No pro-active role of NCW to safeguard women rights: Par panel

Taking note of the Delhi gangrape case that led to mass protests last year and rising crimes against women, a Parliamentary panel has slammed the National Commission for Women (NCW) for not playing a proactive role in safeguarding the rights of the fairer sex.
"The gruesome rape and eventual death of 'Nirbhaya' in December 2012 jolted the entire nation about the safety and security of a woman, leading to mass protests across the country.
"In spite of all this, the committee fails to see any pro-active role of NCW with respect to safeguarding rights of women," the Standing Committee on Human Resource Development said in its report which was tabled in the Parliament today.

The panel said women had been at the receiving end, be it in matters related to gender based violence, sexual assault, dowry deaths, crime and killings in the name of honour, trafficking or patriarchal bias in matters of inheritance.
It said vigorous efforts are needed to be taken by NCW with respect to crimes against women and the Commission should widen its scope beyond the present set of activities.
"The focus should not only be on providing relief to the victims of rape and molestation but also on prohibiting occurrence of such crimes through active policing and other women oriented initiatives," the panel said.

The Committee also took note of the funds allocated to Women and Child Development ministry under the 12th plan and recommended that the ministry should take up the matter of appropriate fund allocation with the Planning Commission.