The Union Government has sought the views of all States, including Odisha, regarding implementation of a new National Policy for Women, which, according to sources, would be announced in the next three to four months, said.
The National Policy for Empowerment of Women was introduced during the NDA Government led by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee way back in 2001.
Several proposals have been made in the draft paper for the new policy stressing on issues faced by women including health, education, ownership in properties and land, participation of women in agriculture and industries, lower wages to women labourers and dealing with women atrocities including dowry torture, women trafficking and rape.
A large number of women are victims of malnutrition and anaemia across the country. Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) and Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) have emerged as major challenges for the Government.
The draft proposals suggest special attention towards these pertinent issues. Other issues like safety of elderly women, adverse sex ratio, sanitation facility for rural women and decline of women in villages due to urbanisation have also been included in the draft.
Despite laws for women, they are not given their shares in paternal properties. Similarly, the number of girls dropping out of schools remains high. The policy aims at effectively addressing these issues.
Besides, the proposals in draft envisage giving priority to women in self-employment and self-development programmes, services and other sectors, encouraging women participation in various Government schemes and developmental programmes, 50-per cent reservation in municipal and panchayat institutions and 33-per cent reservation for women in the State legislative Assemblies.