Women & Child Development Projects & Initiatives

The constitution of India resolves to constitute India into a Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic and secure to all citizens its Fundamental Rights. The Principle of Gender equality grants equality to women and empowers the State to adopt measures of positive discrimination in favor of women. The WCD Department with the ICDS and IWDS (Integrated Child Development Service and Integrated Womens Development Service) functions for the Empowerment, upliftment and welfare of Women and children under its various schemes. Initiated by GOI, the ICDS and IWDS scheme was launched in 1975 and expanded to over 5000 + projects spread over 35 states benefiting 35 million children (0-6 years) and about 6.6 million pregnant and lactating mothers through a network of 6 lac Anganwadi centres. Family welfare, Education, Health, Nutrition and Health Education, Justice and equality, etc are the various issues focused for the welfare of Women and Children. Economic and Social empowerment of women with protection to Women from Domestic Violence, Rights of Property by female members, Dowry Prohibition, Protection from sexual harassment, indecent representation of women and many other women favoring actions are governed by the department. Child marriage restraints, infant milk substitutes, bottle feeding and infant food products monitoring, child care and protection are the many children related acts that calls for action and supervision by the WCD. The Department is sensitive in eliminating gender based discrimination from society through gender sensitization and gender just development in Gujarat. It mainstreams women in programs, plans, development and implementations by bridging the gap of gender bias. It has fringed policies that ensure gender equality. For the

The WCD operates under important functionaries Beti Bachao (Save Girl Child) Gaurav Nari Niti - Womens Pride, Gender Equality Balika Samruddhi Yojna Girl Child Development Kishori Shakti Yojna Adolscents, Strenth and Awareness Swayamsidh Yojna Self Reliance and empowerment Vidhva Sahay and Talim Yojna Saraswati Sadhna Yojna Kunverbai nu Mameru scheme Saat Phera Samuh Yojna Mahila Vrudh Ashram Chiranjeevi Yojna Nari Adalat Sakhi Mandal Yojna Krishi Talim Yojna Fish entrepreneur Yojna

family welfare, the department functions for activities in coordination with other Departments and organizations in connection with this subject. It plays a significant role for Socio-economiceducational welfare of Women and children and imparts empowerment guidelines and awareness. The WCD operates under important functionaries : Commissionerate of Women And Child Development Directorate of Social Defence Gujarat Women Economic Development Corporation Ltd. (GWEDCL) Gujarat State Commission For Women Gender Resource Center (Autonomous) Central Social Welfare Board For More Informationhttp://www.wcd.gujarat.gov.in/ Gujarat WCD Department ensures Gender Equality : Gender Equality is accepted and incorporated in the overall development process and plans by providing: social, economic and Educational empowerment Liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship Equality of status and opportunity Justice and equality of women and creating awareness for socio-economic empowerment Initiatives Womens inequality manifests itself in many forms such as gender discrimination in terms of declining male-female sex ratio, Social stereotyping, Gender based violence at home and at work, Low level of education, health and nutritional status, limited access to resources, etc. The State Policy for Gender Equity (GEP) is formulated with a vision to safeguard women and create awareness, fostering well being and security of women in Gujarat. WCD successfully operates many Initiatives and schemes for Women and Child Welfare as:

Beti Bachao (Save Girl Child) MATRU VANDANA YATRA Gujarat is suffering from one of the worst outcomes of gender based discrimination, i.e. declining male-female sex ratio. The state average of child sex ratio (0-6 years) declined dramatically from 928 in 1991 to 878 in 2001. To address this issue various efforts are being made, one of the major being the Beti Bachao Campaign that was launched by Honorable Chief Minister on the occasion of World Womens Day in 2005. Gender Resource centre, an autonomous body, was an active partner of the campaign who was involved in documentation and publications with a realization that it could play a vital role in changing the perception of the society in general on such important issue.

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Gaurav Nari Niti - Womens Pride, Gender Equality The Government of Gujarat decided to formulate the Nari Gaurav Niti (GEP) in the year 2002. The State has sanctioned and announced the state policy for Gender Equity as Nari Gaurav Niti. Gujarat Government formulated the Nari Gaurav Niti Policy with a view to create awareness in all its Administrative Departments on the socio-economic-educational and developmental sector of women and benefit them through the policy by active involvement of departments for timely modus operandi. It consists of action plans and monitoring mechanisms and addresses public as well as private sectors. The autonomous Gender Resource Centre provides technical inputs in implementation and monitoring of the policy at State level. Working groups are formed and a series of deliberations take place on all aspects of gender equity and equality. For More Information

Balika Samruddhi Yojna Girl Child Development WCD initiates Balika Samruddhi Yojna to change negative family and community attitudes towards the girl child at birth and towards her mother, to improve enrolment and retention of girl children in schools, to raise the marriage age of girls and to assist girls to socio-economiceducational upliftment. The Anganwadi (Kindergarten) workers provide aid to open any nationalized Bank or Post Office Savings account with Rs.500/- to new born girls born to families after August 15, 1997. While getting education, a sum of Rs.300/- to Rs.1000/scholarship is added to their account. Till the girl child becomes marriage age or up to 18 years, she is eligible to get the sum. For More Information

Kishori Shakti Yojna Adolscents, Strenth and Awareness An intervention for adolescent girls (11-18 years) the Kishori Shakti Yojana (KSY) was launched in 2000-01 as part of the ICDS scheme. Kishori Shakti Yojana being implemented through Anganwadi Centres in both rural and urban areas. The scheme aims at breaking the intergenerational life-cycle of nutritional and gender disadvantage and providing a supportive environment for self-development. The objectives of the Scheme are to improve the nutritional and health status of girls in the age group of 11-18 years. A group of ten girls in a batch, who would be expectant mothers in future, are given Health Check up by Anganwadi centres. They are also provided required literacy and numeracy skills, stimulation to social exposure and knowledge to help them improve their decision making skills. The adolescent girls are given

home based and vocational skills, awareness on health, hygiene, nutrition, family welfare, home management and child care guidance with measures to facilitate marrying after marriage age of 18 years. They are encouraged for productive and constructive activities for their own development as well as for their family. For More Information

Swayamsidh Yojna Self Reliance and empowerment Swayamsidha is an integrated project for the development and empowerment of women. Swayamsiddha (swayam or self and siddha the one who has proven capability or is empowered) project was introduced by GOI during 2001 to 2002 replacing the erstwhile Indira Mahila Yojana. The long term objective of the scheme is to achieve an all round empowerment of women socio-economical-cultural empowerment by ensuring their direct access to, and control over, resources through a sustained process of mobilization and convergence of all ongoing sector programs. The WCD of Gujarat implements the policy to help rural women be self reliant, gain confidence and learn the art of savings. It also focus on Community oriented innovations, working in groups, building team spirit, mobilization of activities, gaining knowledge and awareness to empower financially. This project is envisaged in 20 regions at 26 spots covering 1760 villages which include 43,200 women and 2700 initiating helpers. This project has brought women into the mainstream of development in the rural areas of Gujarat. For More Information

Vidhva Sahay and Talim Yojna The Department is sensitive towards women 18-40 years, who have lost their husbands and initiates policy for their empowerment and economic living condition. For their economical living, under Manav Garima Yojna, Rs. 3000/- margin money is given to help them stand on their feet on their own and empower living. Women in the age group of 18-60 years are provided monetary help by way of application. The applicant gets Rs.500/- and two children gets Rs.80/(per child) every month through Post Office. For More Information

Saraswati Sadhna Yojna Introduced first in Gujarat, this is an innovative Go Green initiative of the WCD. Provision of Rs. 1 crore has been made under Saraswati Sadhna Yojana to provide bicycles to Scheduled Castes students by the Gujarat Government. A sum of Rs.1500/- is provided to girls below 8th Grade to buy bicycle. Apart from this, provisions are made for students in elementary and high school education to get food and lodging, free of cost.

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Kunverbai nu Mameru scheme WCD makes provisions for monetary help to scheduled caste for their daughters marriage under Kunverbai nu mameru scheme. Those who gets an annual income of Rs.11,000/- can avail Rs.5000/- for their one daughters marriage. For this, Rs.2000/- are given to girls parents/guardian and Rs.3000/- is given to the girl in the form of Kisan Vikas Patra. For More Information

Saat Phera Samuh Yojna Joint marriages are more economical through WCD schemes in Gujarat. Minimum five couples and over, who get married from the scheduled caste whose family income is Rs.11000/- , the couple gets Rs.5000/- in the form of Narmada Shreenidhi Certificate along with Merit Certificate. For organizing the Samuh Lagna, (group marriage), a sum of Rs.1000/- is offered. For More Information

Mahila Vrudh Ashram Old Parents are day by day being neglected by the Youth. As a result, the WCD has made special arrangements for uncared women and foster their needs. State Government has set up Old Age Homes for such destitute. Exclusive Women Old Age homes are structured with an exclusive existing Home at Jamnagar. For More Information

Chiranjeevi Yojna It is estimated that in the state of Gujarat about 1.2 million children are born each year. Some mothers who belong to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families are the most vulnerable to death during delivery since they face significant risk owing to their poor socio-economic status and limited access to healthcare services. The Chiranjeevi Yojana implemented by the Government of Gujarat is aimed to encourage the BPL families to improve access to Institutional delivery. Financial assistance is provided for protection to the BPL families, covering their out-of-pocket costs incurred on travel to reach the healthcare facility centre. Assistance of Rs.200/- for transportation expenses with Rs.50/- for the attendant is provided. Approximately, 1,63,609

women have availed the benefit of this scheme. The scheme also provides for financial support to the accompanying person for loss of wages. Out of the many schemes, the main mechanism being used is the BPL card. The scheme was launched as a one year pilot project in December 2005 in five backward districts viz., Banaskantha, Dahod, Kutch, Panchmahals, and Sabarkantha and covered all BPL families. The scheme has now been extended to the entire state. When the scheme was initiated the pilot districts were selected based on remoteness and included regions facing highest infant mortality and maternal mortality. The private medical practitioners (mainly gynaecologists) in these regions were empanelled in the scheme to provide maternity health services. These providers are reimbursed a fixed rate for deliveries carried out by them. For More Information

Nari Adalat The concept devised By women for women - the Nari Adalats is operational for legal justice in over 19 regions in Gujarat. Women jurists dispense justice in womens cases of divorce, abandonment, violence, rape and dowry demands. These courts are set up for women empowerment and gender justice. These courts are not recognized by the State as a legal forum. However, the autonomous hybrid institutions are para legal authority who solve women cases faster than judicial courts. These courts are helping rural women overcome problems encountered in the normal judicial system. Inaccessibility, cost, time, unfamiliarity with legal procedures, inadequate resources, and a traditional disregard of the needs of women all solutions get speedy, efficacy, and cost effective. For More Information

Sakhi Mandal Yojna The Project is to enable the poor women, particularly in rural areas of Gujarat to improve their access to resources and consequently strengthen livelihoods and quality of life. Sakhi Mandals are formation of women self help groups based on thrift and credit principles. It provides financial services to accelerate the process of economic development and ensure welfare of women. They are encouraged to foster decision skills and develop a framework of wider range of participation in micro finance development. In one year, the Gujarat Government aims for one lac Sakhi Mandals across the state. For More Information

Krishi Talim Yojna

Krishi Talim Training in the field of Agriculture is imparted to Women Farmers and Farmers wives for Research and use of latest technology. These Agricultural women are paid stipend and transportation for the training course. For More Information

Fish Entrepreneur Yojna Government encourages scheduled caste/tribe women to sell fishes to be self reliant. For the purpose, required instruments and facility is provided to buy weighing machine, Insulated box, etc. On average Rs.10,000/- Unit cost, 50% assistance is given to women belonging to scheduled caste/tribe. Training is given to Women for growth of Zingo fishes under a ten day course with Rs.100/- scholarship. Many Projects pertain to Urban Women like Savings and Investment Mandali (CDS-Samuhik Dhiran Mandali), Women and Child Development Programs, Sports, Youth and cultural activities for women and children, Women and Childrens Libraries, etc. Apart from these Intiatives, the Educational Initiatives and Health Initiatives related to Women and child are: Kanya Kelavani Rath (Procession for Literacy of a Girl Child) Educated Girl Child Bal Pravesh Mid-day Meal Schemes Nirogi Bal Vidhyalaxmi Bonds Vidhya Deep Yojna Teachers Training and Distance Teachers Training Program

Gujarat Government transforms lives and follows the Gandhian Principles. Gandhiji said, If one boy is educated, a child becomes literate but if a girl is educated, the whole family gets literacy. The Government believes in reforming lives and bring revolutionary change in the mindsets of people for edu-socio-economical growth.