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FOC
Smt. Poornima Advani, president, the National Commission for Women urged the newly formed government to ensure that women'sissues are high on their agenda, on both the legislative and executive levels of the government. ?It is very important for the government to deal well with the issues that serve the interests of nearly half the country'spopulation,? she said.
The women'sissues that she has raised include:
Legislative
- Women'sReservation Bill (33% reservation)
- Bill on domestic violence
- Girl child sexual abuse
- Sexual harassment at work-place Bill
- Amendments to the Indian Penal Code on gender matters
- Amendments to laws concerning women'sproperty rights.
Executive
- Compulsory registration of marriages
- Enforcement of laws on violence and discrimination against women
- Girl child education
- Provision of basic infrastructure like water, sanitation and health
- Implementation of labour laws in the unorganised sector
- Gender budgeting, taking into account the invisible work done by women
Besides, to publicise its demands, the National Commission for Women has focused its attention on the various issues (listed above) through expert committees, workshops, seminars, public hearings and research studies and making recommendations to the government and its various agencies. (FOC)
