Thiruvananthapuram: A two-day National Women Legislators Conference organised by the Kerala Legislative Assembly ended on Friday with two resolutions - one demanding urgent action to pass the Women's Reservation Bill, which envisages 33 per cent reservation for women in the State legislatures and the Lok Sabha and the other to enact a comprehensive legislation to curb defamatory remarks against women in public and online platforms.
The resolution on allowing 33 per cent reservation in the legislatures was tabled by the Kerala Minister of Higher Education and Social Justice, Dr R Bindu, while the resolution calling for legislation to curb defamatory remarks against women was moved by Tamil Nadu MLA A Tamilarasi.
The first resolution noted that the Bill has been pending in the Lower House of Parliament for the last 26 years.
"The Bill could not be passed due to objections. In the last general election, 78 women were elected to the Lok Sabha, even though the reservation Bill was not passed. This cannot be considered an achievement. Currently, India ranks 148th in the international rankings for women's representation in the legislature," the resolution said.
The second resolution stated that it has come to a stage where even senior women politicians are being defamed in social media.
"This is becoming a reflection of the bad form of patriarchy," the resolution read.
It also called for comprehensive legislation that could be implemented across the country to curb intimidation, abuse, defamatory statements and anti-feminist behaviour through social media.
Both resolutions were passed unanimously at the valedictory session of the conference.
The conference hosted by the Kerala Legislative Assembly is the first national event of this kind to be held in the country.
It had various sessions on themes vital to women legislators. The conference was attended by 120 delegates from different States across the country.
