Female infanticide, alcoholism, illiteracy and child marriage were some of the social evils highlighted and discussed by women from the Jat community at a session in the capital Sunday.
The speakers, who included industrialists, politicians, educationists and social activists, were participating in the All India Jat Mahila Maha Sammelan to discuss empowerment of the community's women.
Congress Rajya Sabha member from Gujarat Alka Balram Kshatriya said: "The people belonging to the Jat community are simple in nature but the status of women is abysmal. There are issues like child marriage and female infanticide, which are rampant."
She stressed the need for empowerment of women in the Jat community.
Rita Singh, an industrialist, said there was a gender bias in the community which was one of the reasons why the women were lagging behind.
"I hope that parents do not discriminate against their daughters. We all have to make sure there is no discrimination," Rita Singh said.
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Uttar Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party general secretary Kavita Chaudhary lamented that alcoholism had impacted the community and the brunt of the evil was being borne by women.
Former deputy railways minister Ajay Singh, who is also the president of Akhil Bharatiya Jat Maha Sabha, said women must get 33 percent reservation in parliament.
The attendance at the discussion was thin, with barely any woman from the rural areas.