Gangtok: Observing that execution of various
programmes for gender justice and empowerment, particularly
for women, lacked integration, President Pratibha Patil today
called for a coordinated approach in its implementation.
"The government has a number of programmes and schemes
for the welfare of women, but there is a certain disconnection
in implementation," she observed in her inaugural speech at a
seminar on `Gender Justice and Empowerment of Women with
special reference to Sikkim`.
The seminar was held at Chintan Bhawan here on the
occasion of conclusion of the golden jubilee celebrations of
the Sikkim High Court.
Many of the benefits of the schemes for the welfare of
women did not always reach them, Patil said while advocating
the need for a coordinated approach towards implementation
and monitoring of these schemes and programmes.
The President said there was an apparent lack of
awareness among women to take benefit of various rights
available to them under the law.
She urged them to step forward to seek their rights.
Patil cited domestic violence against women as one of the
most abhorrent social evils prevailing over the years in spite
of a legislation against it and said that it must come to an
end.
She, however, cautioned against taking a confrontational
approach for ensuring gender equality and said that there
should be mutual respect between men and women to avail their
rights in a non-discriminatory manner.
-PTI
