The Hindu : New Delhi News : Ensure women’s welfare: Pratibha

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Aug 05, 2007
ePaper

New Delhi

New Delhi

Ensure women’s welfare: Pratibha

Staff Reporter

Meets organisations working towards empowerment of women

Bodies asked to inspire women to take part in nation-building
President listens to hardships being faced by the underprivileged

NEW DELHI: Portrayed as a symbol of an empowered woman herself, the country’s first woman President Pratibha Patil has wasted no time in giving women’s empowerment and their role in nation-building the necessary impetus. Yet to make her debut at public ceremonies as President, she has already interacted with non-government organisations and women’s groups in the precincts of the Rashtrapati Bhavan to draw up a blueprint for the subject.

Setting the pace for prioritising the issue of women’s empowerment, Ms. Patil at her swearing-in ceremony on July 25, had equated women’s empowerment with that of the nation. And though she is still to move into her residential quarters in the erstwhile Viceregal Lodge, she has held deliberations on the issues of empowerment of women and their role in nation-building. At a meeting with a confederation of non-government agencies that work in the rural areas, she made out a case for concerted efforts to ensure the welfare of women.

“The confederation, which has members from 14 States across the country, apprised the President of the work that they have been doing in the rural areas. While they do have a separate women’s section in Mahila Vibhag, the President has directed them to set up a committee of women’s NGOs,” President’s Press Secretary, S.M. Khan said.

The committee has been mandated to work for empowerment of women and strengthen and inspire them to take part in nation-building. “The President also suggested that there should be five zonal conferences held for these purposes. She said all the agencies working in the field of women’s empowerment should join hands and make concerted efforts for the welfare of women,” Mr. Khan said.

Promising her support and participation, Ms. Patil is said to have told the delegations that she will try to be present at the zonal meetings and remain available for advice.

Ms. Patil, who also met the chairperson of the National Commission for Women and the chairpersons of the State Commissions for Women, said efforts should be made to empower women who constitute 50 per cent of the country’s population.

She met a delegation of the Muslim Vikas United Front from Maharashtra and about 300 members of Rajput Kshatriya Sangh. A delegation of the All-India Jamait Ul-Quresh apprised the President of the lot of the minority community and the hardships being faced by the underprivileged. They demanded early implementation of the Sachar Committee recommendations.

Ms. Patil, who has made a reference to the need for waging a relentless campaign against poverty, ignorance and disease, will preside over a special function to mark 60 years of Indian Independence at the National Academy of Agriculture Sciences on Monday. This will be her first public appearance as President.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

New Delhi