Education, Health, Nutrition, economic & social empowerment, Justice and equality, equality of opportunity, right to property, protection against domestic violence, dowry prohibition protection from sexual harassment etc.. are the various issues in front of the welfare of Women and Children. The government has always focussed in the areas that bring gender quality and enhances the overall development of women especially in education, socio-economic empowerment.

Here is the list of various initiatives undertaken by Gujarat Govt. for the welfare of the women and child.

Fish entrepreneur Yojna:

For: SC/ST women.

Facilities: On Rs. 10,000 unit cost to buy weighing machines, insulated boxes 50% assistance is given. Training is provided for the growth of Zingo fishes under 10 days course with 100/- scholarship.

Krishi Talim Yojana:

Training:– The scheme is for all rural women and farmer’s wife to learn the use of latest technology.

Facilities:- They are paid the stipend and transportation cost for the training period.

Sakhi Mandal Yojna:

For:- Poor rural women to strengthen their livelihood by the formation of self-help group based on thrift and credit principles.

Facilities:- Finance is provided to catalyse the process of economic development to ensure the welfare of women, skills development, and the widening framework of micro finance development.

Nari Adalat:

“By Women for Women”. Cases of divorces, abandonment, violence, rape and dowry are taken in Nari Adalat. This is not a state’s legal forum and run by Para legal authority that solve the cases faster than the normal judicial system. The inaccessibility, finance, time and unfamiliarity with the legal system sometimes make women vulnerable and devoid of justice, but here a woman can get speedy and cost effective solutions.

Chiranjeevi Yojana:

This is to encourage institutional delivery in BPL families.
Facilities: Financial assistance (Rs.200) is provided & also covers the out of pocket cost for the transportation along with the provision of Rs. 50 to the attendant. It also provides the financial assistance to the attendant for the loss of wages.

Mahila Vruddh Ashram:

This is for the women who are abandoned by their children. Old age homes for such destitute are provided. Exclusive women’s old age home is constructed with an exclusive existing home at Jamnagar.
Sath Phera Samuh lagan Yojna: For SC families having an annual income of 11,000, and for minimum five couple, this scheme is initiated. The couple gets 5000 in the form of Narmada Shreeneedhi certificate along with merit certificate. For organising the marriage, a sum of 10,000 is given.

Kunverbai nu mameru:

For daughters of SC, having an annual income of 11,000. For first daughter’s marriage, they can avail Rs.5000 and Rs.2000 is given to girl’s parents/guardian and 3000 to the girl in the form of Kisan vikas patra.

Saraswati Sadhna Yojna:

For SC girls cycles are provided through this scheme. A sum of Rs. 500 is given to buy a bicycle for girls below 8th grade. For students in elementary & high school food and lodging are provided free of cost.
Vidhya Sahay and Talim Yojna: For women between 18-40 years who have lost their husbands, this is the scheme for their empowerment and improvement of economic living conditions. Rs. 3000 is given under Manav Garima yojna to help them to be self reliant. Monetary help by application is given to the women (Rs. 500) and Rs. 80 (per child) every month through the post office.

Swayamsiddhi Yojana:

An integrated project for development and empowerment of women, an overall development of women – social, economic and cultural is initiated by providing them with the resources through a sustained process of mobilization and amalgamation of all current projects, with its focus on community oriented innovations, group formation, building knowledge and mobilization of activities.

Kishori Shakti Yojana:

It is a scheme for girls between 11-18 years. It is a part of ICDS scheme, implemented through Anganwadi centres in both urban and rural. The group of ten girls between the ages of 11-18 are provided health checkups by the Anganwadi centres. They are also provided with literacy skills, knowledge about the health care and decision-making skills. 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 themselves and family.

Balika Samruddhi Yojana:

This is an initiative where the focus is to change the attitude of community towards the girl child and to improve the enrolment and retention of girl’s child in school, raise the age of marriage for girls. This is basically for the overall development of a girl child. The newborn girl’s parents can open the bank account in any nationalized bank or post office with a sum of Rs.500 (for the girl born after 15th August 97’). A sum of Rs.300 to Rs.1000 is added to their account. The girl gets the money when she turns 18 or about to get married.

Gaurav Neeti:

This is an initiative to create awareness about the social-economic and educational sector of women and benefit them, through the development in all its Administrative Departments of women and benefit them through the policy by active involvement of department 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.

Beti Bachao – Matru Vandana Yatra:

With the skewed sex ratio of 919/1000 it’s shameful on our society how we see girl child. We need to mend our thoughts before it’s too late. Our Chief Minister launched this scheme on the occasion of Int’l Women’s day in 2005. Gender resource centre, an autonomous body, was an active partner of the campaign involved in documentation and publication with the aim to change the perception of the society in general on this issue.

The aim of the WCD is to work towards the gender equality, empower women socially and economically and provide them an environment safe for their survival. Also, we as a community have to initiate, and participate to educate and bring our women at par with men if we are looking towards a brighter future.

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

**Source: http://wcd.gujarat.gov.in/