Somanjana Dutta Chattakhandi, Assistant Professor at Sister Nivedita University
ABSTRACT
Gender Inequality is not only woman issue but human issue. Women suffer discrimination in many aspects in spite of their contribution in every spheres of life they suffer silence and belong to a disadvantage position in society. , human rights are non-discriminatory but all human beings does not experience them equally throughout the world. Various international declaration and covenant have been adopted to eliminate discrimination against women like Universal Declaration On Human Rights, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Convention On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women, 1979. In India various constitutional provisions like Article 14, 15(3), 23, 39(d), 39(e), 42, 44, 51A(e) etc. have been incorporated to eliminate discrimination against women moreover Article 15(3) says that state is empowered to make special provision for women even in the personal laws some provision are made to eliminate discrimination of women. Then gradually various legislation came like Sati Prevention Act,1987; Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition),1986; Dowry Prohibition Act,1961; Family Courts Act, 1984; Protection of Human Rights Act,1993;etc. Then through various judicial decisions court struck down the provisions which violated human rights of women. India has ratified CEDAW which implies to honour the obligations imposed by convention. Aim of this convention was to eliminate discrimination against women. Thus India ratified this convention to eliminated discrimination against women. Human rights are non-discriminatory, meaning that all human beings are entitled to them and cannot be excluded from them. Women have always been discriminated against and have suffered and are suffering discrimination in silence. Women may have rights guaranteed by law but are unable to exercise them due to failure of Government to promote and protect this rights. Actions to be taken by Government are the following developing comprehensive human right education programme to raise awareness about womens’ rights, create or strengthen national institutions for protecting human rights of women, publicise information on existing mechanism for redressing , human rights violation.
Keywords: Gender equality, Discrimination, Human Right, International Conventions, Constitutional Provisions.
