OF WOMEN
COMMITTEE ON EMPOWERMENT
On the occasion of International Women’s Day on 8th March, 1996, two identical resolutions for constituting a Standing Committee of both the Houses for improving the status of women were moved in the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha respectively.
In pursuance of the aforesaid resolution, the matter was considered by the Rules Committee (Eleventh Lok Sabha). The Rules Committee in their Second Report laid on the Table of the House on 6th March, 1997 recommended that a Committee for the purpose may be constituted. Accordingly, the Committee on Empowerment of Women was constituted on 29th April, 1997. The Committee consists of 30 Members of whom 20 are nominated by the Speaker from amongst the Members of Lok Sabha and 10 are nominated by the Chairman, Rajya Sabha from amongst the Members of the Rajya Sabha. The Chairman of the Committee is appointed by the Speaker from amongst its Members. A Minister cannot be nominated a Member of the Committee and if a Member after his nomination to the Committee is appointed a Minister, he ceases to be a Member of the Committee from the date of such appointment.
Term of Office
The term of the Committee does not exceed one year.
Functions
The functions of the Committee on Empowerment of Women are :
1. To consider the reports submitted by the National Commission for Women and to report on the measures that should be taken by the Union Government for improving the status/conditions of women in respect of matters within the purview of the Union Government including the Administration of the Union Territories;
2. To examine the measures taken by the Union Government to secure for women equality, status and dignity in all matters;
3. To examine the measures taken by the Union Government for comprehensive education and adequate representation of women in Legislative bodies/services and other fields;
4. To report on the working of the welfare programmes for the women;
5. To report on the action taken by the Union Government and Administration of the Union Territories on the measures proposed by the Committee; and
6. To examine such other matters as may seem fit to the Committee or are specifically referred to it by the Lok Sabha or the Speaker and the Rajya Sabha or the Chairman, Rajya Sabha.
Working
During the Thirteenth Lok Sabha, the Committee had selected the following subjects relating to the women issues for detailed examination and report:—
(i) Functioning of National and State Commissions for Women
(ii) Women in Detention
(iii) Health and Family Welfare Programmes for Women
(iv) Functioning of Family Courts
(v) Education Programmes for Women
(vi) Training Programmes for Women
(vii) Training and Empowerment of Women in Local Bodies
(viii) Violence against Women during Riots
(ix) Economic Empowerment of Women
Based on preliminary materials, tour impressions and oral evidence, the Commitee finalised and presented the following Nine Original Reports to the Parliament.
Original Reports
1. Second Report on ‘Functioning of National and State Commissions for Women’
2. Third Report on ‘Women in Detention’
3. Fourth Report on ‘Health and Family Welfare Programmes for Women’
4. Fifth Report on ‘Functioning of Family Courts’
5. Sixth Report on ‘Education Programmes for Women’
6. Seventh Report on ‘Training Programmes for Women’
7. Eighth Report on ‘Training and Empowerment of Women in Local Bodies.’
8. Ninth Report on ‘Violence against Women during Riots’
9. Eighteenth Report on ‘Functioning of Self Help Groups for Economic Empowerment of Women’.Based on the action taken replies furnished by the concerned Ministries/Departments on the recommendations contained in their Original Reports, the Committee finalised the Nine Action Taken Reports on the following subjects :—
Action Taken Reports
1. First Report of the Committee on Action Taken by the government on the Report on the subject ‘Development Schemes for Rural Women’
2. Tenth Report of the Committee on Action Taken by the government on the Second Report on the subject 'Functioning of National and State Commissions for Women’
3. Eleventh Report of the Committee on Action Taken by the government on the Third Report on the subject ‘Women in Detention’
4. Twelfth Report of the Committee on Action Taken by the government on the Fifth Report on the subject ‘Functioning of Family Courts’
5. Thirteenth Report of the Committee on Action Taken by the government on the Fourth Report on the subject ‘Health and Family Welfare Programmes for Women’
6. Fourteenth Report of the Committee on Action Taken by the government on the Sixth Report on the subject ‘Education Programmes for Women’
7. Fifteenth Report of the Committee on Action Taken by the government on the Seventh Report on the subject ‘Training Programmes for Women’
8. Sixteenth Report of the Committee on Action Taken by the government on the Eighth Report on the subject ‘Training and Empowerment of Women in Local Bodies’
9. Seventeenth Report of the Committee on Action Taken by the government on the Ninth Report on the subject ‘Violence against Women during Riots’
Composition of the Committee on Empowerment of Women (2003-04)
CHAIRPERSON
Smt. Margaret Alva
MEMBERS
Lok Sabha
2. Dr. (Smt.) Anita Arya
3. Smt. Jayashree Banerjee
4. Smt. Krishna Bose
5. Smt. Santosh Chowdhary
6. Smt. Renuka Chowdhury
7. Dr. (Mrs.) Beatrix D’Souza
8. Adv. Suresh Ramrao Jadhav (Patil)
9. Shri Bali Ram Kashyap
10. Smt. Abha Mahto
11. Dr. Ashok Patel
12. Shri E. Ponnuswamy
13. Shri Bishnu Pada Ray
14. Smt. Sushila Saroj
15. Dr. (Smt.) V. Saroja
16. Smt. Minati Sen
17. Smt. Shyama Singh
18. Smt. Jayaben B. Thakkar
19. Dr. (Smt.) Rajeswaramma Vukkala
*20. VACANT
Rajya Sabha
21. Ms. Pramila Bohidar
22. Smt. Saroj Dubey
23. Smt. Vanga Geetha
24. Smt. S.G. Indira
25. Smt. Sumitra Mahajan
26. Smt. Chandra Kala Pandey
27. Smt. Bimba Raikar
28. Miss Mabel Rebello
29. Smt. Savita Sharda
30. Smt. Maya Singh
* The vacancy occurred due to the demise of Sh. Bhan Singh Bhaura on 3.1.2004.