By TCN News,
Aligarh: Throwing light on investment in women’s economic empowerment, Professor Aasha Kapoor Mehta, a public administration professional, on Monday said investing in women’s economic empowerment sets a direct path towards gender equality, poverty eradication and inclusive economic growth but sadly not much is done in India.
“Poverty reduction goals cannot be achieved unless women’s poverty is addressed as women make a large proportion of world’s poor,” Mehta, from the Indian Institute of Public Administration, said while delivering a key note address during a national seminar on ‘Economic Empowerment of Women in India’ at the Aligarh Muslim University’s (AMU) Centre for Women Studies.
She warned, “Economies lose out when a substantial part of the population cannot compete equitably or realize its full potential.” She added that women who are economically empowered contribute more to their families, societies and national economies, a release from AMU said here.
Professor Mehta pointed out that even after a marked shift in the approach to women’s issues from welfare to development after the Fifth Five Year Plan (1974-78), violence, sexual assault, rape and trafficking of women continued in the country. “The National Commission for Women (NCW) was set up by an Act of Parliament in 1990 to safeguard the rights and legal entitlements of women but women still face discrimination in access of resources, property, nutrition, health care, education and work,” said Mehta.
Professor Mehta added that there is a trend of under reporting of women’s work. “National Service Scheme estimates that the census report which shows the number of women working in the informal sector could be far higher. In 1971, the GOI census report showed only 13 % of women working in the informal sector, however, NSS maintains that the percentage was higher,” said Professor Mehta. She added that the problem of under reporting still persists and needs to be investigated.
Brigadier S Ahmad Ali (retd), Aligarh Muslim University, Pro Vice Chancellor, who attended the seminar as the chief guest, said that women empowerment can only be done if the male psyche changes. “We have to start treating women as our actual better halves,” said Brigadier Ali.
During the presidential address, Professor N A K Durrani, the Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, said that the key-note speaker has shown us a wide canvas on Economic Empowerment of Women in India and it is wonderful to see that changes are happening. “According to government figures, today our women make 49 % of entrepreneurs in India. We can see presence of women in retail, finance, media, literature, academics and other fields. The discrimination against women will not sustain and economic empowerment is coming. However, there are problems which need to be taken care of,” said Professor Durrani. He added that women have learnt to use their voices and they are heard now.
Professor Nikhat Ahmad, director of Centre for Women Studies, while conducting the seminar said that women have the potential to change their own economic status, as well as that of the communities and countries in which they live. “Yet more often than not, women’s economic contributions go unrecognized, their work undervalued and their promise unnourished.”
Dr Shehroz Rizvi, deputy director of Centre for Women Studies, proposed the vote of thanks, the release added.