RTI: Where are the women?

By Raman Sharma

The Jammu and Kashmir Right to Information came into being in the state in its present form in the year 2009 and there is no dearth of success stories of the Right to information users/activists where they have been able to get the information for self use and for the public interest but even then when we compare the number of female RTI applicants with males in J & K it is almost nil. Recently the state government released the data of total number of RTI applications received by Public Information Officers of different departments of the state government. Official version of the government says Just 7000 Right to Information applications have been filed by the citizens in all since March 2010, whereas we are the population of more than 12 million people. Most of these RTI applications are submitted by male-citizens and unfortunately female folk remained very lethargic in tendering RTI applications. Most of the Public information officers during their interaction admitted that the number of RTI applications received from female applicants are almost negligible. At least in the departments like revenue, forest, Urban/ Rural Local bodies, ,General administration departments, Police, Public Health Engineering, Power Development Department, Health, Medical Department and Public Works department. Contrary to this there are good numbers of RTI applications made by the female applicants in departments like social welfare department for seeking information related to Anganwadi centers , Education department, Public Distribution Department, Women Development Corporation and in some cases even in different universities of the state. The stakeholders give different reasons for low number of women participants in RTI movement.

According to Balvinder Singh of Sangrash RTI movemnt J&K unless and until we involve female individuals women groups in the RTI movement we cannot yield the desired results because they are half of the total population and we cannot afford to keep them off from this movement. The reason for their negligible participation is also because of the unawareness, illiteracy, male dominance in the family, high fees , attitude of the PIO’s, no protection for whistleblower, bitter experiences of other RTI users and above all the threat perception that always follow any RTI applicant at least in our state. Out of total 600, complaints and 2nd appeals received by the State Information Commission there are not more than 25 to 30 cases of women appellants. There are some other interesting submissions of the RTI activists of the state to advance women participation in RTI implementation and mass awareness . Shafiq Mir who is Sarpanch of remote village Poshana, Bufflaiz block in Poonch and an RTI activist demands absolute fees waiver for female RTI applicants, he argues; Women empowerment means involving them in participatory democracy and in our state where the per capita income of the state is so low, the high fees of Rs. 50/- is a pretext to debar them. History witnesses that no movement in world has become successful without direct involvement of the females of the society, be it war or any other civil right movement. And in our state if the state government and other stakeholders are really interested in implementing this Act in letter and spirit they should make arrangement so that Women can come forward and take the lead in exercising their own right and to educate others. The state information should also hear the complaints appeal cases of the female-appellants on a priority basis. The Jammu and Kashmir Women Commission, Ministry of Social Welfare and Women Development Corporation should also aware the women about this empowering law so that they can use it in their day to day life. The Non-Government Organizations of Jammu and Kashmir that are giving cold shoulder to the RTI Act should also educate women and citizens about this humane law . However elsewhere in the country the women are spearheading the Right to Information campaigns and have been able to help themselves and other weaker section of the society with this powerful tool . When we have talented and educated women in every field of the society then why in our state we do not have any female RTI-Activist yet.

Recently the state government released the data of total number of RTI applications received by Public Information Officers of different departments of the state government. Official version of the government says Just 7000 Right to Information applications have been filed by the citizens in all since March 2010, whereas we are the population of more than 12 million people. Most of these RTI applications are submitted by male-citizens and unfortunately female folk remained very lethargic in tendering RTI applications. Most of the Public information officers during their interaction admitted that number of RTI applications received from female applicants are almost negligible