The findings of a 13-month long research project on experiences of women municipal ward members in Dehradun bring focus on the importance of proper implementation of the 74th Constitutional Amendment in Dehradun.
This requires measures like the proper devolving of funds for municipal councillors to facilitate works in their wards, said Tanya Jakimov from the University of New South Wales, Australia. She said this while addressing 29 ward members, the 29 women from their respective wardsm at a workshop aimed at imparting skills required by the women ward members here on Thursday.
Addressing the gathering at the workshop which was based on findings of the 13-month long research project on experiences of women ward members in Dehradun, Jakimow said that the research shows the importance of proper implementation of the 74th Constitutional Amendment in Dehradun.
She said that among the factors involved in achievement of successful implementation of 74th Amendment here, most importantly this requires proper devolving of funds for the municipal councilors to facilitate execution of works in their municipal wards.
She said, “Further, the municipal councillors bear various personal costs, including those expended on transport, phone and stationery among other items. Considering factors such as these an honorarium is critical and also long overdue. These issues are particularly important for women. local governance is the only level at which women have significant representation in the State of Uttarakhand. Inadequate support of the municipal councillors therefore means that the objectives of reservation are not fully realised and the advantage of Dehradun’s greatest assets for urban development is not taken.”
Participating in the deliberations, councillor of ward number 33, Nehru Colony, Beena Uniyal expressed her opinion stating that there should be facilitation of 50 per cent reservation for women. Speaking at the workshop, the councilor of ward number 54-Patelnagar (west), Anita Singh said that both—members of parliament and the members of legislative assembly should come forward and visit the wards in order to better understand the problems and various issues experienced at the ground level.
Other speakers in the workshop also shared useful information with the women ward members with the help of ‘innovative tools’ whereas subject experts and trainers answered the varied queries raised by the women participants. In the first of the three sessions held as part of the workshop, information was shared on the aspect of gender equality in urban governance.
The issue was further deliberated upon through a presentation, group discussion and role plays. The second session was focused on ‘public peaking with confidence’ which was conducted by Harry Sethi from Toastmasters International. The third session was conducted by Jakimow who focused her talk on the findings of the 13-month research project in Dehradun.
The workshop was organised by the Panchayati Rule and Gender Awareness Training Institute (PRAGATI) along with Jakimov.