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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Few takers among women for RTI -Partha Sarathi Biswas

Few takers among women for RTI -Partha Sarathi Biswas

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published Published on Feb 6, 2013   modified Modified on Feb 6, 2013
-The Indian Express

This is reflected in YASHDA’s 3-month certificate course on RTI, which hardly has any women

Even as the Right to Information, (RTI) Act 2005 is being wielded as a transparency tool, authorities at Yashwantrao Chavan Academy of Development Administration (YASHDA) say women have not being using it as they should. Former Central Information Commissioner (CIC) - a key player in the whole RTI process - Shailesh Gandhi too said participation of women in the RTI process is poor and that it was a matter of concern.

YASHDA, which conducts a three-month certificate course on RTI (CCRTI), has also found few women showing interest in the course.

There were few women in the 17 batches conducted by YASHDA . The maximum was eight out of 40 in the 14th batch and eight out of 42 in the the 15th. The average number ranged from 2-8 in the 17 batches. Batches 6 and 7 had 2 women each, the lowest.

Prahlad Kachre, director RTI cell of YASHDA, says awareness about RTI is poor among women. “Women who undertake the CCRTI are from a mixed background. Journalists, and women public information officers (PIO)s constitute the bulk of participants who take this course to improve their knowledge about RTI,” he said.

Analyzing reasons for the poor participation of women, Kachre cited lack of awareness and also a general lack of empowerment of women as the main reasons. “But a good trend we noticed is that homemakers, although few, are enrolling for the course,” he said.

The poor participation of women was brought to light earlier in a PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) audit four years back, conducted at the behest of the government. The report said that awareness about the Act was 12% in women as compared to 26% in men.

Former CIC Shailesh Gandhi said he had noticed that only 5-8% of second appeals were being filed by women.

“I have observed this trend. Grassroot awareness in women, through community based organisations and self help groups might correct the situation,” he said.

Activists Bhaskar Prabhu and Vijay Kumbhar stated that more participation of women was necessary for bringing more transparency. “Women would be able to make a more sizeable contribution to the Act given the fact many civic and social issues directly affect them,” said Kumbhar.

Suniti SR of the National Association of People’s Movement (NAPM) that had repeatedly been raising the issue, said the tedious follow-up the RTI process requires could be acting as a deterrent. “The government should take steps to make the Act more friendly and accessible to women,” she said.

The Indian Express, 6 February, 2013, http://www.indianexpress.com/news/few-takers-among-women-for-rti/1070115/


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