Lok Sabha Question No. 2252 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-11
Subject: India&#39;s Ranking on Women Empowerment
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: RAVINDRA KUMAR PANDEY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 2252

TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.12.2015

## INDIA'S RANKING ON WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

## 2252: SHRI RAVINDRA KUMAR PANDEY

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

- (a) whether India's ranking on women empowerment has improved recently;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  collected  any  data  regarding  women  empowerment  in  each State/UT and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the measures  taken  by  the Government  to  further improve  India's  ranking  on  women empowerment?

## ANSWERS

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

- (a)   & (b) As per the Human Development Index (HDI) as reported in the Human Development Report 2014  published  by  United  Nations  Development  Programme,  India  ranks  135  out  of  147 countries.
- (c)   Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner and Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation,  Government  of  India  are  involved  in  collection  and  dissemination  of  data covering wide range of issues that affect women's empowerment. The report titled 'Women and Men in India - 2015' by Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation, Government of India highlights the status of women covering health, education, work and decision making along with social  obstacles  in  women's  empowerment.  State-UT  wise  data  regarding  empowerment  of women is available in the website http://mospi.nic.in/Mospi\_New/upload/womenMen2015/Women\_Men\_India-2015.html
- (d)      The  Ministry  of  Women  and  Child  Development  is  administering  the  following  schemes  for women's empowerment:
- i. Swadhar and Short Stay Homes to provide relief and rehabilitation to destitute women and women in distress.
- ii. Working Women Hostels for ensuring safe accommodation for working women away from their place of residence.
- iii. Support to Training and Employment Program for Women (STEP) to ensure sustainable employment and income generation for marginalised and asset-less rural and urban poor women across the country.

- iv. Rashtriya Mahila Kosh (RMK) to provide micro-finance services to bring about the socioeconomic upliftment of poor women.
- v. National Mission for Empowerment of Women (NMEW) to strengthen the overall processes that promotes all-round Development of Women.
- vi. Rajiv Gandhi National Creche Scheme for Children of Working Mothers (including single mother) to provide day care facilities for running a crèche of 25 children in the age group 06 years from families having monthly income of less than Rs 12,000.
- vii. One  Stop  Centre  to  provide  integrated  support  and  assistance  to  women  affected  by violence.
- viii. Scheme for Universalisation of Women Helpline intended to provide 24 hours immediate and emergency response to women affected by violence.
- ix. Sabla Scheme for holistic development of adolescent girls in the age group of 11-18 years.
- x. In order to strengthen the process of gender budgeting the Ministry of Women and Child Development has been undertaking various capacity building measures for the officials of the State Governments by organising training programs/workshops regularly.

Besides the above schemes, the other major initiatives taken by Ministry of Women and Child Development are as follows:

The Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 regulates employment of women in certain establishments for a  certain  period  (12  weeks)  before  and  after  childbirth  and  provides  for  maternity  and  other benefits.

Indira  Gandhi  MatritvaSahyogYojana  (IGMSY) Scheme  is  being  implemented  as  Conditional Maternity Benefit for pregnant and lactating women to improve health and nutrition status to better enabling environment by providing cash incentives to pregnant and nursing mothers to partly compensate wage loss both prior to and after delivery.

The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013  has  been  enacted,  which  covers  all  women,  irrespective  of  their  age  or  employment status and protect them against sexual harassment at all workplaces both in public and private sector, whether organised or unorganised.

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