In the backdrop of increasing sexual harassment cases against women in the country, the National Commission for Women (NCW) is preparing a report regarding the formation of internal committees (ICs) in the universities of the states. The women commission member Rajul Desai informed this at a press conference in Dehradun on Wednesday.
Desai said that sexual harassment cases, especially the online sexual harassment cases through social media platforms have increased tremendously in the last few months.
She said that it is important for education campuses and institutes besides workplaces to display messages providing information against sexual harassment. She informed that the NCW is preparing a data report about colleges and universities across the country which have and have not formed ICs to provide a safe, secure and enabling environment to every female student and worker against sexual harassment which will be sent further to higher national authorities. She said that it is crucial for ICs to conduct campaigns and seminars regularly throughout the year while following the set of guidelines to tackle the complaints of sexual harassment. NCW will also ask universities every year in December to provide details about seminars and awareness campaigns conducted throughout the year. She said that women commission can also take action and impose penalties on the universities that do not comply with the rules of commission or act biased on complaints. Referring to the condition of women in Uttarakhand, Desai said that the condition of women in the state is certainly better than many states but drug addiction is a serious challenge in Uttarakhand.
Talking about her visit, Desai said that she is here for a three-day visit to meet various officials and authorities to discuss the condition of women. She stated that she met DGP Ashok Kumar and discussed how the police department is working on pending cases filed under NCW and how the police can work for women welfare in the State. Desai also talked to Governor Baby Rani Maurya on women welfare issues and discussed the initiatives taken by the State Government. Earlier interacting with the IC members of various universities of Dehradun, Desai said that women who complain of sexual harassment should be given options of taking legal action under various sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) by committees so that they can act accordingly.
Thursday, 24 December 2020 | PNS | Dehradun
