Kerala’s Gender Policy has been announced.
Revealing the framework and focus areas of the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) Policy for Kerala (2014-2020), drafted by the Department of Social Justice, Minister for Social Justice M.K. Muneer said here on Thursday that a Gender State Coordination Committee (GSCC) would soon be set up with the Chief Minister as the chairperson for the successful implementation of the GEWE Policy.
The new policy is an updation of the Policy on Women issued by the government in 2009 and shifts from a focus solely on women, to a more inclusive policy focussing on gender equality and rights.
The GEWE policy adopts gender mainstreaming as the key approach to achieving gender equality and recognises that men, along with women, need to be fully involved in the process of social transformation and change.
While the primary focus will continue to be on women’s empowerment and rights, the new policy recognises that there are emerging male gender issues that must also receive consideration to achieve gender equality.
The State government will thus give high priority to gender mainstreaming in all development policies and interventions and all departments/agencies which receive public funds will have to have the GEWE policy at the heart of all its development activities and interventions and prepare respective gender action plans.
The policy establishes a process and accountability framework to design and monitor gender-informed development projects in the State.
