New Delhi, Sep 12 (PTI) The National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW) on Thursday launched the second phase of its campaign demanding amendments to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (NSVA) to delink its implementation from the census and delimitation processes.
Addressing the National Convention at Delhi's Constitution Club, NFIW President Aruna Roy condemned the conditionality attached to the law, accusing the government of harbouring a "patriarchal and 'manuwadi' mindset".
Roy argued that the NSVA, instead of empowering women, adds unnecessary hurdles to their participation in decision-making spaces.
The NSVA, passed in September 2023, reserves 33 per cent of seats for women in Parliament and state legislatures but will only come into effect after the completion of a national census and delimitation exercise.
The lack of a fixed timeline for these processes has been a key point of contention for the NFIW and other women's rights organisations, the NFIW said in a statement.
"The Act, touted as a significant achievement of the Modi government, is nothing but a mockery in the name of women's empowerment," Roy said.
"It pushes women further into silence and invisibility, while presenting a facade of gender-just governance," she said.
The NFIW has long been at the forefront of advocating for women's political representation, having campaigned for the reservation bill since 1996.
The organisation claims that its writ petition filed in 2021 in the Supreme Court prompted the Modi government to finally pass the NSVA after years of inaction. Despite this victory, NFIW leaders argue that the version of the law that passed was deeply flawed, the statement said.
According to the NFIW's draft resolution presented at the convention, India ranks 143rd out of 185 countries in terms of women's representation in the lower house of Parliament. With only 13.63 per cent women in the 18th Lok Sabha, the organisation believes the Act falls short of addressing the systemic exclusion of women from political power.
The NFIW is now calling for immediate amendments to the NSVA to delink its implementation from the census and delimitation processes, demanding that women be allocated 50 per cent of seats in both Parliament and state assemblies.
"This law, rather than taking women forward, is a tool of political posturing," the resolution states. "Women's representation must be prioritised now, not postponed indefinitely," it said.
The campaign also draws attention to the broader challenges faced by Indian women, including rising rates of violence and dwindling conviction rates.
The NFIW criticised the government for failing to adequately implement laws ensuring women's safety and for insufficient budgetary allocations for women's education and employment.
As the second phase of its campaign kicks off, the NFIW hopes to rally political parties and civil society organisations in support of its demands for a more inclusive and equitable political landscape.
"We reaffirm our commitment to breaking down barriers and creating a true democracy where women's voices are heard," the statement mentioned.