Core group formed to draft women's charter on Panchayats

NEW DELHI: The centre and state governments have constituted Core Groups comprising Elected Women Representatives of Panchayati Raj, activists and academicians to draft a women's charter to deal with panchayat related issues.

Subsequently, all women Zila (District) Pramukhs, all women Pradhans and selected women Sarpanches from every district of a state, as well as Core group members and some eminent personalities are invited to a two-day Conference of Panchayats to finalise the draft, Panchayati Raj Ministry sources said.

The Panchayat Mahila Shakti Abhiyan -- a movement to strengthen the elected women of the PRIs -- has been initiated by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and the "Chalo Gaon Ki Ore" rubic of the National Commission for Women.

The Abhiyan has been conceptualised to initiate awareness about gender issues in governance and to facilitate EWRs in performing their mandate to the best of their abilities, they said.

Most EWRs see themselves as isolated and unorganised, functioning without the support of a structure and have spoken of the need to form into groups or associations so as to be part of a forum that addresses their special needs in a largely male-dominated social and political milieu.

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has also sought the support of National Commission for Women to help strengthen PRIs and it has agreed in principle to provide training support in legal awareness to EWRs through selected NGOs both in terms of financial and human resources.




NEW DELHI:The centre and state governments have constituted Core Groups comprising Elected Women Representatives of Panchayati Raj, activists and academicians to draft a women's charter to deal with panchayat related issues.

Subsequently, all women Zila (District) Pramukhs, all women Pradhans and selected women Sarpanches from every district of a state, as well as Core group members and some eminent personalities are invited to a two-day Conference of Panchayats to finalise the draft, Panchayati Raj Ministry sources said.

The Panchayat Mahila Shakti Abhiyan -- a movement to strengthen the elected women of the PRIs -- has been initiated by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and the "Chalo Gaon Ki Ore" rubic of the National Commission for Women.

The Abhiyan has been conceptualised to initiate awareness about gender issues in governance and to facilitate EWRs in performing their mandate to the best of their abilities, they said.

Most EWRs see themselves as isolated and unorganised, functioning without the support of a structure and have spoken of the need to form into groups or associations so as to be part of a forum that addresses their special needs in a largely male-dominated social and political milieu.

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has also sought the support of National Commission for Women to help strengthen PRIs and it has agreed in principle to provide training support in legal awareness to EWRs through selected NGOs both in terms of financial and human resources.