Creating an atmosphere of rational thinking and keeping away from superstitions are the need of the hour to create a Nava Keralam for women, State Planning Board member Mridul Eapen has said.
Delivering the keynote address at a seminar on ‘Nava Kerala and the women’s movement’ here on Monday, Dr. Eapen said gender justice could be achieved only through the intermingling of the economic with political, social and cultural dimensions. The programme was organised as a part of the State level Panchayat Day celebrations.
“The policy of development should concern with resolving problems of poverty, deprivation, and unemployment,” Dr. Eapen said, adding that those problems were gender-specific and were not sufficiently recognised in society.
Dr. Eapen said gender justice meant ending all discrimination against women.
Speaking after inaugurating the seminar, T.N. Seema, executive vice-chairperson, Haritha Kerala Mission, said women’s participation in local bodies had significantly increased since 1995, and that now it stood at 58% as against a mere 4% a few decades ago.
Dr. Seema said women should come forward to build a Nava Keralam by striving for it on an even keel with men.
K. Thulasi, president, Kerala Grama Panchayat Association, presided over the function.