Stating most women in the country remain marginalised, NCW chief Lalitha Kumaramangalam today pitched for equal opportunities for women in all developmental activities.
Kumaramangalam, who recently took charge as chairperson of the National Commission for Women (NCW), also said that women are facing economic, educational and social marginalisation.
"Most women are marginalised", she said adding the complaints received by her are not only "mind boggling but also horrifying".
According to Kumaramangalam, providing equal access to women in all the development activities would help in improving the situation.
"My request is that in all the developmental activities that are planned...Ensure eventually that women have some sought of equal access to everything whether it is education, nutrition, skilling, employment, use of toilets etc," she said
She was speaking at an event organised by Indian Social Responsibility Network (ISRN).
Kumaramangalam also said that media should be more empathetic and sensitive towards issues related to women.
"Whether it is atrocities against women, whether it is for some push like for sanitation, almost everything is made so sensational (by the media) that the core message is often lost," she said.
In recent times there have been rising instances of atrocities committed against women.
Pitching for better sanitation conditions for women, Kumaramangalam said there should be more social awareness in this regard.
"For physically challenged women, the condition (sanitation) is even worse. Think about railways and bus stations... I would like to request that in any effort, to build any infrastructure please take gender (in terms of ensuring equal access to women) on board," she added.
