Karnataka   

Women’s Congress to push for gender responsive budget

MYSORE: The three-day National Women’s Science Congress (NWSC) which concluded here at the All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH) on Monday, has resolved to recommend gender responsive budgeting to the Centre and the State Government to promote the cause of women.

More than 300 delegates, including women vice-chancellors and scientists, from across the country took part in the conference and deliberated on various subjects.

The conference decided to prepare an action plan to pursue its decisions and form a sub-committee to initiate a network of women to establish database regarding issues such as finance, work and training skills. The existing networks for women would be studied and the data available in different domains would be considered for further planning.

It also suggested addressing genuine issues such as opportunities for flexible working hours for women scientists, promotion of girl-child empowerment, provision of crèche and transport facilities.

Besides resolving to work towards overcoming the myth about science not reaching the economically weaker sections of society, the conference also resolved to initiate a social movement and promote societal change. For this, it was decided to join hands with the education, health and other national schemes that are being implemented in the country.

Ganga Murthy, Additional Economic Adviser, Ministry of Railways, New Delhi; K. Sudha Rao, Professor and Head, Department of Educational Policy, National University of Educational Planning and Administration, New Delhi; Vaidehi Ganeshan, Senior Scientist, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research; Leelavathy, Director, Avinashalingam University for Women’s Studies; K.S. Ramaa, Chairperson, Matruvedike – SVAK; and D. Meena, Scientist, LRDE-DRDO, took part in a panel discussion on “Need for women’s leadership in Science and Technology” on Monday.

Dr. Ganga Murthy spoke on the need and methods of utilising science and technology to empower women. Dr. Ganeshan emphasised the need for working towards a set goal, need for networking and need for women to pursue science as a passion.

Dr. Leelavathy argued that science and technology need not be for only high-ended research, but could be addressed even in terms of application of science and technology among grassroots and semi-skilled professional workers.

She drew examples from NABARD-sponsored programmes of her university for illiterate and semi-skilled workers.

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