Experts call for increased budgetary allocation for women

New Delhi, Mar 7 (UNI) Expressing concern over lack of effort in policy implementation on women's issues, experts today called for increasing budgetary allocation for women and adequate implementation of policies on gender equality.

They said ''serious gap'' between policy and practice on women's issues had held back efforts to achieve the Millennium Development goals for which the target date is 2015.

Speaking on the eve of International Women's Day at a function organised by the United Nations Information Centre, Women Power Connect Executive Director Dr N Hamsa, All India Women's Conference patron Aparna Basu and Rajya Sabha MP Arjun Sengupta urged the government to ensure policy implementation for women's issues, including education and health.

Urging the government to involve women in decision making, Dr Hamsa said participation of women in the process is vital for achieving their progress.

''If consultations are held with women groups on what kind of policies are to be made and how to implement them, women's empowerment and social change will become a reality,'' she said.

Dr Sengupta said insufficient funds and lack of resources was hindering India's achievement of Millennium Development goals.

''The failure of funding undermines the endeavour for gender equality and women's empowerment as such... investment in women and girls has a multiplier effect on productivity and sustained economic growth,'' he added.

He said the economic costs of persistent gender inequality and resources required to remedy it need to be calculated.

Stressing on the need for educating women, Ms Basu said the area needed special attention of the Government.

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