By recognising the importance of women in societal problem solving, the Government of Odisha has redefined the role of women in governance. Instead of being passive, now women are being drawn into the administrative process that has so far remained the exclusive domain of male.
The cause of women empowerment hinges on political representation and economic advancement through decentralization governance by broadening and deepening the democratic system. Such empowerment and governance would enable effective articulation of the real problem and their solution for protecting the interests of the women. The right to the city means more than just access to its resources, where everyone can participate in and benefit from the opportunities cities offer. The concept is used in the context of practice of urban citizenship, governance, and social and political participation. At the heart of the women’s right to city, there are three inter-related ideas which contribute to the realization of full citizenship in respect for human rights, good urban governance and equitable growth.
The role of urban governance for women’s right to city will be to identify innovations, learn from what is being done and build on the success and sharing of experiences for the structure and function of urban local bodies and urban governance. It can be expected that, experience can pave the way towards institutionalization for better preparedness of participatory governance and fullfil the collective right and individual right, which is necessary in the context of participation in civic governance. Women’s right to city and citizenship issues require attitudinal and policy changes.
The right to the city means provision of basic shelter, drinking water, sanitation, safety, health, education, self earning and recreational facilities available for women, which can transform the city into women citizen friendly space. Women have unequal access to city spaces. Therefore, their safety is a major concern. As a result, more women friendly police should be deployed in the street. The Government of Odisha should introduce e-governance through city’s administration.
In the case of poverty reduction in urban areas, Odisha will experience a mini revolution in the area of Women Self Help Groups (WSHG). It is obvious that the State Government will support poverty eradication mission and the local Government will nurture the WSHGs in the women based poverty reduction programme. The Government should provide institutional credit to women who should be packaged with training, marketing, transportation facilities, technology and education which, as a result might enhance greatly the economic strength and maneuverability of the women. In this context, savings with credit will become a good starting point for group formation.
There will be great incentive to form a group when women will see it the only way one can have access to credit. For this, NGO can play an important role in group formation. They act as quasi bank to help groups in stabilizing credit activities. Voluntary agencies will play a significant part in assisting banks, Government authorities and donor agencies to shape new credit policies that are beneficial to women in poverty alleviation programmes, particularly the wage employment and self employment generation programme, including micro finance activities through the WSHG.
In the area of health, by empowering women, infant mortality and maternal mortality rate can be decreased. Paramedical training as well as medical based tertiary support services should be provided to women in urban areas. Mohalla based medical clinics exclusively for women should be set up in urban areas.
Skill-based educational programme which can be focused to localize knowledge exclusively for women should be introduced by the Government of Odisha like tailoring, knitting, making toys and paper works etc. WSHG can propose for gender budgeting at the municipality level in terms of the provision for the needs of women which can be focused on water, sanitation, road and school.
An essential ingredient of community participation is to improve women’s involvement in the domestic decision making process. In the area of water and sanitation programme, the major emphasis should be focused on ensuring the sustainability of water availability in terms of potability, adequacy, convenience, affordability and equity by adopting decentralized approach involving women, elected women, women associations in urban areas in the planning process for drinking water security plan.
In the area of disaster management as well as climate change, WSHGs can take an active role in pre disaster management and post disaster management plan by highlighting the local climate which generally affects them and those actions which should be taken to ameliorate their problem starting from health to household security etc. Because it is generally seen that women are more vulnerable to natural disaster, there must be adequate shelter facilities for emergency situation like demolition of slum, fire in slum, excessive cold conditions by local bodies with the help of users’ association, SHGs and community-based organizations in the vacant places of the city.
Governance is the process of decision making and it is the process by which decisions are implemented. Good governance is referred to as predictable, open and enlightened policy making, furtherance of the public good and transparent process and a strong civil society participating in public affairs. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the ability of the urban women to influence local decision-making greatly determines the “pro-women” approach to local strategic planning and priority setting.