Jammu, November 13 (Scoop News) – Describing “Gender Budgeting” an effective tool for empowerment of women, Minister for Finance, A. R. Rather, Saturday said that increasing awareness about removal of gender-inequity in the civilized world has made it imperative to ensure equal sharing of economic progress by women and Girls.
Speaking at the inaugural session of 2 days training-cum- workshop on “Gender Budgeting” the Minister called upon the planners and budget formulators to put women’s concerns and their special needs at the centre stage during the budget making processes and policy formulation to make budgeting more gender responsive. “This way we can reduce the gaps in socio-economic progress between men and women” Rather added.
The workshop has been organized by the Jammu and Kashmir State Commission for Women (JKSCW) and sponsored by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development, with an objective to inculcate gender sensitivity among public servants while formulating policies and programmes of respective Government departments. This is the 4th training-cum-workshop in the state organized by JKSCW. Such programmes shall be organized in all districts of the state starting from today.
Chairperson, State Commission For Women, Adv. Shamee Firdous, Secretary State Commission for Women, s. Hafeeza Muzzafar, Managing Director, Women Development Corporation, Ms. Nahida Soz, Director, Entrepreneurship Development Institute, M.I. Parray, world renowned Gender Budgeting Consultant, s. Paremita Majumdar, social activists, s. Rita Jitender, gender expert, Dr. Jehan Ara Jabeen and district heads of various departments of Jammu were present on the occasion.
Rather said that though gender gap has shown clear signs of decline, yet a lot more remains to be done if the special needs for women and girls are to be fully catered to. “Equal Rights guaranteed under the Constitution have to be fully ensured for them in letter and spirit and position of dignity and respect at par with their male counterparts has to be carved out for them”, Rather maintained. He said, the Government has already initiated several measures towards women empowerment adding that Rs. 10.00 Crore have been kept at the disposal of Women Development Corporation for generating job avenues for women through self employment ventures. Creation of separate Women Development Corporation and State Women Commission are major initiatives taken by the Government for empowerment of women, he added. He said, Omar led coalition Government has recently enacted a landmark law for protection of women from domestic violence.
Maintaining that education is the basic tool for socio economic transformation, Rather said the Government has opened a large number of Government Girls Schools and separate colleges and ITIs for girl students. He said, principle of responsive Gender Budgeting has been part of our policy adding that many women specific programmes are under implementation through NRHM and MNREGA to gradually induce transfer of socio-economic authority to women. He said, even is SKEWPY the monthly Voluntary Service Allowance (VSA) has been kept higher for women as compared to male unemployed youth.
Describing J&K to be the first State in the country for having conceived a blue print of a welfare society, Rather said that National Conference, in its Naya Kashmir document, also known as political and economic manifesto of NC, has anticipated and foreseen about 65 years ago the issue of women empowerment.
“J&K National Conference under the dynamic leadership of Sher-i-Kashmir, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah in 1944, much before it assumed power after independence of the country, prepared and presented its blue print of a welfare and ideal society, popularly known as Naya Kashmir” which is perhaps the first document of its kind in the sub-continent, in which the issue of women empowerment is projected in a forceful manner. He said Article- 52 of the Naya- Kashmir Document exclusively deals with the women’s charter.
He said when Dr. Farooq Abdullah was Chief Minister of the State and he himself as incharge of Rural Development Ministry in late 90’s , we had through an amendment in Panchayati Raj Act provided for 33% reservation for women in Panchayats of the State. He said that it was again Dr. Farooq Abudullah led government which reserved 50% seats in MBBS course for girl students, Rather added.
Rather appreciated the organizers for conducting the training workshop on gender budgeting and hoped that this would considerably help in removing gender in-equality. He assured that realistic proposals and suggestions of the workshop would be incorporated in next year’s Budget proposals.
Chairperson, State Commission for Women in her welcome address sought liberal financial assistance from the Government for women specific programmes. She said Gender Budgeting would address the needs of women who have remained neglected in the society. She regretted that right to survival of girl child is at stake due to fast expanding trend of female feticide.