18 Sep :The Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Smt. Renuka Chowdhury, has called for global collective action to combat transnational crime of trafficking and drug abuse. Addressing first World Forum Against Drugs in Sweden yesterday Smt. Renuka Chowdhury said that sustainable intervention and endeavour is the need of the hour to fight against trafficking of women and children and life threatening diseases like AIDS. Talking about steps being taken to fight drug abuse in India, Smt. Renuka Chowdhury said that India is signatory to all international conventions and has set up necessary legislative and other structures to fight the drug menace. Smt. Renuka Chowdhury in her speech also talked about the three interventions being undertaken by the Government of India to empower women, viz. reservation in local bodies, gender budgeting and micro-finance. She called on all governments, private agencies and NGOs to work together for a drug-free world.
The Minister is in Sweden on three-day visit to attend the first world forum against drugs. The forum was inaugurated by Queen Silvia of Sweden yesterday at Stockholm. Earlier in the day, Smt. Renuka Chowdhury met Swedish Minister for Elderly Care and Public Health, Ms. Maria Larsson. During the meeting, both Ministers discussed the possible areas of cooperation between India and Sweden in the area of public health, especially areas like mid-wivery, where both countries can cooperate. Other possible areas of cooperation discussed included adolescent health care, sexual and reproductive health care.
Smt. Renuka Chowdhury is also scheduled to visit Karolinska Institute in Stockholm which is a EU Centre for Medical Excellence. At the Karolinka Institute, Smt. Renuka Chowdhury is expected to discuss the possibilities for cooperation between India and Sweden in the areas like maternal and child health and nutrition.
During the visit, Smt. Renuka Chowdhury is also scheduled to meet Stockholm County Governor Per Unckel and discuss possible areas of cooperation between the two countries.