NAWO demands Govt fulfil its commitment on gender discrimination

New Delhi, Jan 11 (UNI) With the socio-economic status of Indian women showing alarming trends, the National Alliance Of Women today demanded that the Government fulfil its commitment of addressing the systemic inequalities of class, caste and gender.

A 15-member delegation of NAWO will present its report on the status of women to the UN Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), of which India is a member.

The Convention provides that state or countries that are the parties to the convention shall undertake to submit to the Secretary General a report on the legislative, judicial, administrative or other measures that have been adopted to give effect to the provisions of the Convention.

NAWO, involved in consultations with the Government on implementation of CEDAW recommendations, said there were several systemic lacunae that needed to be addressed.

Talking to reporters here, NAWO President Ruth Manorama said a radical shift from the current trend of neo-liberal economic was required to have an impact on the social sector.

''The UPA in its Common Minimum Programme had promised to address the issues of gender discrimination but it has not delivered so far,'' she said.

Expressing the hope that the Government would take measures to remove discrimination, Ms Manorama said the ground situation must be correctly analysed by officials to address the situation.

''The NGO have done what they could. Now, its up to the government to implement it and show how serious it is regarding the issue,'' she added.

In its report, NAWO among issues has demanded rights for dalit and tribal women be protected, government programmes to reflect shift from mere welfare-oriented paradigms to perspectives based on rights, repeal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act from North-East and recognition of marital rape as a sexual offence within the ambit of sexual assault.

Setting up of legal measures to address collective violence especially communal and caste-related violence and women's entitlement to security in person and within conjugal home is met with have also been demanded, Ms Manorama said.

In the 37th session, India will also present its second and third periodic report, stating the steps taken by the government to remove existing gender discrimination.

Reports to CEDAW are to be submitted within a year after a State becomes a party to the Convention and thereafter every four years and whenever the CEDWA committee requests.

UNI