WOMEN WELFARE

WHAT IS WOMEN WELFARE?

 A national committee on the status of women was appointed in 1971.
 It was to examine the constitutional, legal, and administrative provisions
that have bearing on the social status of woman, their education and
employment.
 The impact of these provisions on the status of woman during past 47 years
or so are considered effective programme for improvement.
 The committee pointed out that the processes of social changes have
affected different section of women in different ways and so on
generalizations can be made.
 The committee also observed that this subject covers a wide perspective,
including all the important aspects affecting the life of women.
Need for Women Welfare
 The world depends on women for existence.
 Its necessary for children to be bought up in a suitable environment, as they are
the future of the nation.
 Over the time they have been the most suppressed section of the society.

Objectives of Woman Welfare

 Women and children are the soft targets.
 They are the victims of capitalism, development and environment.
 They suffer in a number of ways because they are:
 Economically dependent
 Illiteracy
 Wide Gender Discretion etc.
Status of Women in India
 Women are less educated compared to men in India:
As per the 2011 census, the male literacy rate was at 82.14% and the female literacy rate was far behind with 65.46%.
At the secondary school level, girls tend to drop out more than boys. In fact, for every 100 girls in rural India, only a single
girl reach class 12!

 Women get married at a younger age:

Developed countries have an average age of marriage is about 30 years. But in several states of India, girls are married
before the age of 18 years.

 Dowry deaths continue to happen:

As per the National Crime Records Bureau’s 2015 report, 7634 women in India died as the result of Dowry
harassment. To add insult to injury, only about 35% of those charged by law enforcement were convicted.

 Women bear the brunt of violent crime:

1. 26% crimes against women reported every hour in India.
2. 10 out of every 26 crimes are committed by husbands and relatives.
3. 3 out of 26 crimes reported is filed as kidnapping and rape separately.
POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES
 Support to Training and Employment Programme for women (STEP), since
1986.
 Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme (2015)
 Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana (IGMSY)
 SWADHAR greh (A Scheme for Women in difficult circumstances)
 Scheme of Financial Assistance to Widows (Pension to Widows), 2000.
 Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (2005)
 National Policy for the Empowerment of Women was formulated 2001.
 Girl Child Protection Scheme (GCPS): Launched in 2005 by Child Welfare and
Disabled Welfare Department.
 Working Women Hostels (since 1999)
 Central Victim Compensation Fund scheme (CVCF)
 STREE SHAKTI AND GENDER RESOURCE CENTRES (2003)
CHILD WELFARE
WHAT IS CHILD WELFARE?
 Child Welfare is designed to ensure that children are safe and that families
have the necessary support to care for their children successfully.
 Child Welfare services may apply only the essential measures to keep children
alive, such as emergency feeding, shelter, and simple public health
precautions. The general standard of living, the level of education and the
financial resources of the country are the factors that determine child
welfare standards.
NEED OF CHILD WELFARE
 1 out of 21 million babies born every year in India are abandoned soon after
their birth due to different socio-economic reasons.
 Around 20 million children in our country are estimated to be working as child
labors, some of them in various hazardous industries like the match industry,
firework industry and pottery industry.
 To eradicate the problem of illiteracy amongst children.
 To protect the right of the children against being exploited, neglected or
abused physically or mentally.

PROBLEMS FACED BY CHILDREN

 Child Abuse
- Physical Abuse
- Emotional Abuse
 Child labour
 Child Sexual Abuse
Child Abuse
o Physical Abuse: It means hurting a child causing injuries such as broken bones,
burns, or cuts. Children who are physically abused suffer violence such as
being hit, kicked, burned or slapped etc.
o Emotional Abuse: It is emotional maltreatment of a child. It also called as
Psychological abuse and can seriously damage a child’s emotional health and
development.

Child Labour
o About 1.4 million child labours in India belong to age group of 7-14 years ,
who can’t even write their names.
o A reservation was made in article 32, wherein the govt. of India progressively
ban all forms of child labour.

Child Sexual Abuse

o The Indian Penal Code defines sexual exploitation of children as: unwanted
sexual behavior towards children. Which include modesty of a child, rape,
sodomy etc.
o Sexual exploitation is not a rape alone. It can be- clicking indecent
photographs of children, physically teasing, etc.
POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES
 Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS).
 The first ICDS project was launched in India with 33 project in all over the
country on 2 Oct, 1975.
 Setting up of Aanganwadi centers.
 JUVENILE JUSTICE ACT, 2000.
 Setting up of JUVENILE SHELTER HOMES.
 State Commission for protection of child rights.
 Financial Assistance Schemes.
 Girl Child Protection Scheme.
 National Charter for Children (2004).
 National plan of action for Children (2005).
ROLE OF NGO’S
1. Save The Children India (since 2008)
2. SOS Children’s Villages, India
3. Bachpan Bachao Andolan (since 1980)
4. Uday Foundation
5. Pratham Education Foundation
HIV/AIDS
Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a disease of human immune
system caused by Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV attacks and kills
important immune system T helper cells. Without T- helper cells many other
immune system cells cannot work properly, including B-Cells that makes
antibodies. This results in the loss of natural defense system of body against the
virus and the victim becomes more prone to infections. AIDS is the last stage of
HIV infection. Therefore, infection with HIV does not necessarily means AIDS, but
all patients with AIDS have HIV infection.
The first case of AIDS was reported in 1981 among male homosexual in Los
Angeles (USA). In India, the first case of HIV was diagnosed among sex workers in
Chennai in 1986.
MODES OF TRANSMISSION
HIV is mainly transmitted by following ways:-
 Unprotected anal, vaginal or oral sex with infected person.
 Infected pregnant mother to child.
 By sharing contaminated needles/syringes.
 Infected blood or blood products.
AIDS does not spread by insect bites, shaking hands, kissing, coughing, sneezing,
and sharing utensils or toilets.

SYMPTOMS OF AIDS
The major symptoms of infection are:-
 Loss of appetite
 Loss of weight
 Constant fever
 Swollen glands
CONTROL OF AIDS
The AIDS can be controlled by –
 Avoid sex with multiple partners
 Use condoms
 Do not reuse needles and syringes
 HIV infected mother should avoid pregrency
 Mass awareness by TV channels

TREATMENT OF HIV/AIDs
In 1987, a drug called AZT become the first approved drug for the treatment of
HIV. About 30 drugs have been discovered so far. The three main classes of
inhibitors are:-
 Protease inhibitors- Saquinavir, Ritonavir
 Non-Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors- Nevirapine, Efavirenz
 Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors- Stavudine, Lamivudine
GOVERNMENT POLICIES ON HIV/AIDS
In 1992, National AIDS Control Program (NACP) was launched in India. NACP-I was
conducted from 1992-1999, and it’s main objective was to control the spread of
infection. About 685 blood banks were established under this program. New
medical colleges and hospitals were provided in different districts to control HIV
infection. NACP-II was launched from 1999-2006 with an aim to target
interventions for communities at high risk. Under these programs each states and
union territory has registered a state AIDS Control Society (SACS) TO implement
awareness programs.