MARCH 8, 2006 - BANGALORE

India Celebrates International Women’s Day with 4000 Elected Women Representatives

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All roads leading to Banglore’s commercial street were flooded with myriad-hued sarees as over 4,000 Elected Women Representatives (EWRs) of the Panchayats headed to the St Joseph High School grounds to celebrate International Women’s Day. They came from all corners of Karnataka, in a massive effort undertaken by The Hunger Project to disseminate information, get EWRs to interact with state officials, learn about latest government legislations and come together in spirit to share, inspire and organize themselves as a federation. The federation intends to work like a network and becomes a support structure for women’s leadership at the grassroots.

Karnataka has over 40,000 Elected Women Representatives who have been elected to 5653 Gram Panchayats in Karnataka and form 45 percent of the State’s grassroots governance, which is the largest proportion of women grassroots leadership throughout India. In 1993, the 73rd Amendment of the Constitution gave 33 percent reservations to women. In Karnataka, where it was implemented in letter and in spirit, holds a record of bringing women leadership to the forefront.  

Inspired very much by the endeavour of the United Nations Commission on Status of Women, to celebrate its 50th Anniversary by heralding the year 2006 as the year of “Women’s Participation  in Decision Making,” The  Hunger Project hopes to duplicate this on ground and make it a reality.

Inaugurating the function, Rita Sarin, Country Director The Hunger Project said, “We should take a vow on this day that no person will sleep hungry, no child will be denied education and we 

will bring water to every home in the village, because this is development and this is what will make the difference.”

The function was attended by Mr V.R Sudarshan, Chairman, Karnataka Legislative Council, Mr Dominique Dreyer, Ambassador of Switzerland, his wife Sunoku Dreyer, Rev. Ambrose Pinto, Principal St Joseph college, 60 year old Muttamma, from Tarikere village panchayat, who represented the EWRs.

In his video taped message for 8th of March celebration in Bangalore, Minister of Panchayati Raj and Youth Affairs, Mr Mani Shankar Aiyar, said, “For me the symbol of women in our local bodies is the young lady who was produced by The Hunger Project on 2nd January 2004. In front of me she went up on the stage and announced (a) she is a lady (b) she belonged to the Scheduled Caste, (c) she was illiterate and yet had the confidence of her village, to actually win her position from a general constituency. That is the goal we have before us -- full women’s empowerment in the polity, full women’s empowerment in the economy, therefore the liberation of women. And through the liberation of women, gender justice in the country as a whole.”

In the message for the occasion, the Chief Minister, Shri H.D Kumarswami, said “What better way can there be to empowerment than give an opportunity to gather information on various laws of governance, interact with officials and share their experiences of leadership with each other. I congratulate the effort of The Hunger Project team for making this day fruitful to all women representatives of the state.”

Ambassador Dreyer emphasised, “There cannot be economic progress without the involvement of women. There can be no progress without social justice and it has to start from the grassroots. Switzerland is a small country, all we can do is to begin a small spark, and then it is your commitment, determination  and hard work that can make this change happen.” Congratulating The Hunger Project for the work it is doing at the grassroots and wished Rita Sarin and her team more success.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Suddarshan  added that, “Women administer homes and they see what is needed for the home, the children, the guests and the workers in the home. If they can do this for the home they can do the same for their villages. If someone jocularly calls you ‘Home Minister’ don’t take it as a joke but take it as an honour.”

Srilakshmi Divakar gave the welcome address and translated the speeches in Kannada. Iryada Mary proposed the vote of thanks.

The Hunger Project had made individual information kits for EWRs giving names, numbers of helplines, where to go for support and help, highlighted main points of government schemes and programmes, and the Millennium Development Goals. Government officials from different departments came and addressed women on adult education, right to information, and the employment guarantee act.

The event received wide media attention in all leading newspapers, including Times of India, The Hindu, The Vjay Times, Indian Express, Deccan Herald and all the Kannada-language newspapers.

As the first of such gatherings, it has generated much hope and enthusiasm among EWRs who now intend to have follow up meetings and establish a federation.