Provisions in the Constitution of India, Legislations, Policies, Reports, and Judgements Article(s) of the CEDAW 2. Adoption by States Parties of special measures, aimed at protecting maternity shall not be considered discriminatory.4 policies and mechanisms to address gaps in equality for women. Committee looked into Constitutional, legal and administrative provisions and their impact on women, especially rural women and also suggested measures to enable women to play their role in building up the nation. Article 5 2. National Policy for the Empowerment of Women, 2001: The goals of the policy are- States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to: (a) Modify the social and cultural conduct of men and women, with a view of achieving the elimination of prejudices and customary and all other practices;(b) Ensure that family education includes the understanding of maternity as a social function and the common responsibility of men and women in the upbringing and development of their children, with the interest of the children as the primordial consideration in all cases.5 12 • Advancement, development and empowerment of women; • Equal access to participation and decision making for women in social, political and economic life of the nation; • Mainstreaming gender perspective in the development process. • Building and strengthening partnerships with civil society, particularly women’s organizations. Gaps in the implementation of CEDAW in India (G) and its corresponding recommendations (R) ensuring equal opportunities for women, the unavailability of adequate and quality crèches for children of working women discourages them from joining workplaces. [CEDAW A.3] R4: Crèches for children should be ensured at/ near the workplace/home to enable and encourage women to work. 3. Draft National Policy for Women, 2016: Titled ‘Articulating a Vision for Empowerment of Women,’ the policy states that, the empowerment of women can only be achieved when advancement in the conditions of women is coupled with their ability to influence the direction of change through equal opportunities in all spheres of life, including political life. G5: Despite reservations for women as Independent Directors under the Companies Act, 2013, there are only a few women in leadership positions, especially at the board level and many positions are lying vacant. [CEDAW A.3] 4. Report of the High-Level Committee on Status of Women, 2015: The Committee’s mandate was to undertake a comprehensive study on the status of women since 1989, and to evolve appropriate policy interventions based on a contemporary R5: The vacancies reserved for women in the board should be filled up in a timebound manner. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women