Sexual Harassment Prevention Bill to be put in

New Delhi, May 26: The government has drafted a National Plan of Action to operationalise the National Policy for the Empowerment of Women, and would introduce a Bill on prevention of sexual harassment of women in the next session of Parliament.

The Plan of Action contains concrete action points and measurable goals to be achieved by the year 2010 in all spheres of activities. The Department of Women and Child Development has taken the initiative of formalising the concept of 'Gender Mainstreaming' and to develop a comprehensive approach to realisation of the objective of gender equity.

To promote adoption of a gender perspective in all public expenditure and policy, detailed guidelines have been developed and circulated to the Union Ministries and state governments. These have been designed to serve as a powerful policy guiding, review and gender audit tool.

The department is currently focusing on four areas for the empowerment of women, Food and Nutrition Security (for the family with focus on women and girl child) and employment guarantee; Water and Sanitation; Adequate Health Facilities; Asset Base for Women (land, home, livestock etc).

The Bill on prevention of sexual harassment of women at workplace, as proposed by the National Commission for Women, has been discussed with all stake holders and the state governments in a meeting in May 2005, and is being considered for introduction in Parliament.

A Bill to provide for compulsory registration of marriages has been sent to the Legislative Department for consideration for enactment (marriage being a subject allocated to the Legislative Department).

Compulsory registration of marriages will mainly benefit and empower women by helping to address the problems of child marriages, bigamy and desertion.

Rules under the Protection of Women from domestic Violence Act, 2005, are being framed so that the Act can be brought into force.

Among other things, the rules will lay down the details of appointment of Protection officer and registration of service providers.

UNI