Time to table women's quota bill in Parliament: Left

The Communist Party of India has demanded the tabling of the women's reservation bill in the current session of Parliament.

In a resolution adopted on the penultimate day of the ongoing 20th Congress of the party, the CPI also demanded amendment and implementation of Equal Remuneration Act for ensuring equal pay for equal work.

"Though we welcome the amendments to Succession Act, passing of Domestic Violence Act, women quota in NREG Act and the announcement of extension of maternity leave to six months, we are critical of the failure of the UPA government to introduce the bill on 33 per cent reservations of seats to women in Parliament and state assemblies," the resolution noted.

Taking serious note of the growing atrocities on women despite the enactment of more stringent laws, the CPI expressed concern that the instances of female infanticide and foeticide are not coming down. There is only a negligible improvement in the sex ratio below six years of age as reported by the latest NSS report.

The incidents of eve-teasing, molestation and rapes are also on the rise on girl-child and women of all age groups. The sexual harassment of women workers at work places as well as while commuting has also increased.

"Public punishments and humiliations in the name of family

honour are aggressively and in vulgar manner being pursued by the religious fundamentalist forces," the resolution pointed out.

Besides demanding enactment of legislation on prevention of sexual harassment at work place, the CPI sought a ban on decision-taking by religious fanatics on the life-choices of women. The party also wanted stringent action against those perpetrating female infanticide and foeticide by amending the PNDT Act to include the pre-selection sex techniques and promotion of medical kits as a crime.

The CPI demanded allocation of adequate funds for proper implementation of Domestic Violence (Prevention) Act and implementation of the commitment for universalization of ICDS programme. The 20th Congress called upon all progressive forces to fight against gender bias and act for promoting dignified life of women as equals in all walks of life. 

The party noted that the mobility of women is rising as is evident from the increase migration of women workers and rise in the number of women self-help groups.

"More and more women are being drawn into unorganised sector workforce as formal sector is not providing opportunity as per the rising needs of the families. They are devoid of any kind of social security benefits or the equal pay for equal work," the resolution observed.