Introduction and Overview

CHAPTER-1 Introduction and Overview 1.1 The goals of human development are deeply intertwined 1.3 The Ministry of Women and Child Development with the development and empowerment of women and (MWCD), Government of India, is the nodal agency for all children, as they together comprise significant proportion of matters pertaining to the welfare, development and the total population of the country as per the 2001 Census. empowerment of women and children in the country. In Women as an independent group accounted for 495.74 this process, various initiatives, policies, programmes, million or 48.3%, whereas children (0-14 years) formed schemes and enabling measures have been evolved for the about 34% of the total population. These sections not only benefit of these groups covering a wide range of areas constitute the precious human resources of the country but from gender equality, women and child related legislation to their socio economic development sets the pace for the their social and economic rehabilitation. The schemes / growth of the rest of the economy. programmes of the Ministry are implemented mainly with 1.2 Acknowledging this, the approach to the Tenth Five the support of State Governments, other Government Year Plan (2002-07) had given priority to the empowerment agencies and non-governmental organizations. of these sections through a holistic combination of legal and statutory safeguards and social and economic initiatives. 1.4 The Department became the Ministry of Women and The National Common Minimum Programme also has Child Development from 30.01.2006 with Smt. Renuka placed the objective of ‘empowering women politically, Chowdhury taking over as Minister of State with educationally, economically and legally’ as one of its six Independent Charge. Smt. Reva Nayyar continued as basic principles. Secretary of the Ministry. Smt. Renuka Chowdhury, Minister of State( Independent Charge), Ministry of Women and Child Development(MWCD) being greeted by Smt. Reva Nayyar, Sceretary (MWCD) INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW 3 Empowerment of Women education, strengthening the legal systems aimed at elimination of all form of discrimination and violence and 1.5 Women as an independent group constitute about 48 % building and mainstreaming gender perspectives into the of the country’s total population as per the 2001 census. society. The principles of gender equality and protecting the rights and privileges of women are enshrined in the Constitution 1.8 In spite of the constitutional provisions and positive of India in its Preamble, Fundamental Rights and government policies, there are a number of constraints still Fundamental Duties as well as Directive Principles. The faced by women and children, especially those belonging to Constitution not only grants equality to women at par with economically and socially disadvantaged sections. The mid men, it also advocates positive discrimination in favour of term review of the Tenth Plan brought into focus persisting women. problems such as adverse child sex ratio, high infant and maternal mortality, wide gender gaps in literacy and wage 1.6 The focus on women has witnessed a gradual paradigm rates, escalating violence against women etc. Other areas shift over the years from purely “welfare” oriented of concerns identified included problems relating to child schemes, wherein women were treated as objects of trafficking, HIV/AIDS positive women, restraining child charity to ‘development’ programmes and currently to marriage, protecting girl child domestic labourers. The their ‘empowerment’ by recognizing them as equal partners review recommended universalizing programs like Integrated on the road to progress. Accordingly, the policies and Child Development Services (ICDS), expanding crèches, programmes of the MWCD for women too have evolved strengthening the delivery mechanism and assessing the keeping in view their felt need to become socially, politically and economically independent individuals leading wholesome gender impact of all programs. The Ministry has taken note productive lives. of these recommendations and tried to address these issues not only through the ongoing various polices, programs and 1.7 The Tenth Plan (2002-07) called for a three pronged schemes, but also through innovative program/ scheme strategy of social empowerment, economic empowerment interventions in different sectors. Thus the planning, and gender justice through creating an environment of policies, programs and schemes of the MWCD are positive economic and social policies for the women, specially formulated to ensure that the above objectives in allowing de jure and de facto enjoyment of all human rights, terms of social and economic empowerment of women and providing equal access to women to health care, quality gender justice reach the targeted groups. Senior Officers of MWCD in an informal meeting with Smt. Renuka Chowdhury, Minister of State( Independent Charge), Ministry of Women and Child Development(MWCD) 4 ANNUAL REPORT 2005-06 1.9 The sectoral areas where the Ministry is deeply Government is committed to the goal of realizing elementary concerned with are: education for all, bridging gender and social gaps by 2010. To facilitate these national goals, pre school education of Health and Women children has been given due importance under the ICDS programme. 1.10 The approach of the Ministry towards the health and well-being of women has been that of a ‘life cycle Women and Employment approach’ wherein unique health requirements of the women at different stages of life are recognized and 1.14 The incidence of poverty especially among poor catered to. Women, especially in the reproductive age- assetless women is generally quite high and taking group are particularly vulnerable to various ailments cognizance of this, these women are mobilized into self resulting in high incidence of morbidity and mortality in help groups under schemes like Swayamsiddha, Swa- terms of MMR and IMR. The Ministry has focused inputs Shakti, STEP with access to micro credit facilities and for health needs of women, which include health check up provision of training in different vocations, upgrading of for pregnant women and new mothers, pre and post natal skills, capacity building etc. These efforts provide them with abilities in acquiring life skills to start income care through the ongoing ICDS programme. generation activities either through wage employment or self-employment. Food and Nutrition Security 1.11 The Ministry has devised a multi cultural strategy Women in Distress under the National Nutrition Policy (1993) and the 1.15 For women who will need protection and relief from National Nutrition Mission, identifying direct nutrition various factors arising out of natural or man made interventions for vulnerable groups to tackle various forms calamities (such as victims of earth quakes, floods, of malnutrition as well as micro and macro nutrient prostitution and trafficking, marital conflict, HIV/ AIDS deficiency amongst pregnant women and lactating mothers positive victims, destitute widows etc.), relief and as well as undernutrition amongst women and children, rehabilitative measures are provided under special schemes especially adolescent girls who will be future mothers. such as Short Stay Homes, Swadhar homes and proposed The Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SNP) and the new schemes focusing on the special needs of rape Nutrition Programme for Adolescents Girls (NPAG) are victims, trafficked women and children and women with specialized interventions for upgrading nutrition standards. HIV / AIDS. Gender Justice Access to Minimum Basic Needs and Services 1.16 At least 42 women specific and women related Acts 1.12 Realizing the importance of providing access of exist to provide legal safeguards and protect women from important basic facilities such as access to clean safe various kinds of harassment. These are being reviewed by drinking water, sanitation facilities, transport services, fuel the National Commission for Women (NCW) in order to and fodder, the Ministry has been taking up these issues modify or amend them to make them more effective. In with concerned Ministries, State Governments in different addition the MWCD is also initiating new legislation, forums and through the Gender and Child budgeting amending / modifying existing ones so that they become exercises. more potent in protecting women. Education and Literacy 1.17 With this background, the activities of the various programmes and schemes of MWCD can broadly be th 1.13 The 86 Constitutional Amendment Act 2002, makes categorized as those of : free and compulsory education a justiciable fundamental right for all children in the 6-14 year age group, and the I. Social and Economic Rehabilitation and Empowerment; INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW 5 II. Providing Relief, Protection and Rehabilitation to and to provide the women with a platform for articulating Women in Difficult Circumstances; and their needs and perspectives, special initiatives were taken to mobilize them into viable self help groups These grass III. Gender Justice and Legal Safeguards root level agencies have proved highly successful in garnering economic and social support for their development. I. Socio-Economic Rehabilitation and The activities under the plan programs / schemes are Empowerment summarized below: 1.18 It was realized that important social empowerment Interventions under ICDS programme inputs such as health, reducing the levels of MMR, food 1.20 To reduce MMR and IMR and

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