<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">''<div>''<h3 class="m_-4561054734297983883gmail-m_-3253747463703222120gmail-r" style="font-size: 18px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><br />''</h3></div>''<div>Cutting across party lines, members in the Rajya Sabha today called for the immediate passage of the Women's Reservation Bill providing 33 percent seats reserved for women in Assemblies and Parliament. Making a reference in the House on the occasion of International Women's Day, they also underlined the need for ensuring the safety of women.&nbsp;</div>''<div><br />''</div>''<div>Several members wanted a resolution to be adopted for the passage of the Women's Bill. Some members suggested that women members should be made Presiding Officers of both the Houses of Parliament.</div>''<div>&nbsp; &nbsp;</div>''<div>Speaking on the occasion, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj gave an account of achievements of several women in all sectors including the men-dominated areas like police, armed forces. She underlined the need for addressing the day-to-day problems faced by women in the downtrodden and poor families.</div>''<div>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</div>''<div>Earlier, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said the gender equality and women safety should receive a renewed focus. He said awareness of discrimination of the girl child should be created. Mr Naidu said an important area of concern is lower female literacy rate compared to male literacy and the problem should be addressed on a war footing. The Chairman said parents should ensure that there is no discrimination between a boy and a girl.&nbsp;</div>''<div>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</div>''<div>Mr Naidu said time and again women have proved that they are not only second to none in any field but better than men in multi-tasking. Women have outstanding contributions in various fields in the country from building rockets to wielding a cricket bat. He said be it politics, poetry, sports or business, women have excelled whenever they had an opportunity.</div>''<div>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</div>''<div>The leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad expressed grave concern over the raping of children and increased domestic violence. Ambika Soni, Renuka Choudhary, Kumari Selja, Rajini Patel, Chhaya Verma, Wansuk Sylem and Viplove Thakur-all Congress, Kani Mozhi of DMK, Thota Sitarama Lakshmi of TDP, Nominated member Anu Aga, Sampatiya Ukey and Roopa Ganguly, both BJP, made several suggestions for the empowerment of women. Members of all parties also spoke on the occasion.&nbsp; &nbsp;</div>''<div class="yj6qo"></div></div>