NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR WOMEN

By: SAMATHA BEHARA

The NCW is a statutory body of government of India, generally concerned with advising the government on all policy matters affecting women. It was established on 31st Jan. 1992 under the provision of the Indian constitution, as defined in the 1990 national commission for women act.

Objectives of NCW:

-Represent the rights of women in India and provide a voice for their issues and concerns.

-The subject of their campaigns has included dowry, politics, religion, equal representation of women in jobs, and the exploitations of women for Labor.

FUNCTIONS AND POWERS:

Review the Constitutional and legal safeguards for women.

Recommend remedial legislative measures.

Facilitate redressal of grievances.

Advise the government on all policy matters affecting women.

Investigate and examine all matters relating to the safeguards provided for women under the constitution and other laws.

Review from time to time the existing provisions of the constitution and other laws affecting women.

Call for special studies or investigation into specific problems or situations arising out of discrimination against women.

Participated advice on the planning process of socio-economic development of women.

Any other matter which may be referred it by central government.

NCW INTERVENTIONS IN IMPORTANT CASES:

BHANWARI DEVI GANG RAPE CASE (VISHAKHA V. STATE OF RAJASTAN)

The commission Suo moto took up the case of Ms Bhanwari Devi and extended its full support in going for appeal and also providing security to the victim.

Death penalty (Ramsheer case)

Due to the timely intervention of the NCW in the supreme court, the order of death sentence was temporarily stayed and commuted into life imprisonment.

OBSCENITY CASES

The Delhi HC put an injunction on the launching of +21 adult channel by the MIB. NCW moved Delhi HC against star TV, ZEE TV, etc for showing obscene pictures on tv etc

History of NCW:

During 1990 the central govt held consultations with NGOs, social workers, and experts regarding the structure functions, powers, etc of the commission

In may 1990 the bill was introduced in Lok sabha.

In July 1990, the HRD ministry organized a national-level conference to obtain suggestions.

In August 1990, the commission was vested with the power of the civil court.

The bill was passed and received assent of the president on 30th august 1990.

A review of the National Commission for Women's position is in the works.

The National Commission for Women's (NCW) operations could be reviewed soon.

All about NCW:

The Rajya Sabha Secretariat's Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resource Development has formed a Sub-Committee to investigate the NCW's operations. The Sub-Committee has asked for recommendations, opinions, and remarks on the matter from concerned organizations, agencies, and individuals.: They also requested suggestions, especially on issues such as the Commission's role in safeguarding women's rights in evolving times, the positive effect of the Commission's guidelines on women-specific legislation, and the NCW-State Commissions for Women's coordination process. They've even invited these organizations or individuals to comment on the constraints and trouble areas they've found in the NCW's operation, as well as make recommendations about how to improve it.: Starting on October 31, a 15-day window has been set for submitting recommendations, which will be considered as confidential and benefit from the committee's rights. According to a notice published by the RS Secretariat, those who wish to appear before the Sub-Committee in addition to sending memoranda will do so.[1]

Commission's achievements

The following chapter will summarize the Commission's accomplishments, achievements, and milestones since its inception in 1992. The Commission's grievances and counseling cell is possibly the agency's most effective organ; for example, Ms. Rupali Jain was restored as a teacher as a result of the Commission's actions, after her services were terminated at a school operated by a non-governmental group for no apparent cause. Smt. Savitri also addressed the Commission on the abuse of its dumb and deaf daughter, who, along with her child, was left by her husband and was in law, supposedly because of her disabilities. The Commission dealt with this matter and found the husband, counseled him, and negotiated with his wife and daughter to restore it. The Commission has also managed to secure the release of the supposedly BSF gang-raped Mrs. Sudha Bala, (Name changed) at the beginning of 2002. After the suspected rape, the victim was mistakenly arrested in Presidential Jail, Kolkata. The Commission took up the matter for the release of a survivor of rape from prison. The acts of the Commission led to the release from the prison of Ms Das, whom her brother received secure custody. In addition to these milestones, a number of acts have been amended by the legal cell and a number of new laws have been introduced. The Commission recommended amendments to the Hindu Marriage Act of 1955 and to the Indian Penal Code of 1960, the Medical End of Pregnancy Act of 1971. The Commission has also introduced legislation, for example the 1994 Marriage Bill, the 1994 Domestic Violence to women Bill and the 1995 Women Cruel Prevention Bill. Many of these legislations have been adopted lately, including the Domestic Violence for Women (prevention) BillIn a number of cases the Commission has also taken part and these were listed in the chapter dealing with the Commission's functions. The Commission's research cell conducted a series of studies on issues such as social mobilisation, woman preservation, and divorce, women under contract workers, gender preference in judicial rulings, family courts, discrimination against women, access for women to health, and slum education, etc. Several commissions of inquiry have also been formed under Section 8(1) of the 1990 Act to address such matters as Law and law, policy empowerment, women's custodial justice, social security, Panchayati Raj's, women and media, scheduled tribal development, the development of women of the lower classes, the development of women from minority communities and the development of women in minority communities. The anti-child marriage stirrings in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh have been among other highlights.: Public hearings have been successfully coordinated by the Commission around the country on Muslim women's issues, the effect of globalisation on women, land-related problems, the economic empowerment of tribal women. The Commission has achieved much of the tasks set out in its mandate within a brief 14-year span. The various public hearings, outreach programmes, advice, and legal position have undoubtedly changed the Indian woman's circumstances.[2]

Conclusion:

It can be said from the previous chapters that the Commission was able to meet the mandate, if not entirely, in a large degree in the course of the brief span of fourteen years. There are only a few related accomplishments listed in the previous chapter and they prove the Commission's reputation and support for the Indians. There are certainly certain flaws in the functioning of the Commission and in the positive work it does for women in India, but these will lead to a more successful and fruitful Commission if rectified.[3]

References

1. anon.,national commission for women act 1990(act no.20 of 1990 of govt of India)procedure and regulations,2005. 2 anon.,the Indian express national women’s commission can’t act like a court HC. The court's ruling came while allowing a petition filed by an MNC seeking quashing of proceedings initiated by NCW on a complaint of.. 19-08-2014. 3.Shivani Kumar ., press trust of India. The right to live with dignity clause takes into account the emotional abuse of women.