National Policy for the Empowerment of Women (2001)
| Date | 01 July 2014 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0019556120140328 |
| Published date | 01 July 2014 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
DOCUMENT
NATIONAL POLICY FOR THE EMPOWERMENT OF
WOMEN (2001)
JNfRODUCTION
THE
PRINCIPLE
of
gender equality is enshrined in the Indian Constitution
in its Preamble, Fundamental Rights, Fundamental Duties and Directive
Principles. The Constitution not only grants equality to women, but also
empowers the State to adopt measures
of
positive discrimination in favour
of
women.
Within the framework
of
a democratic polity, our laws, development policies,
Plans and programmes have aimed at women's advancement
in
different spheres.
From the Fifth Five Year Plan (1974-78) onwards has been a marked shift in the
approach to women's issues from welfare to development. In recent years, the
empowennent
of
women has been recognised as the central issue in determining
the status
of
women. The National Commission for Women was set up by an Act
of
Parliament in 1990 to safeguard the rights and legal entitlements
of
women.
The 73rd and 74th Amendments (1993) to the Constitution
oflndia
have provided
for reservation
of
seats in the local bodies
of
Panchayats and Municipalities for
women, laying a strong foundation for their participation in decision malting at
the local levels.
India has also ratified various international conventions and human rights
instruments committing to secure equal rights
of
women. Key among them is the
ratification
of
the Convention on Elimination
of
All Forms
of
Discrimination
Against Women (CEDAW)
in
1993.
The Mexico Plan
of
Action (1975), the Nairobi Forward Looking Strategies
(1985), the Beijing Declaration as well as the Platform for Action (1995) and the
Outcome Document adopted by the UNGA Session on Gender Equality and
Development and Peace for the 21" Century, titled "Further actions and initiatives
to implement the Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action" have been
unreservedly endorsed by India for appropriate follow up.
The Policy also takes note
of
the commitments
of
the Ninth Five Year Plan
and the other sectoral policies relating to empowerment
of
Women.
The women's movement and a wide-spread network
of
Non-government
Organisations which have strong grass-roots presence and deep insight into
women's concerns have contributed in inspiring initiatives for the empowerment
of
women.
However, there still exists a wide gap between the goals enunciated in the
Constitution, legislation, policies, plans, programmes, and related mechanisms on
the one hand and the situational reality
of
the status
of
women in India, on the
other. This has been analysed extensively in the Report
of
the Committee on the
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