Member J&K Legislative Council, Dr Shehnaz Ganai, presently visiting the United States, to attend International Visitor Leadership Programme, today met the legislators of Louisiana State, at Louisiana State Capitol Building.The main objective of the interaction was to share the ideas on women empowerment across the globe. The interactive session was presided over by Ms Regina Borrow Louisiana State Representative.Speaking on the occasion, Dr Ganai, stressed the need for establishing Legislative Women’s Caucus in every country comprising of women legislators and parliamentarians with a collective mission of preparing next generation of women leaders and serving as premier voice and leading body to monitor women’s issues.
She said the role of the caucus should be to empower women socially and politically, to take up gender concerns through the institutional structures of the parliament ensuring that norms promoting women’s rights and empowerment get translated into national legislations and to coordinate and communicate with major women’s organizations both in the public and private sectors outside the Parliament to oversee and extend support to implementation of gender sensitive policies and programmes.She referred to Great Margaret Thatcher and Indira Gandhi, that they were the first women to take charge of a largely male-dominated political world of their respective countries, and that these women leaders had an almost identical steely resolve on difficult issues.She articulated a multi-dimensional approach to enhancing women’s role as Parliamentarians and history speaks that women are the best leaders, and they have proved themselves in every challenge said Dr Ganai.
Dr Ganai said India and United States can work together to strengthen the regime of women empowerment by striving to remove the barriers to women participation in politics.Dr Ganai said that the Government of India has directed state and local Governments to promote equality by class and gender including equal pay and free legal aid, humane working conditions and maternity relief, rights to work and education, and raising the standard of living.
Dr Ganai invited the Louisiana State representatives to visit India especially Jammu and Kashmir.