An Analysis Of The National Policy Of Women Empowerment. By - Divyanshi Singh
An
Analysis Of The National Policy Of Women Empowerment.
Authored
By - Divyanshi Singh
Table of contents
1.
Abstract………………………………………………………………….3
2.
Introduction………………………………………………………….…..3
3.
Review of
literature….………………………………………….….……4
4.
Research objectives……………………………………………….……..4
5.
Analysis of
objectives……………………………………………………5
6.
Conclusion…………………………………………………………..….14
7.
Bibliography…………………………………………………………….15
ABSTRACT
Women have been granted a secondary
status since we live in a typical patriarchal society, and this is reflected in
the political, social, and economic arenas.Without the progress and empowerment
of women, inclusive growth and development cannot be accomplished. The paper
critically analyses Indian policymaking in relation to women's empowerment. It
addresses constitutional safeguards, government policies and programmes and how
they are carried out, indices of women's empowerment, and where India falls short.
eywords - Women Empowerment , social
rights, Gender Equality , government,
policy
INTRODUCTION
Women's empowerment refers to
empowering women to make decisions about their lives and careers and ensuring
their equality in all spheres, including economic, personal, social, political, and legal rights.
Women are working side by side with men in today's workplace because of the
empowerment of women. A woman also strikes a balance between her
responsibilities to her family, house, and career. They are juggling a variety
of duties at home, including those of mother, daughter, sister, and wife, as
well as those of professionals, with both amazing simplicity and complexity,
according to the United Nations, Five main elements make up a women's
empowerment programme:
•
creating a sense of worth for women
•
Women's right to make and exercise their own decisions
•
Access to resources of all kinds and equal opportunity for
women is a right.
•
Women have a right to control and regulate their lives, both
inside and outside of the home.
•
Women's capacity to contribute to the development of a more
just social and economic system.
Women are thought to have had nearly
equal position with men in ancient India, particularly during the early Vedic
Era. But after Manusmriti arrived, women's standing was reduced to that of a
man's property. With the arrival of Muslim monarchs in India during the
mediaeval era, the situation of women deteriorated. Reformers such as Raja
Ram Mohan Roy fought for the advancement and emancipation of women. In order to
allow women in India the opportunity to enjoy their rights on an equal basis
with males and take part in national progress, the Indian Constitution has paid
particular attention to their requirements.
A socio-political aspiration envisioned
in relation to the broader framework for women's rights is the empowerment of
women. It is a path that enables women to reach their full potential and to
exercise their rights to opportunity, resources, and choices, as well as the
freedom to make decisions both inside and outside of the house. Only when
improvements in women's conditions are coupled with their capacity to shape
social change as a result of equal opportunities in the political, social, and
economic arenas of life will national policies for women's empowerment be
successful.
REVIEW
OF LITERATURE
Ministry of women and child
development website was referred to collect data on various government scheme
like beta pasha beta bachao , Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana etc. Along
with it Press Information Bureau site was referred for various drafts and
notices on policy. Official site of Rashtriya Mahila Kosh was referred and
ministry of petroleum and natural gas official site was referred to get data on
ujjwala yojna. National commission for women was referred for formulation and
suggestions in this paper.
RESEARCH
OBJECTIVES
1.
To analyse national
policy for woman empowerment of 2001 and 2016
2.
To analyse welfare
schemes for women in India
3.
To analyse the need for
national policy for woman
ANALYSIS
OF OBJECTIVES
The Indian Constitution's Preamble,
Fundamental Rights and Duties, and Directive Principles all explicitly
state the importance of gender equality.In addition to guaranteeing women's
equality, the Constitution gives the State the authority to implement measures
that positively discriminate in support of women.Our laws, development
strategies, plans, and programmes have all been created within the context of a
democratic state with the goal of advancing women in a variety of fields. There
has been a noticeable transition in the response to women 's problems from
welfare to development since the Fifth Five Year Plan (1974–1988). In recent
years, it has become clear that the key factor in defining women's position is
their empowerment.The National Commission for Women was established in 1990 to
protect the rights and legal privileges of women through a Parliamentary Act.
Women now have seats reserved for them in Panchayats and Municipalities thanks to
the 73rd and 74th Amendments (1993) to the Indian Constitution, creating a
solid framework for their involvement in local decision-making.
1.
India committed to ensuring equal rights for women by
ratifying a number of international agreements and human rights instruments.
The ratifying of the Convention on the Elimination of Any and all Forms of
Inequality Towards Women (CEDAW) in 1993 is a significant one of them.
2.
India has wholeheartedly endorsed the Beijing Declaration and
the Platform for Action (1995), the Nairobi Forward Looking Strategies (1985),
the Mexico Plan of Action (1975), and "Further efforts and measures to
implement the Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action," the UNGA
Summit on Gender Equality and Development & Peace for the twenty - first
century, was held for the purpose of The plan also takes account of the
sectoral policies and the commitments made in the ninth five-year plan with
regard to the empowerment of women.
3.
The women's liberation movement and a large network of
non-governmental organisations that are deeply rooted in their communities and
have a thorough understanding of women's issues have inspired efforts for the
empowerment of women.
4.
The objectives set forth in the Constitution, laws,
programmes, policies, plans, and related procedures, on the one hand, and
the contextual reality of women's status in India, on the other hand,
nevertheless remain far apart. The Shramshakti Report, 1988, the Platform for
Action, Five Years After- An Assessment, and the Report of the Committee on the
Status of Women in India, "Towards Equality," all provide in-depth
analyses of this.
5.
Gender disparity manifests itself in various ways, the most
obvious of which is the trend of steadily declining female population ratio
over the past few decades.Other aspects include societal stereotyping and and
domestic violence as well as societal violence.In some sections of the country,
discrimination against young girls, adolescent girls, and women still exists.
6.
The social and economic framework, which is built on formal
and informal norms and practises, is related to the root causes of gender
inequality.
7.
As a result, women, especially those from weaker groups like
Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, and Minorities—the
majority of whom live in rural areas and work in the informal, unorganised
sector—have insufficient access to resources for education, health, and
production, among other things. As a result, they continue to be socially and
economically ostracised.
Objectives
and Goals
1.
This Policy aims to promote the development, advancement, and
empowerment of women. The Strategy will be extensively distributed to encourage
everyone to actively participate in accomplishing its objectives.
2.
One of the goals of this policy is to create the conditions
for women to develop fully and reach their full potential through supportive
economic and social policies.
3.
The equal enjoyment by women and men in all areas of
political, economic, social, cultural, and civil life of all fundamental human
rights and freedoms.
4.
Equal opportunity for women to participate in and make
decisions in the social, political, and economic affairs of the nation.
5.
Equal access to occupational health and safety, social
security, public office, good education at all levels, career and vocational
advice, employment, and equal pay for women.
6.
Improving legislative frameworks to eradicate all forms of
discrimination against women
7.
Changing cultural perceptions and local customs by active
participation of both men and women
8.
Integrating a gender perspective throughout the design
process.
9.
abolition of all types of abuse against women and girls, as
well as prejudice against them;
10.
Establishing and enhancing collaborations with groups in the
civil society, especially those that support women.
Policy Directives
Legal
Judiciary Systems
The legal and judicial systems will
be improved to better meet the interests of women, particularly in instances of
domestic abuse and assault.To guarantee that justice is swift and the
punishment given out to the offenders is proportionate to the seriousness of
the offence, new laws will be introduced and current laws will be examined.
1. The Policy would strive to support
reforms in personal laws such as those connected to marriage, divorce,
maintenance, and guardianship in order to eradicate discrimination against
women, at the initiative of and with full involvement of all parties including
communal and religious leaders.
2. The advancement of property rights
within a patriarchal structure has facilitated women's subservient position. By
developing consensus, the Policy would work to advocate reforms in the law
governing property ownership and succession so that it is gender equitable.
Making
Decisions
In order to fulfil the objectives of
empowerment, women's equality in power distribution and active involvement in
decision-making, including political process decision-making at all levels,
shall be ensured. Every effort shall be made to ensure that women have full
access to and involvement in all levels of decision-making bodies, including
legislative, executive, judicial, corporate, and statutory bodies, as well as
advisory Commissions, Committees, Boards, Trusts, etc. When appropriate, on a
time-bound basis, affirmative action measures like reservations and quotas,
including in higher legislative institutions, will be taken into consideration.
In order to enable women to engage successfully in the developmental process,
women-friendly personnel policies will additionally be developed.
Important aspects of the 2016 Draft National Policy for Women
The Pam Rajput Committee report,
which the MWCD established in 2012 and which delivered its recommendations in
2016 along with a recommended national policy and a plan of action to
reduce violence against women, served as the basis for the policy in large
part.
Prenatal and maternal mortality will
continue to be a top concern, with an emphasis on a synchronized referral
transportation system for safe childbirth and the provision of emergency
obstetric treatment in challenging, remote, and isolated locations.
In order to change the focus of
family planning activities from female sterilisation to male sterilisation, it
attempts to develop "a gender transformative health strategy”.
It places a high priority on
improving the health of women of all age and increasing geriatric healthcare to
address the 8.4% of the populace that are women over 60.
It suggests "innovative
transportation options" like "cluster pooling of minibuses" to
enrol more females in secondary schools and sustain present girl students in an
effort to overcome the issue of travelling the length from home to school.
In order to foster regard for women
in men from an early age, the policy discusses including men and boys via
advocacy, awareness-generation programmes, and community programmes.
It also observes that more women are
using artificial reproductive methods. It suggests actions to protect the
rights of commissioning mothers, surrogate moms, and the kids born through
surrogacy.
In order to address the
vulnerabilities of widows, abandoned, single, separated,
and divorced women and create an opportunity for them, it is mentioned that
"a comprehensive social protection mechanism" will be designed. One
example is the construction of a 1000-room housing for widows and other
susceptible women in Vrindavan.
The policy emphasises the trafficking
of women as another area of concern. The draught policy includes measures to
improve naari adalats and family courts, build a suitable and comprehensive
record on crimes against women, strictly monitor how (law) enforcement
authorities respond to violence against women, and more.
Additionally, it emphasises
increasing women's participation in politics and the workforce through
need-based training, reducing the gender wage gap, providing women with
business opportunities through programmes like E-haats, recognising the
economic and social value of women's unpaid work at home, attaining equality
for women in agriculture, and effectively implementing the law to protect
women's rights to immovable property as well as skill development.
With initiatives like one-stop
centres, women's helplines, mahila police volunteers, reservations for women in
the police force, immediate response mechanisms via panic buttons in cell
devices, public and private transportation, and surveillance systems in public
places, the policy seeks to improve security environments.
Indian Constitutional provisions to protect women's rights
The Indian constitution attempts to
provide for women specifically.
Preamble: The Preamble to the Indian
Constitution guarantees social, economic, and political justice as well as
equality of opportunity, status, and human dignity. As a result, it treats men
and women equally.
Fundamental Rights: Article 14
guarantees the equality of men and women.
Discrimination based on sex is
expressly forbidden under article 15(1).
The State may take affirmative action
measures in support of women under Article 15(3).
In accordance with Article 16, every
citizen has an equal chance to be hired or appointed to a position.
DPSP : Article 39 (a) of the
Constitution mandates that the state must focus its policies on providing the
equal right to a sufficient standard of living for both men and women.
Equal remuneration for equal work is
required by Article 39(d) for both men and women.
According to Article 42, the state
must make provisions for maternity leave and reasonable and humane working
conditions.
Welfare schemes for women
1.
BETI BACHAO BETI PADHAO -
In order to deal with sex selective
abortion and the falling child sex ratio, which was 918 girls for every 1,000
boys in 2011, it was introduced in January 2015. The Ministry of Women and
Child Development, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and the Ministry
of Human Resource Development are working together on this project. The
programme is now being carried out in 405 districts around the nation.
Preventing gender-biased
sex-selective elimination is the main goal, ensuring the girl child's survival
and protection, ensuring that girls receive an education and may participate,
defending the rights of young girls.
Performance Evaluation: Sex Ratio at
Birth: According to data from the Health Management Information System (HMIS),
the Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) increased by 16 points from 918 (2014–15) to 934
(2019–20).
Health: ANC Registration: The
percentage of women who register for antenatal care during the first trimester
has increased from 61% in 2014–15 to 71% in 2019–20. Institutional Deliveries:
From 87% in 2014–15 to 94% in 2019–20, the percentage of institutional
deliveries has improved.
Education: According to preliminary
statistics from the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE),
the gross enrollment ratio (GER) of girls in secondary schools increased from
77.45 in 2014–15 to 81.32 in 2018–19.
Toilet for girls: From 92.1% in
2014–15 to 95.1% in 2018–19, more schools now have functional separate
restrooms for girls.
Change in Attitude: The BBBP
programme has been able to draw attention to significant issues such female
infanticide, girls' lack of education, and denial of their rights throughout
the life cycle.One of the major events commemorated in each district is Beti
Janmotsav.
2.
UJJWALA
The programme offers BPL households a
financial contribution of Rs 1600 for every LPG connection.The beneficiaries of
Ujjwala 2.0 will also receive a free hotplate and without deposit LPG connection, as well as the first refill.
In accordance with Ujjwala 1.0, the
goal was to connect 50 million women across BPL homes to LPG by March 2020.
However, in August 2018, women from seven additional groups were included in
the scope of the programme: SC/ST, beneficiaries of the Antyoday Anna Yojana
(AAY), PMAY,Tea Garden Workers, Forest Dwellers, Most Backward Classes, and
Islanders. The beneficiaries of Ujjwala 2.0 would receive an extra 10 million
LPG connections.
The PMUY's initial phase provided
free cooking gas connections to 8 million low-income people, including those
from Dalit and tribal communities.The nation's LPG infrastructure has grown
significantly. Throughout the nation, and over 11,000 new LPG distribution
channels have opened in the previous six years. Low Refill Consumption:
Encouraging Long-Term LPG Use Remains a Challenge, and Low Refill Consumption
Hampered Recover the Outstanding Loans Disbursed Under the Program. On
December 31, 2018, only 3.21 refills were used on average annually.Anomalies in
the system include the granting of connections to undesired recipients, issues
with the state-run oil marketing companies' software for determining intended
recipients, and defects in the deduplication procedure.
3.
SWADHAR (A Scheme for Women in Difficult Circumstances) (A
Scheme for Women in Difficult Circumstances)
It aims to protect women,
particularly those who are in difficult situations, such as widows, destitute
and abandoned women, women who have been released from prison, victims of
sexual abuse and crimes, such as those who have been trafficked and saved from
brothels, migrants or refugees who have been made homeless as a result of
natural disasters.
4. The Rashtriya Mahila Kosh (National Credit Fund for Women)
With a corpus of Rs. 31 crores, the
Rashtriya Mahila Kosh (National Credit Fund for Women) was established in 1993
in response to the socioeconomic barriers that impoverished women in the
nation's rural and unorganised sectors experienced in obtaining microcredit
from the country's official financial system.
5.
Conditional Maternity Benefit (CMB) Scheme under the Indira
Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana (IGMSY)
It is a conditional cash transfer
programme for expectant and nursing moms that aims to enhance the environment
for these women by offering financial incentives for better health and
nutrition.
6.
Conditional Maternity Benefit (CMB) Scheme under the Indira
Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana (IGMSY)
It is a conditional cash transfer
programme for expectant and nursing moms that aims to enhance the environment
for these women by offering financial incentives for better health and
nutrition.
7.
Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana
With effect from January 1st, 2017,
the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) is a maternity benefits
programme being implemented in all districts of the nation. The Ministry of
Women and Child Development is carrying out a centrally funded programme.
Scheme for Direct Benefit Transfers: To help pregnant women with their
increased nutritional demands and to partially make up for lost wages, cash
benefits are directly sent into their bank accounts.All Pregnant Women and
Lactating Mothers (PW&LM), with the exception of those who hold regular
work with the Central Government, State Governments, Public Sector Undertakings
(PSUs), or those who receive benefits of a like nature under any currently in
effect law.For the family's first child, all qualified expectant mothers and
nursing mothers who became pregnant on or after January 1, 2017, are eligible.
Those who meet the requirements are
given a financial incentive of Rs. 5,000 over three instalments: Early
pregnancy registration , Antenatal examination , Registration of
the kid's birth and completion of the first round of immunisations for the
family's first child still alive, Under the Janani Suraksha Yojana, eligible
beneficiaries also get financial incentives (JSY). Consequently, a woman earns
Rs. 6,000 on average.
8.
Mahila Shakti Kendra Scheme
9.
The cost-sharing ratio between the centre and states for the
Scheme's implementation is 60:40, with the exception of the North East and
Special Category States, where the ratio is 90:10. The Scheme is carried out
through the State Government/UT Administration.
By offering technical assistance to the
corresponding governments on matters relating to women, it is intended to work
at the national level (domain-based knowledge support) and state level (State
Resource Center for Women).
Another plan is for the District
Level Center for Women (DLCW) to gradually encompass 640 districts. These
centres will facilitate women-centric programmes at the village, block, and
state levels and provide the district-level Beti Bachao Beti Padhao
programme a foothold.
As part of block level activities,
community interaction through university student volunteer will play a crucial
role in raising awareness of several vital government schemes/programs as well
as societal issues.
9.
ONE STOP CENTRES
It is a programme that is sponsored
by the government to address the issue of violence against women. It debuted in
April of 2015. It is a part of the National Mission for Women's Empowerment
umbrella programme, which also includes the Indira Gandhi Mattritav Sahyaog
Yojana. There will be one-stop centres set up all around the nation, with at
minimum one OSC in each mission around the globe, to offer comprehensive
support and aid to women who have been victims of violence. Indian missions
serve as a vital conduit for communication between the Indian community
worldwide and the Indian government.
To assist women who have been
impacted by violence, whether it occurs in the home, in the community, at
work, in private or public settings.Particularly for women who experience
economic, psychological, emotional, and physical abuse, regardless of caste,
creed, ethnicity, class, level of education, age, or marital status. The
central government gives the state governments and administrations in Union
Territories 100% of the funding for it through the Nirbhaya Fund.
(Nirbhaya Fund - A non-lapsable
corpus fund for women's protection and security is provided through the
Nirbhaya Fund Framework. It was founded in 2013. The Department of Economic
Affairs (DEA) of the Ministry of Finance (MoF) of the Government of India is in
charge of managing it. It can be used for initiatives and programmes relating
to the safety of women.)
Why is a National Policy for Women needed in India?
Given the long-term nature of
problems affecting women in India, it is necessary to strengthen processes that
support the holistic development of women by putting an emphasis on a
coordinated method for carrying out the policies of the relevant
Ministries/Departments and by fostering an environment that is supportive of
social change. Women in India still face issues like feminizing poverty, poor
investments in social sectors, rising violence against women, and stereotypical
representation of women in society despite the particular efforts the state has
made for their welfare.Since the last National Policy for the Empowerment of
Women in India was created in 2001, the idea of women's empowerment has
evolved. Instead of only being welfare receivers, it is now necessary to
involve them in the development process, providing welfare with a heavy dosage
of rights. This policy's draught aims to address this change. In India, it will
determine how the government acts toward women for the next 15 to 20 years.
CONCLUSION
AND SUGGESTION
Better Education Possibilities:
Educating women also educates the rest of the family. In order to increase
women's self-confidence, education is crucial. Additionally, it gives people
the chance to alter their social status. Education empowers and instils confidence
in the ability to make better judgements. To guarantee females' rights to an
education and to be free of discrimination in educational institutions, the
education policy must be more inclusive. Aiming to favourably alter young men's
and boys' attitudes toward women and girls is another goal of education reform.
Skills and Micro Finance: Women who have financial stability thanks to skills
and micro financing are no longer dependent on others in the community.For
women to be financially empowered, it is crucial to train them in
non-traditional skills that are in demand on the market and to increase their
employment in the public and private sectors. Female Safety To secure the
safety of women across the nation, a multi-sectoral approach should be developed
to educate women about current government programmes and mechanisms. A few
positive moves in the favour of women's protection are the Panic Button and the
Nirbhaya Police Squad. The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention,
Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, was passed to protect female employees'
right to equality in position and opportunity and to create safe work
environments for women.Specific Measures at the Lower Level of Governance: In
order to increase inclusiveness in governance and enhance the position of women
in India, it is necessary to design, support, and promote programmes at the
lower level of governance. For illustration: The purpose of this effort, which
was started by Swagatam Nandini in Katni, Madhya Pradesh, is to celebrate the
birth of females. Under the Ladli Lakshmi Scheme, parents of newborn baby girls
are honoured with baby kits and a little procession to enjoy the arrival of
their daughter. Nanhe Chinh (Panchkula, Haryana): Families of newborn girls are
advised by anganwadi workers (AWWs) to bring their children to neighbourhood
AWCs.Along with the names of the mother and the young girls, their footprints
are drawn on a piece of chart paper and hung on the AWC wall. Education
Incentives: Increasing financial incentives for further education is necessary
to reduce the greater dropout rate among girls. Villages and districts should
get rewards for achieving an equal child sex ratio via education, information,
and communication efforts. E-governance should receive more attention so that
timely oversight of the funds granted by the federal government and different
state government for scholarships for female students may be ensured. Enhancing
Basic Amenities in Rural Areas: Improving basic infrastructure can lighten the
load on domestic labour.For instance, rural women's household work frequently
include taxing duties like collecting fuelwood and water. Clean natural gas
(which is already improving) and piped drinking water will lessen this strain.
From women's development to women-led development: Instead of being passive
receivers of the benefits of development, women should be redefined as the
builders of India's progress and development.
An educated and powerful woman will
assure education and empowering for future generations, hence the effects of
women led growth are indisputable. Enhancing Basic Amenities in Rural Areas:
Improving basic infrastructure can lighten the load on domestic labour.
Although the policy attempts to
respect the interests of women and aspires to empower them, it is mute on the
subject of marital rape. The strategy claims to acknowledge the complexity in
gender roles brought about by "the new millennium, and the realities of a
rapid evolving global and national scene," in addition to more conventional
women's empowerment programmes.Making laws alone, though, is insufficient. It
is necessary to bring about changes in how society views women as well as in
how men and boys behave in relation to family structures and women's groups.
Then and only then can we move forward with giving women the same protections
and rights as men.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1.
“Beti Bachao Beti
Padhao Scheme | Ministry of Women and Child Development.” Beti Bachao Beti
Padhao Scheme | Ministry of Women & Child Development, 9 Nov. 2022,
wcd.nic.in/schemes/beti-bachao-beti-padhao-scheme.
2.
“National Policy
for Women.” National Policy for Women,
pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=103327#:~:text=The%20Government%20of%20India%20had,forms%20of%20discrimination%20against%20women.
Accessed 27 Jan. 2023.
3.
“PMUY?: New Ujjwala 2.0 Connection.” PMUY?: New Ujjwala 2.0 Connection, www.pmuy.gov.in/ujjwala2.html.
Accessed 27 Jan. 2023.
4.
“Indira Gandhi
Matritva Sahyog Yojana by Ministry of Women and Child Development| National
Portal of India.” Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana by Ministry of Women and
Child Development| National Portal of India,
www.india.gov.in/indira-gandhi-matritva-sahyog-yojana-ministry-women-and-child-development.
Accessed 27 Jan. 2023.
5.
“PMMVY | Ministry
of Women and Child Development.” PMMVY | Ministry of Women & Child
Development, 25 Feb. 2021,
wcd.nic.in/schemes/pradhan-mantri-matru-vandana-yojana.
6.
“Mahila Shakti
Kendra Scheme to Empower Rural Women Through State and District Centres.”
Mahila Shakti Kendra Scheme to Empower Rural Women Through State and District
Centres, pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=178466. Accessed 27 Jan.
2023.
7.
“One Stop Centre
Scheme | Ministry of Women and Child Development.” One Stop Centre Scheme |
Ministry of Women & Child Development, 28 Nov. 2022,
wcd.nic.in/schemes/one-stop-centre-scheme-1.