discuss the various issues and measures for women and child welfare at international and national levels for giving value education
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Women and Child Welfare Schemes in India!
Women constitute 48 per cent of the total population of the country. They suffer many disadvantages as compared to men in literary rates, labour participation rates and earnings. The development of women has been receiving attention of the Government of India from the First Plan. But it was treated as a subject of ‘welfare’ and clubbed together with the welfare of the disadvantaged groups like destitute, disabled, aged, etc. In 1953, the Central Social Welfare Board was set up which acts as an Apex Body at the Centre to promote voluntary action at various levels, especially at the grassroots, to take up welfare-related activities for women and children.
The Second to Fifth Plans continued this strategy, besides giving priority to women’s education, and launching measures to improve material and child health services, supplementary feeding for children and expectant and nursing mothers.
In the Sixth Plan, there was a shift in the approach from ‘welfare’ to ‘development’ of women. The Sixth Plan adopted a multi-disciplinary approach with special emphasis on the three core sectors of health, education and employment.
The Seventh Plan stressed on raising their economic and social status and bringing them into the mainstream of national development. One of the significant step in this direction was to identify/promote the ‘Beneficiary Oriented Schemes’ in various developmental sector which extended direct benefits to women.
The strategy also included the generation of both skilled and unskilled employment through proper education and vocational training. The Eighth Plan ensured that the benefits of development to women should flow from other development sectors and enable women to function as equal partners and participants in the development process.
The Ninth Plan made two important changes in the strategy of development of women. The first was the ‘Empowerment of Women’. Its aim was to create an enabling environment where women could freely exercise their rights both within and outside home, and are equal partners along with men.
The second was the convergence of existing services available in both women-specific and women-related sectors To this effect, a special strategy of ‘Women’s Component Plan’ was adopted through which not less than 30 per cent of funds/benefits now flow to women from all the general development sector
1. Swayamsidha:
Swayamsidha is an integrated scheme for the development and empowerment of women through self-help groups. It covers services, access to micro-credit and promotes micro-enterprises.
2. Swashakti Project:
Swashakti Project aims at increasing women’s access to resources for better quality of life through the use of time reduction devices, by providing health and education services and by imparting skills to women for income generating activities.
3. Child Development Services Scheme (CDS):
The scheme started in 1975 with the objective to give special coverage to slums in urban areas. The scheme also envisages delivery of an integrated package of services consisting of immunization, health check-ups, nutrition and health education and refreshment services to child and pregnant women.
4. Support to Training and Employment Programme for Women:
It provides new skills and knowledge to poor assetless women in agriculture, animal husbandry, dairying, fisheries, sericulture, handlooms, handicrafts and khadi and village industry sectors of employment.
5. Swavlamban:
This scheme provides training and skills to women to enable them to obtain employment or become self-employed. The trades in which training is imparted include computer programming, medical transcription, electronic assembling, electronics, radio and TV repairs, garment making, handloom weaving, handicrafts, secretarial practice, embroidery and community health.
6. Creche/Day Care Centres for the Children of Working and Ailing Mothers:
It aims at providing day care services to children (0-5 years) of parents whose income does not exceed Rs. 1,800 per month. The services include sleeping and day care facilities, recreation, supplementary nutrition, immunisation and medicine.
7. Hostels for Working Women:
Under this scheme, financial assistance is provided for construction and expansion of hostel buildings for working women. It also includes provisions for safe and affordable accommodation to working women (single or married), those getting training for employment and girl students studying in professional courses.