Question : Status of Women

(a) whether the Government has Constituted any Committee to undertake a study on the status of women in the country;
(b) if so, the composition and terms of reference of the Committee;
(c) whether the Committee has submitted its report and if so, the major finding of the Committee and the follow-up action taken by the Government thereon;
(d) if not, the time by which the said Committee is likely to submit its report; and
(e) the other steps taken/ being taken by the Government to improve the status of Women in the country ?

MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
(SHRIMATI MANEKA SANJAY GANDHI)

(a) Yes Madam.

(b) The composition and terms of reference of the Committee, are in the Notification No. 4-5/2009-WW (HLC) dated 24th May 2013 which is available in the website www.wcd.nic.in of the Ministry.

(c) & (d): The Committee has submitted its report on 01.06.2015. The executive summary of the report of the committee has been placed in the website www.wcd.nic.in of the Ministry.

(e): For improving the status of women, the Ministry of Women and Child Development have enacted various special laws relating to women such as the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005; Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961; Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986; and the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 and Prohibition of Child Marriage Act,2006 (PCMA).

Apart from the above, the Ministry of Women and Child Development is administering various schemes such as Swadhar and Short Stay Homes, Working Women Hostels, Support to Training and Employment Programme for Women (STEP), Rashtriya Mahila Kosh (RMK),National Mission for Empowerment of Women (NMEW), Rajiv Gandhi National Creche for Children of Working Mothers, One Stop Centre and Scheme for Universalisation of Women ,Helpline for improving the status of women.

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