Seminar on role of women in country's federal structure

The participation and role of women in the country's federal structure were discussed at a seminar at Nehru Memorial Museum and Library here today.

The impact of three-tier federal structure is visible in the presence of women's organisations at all the three levels, said Delhi University professor Rekha Saxena.

"The multi-level federal structure can provide opportunities to women's organisations for forum-shopping," she stated in a panel discussion on "Gendering Federalism in India".

It can also provide opportunities for policy-innovation and experimentation. Inter-governmental relations are generally carried out in "closed doors" and may be inaccessible to women organisations, she claimed.

She also laid emphasis on the need to address gender component in fiscal federalism.

Another panelist, Dr Eswaran Sreedharan, advocated greater role for women in the three-tier federal structure --- municipal, state and national levels.