The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Shake off diffidence, Jayalalithaa tells women

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 08, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Shake off diffidence, Jayalalithaa tells women

Special Correspondent

Karunanidhi, Ramadoss, Varadarajan, Vijayakanth greet them on Women's Day

CHENNAI: Chief Minister Jayalalithaa extended her best wishes to all women on the occasion of International Women's Day on March 8, and urged them to unite and face challenges with a "sense of fortitude, confidence and unshakable belief that we shall overcome."

In her message, released on the eve of Women's day, Ms. Jayalalithaa said the empowerment of women is critical to the development and prosperity of a nation. Investments made specifically for women's health and nutrition, literacy with a special focus on the education of the girl child, and organisation of women into cohesive units for their economic empowerment, can transform them into powerful change agents in society.

"It is vital that we secure for women a fair deal in society by ensuring adequate representation for them at all levels and by setting up institutions that neutralise the gender bias, giving them the confidence that their voices will be heard and their grievances will be redressed," Ms. Jayalalithaa said.

DMK president M. Karunanidhi, conveying his wishes to women, said his party had utilised every opportunity to address issues regarding the well-being and development of women. Several schemes introduced by the party when it was in power sought to provide assistance for women in the disadvantaged sections of society, besides securing property rights for them.

He said the party was also in favour of the Women's Reservation Bill, introduced in Parliament and added that he was confident of it being passed very soon.

PMK founder S. Ramadoss said economic freedom would be the first step in releasing women from all trials and tribulations. If the policy to provide compulsory education for the girl child is strictly implemented, it would result in their upliftment. Another impediment to the progress of women in rural areas, liquor shops, should be shut down, he said.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) State secretary, N. Varadarajan, in a statement, linked globalisation with the condition of women. Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam founder president Vijayakanth also greeted women on the occasion.

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