Implementation Report on CEDAW

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2000/20000215/nation.htm

Tuesday, February 15, 2000,
Chandigarh, India
The Tribune, Chandigarh
NEW DELHI, Feb 14 — Over 20 women organisations which deliberated on the government’s implementation report on the Convention on Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) have suggested that they be taken into confidence by the government.

After going through the report presented by the government delegation during the recently concluded session of CEDAW in New York, the groups suggested that the government’s replies to the 76 questions posed by the UN committee were vague and incomplete.

The three-member delegation which attended the week-long session in January comprised the Secretary, Department of Women and Child Development, (DWCD) Mrs Kiran Aggarwal, the Joint Secretary in the NCW, Mrs Leena Mehendale and the Deputy Secretary in the department, Ms Rashmi Chaudhary.

The questions raised by the 23-member UN Committee on CEDAW pertained to the representation of women in the Supreme Court of India, the role of the NCW, dowry cases, property rights of women, gender sensitivasation of police officers and civil servants and the status of CEDAW in the Indian legal system.

The committee also raised questions on women policy makers in mass media, representation of women in Parliament, the fate of the Constitutional Amendment Bill for reservation for women, views of educated women on caste, bonded labour, gender bias in family planning programmes and polygamy.


Apart from this, 11 NGOs invited to the session also submitted a report.

Invited to the discussion by the NCW, participants felt that their views were not reflected in the government’s replies.

The women organisations have urged the NCW to forward a report on Monday’s deliberations to the government through the DWCD. They have said that the government should hold discussions with the NCW and the NGOs before the session on the status of women scheduled in March and another preparatory meeting in May on the Beijing Platform for Action.

Prominent women organisations represented at the meeting were the National Alliance of Women Organisations, the Joint Women’s Programme and the Guild of Service.