PaRCha – JNU – DSF SFI-JNU – 2012 ID-57193
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Date: 28.03.2012 .
Onwards to the XXXII Unit Conference .
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This year marks the centenary of the International Women’s Day. The SFI salutes the revolutionary legacy of the .
international women’s movement that has upheld the ideals of social justice, equality and peace, and fought .
relentless battles for the right to lead a dignified existem;e. The reality of the lives of women is devastating due to the multiple burdens imposed upon them by the interconnected networks of power exerted through caste, class, race and patriarchy. The struggle is far from over as women across the world are constantly waging numerous battles to gain respect, equal rights and opportunities. The State is also equally responsible for its negligence and apathy to women’s conditions of work and survival. The imposition of neoliberal policies in education, employment, health and other fields have reduced the scope of social security measures by the State. .
In India, women are subjected to numerous injustices at the hands of powerful socio-economic and political .
configurations, marked by caste, community and religion. These injustices are intensified by the various .
manifestations of violence inflicted on them at all levels, sexual, political and communal. Women face severe .
challenges because they have to manage work within and outside the homes and are often, the sole care-givers of .
children. Across states, women are involved in securing food security, water management and health safety for The apathy of the ruling UPA Government and their gender insensitrve and skewed.
their families. developmental policies were in ample display at the recently declared Union Budget for 2012-13. The total magnitude of the Gender budget (outlays earmarked for women) has declined from 6.1 percent (2010-11) to 5.8 .
percent ( 2012-13). Many of the schemes that have been formulated to remove gender based disadvantages fall far .
short of expectations. Schemes such as Priyadarshini, STEPS, and hostels for working women have only. registered a marginal increase in budget allocation. The backbone of the National Rural Health Mission, the ASHA workers has not recerved any due attention regarding their wages or social security measures. If this is the state of affairs in the first year of the 12thfive year plan, one can only imagine what provisions are going to be made towards enhancing the growth and capabilities of women in the country in the coming years. ‘s largest democracy and boasting of a female President, and a few other women in.
Despite being the world.
important administrative and political posts, there has not been a substantive improvement in women’s participation .
in decision making processes and political representation. Over the years, a struggle, led by the left forces, has .
been fought to ensure 33 % reservatiou of women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. But we have .
witnessed astaunch opposition to this move, and although the Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha, it continues to .
remain in adeadlock within the Lok Sabha. It is imperative that the Bill be passed at the earliest to allow women to .
actively participate in policy making. .
One of the glaring instances of discrimination towards women has been in the field of agricultural labour. The onslaught of nee-liberal and anti-poor policies has resulted in a rising number of women engaging in mostly unskilled or semi-skilled labour, earning lower wages than men. Women bear the brunt of skewed policy formulations and are forced to resort to unpaid labour. For instance, recent reports show that The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) jobs in states like Karnataka have become less women friendly with delayed payments, forcing women back to the fields. The Act came with a promise of not only .
· providing regular work but removing gender disparities. The conditions of home-based and domestic workers are no better, and labour laws are reluctant to recognize these millions of ‘invisible’ workers. The proposed Domestic Workers Welfare and Social Security Act of 2010 is still in the limbo of being passed, and pressure has to be exerted on the government to provide social security to domestic workers. Gender discrimination is widespread even in urban employment. Women continue to face a discriminatory system of promotion and pay. Their work environment remains hostile and with increasing privatization of employment based on hire and fire .
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