The Hindu : International / India & World : Reservation for women in legislatures under consideration: Somnath

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Apr 05, 2005

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International - India & World

Reservation for women in legislatures under consideration: Somnath

By P. S. Suryanarayana

The Lok Sabha Speaker, Somnath Chatterjee, addressing the 112th Assembly of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Manila on Monday.

SINGAPORE, APRIL 4. The Lok Sabha Speaker, Somnath Chatterjee, today informed the 112th Assembly of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Manila that the question of reserving seats for women in the Lower House of the Indian Parliament as also State Assemblies was now ``under serious consideration.''

The move was a sequel to the 73rd and 74th Constitution Amendments that had provided for the political empowerment of women in respect of local bodies, where one-third of the seats would be reserved for them, Mr. Chatterjee said.

He was speaking during the IPU Assembly's general debate on ``the political, economic and social situation in the world,'' in the context of the ``impact of domestic and international policies on the situation of women.''

He noted that the ``economic empowerment of women is as much a priority as their political empowerment'' in India.

Mr. Chatterjee proposed that the empowerment of women in all spheres should permeate policy initiatives and development programmes at the national and international levels, according to a senior Lok Sabha official, who summed up the Speaker's speech.

Gender justice policies

While such empowerment would help women realise their full potential, it was also essential to implement gender-justice policies effectively at national and international levels without allowing them to remain just on paper. Mr. Chatterjee emphasised.

Domestic and international policies should be designed to address country-specific issues without compromising on the eventual goal of ``a gender-sensitive society.'' Calling for steps to address issues of concern to women, he said ``it is a matter of concern that even 30 years after we celebrated the International Women's Year, and through the four World Conferences on Women, a major section of women are politically, economically and socially still underprivileged in comparison to their male counterparts.''

Economic security

Pleading for ``gender-sensitive initiatives and programmes'' at both the national and global levels to mitigate the miseries of women in a purposive fashion, Mr. Chatterjee pointed out that economic security formed one of the most important components of women empowerment policies in India.

He said India was also seized of ``the adverse linkages between trade and gender'' in order to help women pursue their livelihood options in an increasingly globalised environment. As for the role of parliamentarians across the world in ensuring gender equality, Mr. Chatterjee said they could seek to ensure ``a special place'' for ``gender budgeting'' in the national-level monetary and financial policies.

He also emphasised the scope for affirmative action by political parties in ensuring a rightful place for women in society.

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