Objectives of the Policy:

During the last few years the state governments of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have announced their policy for women. The Department of women and Child Development, Government of India also initiated discussion in 1996-1997 on the national policy for women. These efforts kindled a debate on the usefulness of such a document in women’s struggle for equality and social justice.

The State Government recognised that every step towards promoting gender justice contributes, in some way to women struggle for equality. It is with this conviction that the government decided to announce a policy for women.

Major objectives of this policy are:

1. To bring improvement in the status and position of women. 

2. To make the process modalities and system dynamic in order to eliminate exploitation and exploitative practices. 

3. To create a supportive environment for the overall development of girls and women.

Steps outlined to achieve the above objectives are to: 

1. Initiate policies and programmes that promote gender equality and social justice including gender justice, and enable women to realise their constitutional rights. 

2. Recognise the productive role of women in household economy and the state government will strive towards ensuring equal access to and control over resources and the fruits of development. 

3. Recognise the special needs of girl, children, adolescent girls and Women in extreme poverty and difficult circumstances and target development interventions for such vulnerable sections of society. 

4. Recognise the vicious circle of poor nutrition, poor health, early child bearing and high mortality among women, promote a life cycle approach to women health that recognises the needs at every stage from childhood to old age and assist women gain greater control over their reproductive health and prevent unwanted pregnancies. 

5. Ensure that all girl children have access to at least primary education, illiterate, non-literate, adolescent and women have access to basic and continuing education and in general women have equal access at all levels of education. 

6. Create conducive environment and appropriate mechanism for gender sensitisation of government functionaries at all levels and in all departments, and initiate systems for sensitisation of political leaders, opinion makers and the media. 

7. Promote and support effective participation of women in political processes and gain their access to decision making government and non-government institutions and organisations.