LDF Manifesto Promises Revolutionary Measures to Elevate Women's Status, Ensure Gender Justice in Keralam

Thiruvananthapuram: The Left Democratic Front's election manifesto has outlined a series of transformative initiatives aimed at elevating the status of women and ensuring gender justice in Keralam's developmental landscape. The government has put forward an approach titled 'Sthreepaksha Navakeralam' — a Women-Inclusive New Keralam — with the goal of translating the gains made by Keralam's women in education and health into greater social and political standing as well.

As part of the Navakeralam People's Planning initiative, the manifesto envisions raising women's workforce participation to 50 per cent, alongside concrete action plans to reduce domestic burdens and ensure safety.

Comprehensive Plans to Reduce Workload

Women will be provided vocational training in high-skill sectors from the time of their education itself. Arrangements will be made for the unemployed and those who have taken career breaks to work from home or near home. Development projects that ensure equal pay for equal work, adequate rest time, healthcare, and safety will be given priority.

To ease the domestic responsibilities of women, after-school care facilities and quality creches will be expanded across the state. Community kitchen-type arrangements will be encouraged to reduce the burden of cooking.

The manifesto notes that women constitute the majority among those aged above 80 years, and pledges to give due importance to this gender-specific reality in elderly care policy. The workload on women in elder care will be reduced through a comprehensive social palliative care system.

'Dheera' Program to Ensure Safety and Prevention

Women workers will be given more effective training to participate in the functioning of local self-government institutions. Crime mapping will be conducted in all local bodies to prevent violence against women.

Local action plans will be formulated involving Kudumbashree, women's organisations, and social movements to tackle domestic violence, dowry harassment, and cybercrime. Survivors of violence will be ensured swift justice and sustainable rehabilitation.

Institutional mechanisms for the prevention of violence — including vigilance committees and legal aid clinics — will be strengthened. The 'Dheera' program, which provides training in martial arts to build confidence and self-defence capabilities among adolescent girls, will be expanded through One Stop Centres in all 14 districts.

Gender Justice and Budgeting

Gender budgeting will be strengthened in the budgets of state and local self-government institutions to increase attention to women's concerns in development planning. A comprehensive annual report on this will be published. Representation of Dalit communities and women will be ensured in government policy-making committees.

The Women's Commission, which intervenes consistently and effectively on behalf of women, will be further strengthened — it is already regarded as functioning more effectively than its counterparts in other states. Grassroots vigilance committees will be made fully operational.

The 'Mazhavillu' scheme for transgender communities will be expanded. Gender reassignment surgery facilities will be made available in all medical colleges for transgender (LGBTQ+) individuals. Provisions in the central government's regressive Transgender Persons Act that undermine dignity will not be applied in the state.

New Strides Powered by Kudumbashree

Kudumbashree membership will be raised from 48 lakh to 60 lakh. Women from Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, coastal, and plantation sectors will be fully integrated into Kudumbashree. Bank linkage loans will be scaled up to Rs 20,000 crore.

Special programs linked to employment and skill development will be launched to bring young women into the Kudumbashree fold. Auxiliary groups will be strengthened by linking them with neighbourhood networks. Gender campaigns will be organised through Kudumbashree and other channels to ensure social support for working women. The 'Uyare' campaign will continue.

The manifesto also notes that several policies being implemented by the central government are restricting the state's autonomy in poverty alleviation efforts, and pledges strong vigilance against moves that seek to weaken Keralam's social empowerment achievements.

The LDF manifesto also makes clear that deliberate secular interventions will be made to counter regressive ideologies spreading through social media against women's social presence. These comprehensive interventions to bring women to the forefront of Keralam's social standing, the manifesto states, will be decisive in the building of a New Keralam.