Lok Sabha Question No. 535 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-11-18
Subject: National Policy for Empowerment of Women
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: PRATHAP SIMHA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 535 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.11.2016

## NATIONAL POLICY FOR EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN

## 535. SHRI PRATHAP SIMHA

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

- a) whether the National Policy for Empowerment of Women has been able to achieve its objectives and made any impact since its implementation in 2001;
- b) if so, the details thereof; and
- c) the  schemes  and  programmes  drawn  as  a  part  of  the  policy  along  with  the  targets  fixed  and achievements made under each of such scheme/programme so far?

## ANSWER

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

(a) & (b)  The National Policy for Empowerment of Women 2001 has its goal in bringing about advancement, development and empowerment of women in all spheres of life through creation of a  more  responsive  judicial  and  legal  system  sensitive  to  women  and  mainstreaming  a  gender perspective in  the  development process. Since 2001, there have been significant changes with regard to the status and empowerment of women. As a commitment towards fulfilling the larger mandate of women's empowerment, the Ministry of Women and Child Development was set up in  2006  to  implicitly  bring  the  women's  issues  into  the  forefront.  Efforts  have  been  made  to strengthen the legal judicial system and progressive legislations have been enacted to combat all forms  of  discrimination  and  violence  against  women  in  India.  Policies  and  programmes  in sectors  like  health,  family  planning,  nutrition,  education,  employment,  legislation  and  social welfare  have  been  formulated  and  implemented  to  improve  the  status  and  empowerment  of women in India.

(c)     There have been several significant schematic interventions as a part of the policy across all sectors to meet higher targets in the field of health, education and employment. A significant increase  has  been  achieved  in  institutional  deliveries  since  introduction  of    Janani  Suraksha Yojana (JSY) i.e. from 47% in 2007-08 to 74.4% 2012-13. Progress is also evident with decline in  the  Maternal  Mortality  Ratio  (MMR) from 212 in 2007-09 to 167 in 2011-13. The Gender Parity Index (GPI) for gross enrolment ratio in primary, upper primary and elementary education has been improving steadily since 2000-01.  The percentage of women workers under MNRGES getting 100 days of employment in villages has steadily increased over the years much above the statutory minimum of 33%.

Sustained efforts have been made to strengthen the legal judicial system and progressive legislations have  been  enacted  to  counter  all  forms  of  discrimination  and  violence  against women in  India. The  important  legislations  include  the  Protection  of  Women  from  Domestic Violence  Act, 2005, Prohibition  of  Child  Marriage  Act,  2006,  Protection  of  Children  from Sexual Offences (POCSO)  Act, 2012, Criminal Law  (Amendment)  Act, 2013, Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.  Large numbers  of  women  today  are  able  to  exercise  their  choices  by  taking  recourse  to  the  law  as empowerment is all about choices.

The Ministry of Women and Child Development benefits women  on a continuous basis through existing schemes such as Swadhar and Short Stay Homes, Working Women Hostels, Support to Training  and  Employment  Programme  for  Women  (STEP),  Rashtriya  Mahila  Kosh  (RMK), National  Mission  for  Empowerment  of  Women  (NMEW),  SABLA  and  Maternity  Benefit Schemes  for  welfare  and  empowerment  of  women.    Further,    Beti  Bachao  Beti  Padhao  was launched in January 2015 to address the issue of declining child sex ratio. Initiatives/Schemes like,  Mahila  Police  volunteers;  Reservation  of  women  in  police  force;  creating  immediate response mechanisms through Panic Button in mobiles; Platforms such as Mahila E-Haat have been launched to encourage entrepreneurship amongst women; One Stop Centres (OSCs) and Women Helpline  schemes  for  women  affected  by  violence  have  also  been  set  up  in  various States/UTs.

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