Against the backdrop of rising crimes against women, Congress President Sonia Gandhi today said making laws for their empowerment is not enough as they will have to be implemented properly on ground.
"We realise that by just making laws and announcing policies would not be enough to empower women. Along with it, policies and laws will have to be implemented properly on ground," she said while addressing a gathering at the launch of the Ahimsa Messenger scheme, under which volunteers will be created to spread awareness on women's issues.
"We should end all acts of violence against women and initiate all steps so that women feel safe and become fearless, empowered and they are given the respect," Gandhi said.
The Congress President's statement on the issue comes at a time when the number of incidents of crime against women are witnessing a rising trend.
Urging the people to launch a "social revolution" for empowering women, the Congress President said, "The most fundamental issue that the mindset and old thoughts of our society have to be changed. Giving women equal status as men is a very big challenge and the wall of discrimination amongst women has to be demolished."
Gandhi said it is the collective responsibility of all women to initiate this process of giving equal status to women right from their homes.
"We all know that the social outlook of our children is formed inside the four walls of our homes. The girl in the family should be given the same status as that of her brother in a family. Girls too have a right to get education, development and employment as that of the boy in the family," she said.
Gandhi said that while women are playing an important role in diverse fields like education, art, industry, banking, science, administration and politics thay are also subjected to child marriages, female foeticide, dowry related atrocities, domestic violence and sexual oppression.
listing the initiatives taken by government, Gandhi said that women have been given special importance in the national food security scheme. She said while legal guarantee for availability of cheap grains has been given, the act also provides financial assistance of Rs 6,000 to pregnant women.
Gandhi said that cheap foodgrain shops will also be allotted to women groups.
She said that to prevent sexual offences against women, the Criminal law (amendment) Act has been brought and reservation for women in panchayats has been raised to 50 percent. She also said that a bill had been presented for reservation of seats for women in Parliament.
In her speech, Gandhi said that volunteers chosen as 'ahimsa messengers' would spread awareness about legal rights of women, their economic and social development and also about their safety and honour.
WCD minister Krishna Tirath said that anganwadi workers, women panchayat members, social workers in ministry schemes and other volunteers would take part in the training and as 'Ahimsa messengers' work for women empowerment across the country.