SRINAGAR : Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today stressed the need to address women-related issues, including female foeticide, in the state and asked the State Mission Authority for Women Empowerment to set definite goals to ensure success in women welfare and empowerment.
“I will stress upon the functionaries of State Mission to primarily address the issue of decline in female child ratio, mortality of infants and pregnant women, gender gap in education, dropouts of female students from schools and other similar matters confronting women in the state,” Omar said.
The Chief Minister was chairing the first meeting of State Mission Authority for implementation of National Mission for Empowerment of Women of which he is also the chairman.
Omar asked the authority to set definite goals, share programmes and regularly review its functioning to ensure success in the task of women welfare and empowerment.
Women-specific and gender-neutral activities have to be underlined in all departments to ensure women participation and help their economic and holistic welfare, he said.
“Creation of economic opportunities to empower women by realising specific targets and goals through various programmes should be another area of focus in the task of women empowerment and welfare,” Omar said.
The Chief Minister said it has been observed that most girl students leave schools for want of adequate sanitation facilities, adding this is a critical area having huge impact on continuation of education by the girls in schools. (AGENCIES)