We the delegates at the 23rd National Convention hereby adopt the Policy Statement on Public Affairs and Social Issues unanimously as a Policy Document of the YWCA of India.

The Policy Statement is as follows :-

Preamble
"We, as members of the World and National Movement, and aware of the Christian Basis of our Movement, find it imperative to take a stand on any public issue that has a hearing on us as a society, national or international."

Peace & Unity
Communalism, Casteism and religious fundamentalism are manifesting themselves in more and more virulent forms in our society and are being picked up by vested interests, leading to deep divisions. We are committed to and urge inter-faith and inter-denominational dialogue at every level in order to promote unity in diversity.

Violence Against Women
Violence against women is rising at an alarming rate all over the country. While lip service is being paid by passing legislation protecting women from atrocities, the reality is totally different. We are convinced that the root-cause of domestic and other forms of violence against women is patriarchy, and hence we are opposed to all forms of patriarchal power. We are committed to creating awareness regarding the roots of violence against women, and support all movement to uphold the changing role of women in society. This includes working with other women's groups and the "churches ecumenical decade in solidarity with women".

Portrayal of Women and Minority Communities in the Media
We recognize the vital role media plays in the development of women. We urge continued action against the portrayal of women as stereotyped sex objects in the mass and print media, and the discriminatory attitude towards minority communities.

Legal Reform
| We support all efforts to change the existing personal laws which are heavily weighted against women. While keeping unchanged our stated goal of a Uniform Civil Code, our immediate task is to make, "the Christian Personal Laws more just and fair to women as also to press for laws to facilitate adoption of children by Christians.

Health
We believe that every woman has the right to knowledge and control of her body and are committed to health education programmes which ensure that primary & preventive health care are in her hands.

We are opposed & committed to highlighting the adverse efforts of new technologies on women, especially sex determination techniques, machine abortions and the use of harmful contraceptive drugs and vaccines.

Employment
We are on YWCAs around the country to create avenues, access points and conditions for employment of women, in spheres which have hitherto been the domain of men. We support the practice of equal wages for equal work for men and women and conditions which protect a woman employee from sexual harassment.

Education
The education system from the pre-school stage must reflect participatory methods of teaching, aiming at self-reliance and the equality of both sexes and well as promote inter-communal under-standing. Recognizing the tradition responsibility of older girl children to look after their younger siblings which lead to their dropping out of schools, YWCAs will continue to press for introduction of Crèches and Day care Centers, alongside schools, so that younger siblings can be cared for, whilst the girl children are in schools.

Children's Right
Recognizing that a large number of Indian children are living and working on the streets, YWCAs are committed to organizing non-formal education, counseling and recreation schemes and services for such children to enable them to be rehabilitated within their families and as citizens.

Racism
We support all efforts to end racism in whatever form and in whatever part of the world, especially in the Middle-East and South Africa. We actively support the World YWCA movement in its actions to end this evil practice.

Political Oppression
We oppose political oppression as found in the Middle-East and the Latin-American countries as it violates the human right and vast sections of the people.

Exploitation
We condemn oppression and exploitation of every kind, whether social, economic or cultural. Women constitute the vast majority of these victims. The YWCA is committed to work for the removal of all such discriminations.

Environment
We express our deep concern at the development policies adopted by government around the world, including our own, which result in increasing degradation and pollution of our environment, thereby affecting the quality of lives of people everywhere.

Nuclear Testing
We condemn nuclear tests anywhere in the world, especially on our soil and express our, solidarity with people actively opposing such testing, especially in Balliapal and Kundankulam.


PASI YWCA of Kottayam:

The YWCA of Kottayam does re-affirm the YWCA of India and the World YWCA Policy Statement on PASI and strongly affirm that the process of attainment of goals of PASI is through the struggle for justice. The action / intervention undertaken by the PASI Committee of YWCA of Kottayam center around:

1. Law and Protective Measures on
a) Violence – Domestic, Sexual, Female Foeticide, Trafficking women/children, Week without Violence; b) Right to Information, c) Right to Dictate Content on TV, d) Senior Citizens’ Act, and e) Sexual Harassment at Work

2. Children
a) Child Rights, b) Labour, c) Education, d) Children in Special Circumstances

3. Health
a) HIV Aids, b) Adolescent and Reproductive Health, c) Maternal Care, d) Geriatric Care

4. Secularism and Communalism
a) Communalism, b) Terrorism and Militancy

5. Environment and Quality of Life
a) Consumerism and Consumer Protection, b) Energy Conservation and Environment Education
c) Waste Management and Income from Waste

Two major independent committees that deal with issues of relevance to PASI are the ‘THANAL’ (Crisis Center and Shelter Home) Committee and the COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Committee. These are dealt with separately under respective titles / legends/ menu