growth rate or per capita income is not the only criteria for holistic development of the country, Smt. Mahajan emphasised that there should be commensurate social development and good governance. In this regard, she added that women, both as legislators and an administrators, can contribute purposively to nation building. Mahajan referred to a study of IMF, which states that if women workforce equalled its male counterpart there will be a 27 percent increase in GDP and this will result in quantum jump in terms of economic and social development.
The conference is being attended by 300 women MLAs, MLCs, MPs, Union Ministers and Chief Ministers. The conference will equip the women legislators from across India with latest knowledge in relevant areas and provide them with the right perspective, motivation and guidance in their roles as legislators and powerful agents of socio-economic progress and change as well as good governance. It will update them about current national and international issues that are relevant to their field of work.
The Conference, which is being organized at the initiative of Lok Sabha Speaker Mrs. Sumitra Mahajan, will provide women legislators from across the country the first ever platform to interact and learn from their counterparts from all parts of the country and with women Union Ministers, Chief Ministers, MPs and eminent women from the judiciary and the bureaucracy. The Conference will comprise of a plenary session and the following three Sessions: (i)Contributing to Social Development; (ii) Contributing to Economic Development; and (iii) ‘Contributing to Better Governance and Legislation. The Conference is likely to be attended by more than 300 women MLAs, MLCs, MPs, Union Ministers and Chief Ministers.
The interactions and guidance from seniors and experts are intended to hone the skills and abilities of the legislators to perform their legislative and non-legislative leadership roles with a sharper focus and greater effectiveness.
The conference will equip the women legislators from across India with latest knowledge in relevant areas and provide them with the right perspective, motivation and guidance in their twin roles – as legislators and as powerful agents of socio – economic progress and change as well of good governance. It will update them about current national and international issues that are relevant to their field of work as legislators. The proceedings of the conference are expected to significantly enhance their effectiveness, which, in turn, will contribute to nation-building and overall development for a resurgent and inclusive India.