JAMMU: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today emphasised the need for greater representation of women in public life, calling for genuine empowerment beyond reliance on reservations. Speaking at the valedictory session of the first Women’s National Integration Camp at Padma Shri Padma Sachdev Government College for Women in Gandhinagar, Jammu, Omar lamented that while women constitute half of the population, they are far from achieving proportional representation in governance.
“Our country was founded on principles of equality and granted women the right to vote in its very first election. We have had women Prime Ministers, Presidents, and a Lok Sabha Speaker long before many developed nations. However, the sad reality is that we still lack gender parity in public representation,” he said. He stressed that true empowerment would only be realised when women occupy decision-making roles on their merit, not through reservations.
The week-long camp, organised by the Regional Directorate of the National Service Scheme (NSS) under the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, featured participants from 16 states and union territories. It included cultural performances, community service projects, and interactive workshops.
In her address, Minister for Health and Medical Education Sakeena Itoo praised the participants for embodying national integration and urged them to act as ambassadors of peace and unity in their communities.
The Chief Minister also expressed gratitude to the participants and organisers, calling for the message of goodwill and friendship to be carried across the country. Winners of various competitions held during the camp were felicitated at the event, which was attended by dignitaries including Vice-Chancellor of Cluster University Jammu, Professor K.S. Chandrasekhar, and Additional Chief Secretary for Higher Education, Shantmanu.
