UNICEF to Formulate Strategy on 'Gender Mainstreaming'

Agartala, Jul 27 : To address the problem of atrocities against women migrants and other fringe groups, the UNICEF has invited Census officials of eight Indian states, including Tripura, to an open house strategic discussion on Gender Mainstreaming in New Delhi on July 30.

Director Census (Tripura) Dilip Acharjee here today said besides Tripura, West Bengal, Haryana, New Delhi, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa and Chandigarh had been invited to formulate strategy to tackle the problem.

''UNICEF has identified infants, girl children, elderly domestic helps as the most vulnerable groups in these states and the discussion would include issues like average marriage age of girls, women literacy and participation of women in decision making process and combating migration of women from and to the states,'' Mr Acharjee said.

Referring to Census record Mr Acharjee maintained that there were reports of migration of girl children from south and north Tripura to North Indian states in connection with marriage and seasonal migration of labourers from Jharkhand and Bihar for the brick industry.

However, he pointed out that the situation was not so grim as compared to other states of the country.

He also added that Tripura had already taken steps to ensure political and economic participation of the women in the family decision making and other spectrums of governance.

The state has already introduced 50 per cent reservation for women in all political institutions early this year and in the last three-tier panchayat election more than 35 per cent of women got elected.