Chairs 1st meeting of State Mission Authority Omar for setting definite goals for women empowerment Flags women health, education, security basic areas for attention Emphasizes on addressing female foeticide, infant mortality SRINAGAR, JULY 16 – Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Tuesday asked the State Mission Authority for women empowerment to set the definite goals, share programmes and make regular review a constant feature of functioning to ensure success in the stupendous task of women welfare and empowerment. Chairing the first meeting of State Mission Authority for implementation of National Mission for Empowerment of Women of which he is also the Chairman, the Chief Minister said that ladies specific and gender neutral activities have to be underlined in all the departments to involve women participation and help their economic and holistic welfare. “I will stress upon the functionaries of State Mission to primarily address the issue of decline in female child ratio, mortality of infants and pregnant women, gender gap in education, drop outs of female students from schools and other similar matters confronting the women in the State”, he said and added that creation of economic opportunities to empower the women by realizing specific targets and goals through various programmes should be another area of focus in the task of women empowerment and welfare. The Chief Minister said that it has been observed that most of girl students leave schools for want of adequate sanitation facilities. This, he said is a critical area having huge impact on the continuation of education by the girls in schools. He also underlined importance of compound walling of girl schools as an essential ingredient to ensure girls continue their studies in the secured schools. Omar Abdullah said that the Government has approached Government of India for providing more women degree colleges to the State to ensure enhanced accessibility to women to pursue higher educational goals. However, the Chief Minister emphasized on taking all measures at elementary school level to ensure reduction in drop outs. He said creation of befitting sanitation facilities in schools is a thrust area in educational programmes of the State. Directing for early placing of Resource Centre and full time Mission Director for implementation of National Mission for Empowerment of Women, the Chief Minister said that formulation of programmes, identification of areas, coordination with other departments and monitoring the status of various schemes under implementation in different departments for women empowerment, is of paramount importance and 90 percent success of the Mission will be dependent on the personal dynamism and dedication of Mission Director with a well established and functional Resource Centre. The Chief Minister said that the schemes and programmes for empowerment of women are cross cutting in nature and involve various departments and ministries. He said the programmes of different departments need dovetailing and engendering as also inter-sectoral convergence. “This can also be ensured through the Resource Centre”, he added. Omar Abdullah said that health, education and security related matters need to be identified by the Resource Centre for appropriate action at the apex level for addressing and redressing these issues. He said the State Government has already approved two Women Police Stations one each in Jammu and Srinagar. He said Women Cells in various Police Stations in the Districts are also being strengthened. He said Government would provide all help to the Mission to carry forward its objective successfully and realize the goals perfectly. The meeting was attended by Minister for Medical Education, Taj Mohi-ud-Din, Minister for Agriculture, Ghulam Hassan Mir, Minister for Social Welfare, Sakina Itoo, Minister for Higher Education, Mohammad Akbar Lone, Minister for Law, Mir Saifullah, Minister of State for Revenue, Ajaz Ahmad Khan, Minister of State for Health, Shabir Ahmad Khan, Chairperson State Commission for Women, Shamima Firdous, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, B. B. Vyas, Secretary Social Welfare, Gazzanfer Hussain, Mission Director, Hafiza Muzaffar, Non-official Members and various senior officers. In a PowerPoint presentation Secretary Social Welfare, Gazzanfer Hussain highlighted the role of State Mission Authority and presented resume of the objectives of National Mission for Empowerment of Women. He said that access to help, drinking water, sanitation, hygiene, coverage of all girls from primary to 12th class, skill development, gender sensitization, prevention of crimes against women, poverty alleviation and economic welfare of women, social empowerment and education, nutrition, gender rights, gender budgeting, etc are some focused areas to be looked after under the Mission programmes.
Posted on: Tue, 16 Jul 2013 14:56:45 +0000
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