Women reservations are not against Men

Vijayawada, Feb 12 (INN): Respectfully giving reservations to women is the need of the hour, said Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan while addressing the gathering at the valedictory session of the First National Women Parliament conclave in Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh on Sunday.

Sumitra Mahajan said that empowering women was necessary to make resurgent India. She urged the women parliament to contribute their best for mitigating problems of women which helps for their Empowerment and enables National Development. She also said that agitating for reservations is not fight against Men, but it is only asserting the basic human, civil and political right. The women Empowerment really means respect for women for her human dignity, freedom to choose way of life and active participation in decision making process in participatory parliamentary democracy. She further said that women could manage all the things in all the fields, the present convention will motivate the women towards the nation building.

The Lok Sabha Speaker further said that the Parliament of India was doing consistent efforts for policy formulation and programme implementation towards the empowerment of the women, One of the initiatives is conducting BRICS women parliament forum meeting in Jaipur to discus for achieving targets of sustainable development goals which includes Health, Education etc. Two day National women legislators' conference was also conducted in March, 2016 in which 350 delegates were participated. Several crucial issues like law making and how women legislators pro actively productively contributing for National Development were discussed.

She proposed for constituting an Indian Parliamentary Group under the Chairmanship of Chandrababu Naidu for discussing the ways and means for empowerment of the women. The present women parliament convention is a continuation of our endeavors for women empowerment. She also said that women are change vehicles in global scenario and decision making power is necessary for women. Besides the traditional occupations like Medicine, Engineering and Practice of Law etc. now the focus is on involvement of women in defence, paramilitary forces, security forces, fighter Jet pilots and Cab drivers etc.

Sumitra Mahajan opined that women should be in driving seat to navigate the life, family, society and as well as Nation. Whatever positions the women processing the political power may be like Mahila sarpanchs, Zilla Parishad Chairpersons and local self government institutions women focused on Development of Health, Education and Civic amenities. The Indian Parliament has taken several initiatives which include Speakers Research Initiatives in which law and Information were provided to them. Women MPs have taken active participation in these initiatives as well as legislation, executive and Judiciary which enabled quality of governance. We should create awareness among women about their rights. This will help multi role playing of women in societal Development.

"Women are bestowed with the noble qualities of compassion, dedication, devotion, tolerance, patience and Magnanimity which comforts the family as well as society. She lauded the efforts of the Andhra Pradesh government that most of the initiatives of AP Government are related to the development of Women and Children," she said.

Speaking on the occasion, AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said that the Government of Andhra Pradesh propose to start a novel programme titled "Thalliki Vandanam" (Salutations to Mother) soon. He expressed the confidence that under the leadership of present Lok Sabha Speaker 33 percent of reservations to Women in parliament and Assemblies can be achieved through suitable legislation. He announced the "Amaravati Declaration" on which UNO will give a report within three months and the resolutions will be circulated to all the state governments regarding equal opportunities to women and their participation in Socio economic Development of the Nation.

Participating in the meeting, AP Assembly Speaker Dr. Kodela Sivaprasad Rao said that 22,000 young women were participated and discussed the Socio economic political Challenges for women empowerment. The three day National Women's parliament conclave concluded in Amravati this evening. Several Ministers of Andhra Pradesh State, local MPs and MLAs were participated in this conference. In this three-day National conclave more than 405 women Members of Legislative Assemblies and 92 women Members of Parliament of India, Union Ministers and Ministers from State Government were attended. Several eminent women from all walks of life are interacted and deliberated with them. Thousands of girl students across the nation were attended to establish direct connect with policy makers, leaders and other women of eminence about grass root challenges being faced by young women in India.