Towards women-friendly cities

According to the United Nations, gender equality is notonly a fundamental human right but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. More so in an increasingly urban world. So, gender sensitivity is the key is to ensuring that towns and cities provide healthy and safe living environmentsfor women. Eventually, the growth of a city depends on the engagement of men and women as equal partners and agents for change.

Recognising the importance of women and children in making a city what it is the Urban Development Department of the government of Maharashtra has decided to focus on orienting the city to their needs.

All urban local bodies are now ordered to set aside five per cent of their revenue for women and child welfare programmes. Even civic body has a women and child welfare committee. This step will enable them to give proportional importance to the neglected constituency of women. Women’s education, health, employment, hostels for students, working women and single women, employment opportunity, funds for entrepreneurs, safety of women commuters, etc will now get the required focus and funding.

One such existing scheme, `Beti bachao, beti padhao’,

will now get increased support in terms of scholarships, libraries, study rooms, free school uniforms and books, better healthcare, sports coaching, vocational guidance etc. So will schemes for self-employment, marketing of handmade products and homemade food, besides self-help groups. The issue of inadequate number of public toilets for women and provision of personal hygiene products in them, old age homes for elderly women will also be addressed. Hopefully, the role of `aganwadi’ workers too will be recognized.

Nutritious mid-day meals for school children, fighting malnutrition among the urban poor, day-care centres, creches, better diagnostic facilities are some of the schemes for children that will get a boost.

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/MAHAUDD

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MAHA_UDD

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maha_udd/

Blog: https://mahaudd.blogspot.com/

YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe9-Tq8QTPQ4h8IyXp2wbvw