Tuesday, 12 NOVEMBER 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The chairperson of the Uttarakhand State Commission for Women (USCW) Kusum Kandwal announced that the State women policy will soon be put into effect under the guidance of chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. She said this during a Press conference held on Monday to celebrate the 19th foundation day of USCW on Monday.
Kandwal said that USCW was established in 2005 to address issues and crimes faced by women in the State. She claimed that over the years, USCW officials have been committed to fulfilling their responsibilities and taking action on women’s issues and crimes statewide. Kandwal also revealed that work on implementing the State women policy began in 2019, and after several additions and revisions, the policy was finalised recently. As a result, it is expected that under the guidance of the CM, the State women policy will soon be implemented in Uttarakhand, she added.
Regarding the work conducted by the USCW for the welfare of women in Uttarakhand, she said that regular inspections are carried out in the State’s jails. During these visits, it is ensured that the female inmates are in comfortable and truthful conditions. Additionally, the commission ensures that women inmates find employment upon their release from jail. As the chairperson of USCW, she personally oversees the operations of the one-stop centre on a consistent basis. Further, she has instructed all district magistrates in the state to diligently monitor the department and other locations related to sexual harassment issues and Internal Complaints Committee. Kandwal further informed that awareness programmes have been organised at colleges to educate young women about their rights and how to seek assistance from the commission. She noted that the commission received a total of 1364 complaints this year, of which 436 have been resolved, leaving 928 for further investigation and are in progress.
In light of recent safety issues at the spa centre involving women, Kandwal announced that the commission has developed standard operating procedures for the proper management of spa centres. These guidelines will focus on verifying the credentials of spa employees, providing separate massage rooms for male and female clients and ensuring that staff possess the necessary diplomas for massage therapy, she said.
During this, Kandwal also released the annual book of the year 2023-2024 by the commission.
