NEW DELHI: Ahead of International Women’s Day, observed each year on March 8, the Centre moved to curb the “Sarpanch Pati” phenomenon with the launch of a first-of-its-kind capacity building programme for women elected representatives in Panchayati Raj Institutions that will focus on sharpening their leadership acumen and enhance decision-making capabilities.
Under the ‘Sashakt Panchayat-Netri Abhiyan’, a comprehensive primer on “laws addressing gender based violence and harmful practices” was also released by the ministry of Panchayati Raj to equip women pradhans and panchayat members with the knowledge to protect and empower women and girls in villages.
Over 1,200 women Panchayat leaders were present at the launch of the campaign at Vigyan Bhawan on Tuesday. This comes in the backdrop of recommendations of an advisory committee set up by the ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) which in its recent report suggested that “exemplary penalties” should be enforced for proven cases of proxy leadership by husbands and other male relatives in place of elected women ‘pradhans’.
The committee had also suggested a detailed roadmap on the way forward with interventions ranging from behavioural change through capacity-building and mentorship and a monitoring framework from the grassroots to the top.
At the launch of the campaign on Tuesday, Union minister for Panchayati Raj, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Union minister for women and child development Annapurna Devi and minister of state for Panchayati Raj S P Singh Baghel spoke strongly against proxy leadership in panchayats often in the garb of ‘MP’ (Mukhiya Pati), ‘SP’ (Sarpanch Pati) and ‘PP’ (Pradhan Pati).
Minister of state for youth affairs and sports Raksha Nikhil Khadse, who began her political journey as a sarpanch of a gram panchayat in Maharashtra encouraged women leaders to lead with confidence to counter patriarchy and proxy leadership.
Meanwhile, the primer on laws is seen as a critical component aimed at equipping women leaders with legal knowledge during training on concerns related to gender based violence. From touching upon concepts like “consent” as defined in law to dwelling on the definition of domestic violence and workplace harassment – the training manual ensures elected representatives are equipped with not just the legal knowledge but also the process to help women in distress.
The primer has dedicated chapters on legal provisions available to report domestic violence, child abuse, child marriage, gender biased sex selection, workplace harassment, trafficking and technology facilitated gender-based violence that dwells on concerns like online sexual harassment, cyberstalking, image based abuse, impersonation and hacking.