Date:14/06/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/06/14/stories/2004061413330300.htm

New Delhi

Sonia assurance on Domestic Violence Prevention Bill

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, JUNE 13. The Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, has assured that extra attention will be given to the passage of Domestic Violence Prevention Bill as and when it is raised in Parliament.

She gave this assurance to a group of women activists of the Joint Action Front for Women, headed by Mrs Suman Krishankant and Dr. Ranjana Kumari, who met her to discuss various issues relating to women's empowerment last week.

While about five different issues were raised during the meeting, Mrs Gandhi was very positive about the formation of a Monitoring Committee being suggested by the women's group that will look into the effective implementation of various policies. The other important issues that the group feels demand an immediate attention from the Government include budgetary increase for education targeting women and girl child, implementation of the National Policy for Women, appointment of a commissioner for women's rights and setting up a National Resource Centre for Women.

"We are very happy to see the inclusion of the issue of the reservation for women in Parliament in the Common Minimum Programme. We will now urge upon the Government to pass the Domestic Violence Prevention Bill within 100 days of its formation.'' said Dr. Ranjana Kumari, Coordinator, Joint Action Front for Women.

Mrs Gandhi was extremely concerned with the issues relating to women's empowerment, especially Dalit and poor women, and assured the group that her government is committed to the empowerment of women and will go all the way to fulfil the promises made in the Common Minimum Programme.

The issues raised during the discussion included formulation of a special component plan for Dalit and poor women, providing jobs for unemployed young girls, providing special schemes and credit facilities for young girls and women, bringing appropriate policies for implementation of laws for women in the unorganised sector, so that they get maternity leave and benefits, minimum wages for a piece of work and equal pay for equal work, setting up women commissions in each state all over the country, increasing the budget for women's development organisations in the States and setting up an advisory committee to review the budget so that a gender-just budget can be formulated.