Dr. Charu WaliKhanna, Member, NCW, was Eminent Speaker at All India Seminar on ‘Directive Principles of Indian Constitution & Inclusive Growth’ on 28 September 2013 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The programme was organized by Confederation of Indian Bar in association with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung.

The programme was inaugurated by Hon’ble Shri Pranab Mukherjee, President of India and the Presidential address was delivered by Hon’ble Shri Justice P. Sathasivam, Chief Justice of India. The Inauguration was followed by 6 technical sessions each chaired by a Judge of the Hon’ble Supreme Court.

Dr. Charu WaliKhanna, Member, NCW, was eminent speaker in the session titled ‘Implementing Directive Principles to promote better livelihood conditions, public health and assistance’, chaired by Hon’ble Mr. Justice G S Singhvi, Judge, Supreme Court of India. At the outset, the Member said that the seminar was on the Directive Principles and Inclusive Growth and none of the six sessions has been chaired by a lady judge of the Supreme Court.

Member NCW speaking on Gender and Inclusive Growth said that the notion of governance and inclusive growth are usually discussed in terms of fiscal and political reforms in India. Undoubtedly better governance, more and better educational institutions, higher agricultural productivity, controlled inflation and improvement in infrastructure are some of the major and more important steps required for inclusive growth; but it must not be forgotten that WOMEN are extremely important for inclusive growth, since they constitute half the sky and the expansion in public resources made possible by higher productivity ought to be shared by them alongwith fair and equitable distribution of public resources.

She said as we address the challenges of the 21st century, we must never be “forgetful” of the stark reality that despite “We the People” having adopted the Constitution of India in 1951; even today over sixty years later, we have consistently failed to obliterate the gender divide and other inequities, especially violence against women.

India is the seventh largest country in the world in term of area and second largest in terms of population (1,21,05,69,573 as per census of India 2011) of which the female population is 58,74,47,730 (40,58,30,805 rural and 18,16,16,925 urban); comprising 48.52 per cent of the total population. Needless to say that the condition of women is deplorable: the low gender human development indices, in education, health, agriculture and employment; violence against women and gender inequalities are indicators of their being excluded from being full partners in development.

The Planning Commission in it’s Report “Inclusive Growth -Vision and Strategy”, on one hand clearly states that the industrial sector has responded well to economic reforms and has shown that it is capable of competing in the global economy. However, on the other hand the said Report admits that “Gender inequality also remains a pervasive problem and some of the structural changes taking place have had an adverse effect on women”.

Dr. Charu waliKhanna said that the Directive Principles constitute a restatement of the ideals mentioned in the Preamble of the Constitution of India. Unlike the Fundamental Rights they are non-justiciable, yet they constitute the fundamental principles of governance and are guidelines to the government to be kept in view while formulating various policies, and goalposts in the achievement of social and economic rights. Dr. Ambedkar described the Directive Principles as the "instrument of instructions."

Some of the path breaking laws for women are in consonance with Directive Principles such as Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act 2005, Hindu Marriage Act 1955, Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005, Maternity Benefit Act 1961, etc.

The Member, NCW, said that the Commission has drafted a Bill of Rights for Women comprising 20 Articles and is based on the rights guaranteed to women by the Constitution of India, and international conventions such as Convention on Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). It recognises the need to guarantee women a range of rights - civil, political, economic, social and cultural.

She stressed that Violence against women is not only widespread but it has also been widely recognized as an important public health issue. Examples include rape, sexual exploitation and forced prostitution; domestic violence; trafficking; forced or early marriage; and harmful traditional practices, such as female genital mutilation and natal family violence (more popularly known as honor killing). Apart from physical implications of violence, the long term impact includes low nutritional status, increased risk for high blood pressure, risk of antepartum haemorrhage and miscarriage; also the risk of unwanted pregnancies, pregnancy complications, gynaecological disorders, unsafe abortions, miscarriages, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV/AIDS. Fear of violence hinders women to seek and access treatment and care. Hence there is need to identify capacities required for building skills of women for the option they have chosen and backward and forward linkages for financial support to start up the livelihood option. Identify ways and means of strengthening the income generation and providing technical and facilitative support for the same.

She concluded by stating that Social Development and inclusive growth is possible through achieving women’s empowerment and eradicating violence against the women.

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