Men equal partners in emancipation of women and children: Smriti Irani

Union minister Smriti Irani on Sunday said men are equal partners when it comes to the emancipation of women and children.

She also said that everyone working together is the greatest blessing of society.

The Women and Child Development Minister was addressing the media after chairing a zonal meeting on the achievements of the Central government in the last eight years, in the Goa capital.

Representatives from Maharashtra, Goa, UT of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu participated.

“When it comes to the emancipation of women and children, men are equal partners. When we speak about the child’s rights, we also talk about the right of the male child,” she said in the presence of Goa Women and Child Development Minister Vishwajit Rane. Speaking about the regulations regarding childcare institutions, Irani said it was unlikely that any government in the past had prepared a plan before creating childcare institutions. “There was a time in India when after applying if there was no response, it was considered as deemed that he (applicant) can open the childcare institution,” she said.

The Union minister said the reports of the worst kind of violations (of rights of children) came from those institutions which were never checked. “This is the reason why during the research of Juvenile Justice Act even the Opposition extended its support and said let’s ensure that if you want to open a childcare institution then the district magistrate and the superintendent of police have to check the antecedents of the individuals who want to open such institutions before they are allowed,” she added.

This might sound like a normal thing as it is extremely officious but with one step, we can check whether the promoter of a childcare institution has a history of child exploitation.

Irani said it is a misconception that children are abducted and forced to do labour work. “In many cases, children you find begging on the streets are forced by their own people,” she added.

The minister wondered whether any government representative or minister spoke about sanitary (pads) before 2014, when Narendra Modi became prime minister.

“Have you ever heard any prime minister speaking about Re 1 sanitary pad?” she questioned.