The Hindu : Review economic policies: NCW

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 09, 2003

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Review economic policies: NCW

By Aarti Dhar

NEW DELHI JULY 8. The National Commission for Women (NCW) has asked the Centre to review its economic policies, which it said has had a negative impact on the condition of women workers, particularly in families where they were breadwinners.

"Import liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation along with mechanisation and subsidy cut have had a negative impact, rather a devastating effect on the economic condition of women,'' a NCW report on "Impact of Globalisation of Women'' has said.

The report is based on public hearings carried out by the Commission in Tiruchi, Coimbatore and Chennai in the past six months.

One of the important recommendations made is to prohibit the entry of Monsanto seeds and other multinationals in the agriculture sector. The women's cooperative for seeds should be encouraged because Monsanto cotton seeds were being sold freely in the rural areas which indicated the increasing hold of the multinationals in the sector, it said.

Jobs, income and the bargaining strength of women workers have dwindled in important sectors which employ them in thousands, the report said, adding that starvation and indebtedness had resulted in suicides, migration and child labour. Access to health care, childcare, education and public distribution system are also at stake. Due to unregulated tourism and vulgarisation by the media, prostitution and sexual assaults, cheating of young girls and paedophilia have been on the increase, it said.

In the absence of the employment guarantee, — social security schemes and subsidies which exist in the developed countries — it was unwise and cruel to have brought in globalisation, which has played havoc. Mechanisation on a par with western societies can only result in unemployment, the report said.

"The Government must give up its attempt to bring labour law amendments which would further erode the labour rights under existing statutes, since violations, exploitation and deprivation have been on the rise.'' The employment, livelihood and incomes of lakhs of women need to be protected and improved. Steps must be taken to ensure access and control of natural resources by women and for protection of working and living conditions, dignity and quality of life.

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