THE 9TH CONFERENCE OF ALL INDIA DEMOCRATIC WOMENS ASSOCIATION

“Never give up the struggle for equal rights this is a fight till your last breath! “

With this inspiring call given by Captain Lakshmi in her inaugural address, the Ninth National Conference of AIDWA was off to an inspiring start, and the 753 elected delegates representing a membership of 1,20,02, 223 women across the country participated most enthusiastically in the various programmes and sessions organized as part of the Conference.

More than 60 delegates from various states participated in the discussion, spread over two days. They highlighted the adverse impact of neo-liberal policies on women, strengthening the observations made in the General Secretary’s report that was placed by Sudha Sundararaman. The women drew clear links between increasing food insecurity, rising prices, lack of availability of work, even as wages decline and hours of labour increase, all as part of the impact of the global economic crisis. The delegates saw this as the specific context of increasing violence, criminality and corruption through their experiences of the last three years.

Delegates also highlighted the money power and the corrupt and criminal nature of elected representatives of ruling class parties. The liberal liquor policy pursued by many state governments including Maharashtra, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, etc, without any concern about its impact on women came under severe criticism. The terrible conditions of women working in the home based sector in Delhi, the impact of the agrarian crisis in hilly states like Himachal Pradesh, the political violence in West Bengal, the manner in which Microfinance institutions are squeezing poor women from Self Help Groups in Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, etc, were described in detail. Delegates noted how this was in total contrast to the Left Front governments that had made special efforts to implement alternative policies keeping in light the special problems of women. Special programs for the support of Self Help Groups, minority women, tribals and dalit women, widows and single women were mentioned.

Reviewing its work, interventions and organization building in the last three years, delegates pointed to the grave challenge posed by divisive and reactionary forces to women’s mobilization, and the need to consolidate the organization in the face of increasing attack on their rights. Many expressed their apprehensions with regard to the proliferation of NGOs and groups which worked to undermine the struggle by their depoliticized approach. Some of the sharpest interventions came from the Maoist affected areas where women face increasing violence and threats to the realization of their rights and democratic aspirations. The delegates from West Bengal especially reiterated their resolve the resist the TMC-Maoist conspiracy to undermine the Left forces in the state.

Captain Laxmi Sahgal inaugurated an exhibition of posters depicting the violence inflicted on the people of West Bengal for having displayed commitment to the Left parties against the Maoist offensive.

Summing up the discussion, the General Secretary called upon delegates to deepen their understanding and analysis of the contemporary challenges facing women, and to consolidate the organizational base by reaching out to the poorest sections of women. She said that women must seize every opportunity to advance their rights and resist all attacks on them, be they from the imperialist forces, or the obscurantist, conservative Hindutva elements and other fundamentalists.

GREETINGS:

The NFIW General Secretary Annie Raja greeted the Conference on behalf of NFIW, and underlined the importance of joint interventions on many crucial issues facing women today.

Hannan Mollah, General Secretary of the Agricultural Workers’ Union, pointed out how women make up 40% of the agricultural worker force, but get hardly 57 days of work in a year. He pinpointed the arenas of common struggle, including the decline in work days, and the issue of social discrimination against Dalits who are also a major section within them. S. R. Pillai, the President of the All India Kisan Sabha, highlighted how the growing agrarian crisis reflected in increasing landlessness, indebtedness and pauperization of the peasantry, making women more vulnerable to exploitation and violence. He said that the AIKS and the AIDWA should identify common issues for building powerful and militant struggles.

Greeting the conference on behalf of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions, its President A. K. Padmanabhan referred to the growing resistance to globalization, that has been reflected in the unprecedented unity of trade unions in the struggles against price rise, for the universalisation of the PDS, against disinvestment of profit-making PSUs and for unconditional social security benefits for all workers in the unorgansied sector. 25% of CITU membership consists of women and their participation in these struggles has been significant, he said.

VOICE FROM KASHMIR

Bilquees Bhat from Kashmir highlighted the long period of suffering and sorrow of its people. Some political groups that are spreading communal hatred and pursuing partisan agendas were adversely affecting the dialogue and peace process. The continuing crisis was reflected in the huge number of widows and orphans in Kashmir. As a victim of the violence she felt it was imperative to generate employment in the trouble-torn state, without which women cannot survive. She made a fervent plea for special efforts to address the problems of the women of Kashmir.

RELEASE OF AIDWA BOOK ON MUSLIM WOMEN

‘What to wear and whether or not to wear a burqa should be the decision taken by an individual woman. Neither the state, nor government nor any organization has the right to impose their views and use force to influence the decision and choice of a woman.’ So stated Sehba Farooqui, the State Secretary of Delhi while releasing a book titled “Muslim Women: AIDWA Interventions and Struggles”, along with members of the Muslim women’s sub committee. She emphasized the need to draw more and more Muslim women into the organization. She also moved a resolution demanding that the exercise of the unilateral right of divorce and the practice of triple talaaq be banned in our country. While this has been consistently reiterated by AIDWA and Muslim women for many years, its recent context is the upholding of a case of triple talaaq that was pronounced during an internet chat between a husband and wife by the Deoband ulema.

CONFERENCE RESOLUTIONS

The Conference unanimously passed a resolution on ‘Price Rise and the Public Distribution System’ moved by U. Vasuki (Tamil Nadu) and seconded by Mariam Dhawale (Maharashtra). A resolution calling for a comprehensive Sexual Assault Bill, and demanding effective action against all the males present in school campus in the Divya Bhadoria case, was moved by UP State Secretary Madhu Garg and seconded by Ram Pari from Bihar.

A resolution was passed expressing serious concern about the recent Ayodhya judgment. It questioned the three-way partitioning of the disputed property which appears to be based more on ‘faith’ and ‘religious belief’ than on accepted principles of jurisprudence, which appeared to indirectly justify the forcible act of placing the idols under the dome of the 500-year-old Masjid in 1949, and its subsequent destruction on 6 December 1992. It noted that the women’s movement is extremely wary of the substitution of judicial principles by faith because the latter was often used to justify violence, inequality and regressive practices such as untouchability, “honour” crimes, dowry, sati, domestic violence, etc. It expressed the hope that the Supreme Court would not allow this judgment to set a dangerous precedent. It called upon all its members to be continuously alert to the threat of communal polarization and work ceaselessly to strengthen the historical bonds between different communities.

The Conference also took note of the recent spate of suicides as a result of the harassment and strong arm tactics employed by commercial and profit-oriented corporate Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs) for loan recovery. It called upon the government to intervene to regulate and curb activities of MFIs and extend cheap credit facilities to poor households through formal banking institutions in the country. Although it poses as a programme for poverty alleviation and economic empowerment, it is actually a World Bank promoted strategy that utilizes the NGO sector to transfer the savings of poor to the corporate sector. Whatever little collectivism was generated has been destroyed and women are increasingly caught in debt traps. The Conference called upon the Central Government to immediately enact a law to cap the interest rates charged by MFIs to SHGs at not more than 2% above the rates charged by banks to MFIs and to take stringent legal action against MFIs indulging in extortionist practices.

The Conference strongly condemned the continuing betrayal by the UPA-II Government on the passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha, after its passage in the Rajya Sabha in March 2010. The UPA is using it a bargaining point to ensure that those Opposition parties who are against the Bill support the Government on other contentious issues. Recent local self government body elections in Kerala, and earlier in Bihar and other states wherein 50% of the seats have been reserved for women point to the increasing number of Dalit, Adivasi, OBC and Muslim women who are able to enter the political arena owing to reservation. It is therefore imperative that the Bill be passed in the Lok Sabha without further delay. The AIDWA called for the widest possible mobilization of different sections of women to put pressure on the UPA government to pilot the Bill through the Lok Sabha and pass it without any further prevarication.

The Conference adopted a resolution on the proposed Bill for protection of Women against Sexual Harrassment at the Workplace and welcomed the initiation of the Bill as a first step, but expressed concern at certain provisions in the Draft such as the reported clause that false and malicious complaints are to be made punishable.

COMMISSION PAPERS

Delegates divided themselves into different groups to discuss seven Commission Papers. These were on the Maoist Challenge in the Context of Problems of Women and Tribals, on the Girl Child, the Impact of the Global Economic Crisis on Women, Media as a Political Actor, Identity Politics and the Women’s Movement, the Situation of Women in the North-East and Laws and the Rights of Women. The discussions enriched the draft papers which will be finalized and published by AIDWA after the Conference.

The Conference paid rich tributes to its President Subhashini Ali, whose three terms are complete, and who had led the organization through a most challenging phase, expanding its outreach to newer sections, focusing on the demands of specific social groups and communities, even as AIDWA built upon common struggles. Central and state leadership and activists besieged her with tokens of their appreciation, in a spontaneous and moving acknowledgement of her rich contribution. They thanked her for her tireless efforts that had made it possible to hold the Conference in a northern state for the first time.

CALL OF THE CONFERENCE

The hugely successful Conference came to an end with all the delegates unanimously resolving to intensify the resistance to the neo liberal growth model, to strengthen struggles for universal food security, uphold the rights of organized and unorganized sector workers, resist privatization of education, health, and social security and prevent exploitation of women through SHGs. It called upon the organization to strengthen the campaign against all forms of conservatism and defend the rights of young people to choose their partners and combat the communal offensive. Given that it is the Left forces which are at the forefront of defending women’s rights, it called upon AIDWA units to effectively counter the vicious anti-Left offensive being unleashed by the ruling classes, and particularly in West Bengal by the Maoist-TMC combine. In the coming three years, the organization will take up the specific forms of oppression being faced by dalit, minority and adivasi women on a priority basis and focus on the problems of youth, and single women. It will build an effective campaign against multiple forms of violence against women, and girl children, intensify actions against sex selective abortions and dowry, as part of a larger mass movement to counter the combined impact of patriarchy and growing consumerism, work for recognition of matrimonial property rights and other legal rights. It resolved to intervene against commercialized media and the marketization of rituals and religiosity, create cultural alternatives to strengthen the secular and democratic fabric of our country.

The Conference elected a new Central Executive Committee of 102 members. Shyamali Gupta from West Bengal was elected the new President. Sudha Sundararaman will continue as the General Secretary and Bonani Biswas as Treasurer. A 29 member secretariat was elected unanimously.

The Conference concluded with a mass rally addressed by Brinda Karat (MP), Subhashini Ali, Shyamali Gupta, Sudha Sundararaman, Madhu Garg and other leaders, whose calls for militant, unrelenting struggles against exploitation and oppression were met with supportive cheers from the women of UP who had congregated in large numbers.

REPORT FROM SUDHA SUNDARARAMAN

ON REGULATION OF MICROFINANCE INSTITUTIONS

This Ninth National Conference of the All India Democratic Women’s Association expresses deep concern about the recent spate of suicides as a result of the harassment and strong arm tactics employed by commercial and profit-oriented corporate Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs) for loan recovery. Taking advantage of the fact that formal banking institutions have failed to meet the credit needs of the poor, and especially women, this new breed of moneylenders is luring women to form Self Help Groups (SHGs), and then charging these SHGs exorbitant rates of interest as high as 48-60%. There are multiple MFIs lending to the same person. Although it is posed as a programme for poverty alleviation and economic empowerment, it is actually a World Bank promoted strategy that utilizes the NGO sector to transfer the savings of poor to the corporate sector. Whatever little collectivism has been generated by the SHGs has been systematically destroyed in the process.

Unable to meet the stringent conditions imposed by the MFIs, women are being drawn into debt traps. In Andhra Pradesh alone, 32 MFIs are reported to have given loans worth Rs. 25000 crores to 40% of the poor women in the state. Unable to meet their forcible demands for loan recovery, more than a hundred people have committed suicide. Similar unethical practices are also being reported from other states across the country.

However, the ordinance that has been promulgated by the Government of Andhra Pradesh is fatally flawed because it does not cap the interest rates of the MFIs. In response to protests against it, the Andhra Pradesh government has said that it has done so at the behest of the Central government. Nor has the RBI issued any directives to control the MFIs. This Conference strongly protests against the protection and patronage doled out to those indulging in sheer loot of the savings of poor women.

It should be noted that personal consumer and housing loans are given by banks at much lower rates of interest. We note that the State Governments of West Bengal, Tripura and Kerala have schemes that provide loans to the SHGs at subsidized low rates of interest of 4%.

This Ninth National Conference of the All India Democratic Women’s Association calls upon the government to intervene to regulate and curb activities of MFIs, and extend cheap credit facilities to poor households, through formal banking institutions in the country. In particular it demands that:

· The Central Government must immediately enact a law to cap the interest rates charged by MFIs and regulate and monitor the operations of all MFIs and NGOs that promote and form SHGs and carry out thrift and credit operations

· Criminal cases against MFIs indulging in extortionist practices

· Capping of interest rates from banks to SHGs at 4%; capping of loans given by MFIs to SHGs at not more than 2% above the rates charged by banks to MFIs/SHGs

· Expansion of cheap credit facilities through direct banking operations for all rural and urban women, and their SHGs

· Separate ministries for SHGs and Micro Credit at the national and state level It calls upon all AIDWA units to mobilize women across the country to press for these demands.

On proposed Bill for Protection of Women against Sexual Harrasment at the Workplace

This Ninth Conference of the All India Democratic Women’s Association, notes that 13 years after the Vishaka Judgement (1997) defined Sexual Harassment and asked all employers to appoint committees to deal with the issue, the Union Government has finally approved the introduction of a bill on protection of women from sexual harassment at the work place.

While the decision to introduce such a law is a welcome first step, AIDWA is deeply concerned about certain provisions in the draft. It appears to follow the definition of sexual harassment as laid down by the Supreme Court and punish any unwelcome sexually coloured remarks or gestures, touch, etc., when they create a hostile work environment, or when a victim apprehends that she will be penalized if she does not respond to the gesture. However, AIDWA and the National Commission for Women (NCW) had also suggested that sexual harassment, which is humiliating to the woman and affects her health and safety, should also be a part of the definition. It had also suggested that sexual harassment should be made punishable in both the organized and the unorganized sector and in all institutions of any size, including universities and colleges. But it appears that the government draft does not apply to domestic workers in spite of the fact that the NCW draft had specifically listed domestic work in its scheduled list of unorganized work. We also have to see whether the Bill includes a clause on the employer’s responsibility to ensure a gender just environment, and takes action against the employer for violating the provisions of the Law.

The proposed government bill lays down that complaint committees with at least half women members will be set up in institutions and a local committee will be constituted by an appointed District officer for victims of sexual harassment in very small institutions or in situations where no complaint committee is available. However since the discretion to appoint this committee rests solely with the District officer, it is liable to be exercised in an arbitrary manner. A more transparent procedure should be prescribed under the proposed law. The local complaint committees are supposed to recommend action to the employers or District officers; but it is not clear whether this recommendation must necessarily be followed. In the past, we have demanded that all recommendations of punishment of the complaint committees to the employers/District officers must be accepted and implemented and no additional inquiries should be initiated. We also demand that, as suggested by the NCW, monetary compensation should be given to the victim on the basis of trauma and loss of opportunity suffered by her.

AIDWA is also deeply concerned about reports that false and malicious complaints of sexual harassment have been made punishable in the proposed law. This is totally against the Vishaka Judgment which had clearly stated that no action should be taken against a woman for making a complaint. The entire civil law to deal with cases of sexual harassment was meant to be enacted to provide a conducive atmosphere to the women victim to make a complaint, because women employees are usually extremely hesitant to lodge a complaint for fear of reprisal. Our experience of dealing with cases and as members of complaint committees has shown us how accusations of false complaints are routinely made against the women victims. Though mere inability to substantiate the complaint or provide adequate proof has not been made punishable, we feel that this is not good enough. This Conference demands there should be no such clause in the bill, and demands the passage of a comprehensive bill that takes into account all our suggestions.

Source: www.citucentre.org/