BENGALURU: Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday expressed confidence that the Women's Reservation Bill would turn into a reality in the upcoming parliamentary session, stressing the need for adequate representation of women in Parliament and State Legislatures.
He was speaking after releasing the logo of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) India Region Conference at the grand steps of Vidhana Soudha.
The two-day conference will be held at the Banquet Hall of Vidhana Soudha on November 17 and 18, with more than 150 delegates, including women MPs, MLAs, MLCs and presiding officers from India and abroad, expected to participate.
Describing the conference as a historic milestone for Karnataka, Shivakumar assured the State government's full support for its successful conduct. The conference is being organised under the leadership of CWP India Region president D Purandeswari.
Referring to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's contribution to women's empowerment, he said the legislation providing 50 per cent reservation for women in local bodies, from panchayats to district-level administration, had strengthened their participation in governance.
"I believe all political parties are in favour of women's reservation," he said.
Pointing to the increasing presence of women in key constitutional and administrative positions in Karnataka, Shivakumar said it was a matter of satisfaction that women were holding several important offices.
"The Governor, Chief Secretary, Assembly Secretary, Legislative Council Secretary and Deputy Speaker in our State are women. It is a happy situation that we have such women in important positions in the administration. A woman is the light of a family. When women become empowered, men too become empowered," he said.
He said the government would extend all necessary assistance through Assembly Speaker G S Patil and Legislative Council Chairman Saleem Ahmed to ensure the success of the conference.
Recalling the contributions of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, India's first woman Chief Minister Sucheta Kripalani and President Droupadi Murmu, he said their achievements demonstrated the potential of women in leadership.
"These women have shown that women can achieve anything they set their minds to," he said.
