8 Aug : Social and economic empowerment of women is “much more important” than the women’s reservation Bill, which will only give political empowerment, Union Minister of State for Rural Dev Agatha Sangama said.
She, however, did not disfavour the Bill and said it is “just a catalyst” which will allow “certain women” to pave way for the “general women”, enabling them to have a good life.
“I have always thought about empowerment (of women) in different ways. One always thinks about (women’s) reservation Bill but that one is to get political empowerment. I think there are other forms of empowerment such as social and economic empowerment which are equally or much more crucial,” Sangama, the youngest minister in the UPA government, said.
She was addressing a programme organized by the All India Women’s Conference (AIWC) to inaugurate “community college” project at New Delhi on Saturday.
AIWC is starting the community college project under the national scheme of community colleges of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) to provide education and training to persons who are unable to utilise the conventional avenues of education like schools and colleges.
Addressing the gathering, Sangma said that she has got “some sense” of political empowerment and feels that being a minister “she should create a situation where women actually become economically and more socially empowered”.
Appreciating the community college programme being started by the AIWC in coordination with IGNOU, she said “It’s as a wonderful idea…. Women will get opportunity to learn things, get empowered, and become independent, in order to live a very good life”.
Sangma said the community college programme seemed to be actually paving the way towards development for those women who actually needed to be economically and socially empowered.
Women’s Reservation Bill – India
Here is a synopsis :
Ø First introduced in Lok Sabha ( Lower House ) by United Front Government in 1996
Ø Calls for 33 % reservation of seats for women from Lok Sabha to local legislatures. Panchayats ( village councils ) already have 33.3 % reservation for women
Ø Who is supporting whole-heartedly ?
Congress / BJP / AIDMK / other parties
Ø Who supports conditionally ?
Samajwadi Party / Bahujan Samaj Party / Rashtriya Janata Dal etc.
Ø What is their condition ?
Within the 33 % quota, there must be a sub-quota for women from backward classes
Ø Why this condition ?
They are afraid that in absence of a sub-quota, the bill will only help women from the elitist groups
Ø Who can bring about a compromise ?
Lok Sabha Speaker ( Ms ) Meira Kumar – herself a woman from a backward class
Ø What has been the progress so far ?
Bill has already been passed in Rajya Sabha ( Upper House ) in 2010
Ø What can we do ?
Pray that it does not meet the fate of the Lokpal Bill !
With regards
Hemen Parekh
Jobs for All = Peace on Earth