Lok Sabha Question No. 2654 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-17
Subject: Gender Disparity
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: PINAKI MISRA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UN-STARRED QUESTION No. 2654

TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.03.2017

## GENDER DISPARITY

## 2654.   SHRI PINAKI MISRA:

Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a)       whether the Government has taken note of exploitation, harassment and discrimination of women in different field in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)      whether the Government has also taken note that India has downgraded its position and slipped to 136th rank out of 144 in the empowering women in economic sphere, as per the World Economic Forum's report  on Global Gender Gap and if so, the details thereof;
- (c)          whether  the  Government  has  reviewed  all  the  developmental  programmes/  schemes  to assess  the  reasons  for  downgrading  its  position  and  if  so,  the  details  and  the  outcome thereof; and
- (d)            the  steps  being  taken  by  the  Government  to  address  the  issue  of  gender  disparity  and check exploitation  harassment and discrimination of women in the country and regain its ranking?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI MANEKA SANJAY GANDHI)

- (a) The Ministry of Women and Child Development has noted with concern the incidence of exploitation,  harassment  and  discrimination  against  women  in  different  fields  in  the country. The Ministry also notes that exploitation, harassment and discrimination against women  arise  out  of  unequal  economic,  social  and  political  status  of  women,  and  the deeply entrenched socio-cultural stereotypes etc.
- (b)    As per the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2016, India ranks at 136 th in  respect  of  'economic  participation  and  opportunity'  among  144  countries  of  the World. However, it has improved its ranking moving from 139 th position in 2015 to 136 th position in 2016.
- (c)      The  Government  of  India  from  time  to  time  reviews  its  developmental  programmes/ schemes to assess the defects and gaps in the implementation process and accordingly, mid-course corrections  are  taken  in  the  implementation  of  these  programmes/  schemes for the betterment of the women folk as a whole.
- (d):     The Government of India has taken several steps/ measures, interventions and strengthened institutional  mechanism  towards  empowerment  of  women  and  for  elimination  of  gender disparity  and  inequality.  The  schemes/  programmes  implemented  by  the  Government  of India in this regard are as under:
- (i) The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao has been launched to address the issue of declining Child Sex Ratio on a life cycle continuum basis;
- (ii) ICDS is being implemented to address the nutritional needs of children and pregnant and lactating women;
- (iii) Matritva  Sahyog  Yojana  for  pregnant  and  lactating  women  to  improve  their  health  and nutrition status;
- (iv) Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY), implemented with the objective of reducing Maternal and Infant Mortality;
- (v) Scheme for Adolescent Girls (earlier named as Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Adolescent GirlsSabla)  aims  at  the  empowerment  of  adolescent  girls  in  the  age  group  of  11-14  years through nutrition, health care and life skill education;
- (vi) Sarva  Siksha  Abhiyan  (SSA)  and  Rashtriya  Madhayamik  Siksha  Abhiyan  (RMSA) schemes  are  being  implemented  to  universalize  elementary  and  secondary  education respectively, having a strong focus on improving enrolment and retention of girls;
- (vii) Support  to  Training  &  Employment  programme  for  Women  (STEP)  scheme  aims  to ensure sustainable employment and income generation for marginalized and asset-less rural and urban women;
- (viii) Rashtriya  Mahila  Kosh  (RMK)  aims  to  extend  micro-finance  services  to  bring  about socio-economic upliftment of poor women; and
- (ix) The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA) helps in economic and social empowerment of women.
- (x) Maternity  Benefit  (Amendment) Bill,  2016  has  been  passed  by  the  Parliament  recently which is going to raise maternity leave to 26 weeks, protecting the employment of women during the time of her maternity.

The Government of India has also undertaken a number of measures to check exploitation, harassment and violence against women in the spheres of domestic, workplace and public. There is a robust legal framework evolved over the years. The Criminal Law (Amendment) Act,  2013  has  widened  the  definition  of  rape,  and  new  offences  like  acid  attack,  sexual harassment etc. have been included. Further, it casts duty on all hospitals, public or private, to provide free medical treatment to victims of sexual assault. Advisories have been issued for  33%  reservation  for  women  in  the  police  force.  One  Stop  Centres  integrated  with Women  Helpline  (181)  have  been  established  across  the  country  to  provide  integrated support  and  assistance  to  women  affected  by  violence.    Engagement  of  Mahila  Police Volunteers has been initiated to act as a link between police and public. Further, to address the  problem  of  crimes  committed  against  women  in  the  cyber  space,  comprehensive guidelines have been issued on the matrimonial sites. The Juvenile Justice Act, 2000 has been amended in 2015 to include the juveniles in conflict with law in the age group of 16 to 18 years involved in heinous offenses to be tried as adults. Panic button has been mandated in mobile phones with effect from 01.01.2017 wherein all new feature phones will have this facility.

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