NCW chief for more contraceptive choices for women

Women should be offered the entire bouquet of contraceptive choices available for family planning instead of just one method of sterilization, NCW chairperson Lalitha Kumaramangalam Friday said.

Her comments come in the wake of the death of 14 women during a state-run sterilization drive in Chhattisgarh.

The NCW chief, who was interacting with reporters at the Indian Women's Press Corps here, said the entire sterilization policy has been totally "dumped" on women.

"It is only women who are targeted on issues like sterilization," she added.

Kumaramangalam said she was not satisfied with the gender-budgeting policies of any of the governments.

"The budget in India is not looked at from the gender perspective," she said.

Outlining her vision for women's empowerment, she said: "I want to bring gender into every discussion about policy."

"We also have to educate our boys that you have to respect women".

The NCW chief, who had kicked off a controversy over her remarks favouring legalization of prostitution, said she had made the remarks in her personal capacity and the commission has as of now not taken any stand on the issue.

"The matter is sub-judice as there is a Supreme Court-appointed committee," she said.

However, Kumaramangalam said: "There was a very thin line between decriminalisation of prostitution, which lot of activists and sex-workers demand, and legalising it."

"I would recommend legalising as the sex-workers can then get lot of government schemes and benefits."

The NCW chief said she has spoken with Home Minister Rajnath Singh on the need to set up a centre for lodging FIRs within the women's commission.