National Alliance of Women’s Organizations

“The National alliance of Women’s Organizations” is a collective of more than 1500 organizations and individuals working across India to attain gender justice and gender equality.

Fact Sheet Regarding Women in India

A 72 years journey of Indian women after attaining Independence. Where do they stand? The data tells the story.....

• Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR)- 130 per 100000 live births( *Niti Ayog, 2016)
• Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) -34 per 1000 live births (*Niti Ayog, 2016)
• Sex Ratio- 943 ( *PIB, 2016)
• Child Sex Ratio- 919 ( *NitiAyog, 2016)
• Female Literacy Rate- 65.46% (*Census of India, 2011)
• Gender Gap in Literacy- 16.8% (* Census of India, 2011)
• Land Ownership by Women - Less than 12.8% ( *FAO, 2010-11)
• Female Employment Rate- 25.3% (*MoSPI, 2011)
• Employment of women declined- During last ten years, from 30.2% to 25.3% ( *MoSPI, 2001-2011)
• Increase in Gender Crimes- Increase by 83% in last ten years (*NCRB Data, 2016)
• India ranks 142nd out of 149 countries in economic participation of women and continues to rank 3rd lowest in the world in health and survival of women (* WEF’s Global Gender Gap Report 2018)
• Female Members of Legislative Assemblies (MLA)- 9% ( *IPU, 2017)
• Female Parliamentarians (MP) in Lok Sabha-11.8% (*IPU, 2017)

WOMANIFESTO: 11 POINT AGENDA FOR WOMEN OF INDIA

As per the recently held State elections in 2018, now, it is evident that women are coming out in large numbers to vote and as citizens of India they are playing major roles in government formation. So, no political party can afford to ignore their concerns and collective demands.

We, the members of the National Alliance of Women’s Organizations, with all firmness and unison, hereby appeal to all the political parties to incorporate our following demands in their respective election manifestoes.

• Regular trainings for health professionals be conducted on gender based violence including the prevention of sex selection (PCPNDT Act)
• Free sanitary napkins be provided to all girls in schools
• Increase in the health budget to 4% of the total union budget
• Ensure free treatment of rape victims and victims of acid attacks in all hospitals. Also, government should bear the cost if the victim has to go to private hospitals for treatment

• Ensure safety and security of girls in schools-Installation of CCTV cameras, appointment of female attendants in schools, construction of separate toilets for girl students in all schools
• Ensure 100% literacy rates for girls
• Effective implementation of provisions of Right to Education Act so as to prevent drop outs of girls from schools
• Ensure free education to all girls till class 10th and
• Employment oriented courses be introduced in school curriculum
• All existing “Women’s Studies Centre” should continue and government funds be allocated and released on time

• Ensure all land Patta be allocated in the joint names of wife and husband if the beneficiaries are married
• Ensure all houses be registered in the joint names of husband and wife if the buyers are married
• Laws should be enacted so that women could avail her share in matrimonial property and paternal property
• Ensure criminalization of marital rape
• Ensure no dilution of Dowry Prohibition Act 1961
• Repeal of all Personal laws because personal laws are framed in such a manner that they promote gender discrimination in inheriting property rights, custody of children, personal liberty, divorce settlements and remarriage
• Enact “Cyber Safety Laws” for protecting women from online bullying, harassment and revenge porn
• Women’s Safety Audits should be conducted annually

• Ensure at least 33% tickets be provided to female candidates for contesting elections
• Passage of Women’s Reservation Bill by Parliament and State Legislative Assemblies
• At least 1/3rd seats in all internal committees of political parties be reserved for women

• Ensure gender is incorporated as a measure of development for all programs and schemes
• Ensure at least 30% of Annual budget be spent for growth and development of women under the gender budgeting provisions
• Finance Minister should hold a meeting with women’s organizations before finalizing yearly budgets
• Loans taken by women farmers who become unable to repay them due to unavoidable circumstances should be waived by the government

• Gender to be incorporated in all development goals including government’s plans, programs and schemes.
• NITI Aayog , should be directed to consult women’s organizations before major decisions are taken
• Mandatory trainings for government officials on gender sensitization
• At lease 1/3rd seats be reserved for women in all State and National Commissions dealing with protection of constitutional rights like National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) , SC/ST Commission, Election Commission and their counterpart at state level

• Ensure yearly monitoring and evaluation of programs, campaigns and schemes through a gender lens
• Yearly review of MNREGA, ICDS, National Health Mission and Skill Development Mission must be undertaken from a women’s overall empowerment perspective
• Ensure Gender Auditing of all government programs and schemes and the reports be made public

• Ensure women are involved in all decision making bodies dealing with climate change and the environment
• Women’s voices in decisions related to water management, forest cultivation, fisheries and other natural resource be ensured

• Empowerment of SC/ST women, single women, widows, differently-abled women through schemes promoting them with access to education, leadership training and economic independence
• Special assistance for SC/ST women/ girl children in Police stations and in Courts for reporting cases of oppression
• Establishment of new Universities in Tribal areas and at least 50% seats be reserved for female students belonging to tribal community. They should be provided scholarships for completion of studies

• At least 1 crore jobs be created for women during next five years, especially in the field of IT industry, Health sector, Education sector and Consultancy services, wherein, facilities of work from home and flexible job hours could be availed by women
• Job oriented skill building trainings and vocational trainings for women that will lead to a sustainable livelihood and entrepreneurship are provided to women and adolescent girl children. We demand 1 lakh such training centers be established throughout India
• Crèche facilities should be provided to women on demand
• Special job opportunities be created for educated women (12th pass and above) above the age of 45 years who had to leave jobs or studies due to marriage and child births and who could never return to professional attainment due to gender stereotyping and due to gender discriminative responsibility assignment. The service of these women could be utilized in Hospitality industry, Travel and tourism industry, Garment Industry, Mid day Meal Schemes etc.

• Women’s role in peace making process be ensured
• For resolving internal or external conflicts, in all peace committees at least half the members of such committees should be women, because women are the biggest sufferers of conflicts, aggressions or war.
• The Ministry of External Affairs (GOI) ,The Ministry of Home Affairs (GOI) and Home Departments of all State Governments should constitute a Peace Committee and ensure at least 50% of the committee members should be women

LEADERSHIP IS THE CAPACITY TO TRANSLATE VISION INTO REALITY

For any query, please contact:

CENTRE FOR SOCIAL RESEARCH
2, Nelson Mandela Marg, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi- 110070
Tel.: 011-26899998, 26125583 Fax.: +91-11-26137823
E-mail: [email protected], Website: www.csrindia.org