J&K government has gender-friendly initiatives

Mehbooba Mufti sought for extension of more women friendly initiatives in the state and convergence of policy measures to make these initiatives successful on the ground.

Jammu, Feb 15: Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today directed the Jammu and Kashmir Social Welfare Department to prepare an approach paper on the implementational status of all welfare schemes for women the state and suggested measures to make the gender-friendly initiatives successful.

Chairing the second meeting of the State Mission Authority under National Mission for Empowerment of Women here, the Chief Minister, who is the chairperson of the Authority, said a number of schemes aimed at welfare of women are in operation in the state by various departments and agencies. She said the status of implementation of each of such schemes and the difficulties, if any, in the successful delivery of benefits be recorded in an organised way to let the government take a further view on making these schemes much more successful in future.

Mehbooba asked for extension of more women friendly initiatives in the state and convergence of policy measures to make these initiatives successful on the ground. She said the idea and concept of these schemes being very prudent in nature, effective and successful implementation of such schemes remains a challenge and hoped such an approach paper would lay the road ahead for removing these bottlenecks.

The meeting was informed that as per the decision of the first meeting State Mission Authority, the State Resource Centre for Women has been made fully functional in the state to give focused attention to the inter sectoral issues affecting women besides implementing various gender sensitive programmes of the government. Similarly, the one stop centre concept to provide coordinated response to victims of violence against women by way of medical help, shelter, legal assistance and psychological counseling is in the final stages of execution and nine such centres are in pipeline in the state.

The SMA in the state was constituted in 2012 as a sequel to the formation of NMEW in 2010 and its objectives include strengthening and promoting all-round development of women, prevention of crimes against women, promoting gender sensitivity and getting women associated with various skill development initiatives. Several ministers of the state cabinet were present in the meeting.

PTI