Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 12: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference today stated that at a time when most of the parties don’t walk on women’s representation in politics, the NC stands for giving women their due, claiming that the party is intensifying its efforts to improve participation of women in politics at all levels.
“The National Conference right from its inception, has worked towards blurring gender discrimination and ensuring more participation of women in public life,” said Party’s State Women’s Wing president and former Legislator Shameema Firdous while addressing District presidents and other provincial level functionaries of the women wing at Srinagar. The meeting was also attended by Provincial president (K) Sabiya Qadri and Provincial secretary Aisha Jameel.
Addressing the functionaries, Shameema said the lock down and SOPs have taken a toll on women. She said as the pandemic stretched in the ongoing year, the voice of women remained unheard by the incumbent administration. “The covid has particularly been harmful to women folk, especially those who are singularly providing for families with their meager wages by working in handicrafts and other services sector. The pandemic blues have however, pushed them to wall; the absence of any succor from the administration is making their condition from bad to worse. Covid’s massive disruption to employment has also crippled economy and pushed lakhs of women to the financial brink. The government has nothing in its kitty for the girl students, expecting mothers, elderly and ones in poor health. The package announced by the incumbent administration has nothing to mitigate the suffering of our women folk,” she said.
“With a drastic fall in the household income the women, the expecting mothers and elderly women have become more susceptible to malnutrition and diseases. The ongoing crises have also decreased women’s access to medical facilities; purchasing necessary drugs and supplements is out of the question for both expecting mothers, as well as elderly. In general also Covid induced economic slump impacted women more than men. I have come across instances where women have cut their dietary intake to save their kids,” she added.
Impressing upon the incumbent Govt to announce a women specific package she said the administration should immediately work out a mechanism to provide monthly emoluments to expecting mothers, elderly and girl students. The pension for elderly women should be enhanced by Rs 700 per month. The grievances of lakhs of ASHA workers should be redressed and their withheld monthly wages should be released immediately,” she said.
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