By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The percentage of women work participation in the State in general and Jaintia Hills in particular marked a decline in 2009-10 with only 26 percent compared to 33.3 percent in 2004-2005, says a senior project advisor of National Mission for empowerment of Women (NMEW) Dr Sulochana Vasudevan said.
“There is also a decline in the percentage of women work participation in urban areas from 7.8 percent in 2004-05 to 4.3 percent in 2009-10”, Dr Vasudevan said adding that the women work participation in neighbouring countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh are in progress whereas the same is experiencing a decline in India.
Addressing a one-day seminar on Empowerment of Women on the theme-to treat women as equal partners on road to development and empowerment organised by the state resource centre for women, State Social Welfare Department here on Wednesday, Dr Vasudevan said that the main reasons for such a decline is due to lack of education among the women folks on their entitlement, market for women is shrinking despite good economic growth and under-valuation of work participation of women.
“A debate on this topic has been going on and it was felt that the work done by a woman should be brought to the notice of policy makers and the census”, the senior project advisor said.
Stating that the sex ratio in the State is decreasing, Dr Vasudevan said that as per the 2011 census, the ratio is marked with a 3 percent decline in the state with special reference to Jaintia Hills. “This is a matter for Jaintia Hills and Meghalaya which is matrilineal in nature”, she added.
Citing that only 10 percent of the women in the State are involved in politics, Dr Vasudevan said that political empowerment of women in the State is lagging and the State needs to decide on the reservation of women in the political arena.
The NMEW senior project advisor also mentioned that there is a need to engender a reservation for women in the policy initiated by the government to provide 100 jobs. “There is a need to link women to value added skills and we need skill work force for women”, she added while also mentioned that there is a need to organise the women into micro, medium and macro enterprises.
Meanwhile, Chairperson of the Meghalaya State Women’s Commission, Theilin Phanbuh said despite the many changes that the society have experienced in the 21st century, yet gender discrimination, high Infant mortality rate and the likes are still major challenges in the country in this century.
Pointing out that the rural women in the State are still in the clutches of traditional role assigned to them, Phanbuh said that women still become victim of domestic violence, sexual harassment and the pathetic literacy rate and awareness amongst the women folks in the rural area has further worsen the situation.
“The women has the required skills if guided and given a chance as they act as an eye and ear of the people”, Phanbuh said adding that the government should ensure that enough opportunities are given to the women in the education, health and economic sector.
The others who were present on the occasion included Director of Health Services Dr MK Marak, mission director of the state resource centre for women LN Jyrwa, representatives from various women organizations besides others.