Women and Child Welfare Schemes in India

 The policy for women aims at making them economically independent and self reliant.
Focus is on the following areas, as per the policy.
1. Steps to eliminate violence against women;
2. Ensuring euality in view of legal rights
!. "mproving the economic status of women;
#. $ppropriate use of media;
%. "ncreased participation of women in local self&'overnment
(. Enhan
Enhancing
cing comm
community
unity particip
participation
ation in 'ove
'overnm
rnment
ent activ
activitie
ities
s )inv
)involve
olvement
ment of *on&
'overnmental
'overnmental +rganisations
-omen constitute # per cent of the total population of the country. They su/er many
disadv
disadvant
antage
ages
s as com
compar
pared
ed to me
men
n in lit
litera
erary
ry rat
rates,
es, la0
la0our
our par
partic
ticipa
ipatio
tion
n rat
rates
es and
earnings. The development of women has 0een receiving attention of the 'overnment of 
"ndia from the First
First lan. ut it was treated as a su03ect of 4welfare5 and clu00ed together
with the welfare of the disadvantaged groups like destitute, disa0led, aged, etc. "n 16%!,
the 7entral Social -elfare oard was set up which acts as an $pe8 ody at the 7entre to
promo
promote
te vol
volunt
untary
ary act
action
ion at var
variou
ious
s lev
level
els,
s, esp
especi
eciall
ally
y at the gra
grassr
ssroot
oots,
s, to tak
take
e up
welfare&related
welfare&related activities for women and children.
 The Second to Fifth lans continued this strategy, 0esides giving priority to women5s

education
education,, and lau
launch
nching
ing me
measur
asures
es to im
impr
prove
ove mat
mater
erial
ial and chi
child
ld hea
health
lth ser
servic
vices,
es,
supplementary feeding for children and e8pectant and nursing mothers.
"n the Si8th lan, there was a shift in the approach from 4welfare5 to 4development5 of 
women. The Si8th lan adopted a multi&disciplinary approach with special emphasis on
the three core sectors of health, education and employment.
 The Seventh lan stressed on raising their economic and social status and 0ringing them
into the mainstream of national development. +ne of the signi9cant step in this direction
was to identify:promote the 4ene9ciary +riented Schemes5 in various developmental
sector which e8tended direct 0ene9ts to women.
 The strategy also included the generation of 0oth skilled and unskilled employment
throug
through
h prope
properr edu
educat
cation
ion and voc
vocati
ationa
onall tr
train
aining
ing.. The Eig
Eighth
hth la
lan
n en
ensur
sured
ed tha
thatt the
0ene9ts of development to women should ow from other development sectors and
ena0
ena0le
le wo
wome
men
n to fu
func
ncti
tion
on as e
eua
uall par
partn
tner
ers
s and par
parti
tici
cipa
pant
nts
s in the
the de
deve
velo
lopm
pmen
entt
process.
 The *inth lan made two important changes in the strategy of development of women.
 The 9rst was the 4Empowerm
4Empowerment
ent of -omen5. "ts aim was to create an ena0ling
environment where women could freely e8ercise their rights 0oth within and outside
home, and are eual partners along with men.
 The second was the convergence of e8isting services availa0le in 0oth women&speci9c
and women&related sectors To this e/ect, a special strategy of 4-omen5s 7omponent
lan5 was adopted through which not less than !< per cent of funds:0ene9ts now ow to
women from all the general development sectors.
For social and economic development of women, the Centre has set up the
Department of Women and Child Development which has been implementing
the following schemes:
 

1. Swaamsidha:
Swayamsidha is an integrated scheme for the development and empowerment
empowerment of women
through self&help groups. "t covers services, access to micro&credit and promotes micro&
enterprises.

!. Swasha"ti #ro$ect:
Swashakti ro3ect aims at increasing women5s access to resources for 0etter uality of 
life
life thr
throug
ough
h the use of tim
time
e reduc
reductio
tion
n dev
device
ices,
s, 0y provi
providin
ding
g hea
health
lth and edu
educat
cation
ion
services and 0y imparting skills to women for income generating activities.
%. Child Development Services Scheme &CDS':
 The scheme started in 16=%
16=% with the o03ective to giv
give
e special coverage to slums in ur0an
area
areas.
s. Th
The
e sche
scheme
me al
also
so en
envi
visag
sages
es de
deli
live
very
ry of an in
inte
tegr
grat
ated
ed pa
pack
ckag
age
e of se
serv
rvic
ices
es
consis
consistin
ting
g of im
immun
muni>a
i>atio
tion,
n, hea
health
lth che
check&
ck&ups
ups,, nut
nutrit
rition
ion and hea
health
lth edu
educat
cation
ion and
refreshment
refreshment services to child and pregnant women.
(. Support to )raining and *mploment #rogramme for Women:
"t provides new skills and knowledge to poor assetless women in agriculture, animal
hus0andry, dairying, 9sheries, sericulture, handlooms, handicrafts and khadi and village
industry sectors of employment.
+. Swavlamban:

 This scheme provides training and skills to women to ena0le them to o0tain employment
or 0ecome self&employed. The trades in which training is imparted include computer
programm
programming,
ing, medi
medical
cal trans
transcrip
cription,
tion, elec
electr
tronic
onic assem
assem0lin
0ling,
g, elec
electr
tronics
onics,, radio and T?
rep
epai
airs
rs,, gar
garme
ment
nt ma
maki
king
ng,, han
handl
dloo
oom
m we
weav
avin
ing,
g, ha
hand
ndic
icra
raffts,
ts, se
secr
cret
etar
aria
iall pr
prac
acti
tice
ce,,
em0roidery
em0roidery and community health.
. Creche-Da Care Centres for the Children of Wor"ing
Wor"ing and iling /others:
"t aims at providing day care services to children )<&% years of parents whose income
does
does not e8
e8cee
ceed
d @s. 1,<
1,<<
< per month
month.. The ser
servi
vices
ces inclu
include
de sle
sleepi
eping
ng and day car
care
e
facilities, recreation,
recreation, supplementary nutrition, immunisation and medicine.
0. ostels for Wor"ing Women:
Ander this scheme, 9nancial assistance is provided for construction and e8pansion of 
hostel 0uildings for working women. "t also includes provisions for safe and a/orda0le
acco
accomm
mmod
odat
atio
ion
n to wo
work
rkin
ing
g wo
wome
men
n )s
)sin
ingl
gle
e or ma
marrri
ried
ed,
, those
those ge
gett
ttin
ing
g trai
traini
ning
ng fo
forr
employment and girl students studying in professional courses.
2. Swadhar:
 This scheme provide
provides
s integrated services to women without support from their families
such as widows living at ?rindavan and Bashi; prisoners released from 3ail; survivors of 
natural calamities; women:girls rescued from 0rothels
0rothels and other places; victims of se8ual
crimes, etc. The scheme includes such services as food, clothing, shelters, health care,
counselling and legal aid and reha0ilitation through education awareness, skill formation
and 0ehavioural training.
3. 4ashtria /ahila 5osh:
 The *ational 7redit Fund
Fund for -omen is meant to facilitate credit support or micro&9nance
to poor women to start such income generating schemes as agriculture, dairying, shop&
keeping, vending and handicrafts.
 

16. Welfare of Street Children:

-ith
ith th
the
e o0
o03e
3ect
ctiv
ive
e of we
weani
aning
ng aw
away
ay str
stree
eett ch
chil
ildr
dren
en from
from a li
life
fe of de
depr
priv
ivat
atio
ion
n an
and
d
vagrancy and reha0ilitating them, $n "ntegrated rogramme for Street 7hildren is 0eing
implemented with a wide range of initiatives like 2# hour drop&in shelters, night shelters,
nutrition
nutrition,, healt
healthcar
hcare,
e, sanit
sanitation
ation,, hygi
hygiene,
ene, safe drink
drinking
ing water
water,, educat
education,
ion, recre
recreationa
ationall
facilities and protection against a0use and e8ploitation.
7urrently,
7urrently, 16< organi>ations have 0een operating in 22 states 0ene9ting 1.% lakh street
children. The special initiative of the 7hild&line Service, a toll free telephone service is
availa0le to children in distress which responds to the emergency needs of the children
and provides referral
referral service. This facility is now operating in !# cities.
Child welfare programmes
  Integrat
Integrated
ed Chil
Child
d Deve
Developm
lopment
ent Serv
Services &ICDS'' 0ei
ices &ICDS 0eing
ng imp
implem
lement
ented
ed 0y
Cinistry of -omen and 7hild Development is the world5s largest programme aimed at
enhancing the health, nutrition and learning opportunities of infants, young children )+&(
years and their mothers. The services are provided at a centre called the 4$nganwadi5,
which
which liter
literall
ally
y mea
means
ns a cou
courty
rtyar
ard
d pla
play
y cen
centr
tre,
e, a chi
childc
ldcar
are
e cen
centr
tre
e loc
locate
ated
d wit
within
hin the
village itself. The packages of services provided are
& Supplementary nutrition,
& "mmuni>ation,

& ealth check&up

& @eferral services,
& r
re&school
e&school non&formal education and
& *utrition and health education
4eproductive and Child ealth #rogramme
  eing implemente
implemented
d 0y the Cinistry of ealth and Family -elfare, the programme
provi
provides
des e/e
e/ecti
ctive
ve mat
mater
ernal
nal and chi
child
ld hea
health
lth car
care,
e, mic
micro
ronut
nutrie
rient
nt int
inter
erven
ventio
tions
ns for
vulnera0l
vulnera0le
e gro
groups,
ups, repro
reproducti
ductive
ve healt
health
h serv
services
ices for adole
adolescent
scent etc. Some import
important
ant
programmes
programmes cover
& immuni>ati
immuni>ation
on for children for DT, olio and Tetanus To8oid for women
& ?itamin $ administration
& "ron and folic $cid for pregnant women.
 This programm
programme
e integrates all family welfare and women and child health services with
the e8
e8pli
plicit
cit o03
o03ect
ectiv
ive
e of pr
provi
ovidin
ding
g 0en
0ene9c
e9ciar
iaries
ies wit
with
h 4ne
4need
ed 0as
0ased,
ed, cli
client
ent cen
center
tered,
ed,
demand
demand driven, and high uali
uality
ty integrat
integrated
ed @7 servi
services5.
ces5. The strateg
strategy
y for the @7
programme shifts the policy emphasis from achieving demographic targets to meeting
the health needs of women and children.
#ulse #olio Immuni7ation #rogramme  0eing implemented 0y the Cinistry of ealth
and Family
Family -
-elfare
elfare covers all childr
children
en 0low 9ve years. "t is a massive programme covers
1(( milli
llion ch
chiildr
ldren in every rou
ound
nd of *at
atio
iona
nall "m
"mm
mun
unii>ati
ation Da
Day
y. The oth
ther
er
immuni>a
immuni>ation
tion pro
programm
grammes
es incl
include
ude epat
epatitis
itis , DT and other routi
routine
ne immu
immuni>at
ni>ation.
ion.
+ther nota0le programmes for child health include, Aniversal immuni>ation programme,
control
control of death
deaths
s due to acute respi
respirator
ratory
y infec
infections
tions,, contr
control
ol of diar
diarrho
rhoeal
eal dise
diseases,
ases,
provision of essential new&0orn care to address the issue of the neonates, prophylactic
programmes for the prevention and treatment of two micronutrient de9ciencies relating
 

to ?itamin $ and iron, $nemia control programme, order District 7luster Strategy and
"ntegrated Canagement of *eo&natal and childhood illness.
Sarva Shi"sha bhian 0eing implemented 0y the Department of Education provides
for sch
school
ool inf
infras
rastr
truct
uctur
ure
e and ua
uali
lity
ty im
impr
prove
oveme
ment
nt in edu
educat
cation
ion of the chi
childr
ldren.
en. The
speci9c o03ectives are,
& $ll childre
children
n to 0e in school
& Aniversal retenti
retention
on 0y 2<1<
& ridging all gender and social gaps at primary stage 0y 2<<= and at elementary
education level 0y 2<1<.
 The 'overnm
'overnment
ent of "ndia is committed to reali>ing the goal of universali>ation of 
el
elem
emen
entar
tary
y ed
educ
ucat
atio
ion
n 0y 2<
2<1<
1<.. An
Ande
derr Sa
Sarv
rva
a Sh
Shik
iksh
sha
a $0
$0hi
hiya
yan
n )SS$
)SS$,, the
the *at
*atio
iona
nall
agship programme, the 'overnment aims to provide free and compulsory elementary
education to all children in the (&1# age group 0y 2<1<.
/id8da meal Scheme  is also one of the important schemes of the 'overnment to aim
universal enrollment and retention of children. Ander the programmed nutrition snacks
are provided to children attending schools..
Integrated #rogramme for 9uvenile 9ustice
  Th
The
e p
prrog
ogra
ramm
mme
e iis
s 0
0ei
eing
ng im
impl
plem
emen
ente
ted
d 0
0y
y tthe
he Ci
Cini
nist
stry
ry of So
Soci
cial
al Gust
Gustic
ice
e a
and
nd
Empowerment with a view to providing carte to children in diHcult circumstances and

children
children in coni
conict
ct with the law through 'overn
'overnment
ment institut
institutions
ions and thr
through
ough *'+s.
 Some special features of the scheme areas
& Esta0lishment of a *ational $dvisory oard on Guvenile Gustice.
& 7reation of a Guvenile Gustice Fund.
& Training, orientation and sensiti>ation of 3udicial, administrative police and
*'+s responsi0le for implementation of GG $ct.
& "nstit
"nstitution
utional
al are shall 0e used 0ut only as a last measu
measure
re 0y enlar
enlarging
ging the
range of suita0le alternatives.
alternatives.
& Financial assistance to 0ring a0out a ualitative improv
improvement
ement in the e8isting
infrastructure.
& E8pan
E8pansion
sion of non&in
non&instit
stitution
utional
al serv
services
ices such as sponso
sponsorship
rship,, foste
fosterr car
care,
e,
pro0ation etc. as and an alternate to institutional care.
Child helpline
7hildhelpline is a toll free telephone service )1<6 which anyone can call for assistance
in the interest of children. eing run with the support of -omen and child welfare
Cinistry is working in =2 cities
cities across the country. The Shishu 'reh Schem
Scheme
e is also 0eing
implemented 0y the ministry to promote adoptions within the country and to ensure
minimum standards
standards in the car
care
e of a0andoned:orphaned:destitute children. 'rant&in&$id
upto a ceiling of @s. ( lakh is provided per unit of 1< children in a Shishu 'reh.
 The at
ationa
ionall 4ura
4urall eal
ealth
th /ission, a scheme of health Cinistry seeks to provide
/ission
e/ective healthcare to rural population including large population of children throughout
the country with special focus on 1 States, which have weak pu0lic health indicators
and:or
and:or rai
raise
se pu0li
pu0lic
c spe
spendi
nding
ng on hea
health
lth fro
from
m <.6I of 'D to 2&!I of 'D. "t aims to
undertake architectural correction of the health system to ena0le it to e/ectively handle
increased allocations as promised under the *ational 7ommon Cinimum rogr
rogramme
amme and
 

promote policies that strengthen pu0lic health management and service delivery in the
country.
Elimination of Child Labour   is 0eing implemented 0y the Cinistry of Ja0our which
sancti
sanctions
ons pr
pro3e
o3ects
cts for reha0
reha0ili
ilitat
tation
ion of wor
workin
king
g chi
childr
ldren
en and for eli
elimin
minati
ation
on of chi
child
ld
la
la0o
0our
ur.. An
Ande
derr the
the pr
pro3
o3ec
ectt 0a
0ase
sed
d $ct
ctio
ion
n l
lan
an of the
the ol
olic
icy,
y, Nati
Nationa
onall Chi
Child
ld Lab
Labour 
our 
Projects )*7J
Projects  )*7Js
s have 0een set up in di/erent areas to reha0ilitate
reha0ilitate child la0our.
la0our. $ ma3or
activity undertaken under the *7J is the esta0lishment of special schools to provide
non&for
non&formal
mal edu
educat
cation
ion,, voc
vocati
ationa
onall tra
traini
ining,
ng, sup
supple
pleme
menta
ntary
ry nut
nutri
ritio
tion
n etc
etc.. to chi
childr
ldren
en
withdrawn from
from employment. 1%< 7hild Ja0our 
ro3ect
ro3ects
s have so far 0een sanctioned for
reha0ilitating children in the most endemic areas and 1.% lakh children have already
0een mainstreamed in the special schools.
Prevention of Oences against Children
  $fter
$fter wide consul
consultatio
tations
ns a draf
draftt ill for o/enc
o/ences
es $gains
$gainstt 7hil
7hildre
dren
n has 0een
prepared
prepared and circulated to the State 'over
'overnments
nments for their comments and views.
views. $f
$fter
ter
o0ta
o0tain
inin
ing
g the
the co
comm
mmen
ents
ts of the
the St
Stat
ate
e go
gove
verrnm
nmen
ents
ts an
and
d co
conc
ncer
erne
ned
d Ci
Cini
nist
stri
ries
es and
Departments a draft has 0ee prepared and circulated to the concerned Cinistries and
Departments for their comments and use.