NEW DELHI, Mar 8: Despite age-old mechanisms of discrimination against women being gradually dismantled and widespread acceptance of equality in principle, full equality still seems to be a far cry, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar said today on the occasion of International Women’s Day.
“Let us on this day rededicate ourselves collectively to work steadfastly towards achieving an equal and human environment for women,” she said.
Ms Kumar said systemic oppression of women is a tragic fact of history.
Restricted to a narrow sphere of activity in society, denied educational opportunities and basic human rights, subjected to violence and frequently treated as less than human, women have been prevented for centuries from realising their true potential, she added.
Echoing the sentiment, Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj said, “We unite today to address women issues, but forget it thereafter.”
She added that the bitter truth is that “We meet 364 days and greet one day on this occasion, but if we are really concerned for the women’s plight we must observe this year as the year of women safety and discuss women issues on daily basis in the House to pave the way for egalitarian society in an actual sense.”
Referring to Delhi Gangrape and violence being reported thereafter from different parts of the country against women, she said that a lot needs to be done for the social, political and economic empowerment of women and for their safety and security.
Ms Swaraj said only making laws for women was not sufficient for their emancipation as effective implementation of the legislations was necessary.
Expressing concern on increasing crimes against women, senior Congress leader Girija Vyas said there was a need to create an environment where womenfolk feel safe and secure.
Hailing Finance Minister P Chidambaram for announcing an exclusive women bank and “Nirbhaya” scheme for women, she said, some more sincere efforts need to be done (Thoda hai thode ki zaroorat hai.)
She also voiced concern against the indecent representation of women in the media like endorsements, and sought changes in NRI Act as NRIs come here, marry Indian girls and leave them abandoned and rehabilitation of abandoned women.
She also demanded declaration of 2013 as year of Women safety by the Government of India.
Asserting that women must not be treated as a matter of subject but an object, she urged all parties to unite for women cause irrespective of differences.
Sushila Saroj (SP) said there is fear in the mind of the womenfolk as and when they step out from their home.
“Everything has changed from our villages to cities, if there was no change, it is the apathy of women,” she said.
Harsimran Kaur (SAD) stressed on the need to change mindset towards women.
In agreement with Ms Vyas and Ms Swaraj, Sharad Yadav (JD-U) said International Women’s Day is a day to honour the untiring commitment and persistent efforts of women to achieve equality, justice and development.
Voicing concern against indecent representation of women in the media, he added that it is the time for action to end all sort of violence against women.
Dr Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar of the Trinamool Congress and Dr Baliram
of the BSP called for stern steps to check female foeticide.
Dr Dastidar said it was a great irony that women who made most sacrifices for the family and the society were harassed and tortured the most.
The society could make progress only if it stood by women like Nirbhaya, the Delhi gangarape victim, she said.
Susmita Bauri of the CPI(M) expressed concern over the declining sex ratio which had come down to 927 females to 1000 males , and called for addressing problems like malnutrition, illiteracy and maternal and infant mortality. She also demanded passing of the women quota bill.
Gurudas Dasgupta of the CPI congratulated the Speaker, Ms Swaraj and Congress president Sonia Gandhi on the Women’s Day saying they were playing a very influential role in the polity of the nation, but said despite the achievements of these three women, it was a fact that there was a male-dominated society.
At this point, one Congress member from his state West Bengal pointed out to him that there was only one woman member in the CPI Politburo, to which Mr Dasgupta said he accepted the fact.
The CPI member lamented that women today were not safe anywhere in the country and were facing a lot of problems along with rape. They did not get equal wages, were malnourished and object of entertainment. Looking at the thin attendance in the House, he said the Women’s Day had just become an annual ritual, and it would remain so unless women were given real freedom to live with dignity.
M Thambidurai of the AIADMK recounted the steps being taken by the party-led Government in Tamil Nadu for empowerment of women.
He also sought to remind that he as the then Law Minister piloted the women’s reservation bill during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government.
Allen Davidson of the DMK said women only need to be given opportunity and their self-confidence should be boosted and their safety ensured to enable them to gain their rightful place in the society.
Intervening in the discussion, Women and Child Development Minister Krishna Tirath called for a change of mindset of men towards women, and recounted the various steps taken and schemes launched by her Ministry and changing the society’s attitude towards them.
Among various women-friendly measures, the Government had launched the National Mission for Empowerment of Women with the slogan ”No girl, No world” which underlined the fact that without women no regeneration of the humankind could take place, the Minister said.
She pointed out that a ‘Saksham’ scheme had been launched to target the adolescent boys for inculcating in them a right attitude towards women.
The Minister also called upon women to resist the family pressure for female foeticide.
Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda called for radical steps to change societal values and to make the society more safe and secure for women. He sought to remind that it was during his tenure that a bill for 33 per cent reservation for women was brought.
Raghuvansh Prasad of the RJD gave a call for revolution to remove gender discrimination, saying that the present values and set up were unable to prevent violence against women and cited the recurrence of rape cases even after nationwide protests against the Delhi gangrape incident.
Ratna De Nag of the Trinamool Congress stressed the need of improving governance and making laws more harsher to secure women their due rights.
Mehboob Beig made an impassioned plea for withdrawing the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from the north-east and Jammu and Kashmir saying that women of these states had been raped with impunity by the men in uniform and pointed out the recommendation of the Justice Verma Committee for the withdrawal of the law and also for civil trial of personnel of these forces involved in rape cases.
Putul Kumari(Independent) expressed concern over the increasing female foeticide, malnutrition among women and declining sex ratio and demanded a corrective step.
Finally, the Speaker said Parliament should enact all laws that were necessary for empowerment of women and it should keep a close watch on how these laws were being implemented.
Today’s discussion had sent out a messge to the nation that women in India will be empowered, she said, adding that every session of Parliament should have one day devoted to the discussion on the issues relating to women.
(UNI)
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