Kerala yet to utilise its women power: Muralee Thummarukudy

KALPETTA: UN environment expert Muralee Thummarukudy has asked the  state to utilise its women power to reach the next level of progress. "Though the girls are in the forefront in securing high marks at the school and college level, the state is yet to tap the potential of this women power," he said inaugurating  the 55th state conference of Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishath  at St. Mary's Higher Secondary School, Sulthan Bathery, near here, on Friday.

"The representation of women is inadequate in all areas. In the present legislature, the women's representation is only seven per cent,"  he said  and added that it was almost the same in the state legislature in 1957. Mr Muralee Thummarukudy,  who is the  UN environment programme chief of  the   disaster risk reduction wing,  said that compared to  women's participation in nation building in other countries, here the condition was pretty bad. In many countries across the globe, the representation of women in law-making bodies is over 50 percent.

"In Rwanda it is 60 percent.  Even in Pakistan it is 30 percent.   I hope the present generation will be able to change the situation in future," he added. On the second day of the conference, discussions on various crucial issues faced by the state, including higher education, land utilization and conversion, waste management among others.