(UCAN): Nuns and priests came together along with over 2,000 women to release the Women’s Manifesto 2024 in Varanasi, northern Uttar Pradesh, the constituency where India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, is seeking re-election in the polls in May.
At the function in on March 3, they urged all political parties to take steps to curb gender-related violence including female foeticide.
The latest state-run National Crime Records Bureau [NCRB] annual report in 2022 revealed a distressing rise of four per cent in crimes against women. The cases mainly deal with cruelty by husbands and relatives, abductions, assaults, and rapes.
In the manifesto, released at the Mahila Adhikar Sammelan [Women’s Rights Conclave], attended by women from rural areas adjacent to Varanasi, they listed 13 demands to political parties.
“We organised the gathering to celebrate International Women’s Day which falls on March 8,” Indian Missionary Society [IMS] Father Anand Mathew, said.
Father Mathew said that the manifesto would be handed over to all political parties contesting the national polls scheduled in April and May. The manifesto highlights major demands by women ahead of the elections.
The document appealed to political parties to accelerate probes in cases of victimised women. It also an end to female foeticide and wants more women in the police force.
The women stressed the need to restore their dignity in all spheres of life.
The manifesto demands a 50 per cent representation for women in all legislative bodies like the Lok Sabha [lower house of the Indian parliament], state assemblies, and local bodies and wants to make education free for girls up to graduation.
Father Mathew added that members of the Conference of Religious of India and the Forum of Religious for Justice and Peace took part in the event,.
India has 968 million voters among its 1.41 billion people and close to 50 per cent of them are women.
“It is true that governments do many things for women. But in reality, their grievances are not addressed,” said Sister Bencita Emmanuel from the Missionary Sisters of Queen of the Apostles.
