‘No single woman member present in crucial State commissions ’

Tribal women in Kodaikanal raise concerns over lack of female representation in key commissions during International Women's Day.

The absence of even a single woman member in the State Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare commission, State Minorities Commission and State Human Rights Commission was a matter of concern and one should introspect about this at least on this day, spoke tribal women during the International Women’s Day celebration in Kodaikanal on Saturday.  

A. Veronica Mary, a Madurai based social activist, who delivered the chief guest address said that not having women in some of the important commissions showed the importance given to them on crucial matters.  

“How these commissions which will be taking up some of the important cases and incidents would fairly investigate and hear out the grievances of women without any biases,” she questioned.  

When women are said to have 33% reservation, in reality, it remained only on paper, she added.  

“Though it is a great thing to have a day for women to celebrate their presence and achievements, we should also not forget about thousands of women from various tribal and Dalit communities who still lack even basic facilities like decent toilet, clean drinking water and nutritious diet,” she noted.  

Many government policies and schemes aimed at developing livelihood of women from such underprivileged backgrounds never even reach some of the hamlets located in Kodaikanal hills, she added. 

While the Union government boasts of having achieved open-defecation free State under Swachh Bharat Mission, hundreds of households in tribal hamlets still lack a decent toilet facility, Ms. Mary said.