Govt reviews implementation of gender equality issues by ministries

New Delhi, June 22 (UNI) Expressing its commitment to empowerment of women, the Manmohan Singh government has held a comprehensive review of the implementation of gender equality issues in the last two years and asked various ministries to speedup legislative measures to improve the condition of women.

The review was held of Ministries of Law, Health and Family Welfare, Labour and Women and Child Development, Prime Minister's Media Advisor Sanjaya Baru said here.

''The Prime Minister has drawn the attention of the ministries towards the issues and he is hopeful that they will expedite the legislative action,'' he added.

Mr Baru said on directions of the Prime Minister, the National Commission for Women (NCW) last year had created an Inter Ministerial Committee on Complete Legal Equality for Women which looked into the existing laws and changes required in them.

He said stock of the entire situation taken and in some areas ''lot more'' needs to be done, particularly by the Labour Ministry.

''Gender equality and women's empowerment are two very important issues enshrined in the National Common Minimum Programme and the Government is committed to it,'' he added.

Listing out areas where the legislative measures by the Labour Ministry have to be taken, Mr Baru said amendments are pending in various Act including, the Minimum Wages Act, Factories Act, Remuneration Act, Child Labour Act, Maternity Benefit Act and Contract Labour Act.

He said the legislative action was taken on to strengthen the rights and improve the status of women.

''Legislative changes were brought for Social and economic rights and improving the status of women,'' he added.

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