Journalism of Courage
At an ongoing training workshop at Pune’s Yashwantrao Chavan Academy of Development Administration (YASHADA) for developing communication skills in police personnel, there is only one woman in attendance among the 30 candidates.
Other women who were to attend the workshop for three days have said they are unable to come as they have to look after their small children.
This might change with a Government Resolution issued on December 1, which has directed all government training institutes to have creches.
The GR has directed all 126 government training institutes in the state to set up creche facilities for children up to the age of six years to encourage women government staff to attend such training workshops.
“With hostel facilities available at most of these training facilities, the creche facility will help women attend the training programmes, which are compulsory,” a senior official from the General Administration Department (GAD) said.
Senior officials from YASHADA, the key training centre in Pune which is said to be the third best in India after Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussorie, and Sardar Vallabhai Patel National Police Academy Hyderabad, said the creche facility would start there shortly.
“This directive is welcome. Women can leave their kids at the creche and attend the training programme for three to five days. We have seen only 20 per cent attendance among women government employees, who say they are unable to leave behind their kids and attend such workshops. We will work on this directive,” said the official.
According to the GR, issued by additional chief secretary (services) Dr Bhagwan Sahay, any working facility having more than 30 women employees should have creche facility in the establishment.
The GR states, “Since training workshops for government staff are held for anywhere between five days to six weeks, women employees find it difficult to leave their infants/toddlers at home and attend the workshop. Hence, creche facility has to be provided in the training centre for children up to the age of six years.”
The GR also says the creche should have a trained woman instructor to take care of the children in the absence of their mothers. “The creche should have sufficient light and quality air supply and open space for playing. The facility should also be equipped with milk and food appropriate for children. It should also have a clean and private space for nursing mothers,” it says.
According to the GR, these creches will also have sufficient number of toys and play areas. The officer concerned from the training centre should conduct checks on the creche facility once in three months to ensure it is in good condition, it says.
