NHRC's Consultation on 'Violence Against Women'<br>

The National Human Rights Commission organized a day-long consu-ltation on 'Violence Against Women' in New Delhi on 8th January, 2013. Triggering the Consultation, the NHRC Chairperson, Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, said that society needed to re-look into the patriarchal mindset to ensure that women were treated honorably. Expre-ssing concern over rising number of cases of sexual assault and violence against women in Delhi compared to other mega cities, he said that something needed to be done about it and that every citizen has a duty to abide by law.
He said that there was no serious problem with the criminal justice system but there were not sufficient courts and there was an acute shortage of judges. He stated that in many Metropolitan Magistrate courts at least 2000 cases might be pending, despite the best efforts of the judicial officers. How could speedy justice be ensured, if enough courts were not there. Government should, therefore, invest more into judicial system as done in any civilized society.
Justice Balakrishnan said that in every Panchayat, there should be at least one judicial officer to hear cases. Referring to the concerns on police reforms, he said that police had to get off the general mindset that by registering complaints, crime rate in their area would increase. They should also not harass an accused.
Several prominent speakers, including NHRC Members, Justice Shri G.P. Mathur, Justice Shri B.C. Patel and Shri Satyabrata Pal, Sushri Vrinda Grover, Advocate, Supreme Court of India, Shri Prakash Singh, former DGP, UP, Dr. Indu Agnihotri, Director, Centre for Women Development Studies, Dr. Jitendra Nagpal, Consultant Psychiatrist, Moolchand Hospital, Dr. Sameer Malhotra, Consultant, Max Super Specialty Hospital, Saket, Sushri Kalyani Shankar, Senior Journalist, Sushri Saba Naqvi, Bureau Chief, Outlook participated in the panel discussions which were followed by open house sessions with inputs from Shri Wajahat Habibullah, Chairperson, National Commission for Minorities and Sushri Nina Nayak, Member, National Commission for Protection of Children Rights, senior officers of State police organizations, representatives of NGOs, performing arts, students and media.
Some of the suggestions, in addition to seeking changes in the law, were as follows:
o Fix duty protocol at all levels of police hierarchy;
o Importance of DNA test should be emphasized in addition to forensic tests in cases of sexual assault. More DNA testing and forensic science laboratories were needed;
o Juvenile Justice Act provisions needed to be examined and amended in the light of crimes committed by juveniles;
o Give orientation to doctors, not to deal with rape victims only from medico-legal angle;
o Seek amendment in NCW Act, if needed, to equip it with multi receiver helpline;
o Re-look into the changing material, moral and ethical quotient;
o Film makers needed to desist from depicting male chauvinism through eve teasing and item numbers depicting women in poor light. Women should also refuse to be part of such offending creative expressions, including advertisements;
o Media should help community radio for gender sensitization.