|
MRA State Process
Saigata Convention
It is recognized that progress has been uneven, inequalities between men and women have persisted, and major obstacles remain, with serious consequences for the well - being of all people and also that women's empowerment and their full participation on the basis of equality in all spheres of society are fundamental for the achievement of equality, development and peace.
- Beijing Declaration
In our context, such declarations and resultant policies remain elusive, and if there is a willingness on the part of policy makers to bring about changes, they are unable to pursue them due to various social and political factors and lack of 'considered' support from the people. RSCD Collective strives to make this effort into reality, and sees one of its critical roles as feeding relevant field level experiences to those who have the power and ability to effect change. It also seeks to feed information to the women themselves so that they can be better organized for their own empowerment, and start participating in the decision-making processes.
Thus, it all happened in Saigata - a village in Chandrapur District of Maharashtra, which witnessed the conglomeration of more than 3000 women leaders and elected women representatives from different parts of Maharashtra to participate in a CONVENTION on Women's Governance organized by the 5 Regional Networks and RSCD, on 11 & 12th March 2000.
The Women came:
- To launch a Campaign for Women?s Governance (Mahila Rajsatta Andolan - MRA) in the development processes through Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI).
- To strengthen the governance role of women in the Panchayat system.
- To assert their right over natural resources, human development resources, village development.
- To assert their political participation in village governance system.
- To assert their right as equal partners in the developmental process which has been subjugated by the prevailing patriarchal kinship system
The motto of the convention was:
Vote Hamara, Raj Hamara, Leke Rahenge, Leke Rahenge
(Our Vote, Our Rule, We will take, We will take)
The Convention discussed the impact and implications of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment and resolved to implement the same in both in letter and spirit in their Village Panchayats. They concluded the session with a Charter of Demands on:
- Ownership of resources with equal rights to both men and women over village resources.
- Effective implementation of development subjects under Schedule XI of the 73rd Amendment.
- Education facilities in every village.
- Uniform Civil Code.
- Primary Health Centres to be functional.
The convention was inaugurated in a unique way. All the delegates joined hands and took a collective pledge for active and effective participation of Women in the Panchayati Raj Institutions read out by the Chief Guest of the Convention Adv. Sulekha Kumbhare, the then State Minister of Water Supply, Government of Maharashtra.
The MRA was launched in 851 villages, which has now reached out to 2000 villages covering 25 districts of Maharashtra. Over 100 village-based organizations are involved in the campaign. In the year 2000, extensive discussions were held (numbering 2274) with Self-Help Groups, Mahila Mandals, Anganwadi workers and others involved in village development. Village camps for awareness on PRI and development saw the participation of women who are now aware of their political and developmental right to village resources, Gram Sabhas and Panchayats.
As a part of the impact of the Saigata Convention 393 women contested the election in 100 villages out of which 220 were elected to the Panchayats in the Panchayat elections in June 2000, and 39 women among them are made Sarpanchs (village heads).
Convention Proceedings
"The country's development is not possible unless women are in the process of governance with a conscious understanding of their rights and an ambition to work towards social development", thus pronounced the Minister in her inaugural address, declaring the launching of the Mahila Rajsatta Andolan (MRA).
Distinguished as "Paniwali Bai", illustrious and celebrated leader of the women's movement Mrs. Mrinal Gore, in her keynote address mentioned that "If women get the occasion to come to position of authority and power either through reservation or any other means, and has willed strongly to remain in the position, they can exhibit their guts and prove their capacity and capability.''
It was noteworthy that all the speakers at the Convention reiterated the fact that "in order to aim towards the holistic development of the country, women's participation in the process of governance with a conscious understanding of their right is imperative.''
Panel Discussions were organized to get detailed information about the issues such as Below Poverty Line Survey, Swarna Jayanti Roigar Yojana, People's Right Over Water, Land and Forest, Rationing and Public Distribution System and Panchayati Raj Institutions and also to highlight the link of these issues with Women's Governance.
The Convention concluded with resolutions and charter of demands where enough space was provided for discussions, finalization and adoption. The resolutions finally accepted and passed unanimously were:
- The present reservation should be properly protected for effective implementation of the PRI and 33 per cent reservation should be passed even for the Lok Sabha and State Legislature
- Women's names should be included in the 7/12 document (Land Ownership Deed)
- Immediate implementation of the Maharashtra State Women's Policy declared by the State Government
- Government schemes, Budget and Policies should be gender sensitized
- Women should get ownership rights in natural resources
- Implementation of the Gramdani Act, 1964 passed by the Government with appropriate changes
The convention concluded with these resolutions and Charter of Demands, being put to vote and adoption. All the six Charter of Demands and Resolutions were adopted with absolute majority of the members present. The Convention came to a formal end with Smt. Shubhada Deshmukh administering the Oath to the delegates.
|
