85 percent voters want action on violence against women

New Delhi, April 3 :

Eighty-five percent of Indian voters are likely to vote for a candidate who commits to work towards ending violence against women, a survey said here Thursday.

Conducted by the Marketing and Development Research Associates and NGO Avaaz, the poll said “91 percent of voters want violence against women to be prioritised by the new government”.

“Eighty-five percent are more likely to vote for a politician who commits to specific policies to stop violence against women,” it said.

The survey said 99 percent of Indians are concerned about the level of violence faced by women in India and 94 percent voters are in favour of launching a public education campaign.

A total of 75 percent Indians think that the electoral promises made by politicians to tackle problems faced by women so far are inadequate and 91 percent have ranked the problem as their No.2 priority after corruption and ahead of employment, cost of food, poverty, electricity bills, education, pollution and water.

“India’s voters demand an end to the epidemic of rape and will only cast their ballots for politicians they believe can bring the cure,” Avaaz executive director Ricken Patel said.

Patel sought support from parties for a six-point plan called the “Womanifesto” which was created by a group of over 70 civil society groups, organisations and eminent individuals calling on political leaders to tackle violence against women and bring freedom, safety and equality for females.

(IANS)