A one day Delegate Conference of Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Women’s Association(JKDWA) affiliated with All India Democratic Women’s Association(AIDWA) was held today at Srinagar, in which about 100 delegates from various districts of Jammy and Kashmir participated. A Presidium consisting of Latifa Ganaie, President, Suman Kesar and Advocate Laila Khalid were nominated to conduct the proceedings of the conference. M.Y.Tarigami, senior CPI(M) leader and MLA Kulgam was the chief guest in the conference. Two minutes silence was observed on the losses of human lives in the recent floods in various parts of Northern India.
Welcoming the central leadership P.K.Sreemathy, President AIDWA, Comrade Mariam Dhawale, General Secretary AIDWA and delegates from various parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Tarigami in his inaugural address said that this conference is being held at a crucial time when almost the Himalyan range from Uttrakhand, Himachal Pardesh to Jammu Kashmir have been reeling under devastating floods inflicting the losses to human lives and properties including standing crops. Role of women is extremely crucial in shaping the society as they almost consist the half of the population across the globe, but experience narrates that from times immemorial the women-folk has been discriminated all along and deprived of their involvement in decision making and development processes. As far as the history of freedom struggle is concerned, the women did not lag behind but were part and parcel of the fight against the British imperialism. Women have the right to be treated with dignity and respect, free from disparity, discrimination and harassment. Under “Naya Kashmir” programme, the women of the state were given equal rights in the society which include free education upto university level, equal opportunities in the process of development etc.
Comrade Mariam Dhawale, General Secretary, AIDWA emphasised that in absence of formidable women’s organisation, the rights of the women cannot be realized. Even after the advancement of the society and legislative safeguards the gender discriminations, atrocities, sextual harassment, disparity in income and equal opportunities still continue across the globe. Unless the forceful women’s organisations are in forefront to fight these atrocities, the goals of gender equality are not likely to be achieved. As such, it is imperative that Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Women’s Association works hard on ground to unite and mobilize the women who constitute half of the population to fight for their genuine and justified rights and force the powers to concede their demands. The women play a vital role in the development of their families and the society, as such, they must not be deprived of the equal opportunities and participation in each and every field. We vehemently oppose the provision of loans to women from Micro Finance Institutions which charge higher interest rates ranging from 20% to 30% which becomes extremely difficult for working women to repay leading to suicides as is evident from Maharashtra, Orrisa, Andhra Pradesh. It is strange that banks extend loans @ 8% to 12% to the micro finance institutions who in turn provide the loans at exorbitant rates to the women for starting the business. We demand that women must be extended loans to start their ventures @ 4%.
Advocate Laila Khalid highlighted the legal aspects to protect and safeguard the rights of the women. The women need to come on forefront to fight against gender discrimination and domestic violence with the help of legislative measures enshrined in our constitution.
P.K.Sreemathy, President AIDWA and former Health Minister, Government of Kerala said that women by virtue of their relentless struggles at various levels have been able to force the governments to concede their genuine demands. She said that In Kerala Anganwadi Workers are paid Rs.12000/- per month and ASHA Workers Rs.13500/- incentives. Women should not feel shy in lodging complaints in cases of sextual harassments, domestic violence and other types of atrocities. She exhorted upon the delegates to fearlessly work on ground, mobilize and unite the women folk, especially the working women in a formidable organisation to force the government to protect the rights and concede their demands.
Among others Suman Kesar, Latifa Ganaie, Masooda Akhter, Shaheena Akhter addressed the delegates.
A 15 member State Committee with Shaheena Akhter as President, Latifa Ganaie General Secretary, Advocate Laila Khalid Vice President and Suman Kesar Treaurer were unanimously elected by the delegates.