NEW DELHI, Nov 26:
To stress the need for bringing a law to reserve 33 per cent seats in Parliament as well as the state Assemblies, the National Commission for Women (NCW) is planning to approach UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and the Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar.
Interacting with reporters here, the NCW chairperson Mamata Sharma said that she was planning to take delegations to both Gandhi and Kumar during this session of Parliament itself and submit memorandums to them seeking bringing of the women’s reservation Bill in Parliament.
“The NCW had submitted a memorandum earlier to former President Pratibha Patil on the issue for bringing a women’s reservation Bill. During this session, I plan to reach out to the Lok Sabha speaker and the UPA chairperson and submit memorandums,” Sharma said here.
“There has been considerable empowerment of women by reserving seats for them at the Local bodies and Panchayat levels in the country. But we need to take this change right to the top,” she added.
Speaking further, Sharma said that her focus was to work on all issues related to women and the problem of female foeticide was one of her priorities. She said that in four states – Punjab, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh the position of the chairperson of the State Women’s Commission was vacant, which was undesirable.
Sharma said that NCW at present carrying out review process for 13 laws related to women.
She listed Dowry Prohibition Act, The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956, Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986, amendments to Section 125 of CrPC regarding Maintenance, Amendments to the Laws relating to Rape and Related Provisions, etc as legislations which are under review.
Sharma said that NCW had sent recommendations to the government on scheme for Relief and Rehabilitation for Victims of Rape, Protection of Women from Domestic Violence, Action Plan to combat Trafficking, Scheme for relief and rehabilitation of offences (by acids) on women and Children.
Sharma also said that the 12th Parliament committee on Empowerment of Women had expressed concern on the unending delay in government’s decision on the recommendations of the NCW on crucial laws and matters.
The committee has proposed a two-year term for this process and a six-monthly review to take decision on all the pending recommendations, she said.
She gave further details as per which the Parliamentary committee had rejected the Ministry of women and Child Development’s recommendation to set up a committee to review the functioning of the NCW.
The NCW chairperson said that the report also recommends increasing strength of NCW from a five to seven-member body and confer powers of investigation on the lines of the NCPCR and NHRC, and other measures to strengthen it. (PTI)
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