Andhra Pradesh State Convention

Federation for Empowerment of
Elected Women Representatives in Local Governments

A movement for good governance and genuine empowerment

April 3, 2005
Jeevan Jyothi, Begumpet
Hyderabad

Declaration

The Federation for Empowerment of Elected Women Representatives (EWRs) in Local Governments (henceforth, 'The Federation') hereby passes the following declarations:

This Convention declares the formation of The Federation as a new chapter in the history of the local governments.

This Convention declares that the aim of this movement is the genuine empowerment of the people through empowerment of local governments and thereby, achievement of good governance and better services to citizens.

The Federation shall function as a common, united platform for all those thousands of present and former elected women representatives and all concerned and public-spirited women. To ensure adequate representation to both rural and urban areas, The Federation shall be comprised of EWRs right from the ward level up to and including sarpanchs, mandal Parishad members, mandal Parishad presidents, Zilla Parishad members, Zilla Parishad chairpersons, municipal councilors, corporators and chairpersons in municipalities and mayors.

EWRs from across the political spectrum can retain their individual political affiliations even as becoming constituents of The Federation. The Federation therefore requests all EWRs to become constituents and role players in this common platform.

India is in its villages as well as its towns and cities. The Federation declares that it will work towards public development through citizens' involvement, delivery of basic infrastructure services, the minimum essential civic amenities through the empowerment of local governments. The activities of The Federation will be conducted in a manner that is oriented towards genuine empowerment of the citizens rather than mere empowerment the office bearers in local governments.

The Federation declares its aim to achieve good governance through local governments. It further declares that doors to people's participation must be opened through the conduct of meetings of local governments and gram sabhas. Further, The Federation shall work towards mandatory implementation of citizen's charters, timely resolution of public complaints, declaration of the income-expenditure details in panchayats, implementation of information boards in public works and transparency in all public works.
The Federation shall contribute its part towards the improvement in the functioning of various government offices and departments that fall within the purview of the local governments. The Federation aims to work towards the improvement of service delivery in schools, continuing education centers, health care centers, aanganwadis and ration shops. Further, it will work towards federating stakeholder groups and delivery of services to those groups through the intervention of local governments.

The EWRs, through The Federation, shall focus their activities on sanitation and drinking water supply and also on key issues like federation of women, imparting information to them, improving their skills and competency and prevention of atrocities against them.

This Convention of The Federation declares and conveys its heartfelt thanks to Lok Satta for assisting in determining the course of the movement for giving a new life and inspiration to local governments through federation of women (representatives). This Convention of The Federation also requests and hopes that this assistance from Lok Satta continues in the future.