Goa joined the rest of the world in celebrating International Women's Day with great pomp on Monday. The State recalled the stellar role played by women during the pandemic and lauded their achievements, with voices of women empowerment playing in the background. March 8 has been one that brings reckoning to the hundreds and thousands of women, who have shown exemplary strength, courage and talent to rise above odds. It's a day when feminist values are upheld and womanhood is celebrated to the fullest in line with the tradition that dates back to 1909 when women's rights movements in the US, Russia and other European countries demanded civil, social and political rights for them.
In Goa women have excelled in various spheres, they have done yeoman service to society and brought laurels to the State and country. The year 2020-21 has been challenging given the pandemic, but women across sectors and communities have endured and stood up to the situation at times leading the charge against the virus.
On the flip side, the State government has been acknowledging their achievements. The various schemes and awards announced in support of women and the girl child are a testimony to the generosity and recognition shown. The Griha Aadhar, Laadli Laxmi and Yashaswini schemes, among others have gone a long way to justify that. Also, the citizen's charter of the directorate of women and child development lists out a vision to empower women making them equal partners in development with full opportunities of growth, without any discrimination.
However, an element of hesitancy on the political empowerment of women blemishes the goodwill the State government has gained. The hypocrisy stares right in the face when an overpowering reluctance is keeping women out of the power equations. A case in point is the way the Directorate of Municipal Administration has gone about working out reservations for women in civic polls. The law mandates reservation for women in panchayats and municipalities and the 73rd and 74th Amendment to the Panchayati Raj Act makes it mandatory for 33 per cent reservation for women, thereby making them major players in governance. It is a pity that while the talk is of women empowerment, court battles are being fought on just the contrary.
In municipal councils of Mormugao, Mapusa, Valpoi, Sanguem, Pernem the DMA has denied a seat each for women and acted outside the framework of the law. Whichever way the impending Supreme Court verdict goes, the municipal elections will go down in history because the government of the day, which is showering so much praise on women, is leaving no stone unturned to defend its reservation to women.
If the law mandates 33 per cent, why is the DMA settling for 30? Why not 35 per cent? It’s time the State sets an example and lives up to the spirit of women empowerment it so vocally preaches.
