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Social Stratification

Notes Swadhar
Swadhar is a new scheme launched by the Department during the year 2001-02 in the Central
sector for the benefit of women in difficult circumstances, like destitute widows deserted by their
families in religious places like Vrindavan. Kashi. etc; women prisoners released from jail and are
without family support; women survivors of natural disaster who have been rendered homeless
and are without any social and economic support; trafficked women/girls rescued or runaway
from brothels or other places or women/girls who are victims of sexual crimes and disowned by
family or those who do not want to go back to respective families for various reasons; women
victims of terrorist violence who are without any family support and without any economic
means for survival; mentally disordered, women who are without any support of family or relatives,
etc.
The package of assistance that will be available under the scheme shall include provisions for
shelter, food clothing, health care and counselling for such women; measures for social and economic
rehabilitation through education; awareness, skill upgradation and personality development
through behavioural training, etc.; help line or other facilities to such women in distress; and such
other services as will be required for the support and rehabilitation to such women in distress. The
implementing agencies can be the Social Welfare/Women and Child Welfare Department of State
Governments, Women’s Development Corporations, urban local bodies, reputed public/private
trust or voluntary organisations who are willing to take up the responsibility of rehabilitating
such women on a project basis.
Plan of Action to Combat Sexual Exploitation of Women and Children
The Supreme Court in a case passed an order on 9 July, 1997, directing inter alia the constituting
of a committee to make an in-depth study of the problem of prostitution, child prostitutes and
children of prostitutes and to evolve suitable schemes for their rescue and rehabilitation.
Accordingly the Committee on Prostitution, Child Prostitutes and Children Prostitutes was
constituted to evolve such schemes as are appropriate and consistent with the directions given by
the Supreme Court. A Plan of Action was prepared by the Government of India in 1998.
The plan of Action would guide the actions of the Ministries/ Departments of the Central
Government, NGOs, the public and private sectors and other sections of society. The Plan of
Action consists of action points grouped under: prevention, trafficking, awareness generation and
social mobilisation, health care services, education and childcare, housing, shelter and civic
aminities, economic empowerment, legal reforms and law enforcement, rescue and rehabilitation,
institutional machinery and methodology. The report of the Committee and the Plan of Action to
combat trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation of women and children has been sent to
the concerned Central Ministries/Departments and State Governments/UT administrations for
implementation of the action.
Women’s Empowerment Year
The year 2001 was observed as the year of women’s empowerment in order to create large-scale
awareness about women’s rightful place in the mainstream of the nation’s development. During
the year, a landmark document has been adopted - the ‘National Policy for the Empowerment of
Women’. An exhaustive review of nearly 22 laws pertaining to the lives of women was undertaken
by the Task Force under the Chairmanship of the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission.
National Commission for Women
The National Commission for Women was constituted as an autonomous statutory body on 31
January, 1992 in pursuance of the National Commission for Women Act, 1990 to protect and
promote the interest and safeguard the right of women. The main task of the Commission is to
study and monitor all matters relating to the constitutional and legal safeguards provided for

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