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The historic women’s reservation bill ensuring 33 per cent reservation has been passed by Rajya Sabha on 9th March 2010. This on third reservation for women in the lok Sabha and state assemblies finally PASSED. “Our Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has stated that despite the many progress achieved by women in India, our women have faced enormous difficulties.” “We have also to recognize that our women faced discrimination at home, there is domestic violence, they face discrimination in equal access to education, healthcare, and there are all these things. All these things have to end if India were to realize its full potential.” “Passing of this bill is a historical occasion which calls for celebrations.” “The bill that is a historic step forward, a giant step forward in strengthening the process of emancipation (of women).” “This is a momentous development in the long journey of empowering our women.” Our president Parthia Patil has stated that reservation was not the answer. “it will only facilitate the process of women’s entry into politics women have been participating in the political life of the nation with 1.2 million elected women representatives in local bodies in villages and towns, which is about 36 per cent.” To increase the representation of women in elected bodies of local urban bodies and the Panchayati raj institutions, it is proposed to increase this percentage to 50 per cent. The women’s reservation bill providing for 33 per cent reservation to women in state legislatures. Legislative and administrative initiatives to empower women in India were necessary and important, but not enough. “We also need a fundamental change in our mindsets. We need a new social reform movement, for gender and empowerment of our women-a movement that changes society’s attitude towards women. This book deals with the problems and prospects of political empowerment of socially, educationally and economically unempowered women in India.
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