Empowering Women

Based on the results of Employment and Unemployment surveys(EUS) conducted by National Sample Survey Office(NSSO) during NSS 61st round (July 2004-June2005), NSS 66th round (July 2009-June2010) and NSS 68th round (July 2011-June 2012), Worker Population Ratio(WPR)* for females in usual status (ps+ss) is: Period                             Worker Population Ratio( in percent for females in usual status (ps+ss) 2004-05                           28.7% 2009-10               22.8% 2011-12               21.9% *Worker Population Ratio: The Workers (employed persons) in the usual status (ps+ss) are obtained by considering the usual principal status and the subsidiary status together. The workers in the usual status (ps+ss) include (a) the persons who worked for a relatively long part of the 365 days preceding the date of survey and (b) the persons from among the remaining population who had worked at least for 30 days during the reference period of 365 days preceding the date of survey. Worker Population Ratio: no. of employed persons *100                                                     Total persons As per information provided by the Ministry of Women and Child Development the Ministry had enacted various special laws relating to women for protection and empowerment of 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). The Government implements several schemes/programmes such as Swadhar and Short Stay Home, Working Women Hostels, Support to Training and Employment Programme for Women (STEP), Rashtriya Mahila Kosh (RMK) for the welfare and empowerment of women. The Government of regularly conducts awareness generation programmes and publicity campaigns on various laws relating to women through workshops, fairs, cultural programmes, seminars, training programmes etc.  Continuous awareness creation among men and women in the society through workshops, seminars, street plays, Nari Ki Chaupals, Beti Janmotshav at the district level. In collaboration with Ministry of Panchayati Raj Special (Mahila) Gram Sabhas have also been conducted. Further, advertisements in the press and electronic media educating peoples about issues of domestic violence, Child Sex ratio, Child Marriage and Child abuse etc. also being taken up. Platforms such as the International Women’s Day and the National Girl Child Day are used to create awareness on issues related to women and to bring to the centre stage issues such as sex selective abortions and child marriage. Through Sabla programme of this Ministry, adolescent girls in the age group of 11 to 18 years are imparted training with regard to legal rights of women. As per the information given by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, in order to provide employment to the unemployed youth including women, Government of India is implementing various public employment generation schemes like Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA), Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM), Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) and National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM). Government has set a target to skill 5 crore persons during 12th Five Year Plan keeping in view the requirements of various sectors. In order to improve the employability of youth, various Central Government Ministries run skill development schemes across different sectors. There are provisions in these schemes to give adequate coverage to women. According to the data compiled by National Skill Development Agency (NSDA), about 75.88 lakh persons were given skill development training in the year 2013-14 under these schemes.