The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : “Law alone will not empower women”

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 24, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

“Law alone will not empower women”

Special Correspondent

Australian judge delivers lecture

“Even after six decades of Independence, women remain one of the most powerless and marginalised sections”.

CHENNAI: Unless legislations, which empower women, are made to work, they are just pieces of paper, said Annabelle Bennett, Federal Court Judge, Australia, here on Monday.

In her inaugural lecture on “Empowerment of women through legislation” organised by the Madras High Court and the Members of the Madras Bar to commemorate the 60th year of the country’s Independence, she said women constituted about 50 per cent of a country’s population. They were national resources in every country. Their services should be utilised as such for the country’s progress. Legislation was necessary to empower women, but that alone was not sufficient. She said there was a need for attitudinal change.

Justice Mrs. Bennett’s speech focussed on her country’s perspective with regard to the subject and the laws enacted there for women’s welfare and empowerment. She cited the cases handled by courts regarding discrimination, sexual harassment, property rights of married women and those which involved migration laws.

She said that India had recognised more the property rights of married women. Also, the courts in India had flexibility when it came to dealing with injustice in a broad sense.

The Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, A. P. Shah, said that in India, the Supreme Court and High Courts liberally interpreted the rights enshrined in the Constitution.

With all liberal interpretations, even after six decades of Independence, women remained one of the most powerless and marginalised sections of society.

Apart from legislations, there was a need for attempts to induct women in the mainstream of development. Women’s empowerment was a complex issue. Societal attitude should also change, he said.

Prabha Sridevan, Judge, Madras High Court, introduced the chief guest.

M. Ravindran, senior advocate, said a series of lectures has been planned as part of the commemoration celebrations.

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