Our progress will be incomplete if we neglect women: CS - Hindustan Times
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Our progress will be incomplete if we neglect women: CS

Nov 25, 2022 12:18 AM IST

Uttar Pradesh chief secretary Durga Shankar Mishra was addressing conference on ‘Creating Enabling Ecosystem for Women’s Safety and Empowerment’, organized by the Uttar Pradesh government .

Lucknow India was aiming at becoming a developed nation by 2047. But the nation’s progress would be incomplete if women, who constituted 50 percent of the population, were neglected, said Uttar Pradesh chief secretary Durga Shankar Mishra here on Thursday.

UP chief secretary DS Mishra ( in yellow half jacket) and other participants in the conference. (Pic for representation)
UP chief secretary DS Mishra ( in yellow half jacket) and other participants in the conference. (Pic for representation)

He was addressing conference on ‘Creating Enabling Ecosystem for Women’s Safety and Empowerment’, organized by the Uttar Pradesh government here on Thursday.

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Learning and findings of this conference would be presented before Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the second chief secretaries’ conference, said the UP women welfare department in a statement.

The second conference of chief secretaries will be held in January 2023 in New Delhi, on the theme of ‘ Viksit Bharat—Reaching the Last Mile’, as per the statement.

Twelve sub-themes have been identified for the conference. Uttar Pradesh has been nominated as the lead state for sub - theme of ‘Creating Enabling Ecosystem for Women’s Safety and Empowerment’. Working group of 18 states/UTs has been formed for the subtheme.

In Thursday’s conference, the secretary, ministry of women and child development, Government of India, other senior officials of ministry and additional chief secretary /principal secretaries of 18 states/UTs (Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Andaman and Nicobar Island, Delhi, Gujrat, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala, Ladakh, Madhya Pradesh, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Telangana, Tripura, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh) participated.

The objective of the workshop was to discuss and deliberate upon the issues, challenges, interventions and possible strategies for ensuring women’s safety and empowerment. The idea was also to document the best practices that can be replicated across India.

Uttar Pradesh chief secretary Durga Shankar Mishra said, “As envisioned by the Prime Minister, India is aiming to become a developed nation by 2047. Our progress will be incomplete if we neglect women who constitute 50 percent of the population. Their safety and empowerment is very important and this day long workshop will focus on the best practical solutions that can be adopted to ensure women’s safety and empowerment.”

Mishra stressed on the need to inculcate values and morals among children through school education, teacher training and development of gender friendly curriculum in the syllabus. He also highlighted the need to identify the dark spots using technology and surveillance to further strengthen the safety of women in public spaces. He shared the example of the Anti-Romeo Squad in reducing harassment of women and girls in public spaces. Talking about Mission Shakti, he said that the scheme was making a difference.

Anamika Singh, secretary, department of women and child development, Government of Uttar Pradesh, briefed about the objectives, preparatory steps and meetings that had been conducted with government departments and stakeholders to seek inputs and suggestions.

Technical sessions on strengthening women’s safety, women-centric legislations, instruments and schemes for women and strengthening community and civic engagement with focus on social behaviour change were held during the workshop in which senior government officials of the working group shared the best practices, challenges, issues and way forward.

Manoj Rai, director, women and child development, Uttar Pradesh said, “Lack of gender compliant environment, low rate of prosecution and complexities in the legal system, rigid patriarchal norms, gender stereotypes, low participation of women in economic activities and labour force are some of the challenges for women’s empowerment and safety. The state-specific innovations shared during the workshop will surely help in adopting the best practices.”

Zakari Adam, chief of UNICEF Field Office, Uttar Pradesh said, “When we focus on providing safety measures for women, let us invest in children. Let us ensure that there is no gender discrimination and gender-based violence right from childhood. Let us also realise the power of adolescents. They can be role models for children and change agents for the society.”

Ashutosh Pandey, ADG, Prosecution, Uttar Pradesh presented the work of UP in enhancing prosecution-related interventions and best practices which had contributed to UP securing first position in conviction rate across India.

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