Enabling Framework

Since Independence, the Government of India has enacted a constitutional and legal framework and has developed institutional mechanisms to enable improvement in the living conditions of women and children in India.

The Constitution and the Law

The basic provisions of the Indian Constitution that guarantee justice, liberty and equality to all citizens and the specific articles and amendments that have been enacted to ensure that women and children enjoy the constitutional rights that assure their participation in society as equal partners provide the framework for women and child development in India.

Institutional Mechanisms

A separate Department of Women and Child development has been established by the government to give due emphasis to this area and to ensure convergence of services and formulation of policies. There are other bodies like the Central Social Welfare Board and the Indian Council of Child Welfare which are apex bodies concerned with the development of women and children. Supported by the efforts of NGOs and international organizations like UNICEF these form the core of  programs and initiatives in this field.

National Commission for Women

The National Commission for Women was set up by the Government in 1992 with the mandate to study and monitor all matters relating to the constitutional and legal safeguards provided for women, reviewing existing legislation and suggesting amendments where necessary and looking into complaints involving deprivation of the rights of women. Since its inception, many issues and incidents have been taken up by the Commission.

Local Self Government

With the enactment of the 73rd Amendment to the Constitution of India, the third tier of the government in the federal structure of government becomes enforceable. The provision of a 33 percent reservation of seats for women in the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI) will ensure the participation of women in the self-governance of districts in larger measure.