The low representation of women in law-making bodies prevents the issues of women being taken up effectively, Minister for Health and Social Justice K.K. Shylaja has said.
She was speaking at the Women’s Parliament organised as part of the 60th anniversary celebrations of the first Communist Ministry.
“In the first ministry, there were just six women out of 114 legislators. Sixty years later, not much has changed, as there are only seven women out of 141 legislators. Though there is no difference between genders as per the Constitution, this has not been reflected in the legislature, executive and judiciary,” she said.
She said the State had taken a great step forward by ensuring 50% reservation for women in local bodies. The Kudumbasree movement has also ensured representation for a whole lot of women in public sphere.
In reality
“As per the Constitution and law, we are all equal. But in practice, women are never treated so. Even now, women occupying high positions are told that they should remember that they are women and are expected to behave in a certain way. This is the sign of the kind of cultural degradation that has affected the society,” Fisheries Minister J. Mercykutty Amma, who presided over the function, said.
She said the Dravidian culture had a tradition of treating men and women equally, which changed with the Aryan invasion.
There was an urgent need for unity among women for them to forge their way forward, she said.
Former women MLAs, Ministers, current Municipal Corporation Mayors, panchayat presidents, and achievers in various fields came together at the Tagore Hall on Sunday for the Women’s Parliament.
Honour for women
The two Ministers honoured women achievers in various fields — poet Sugathakumari, theatre and film actor Nilambur Ayisha, athlete Beenamol, filmmaker Vidhu Vincent, singer Rajalekshmi, and retired bureaucrat Lida Jacob.
Ms. Sugathakumari said it was a disgrace that the practice of dowry could not be eradicated in the past 60 years. Ms. Vidhu Vincent said that her second film would be on a woman panchayat president who brought about a change.
