Women must be part of decision process ,say Catholic activists

(April 05, 2011) Holistic and integrated development can take place in eastern India’s Orissa State, only when women are made part of the decision-making process, nuns and activists said on Monday. They were responding to the state government’s plans to provide women with a 50 per cent reservation in local governments. An earlier provision had stated not less than one-third of seats on local bodies. For this, an environment should be created to allow elected representatives to be just that and not proxies, said Shibani Singh, Vice-President of Archdiocesan Women Wing in Cuttack-Bhubaneswar Archdiocese.
Lalita Missal, Coordinator of National Alliance of Women, Orissa chapter, said “the government has recognized the contributions of women in the decision-making process on local bodies. Given opportunities and support, elected women will prove their mettle.” She said there is no alternative in a State, where infant and maternal mortality rates are the highest in the country. Literacy rates are very low at 37.67 per cent in comparison to men at 70.36 per cent. The situation is even worse among tribal and dalit women, she added. Sister Justine of the St. Joseph of Annecy congregation in Bhubaneswar, said “even the Church should debate this crucial issue. It is time we become more open and shed our patriarchal mindset to allow 50 percent reservation,” she said.
The Orissa Panchayat Laws (Amendment) Bill 2011 was introduced in the assembly on March 31.