529 Finance (No.2) BiI BHAORA 21, 1913 (SAKA) HaJf-an-hour Discussion 530 National Commission for women SHRI JASWANT SINGH: PersonaUy I wasting the time of the House. A Jot of this discussed it with some people could be done in the Chamber. Let the HaIf­ here •.• (lntem.ptbns). In fact.lthink it can be an-Hour discussion go on. We have the time that tomorrow before the Private Members' to discuss it and let us discuss it and sort it Business and after the Private Members' out amongst ourselves. And come to a con­ Business, for however long it takes, we sit clusion. Meanwhile, let the time be utilised and finally dispose of the Anance Bill tomor­ for the Half-an-Hour discussion effectively. row itself. The Private Members' Business willbefinished atsixo·cIock.Acertainamount MR.DEPUTY SPEAKER : May t re­ of disposal would take place of speakers quest Shrimati Suseela GopaJan to com­ before the Private Members' Business starts mence her Half-an-Hour discussion? at 3. 30 or 3.45, whatever it is, and after it finishes at six o'clock. It wiD be much neater and tidierto dispose of the Anance Bill in that fashion. That would be my submission. 17_54 hrs. SHRt RANGARAJAN KUMARAMAN­ HALF-AN-HOUR DISCUSSION GALAM: There is also another problem, Sir. H tomorrow we are only going to take the National Commission for Women Finance Bill, then there are other Govern­ ment business also which are slated for (English) tomorrow. Keeping that in mind, we had agreed in the BAC that we have the BCCI discussion on Saturday morning. SHRIMATt SUSEELA GOPALAN (ChirayinkiJ): Sir, ,",aise to rise Half-an-Hour AN HON MEMBER: Not in the morning, discussion on the points arising out of the at three o'clock. answer given by the Minister of Human Resource Development on August 5,1991 SHRI RANGARAJAN KUMARAMAN­ to Starred Question No_ 291 regarding Na­ GALAM: No, the discussion is supported to tional Commission for Women. start in the morning and finish by three o'clock. Now we can reverse thal Let us start the Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir .. at the outset, BCCI discussion also after four on Saturday I want to thank the Speaker. who has given and let us finish ... (lntem.ptions). May I some time in this tight schedule, besides the suggest that we discuss in the chamber agreed discussion on the atrocities on because there are complications overall. Let women. On August 5, to a question by Shri­ the Half-an-Hour discussion go on. We wiD mati Malini Bhattacharya about setting up of discuss it and sort it out. the National Women's Commission, a reply was given by the Govemment that decision SHRI JASWANT SINGH: No, we can­ has not been taken. This House has unani­ not. because we have to See the collective mously passed this BiD •.. (lntem.ptbns) interest of the House. MR. DEPUTY SPEAKER: The House SHRI BASUDEB ACHARlA: When can should not suffer for want of quorum and the we II in the chamber? ladies speaking should not feel that they are not cared for. So, care should be taken. You SHRI RANGARAJAN KUMARAMAN­ can continue Suseelaji. GALAM: Now ... (lntem.plbns). SHRIMATI SUSEELA GOPALAN: Sir, Sir, • we are going to start a debate on this House has unanimously passed the BiD the whole mod,. operandi of when reply for constituting a National Women's Com­ should be given, etc. In the House, we .... mission. II was the long-standing demand of 531 Hal-an-hour SEPTEMBER 12,1991 National Commission 532 Discussion forMHJJeIJ (Shrimali Suseela GopaIan) have also started throwing out women from the CHganised sector. They will be thrown the women's movement in the country thai a into the unorganised sector. That is the re­ National Women's Commission should be sult of this indiscriminate mechanisation and constituted for going into the various prob­ attitude adopted. Throwing women from lams of women.lntheyear1975 -which was whatever little employment they have got. is thelntemationalYearofWomen-thepartici­ becoming a regular feature. pants in the United Nations Conference suggested that all member-Govemments Many legislation are passed. But many should establish in their countries such na­ of them are not implemented. Some of the tionalcommissions,committeesandbureaus achievements are being taken away by retr0- to develop the status of women in the world. grade steps like the Muslim Women's' (Pro­ By the year 1985 many countries did set up tection of Rights and Divorce) Ad, 1986 and such commissions. Recently SAARC also some unwarranted sections in the Sati Pre­ hadcaDed on an member-countries toestab­ vention Ad, 1981 which have deep implica­ lish such commissions in this field. tions not only for women's side and to jus­ tice, equality and freedom but to the political We constituted the Status of Women's and social health of the nation. The result of Committee in 1975. But, within a year, that this is compromise with fundamentatism. Committee submitted its report and there ended the function of that Committee. A 18.00 hr. Women's Committee for seH employment was also constituted which too submitted its MR.DEPUTY-SPEAKER: Just a min­ report. That Committee was also for one ute. Is it the desire of the House that we year. No pennanent body was set up. The should sit for half-an-hour more? National Women's Committee was there. Shrimati Gaeta Mukherjee will be able to teD SEVERAl HON. MEMBERS: Yes. you in detail about the functions of that Committee. Adualytherewas no function at MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: Now, an in that Commiltaa. Adually no effective Suseela;i, you continue. I just wanted to take step in any direction was taken to taka suit­ the permission of the House for extension of able slaps 10 develop the position of the time for this. women in the society. SHRIMATI SUSEELA GOPALAN: We Sir, why are we asking for a Women's are witnessing the result of these compro­ Commission? Wa aI know the deplorable mises in our country today. We had compro­ condition of our women in India. 60.58 per mised with fundamentalism from aD sides. cent of them ..a illiterates. 90 per cent are WIth minority fundamentalism and majority working in the unorganised sedor. 65 per fundamentalism we compromised. We are cenl of pregnant women are eating mal­ aD witnessing the result today. Approximately nutrition food. One out of eighteen women 2,500 recommendations regarding women's die during the pregnaney. Infant mortafi1y is issues were made since Independence. also high at91. The sex ratio has come down There are extremely important recommen­ 10 929 women for 1,000 men. In 1981 the dations such as Ia Bhatt commission's ree­ Government was teling that we haV8 ommendalionon ......mpIoymenIofwomen. achieved an improvement in the sex ratio; Several recommendations of the Law Com­ because sex ratio at thai time was 933 miIsion .. stiI remaining unnoticed. The women tor 1, 000 men. In the next ten years Status of women's Committee Report. 1975, • has come down to 929 for 1,000. What has not been implernent8d. The main rec­ does it mean? Atrocties on women are in­ ommendations was for I8ltIng up a National creasing. Sex determination ..... are going Women'. Commission. That aIIo ... not on unabated. New technological changes done by the cong,... Government. No ,... 533 Ha/f-an-hour BHADRA 21, 1913 (SAKA) National Commission 534 Discussion for women view of the programme was made. It was study and say that none of these legislations wasta of money and time because it is not were implemented. This is the fata of many mandatory on the Government to accept the social legislations. What staps were taken to decision and implement it. The crucial ques­ see that thasa legislations ara implemented? tion is that it is the Government that is violat­ So, women's organisations unanimously ing the Constitutional guarantees given to passed a resolution to constitute a National women. Innumerable struggles were c0n­ Commission for Women with statutory pow­ ducted by women's organisations and put ers. All the women's organisations and the prolonged pres:. -e for the amendment of Social Welfare Board Chairmen were caIIad Dowry Prohibition Act and for constituting for a meeting to discuss the Perspective family courts. Because of pressure the Plan for Women. We discussed the Per­ Govemment was forced to pass some legis­ spective Plan, we have ourown reservations lation. But what happened afterwards? A on it Afterwards, in August, 1989,43 women's family court was meant to be established in organisations convened aconvention in Delhi every district with counselling centres. I would and passed a resolution requesting the like to know from the Government hew many Govemment to constitute the Women's courts have bean established. In 1984 the Commission, but no positive response was legislation was passed, but how many courts there. Finally, the National Front Govern­ are being established ?We have approached mentto brought a BiD with many lacunae and many State Government, but they are say­ flaws and the women's organisations pre­ ing there is no money because in every tested. As a laudable departure from the district they have to set up courts and there Congress Government's policy, the National is no money. They are not setting apart any Front Government re-discussed it with the amount for this purpose. Amount should be Women's organisations and changed iI allocated by the Planning Commission. So, substantialJy although some weaknesses are when pressure is put, you will pass legisla­ still there. But they were prepared to discuss tions.