Women rights activists release list of demands

Women rights activists release list of demands

1. Women right activists have released ”Womanifesto”. It is a 44-point list of demands for consideration of all political parties for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
2. The major demands include a) free sanitary napkins, b) free treatment for survivors of sexual assault and acid attack, c) criminalisation of marital rape, d) land deed in the joint names of wife and husband, e) allocation of 30% of the annual budget for growth and development of women, f) creation of one crore jobs for women in the next five years, g) inclusion of women in all decision-making bodies dealing with climate change and environment.
3. Activists have also advocated that the Election Commission should bring electoral reforms to encourage participation of women in politics. The EC has been urged to make it mandatory for all political parties to have at least 33% women members so that the parties with low women participation are deregistered.
4. Activists have criticised the government for its failure to introduce Constitution (One Hundred and Eighth Amendment) Bill, 2008. The bill seeks to reserve one-third of all seats for women in the Lok Sabha and the state legislative assemblies.  The bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha in 2010 but is still pending in Lok Sabha