Women's Demand Day observed
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, September 12 2021:
Commemorating the 25th year of introducing the Bill for 33 per cent reservation for women in the parliament for the first time, All Manipur Nupi Marup observed Women's Demands Day at Irawat Bhawan, here on Sunday.
Attending the event during which a sit-in protest was also staged as part of the observance, Nupi Marup secretary Lairenjain Sumatibala recalled that CPI-M MP from West Bengal Geeta Mukherjee proposed the Bill for (women's reservation in the parliament, which was a long pending demand faised by women across the country under the aegis of National Federation of Indian Women.
However, the Bill has not been passed till date though Rajya Sabha has cleared it on March 7, 2010.Thirty three per cent reservation of seats for women has been made into a reality in local bodies through the 73rd and 74th amendment of Constitution passed in 1993 but the same is still pending with regard to parliament and state assemblies.
As a result, women's representation in local bodies is high in local bodies but low in state legislative assemblies and parliaments, she pointed out.
The 17th Lok Sabha has only 78 women MPs which is only 14.4 per cent, she pointed out while stressing the need for increasing women's representation in policy making bodies for equal development.