Ensure more women in effective positions: Sumitra Mahajan

New York, Aug 31: Women speakers of parliaments across the world should ensure that more women members are appointed in positions of effective leadership in the parliamentary process, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said on Monday.

Addressing the tenth meeting of women speakers of parliament here, Mahajan said women speakers should ensure that women participate in parliamentary committees, are appointed in large numbers to positions of effective leadership in parliamentary structures and allocated more time in the house to have debates on gender equality, an official statement said.

Observing that gender equality connotes equality, fairness and justice in the distribution of opportunities, she said that India has a long tradition of women empowerment, and that equal access to resources and opportunities is not new to India.

Mahajan said that the gender budgeting process in India has been institutionalised by forming Gender Budgeting Cells in 57 ministries and departments.

IANS