US praises the role of women panchayat members in India Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/us-praises-the-role-of-women-panchayat-members-in-india-121350&cp

Praising the work of women panchayat members, US Ambassador-at-Large for women issues Melanne Verveer today said they are making a "huge difference" to India by specially pushing projects dealing with education, sanitation, water and violence against the fair sex.

The US official said she had met many women in India from grassroots level and the panchayats are doing "extraordinary work" at the local community and village level.

"Yesterday, I went to Jaipur and met with some women panchayat members there. They all are doing a wonderful job be it working on sanitation projects, water projects, sending young children to school, or dealing with violence against women. They are making a huge difference to the society there," Verveer said.

She was talking to reporters after meeting a group of school children at a school in Andrews Ganj area of South Delhi.

 

When asked what she liked most about the Indian women, she said, "I work for women all around the world and the biggest obstacle in their path is the lack of confidence but when I met young and not so young girls in India, I felt they were almost there".

She said, "One of the best ways to be independent is to start small businesses and I saw many Indian women doing that. This is a positive sign.

"I would say to India what I say everywhere in the world and it is true in my country which is no nation can get ahead if it leaves half of its people behind, she said, adding her message to parents to educate girls and ensure they can realise their god given potential.

"To ensure access to health care, to forge economic participation that makes such a difference not just in women's immediate lives but for the country.

"To drive opportunities, to create jobs and to create more prosperous economies. We know where there's a greater effort to address gender disparity, those countries are much more prosperous for their people," she said.

Terming violence against women as a "global epidemic", Verveer underlined the need for concerted efforts world-wide including by Indian government, civil society, and business community to combat the menace.

"I am concerned about violence against women wherever it occurs. It is a global epidemic. There are so many serious issues in terms of domestic violence, rapes, honour killings and all kinds of issues that affect women and girls," she said.

"I think we need to be working at every level combating violence against women because we know it's not a private matter, it's not a cultural matter, it is criminal for violence to be acted out on other people.

"So these kinds of crimes need to be punished and I hope the Indian civil society and the government take their responsibility and even the business community help to combat violence against women," Verveer said.

Ambassador Verveer had previously served as Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the First Lady in the Clinton Administration and was chief assistant to then-First Lady Hillary Clinton.