On the occasion of Women Empowerment Year, Progressive Organization of Women (Andhra Pradesh) and Pragatisheel Mahila Sangathan (Delhi) organized a March in Delhi on 30th November, 2001 on the theme of Women’s Empowerment. Around 700 women from AP, Delhi and Uttaranchal participated in the March which began from Mandi House. The women raised slogans demanding equal rights, equal wages, equal participation in political power, implementation of women’s reservation bill with amendments for OBCs and minorities. They also carried placards to this effect.

The March passed through different areas and culminated in a public meeting at Jantar Mantar. The gathering at Jantar Mantar was addressed by Ms. Sandhya, President (POW), Poonam Kaushik, General secretary, PMS, Delhi, Rita Rawat, Navjanwadi Mahila Samiti, Uttarankhand and Zila Parishad Member of Tehri Garhwal.

The speakers condemned the Govt. for following policies of privatization, liberalization and globalization because of which women are facing loss of livelihood, food insecurity, lack of health and education facilities, minimization of development and welfare programmes for women. They also said that even after 54 years of so-called independence, women are forced to face various forms of naked feudal exploitation viz. domestic violence, female foeticide, physical atrocities, sexual harassment at work place, child marriage and dowry harassment. Due to cultural policies of imperialism, women's bodies are being commercialized.

The speakers stressed in their addresses that although the govt. has signed the Beijing declaration and commitment for women's empowerment, equal participation and gender equality, in reality it had failed to implement even one third of the declaration and called upon the participants as well as the women of India to build a militant women's movement to force the Govt. to provide equal property rights, land ownership rights, equal opportunities in all sectors, equal participation and share in political institutions. The speakers further stressed that unless complete social, political and economic equality is achieved, women's empowerment in real terms is not possible. At the end of the programme, a memorandum was submitted to the Prime Minister.