Minister for Municipal Administration & Urban Development K.T.Rama Rao noted that change in terms of gender equality should begin systematically at home.
While addressing an event organised to honour women journalists on Monday, on the eve of International Women’s Day, along with his Cabinet colleagues Satyavathi Rathod and P. Sabitha Indra Reddy, Mr.Rama Rao said male children of the Indian households are raised without the burden of sharing household work, due to patriarchal social set up.
As a result, majority of Indian men do not realise the effort that goes into domestic chores unless they start living on their own outside their homes, Mr.Rama Rao noted, drawing from his own example.
Thankfully, Telangana is one of the very few states which have introduced gender equality into the curriculum towards positive change.
Speaking of the women-centric measures taken up by the Telangana State government, Mr.Rama Rao said there has been tremendous reduction in the indicators such as Infant Mortality Rate, Maternal Mortality Rate, and Neonatal Mortality Rate after introduction of targeted interventions towards pregnant women such as KCR Kits and Arogya Lakshmi.
Schemes such as Kalyana Lakshmi and Shadi Mubarak have been successful in raising the age of marriage, as the benefits are offered only for marriages of women above 18 years of age.
He urged the journalists to pay attention to the success stories of the government too, such as recruitment of women in male dominated professions such as police, and electrical linemen.
Ms. Sabitha Indra Reddy praised the Telangana government for its various gender-based initiatives including an exclusive university for women, and congratulated women media persons for competing with men and doing their best in their profession notwithstanding family responsibilities.
Ms.Satyavathi Rathod said the government is paying special attention on education of girl children and women. About 80 women media professionals both from print and electronic media were felicitated by the Ministers. From The Hindu, Senior Deputy Editor S.B.Vijaya Mary and Special Correspondent Swathi Vadlamudi received the honours.
