New Bill to empower women even as NCW complaints see a rising trend

Union Cabinet introduced the bill to reserve one-third of seats for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies for increased participation in the country's development

Even as the Centre has floated a proposal for 33 per cent representation of women in the Lok Sabha and state legislatures, violence, dowry and other complaints at the National Commission for Women (NCW) are seeing a rising trend.

During the last two years, there have been over 30,000 complaints to the NCW annually.

A total of 20,963 complaints of crime against women were registered with the NCW in 2023 (as on September 19).

On Monday, the Union Cabinet introduced the Bill to reserve one-third of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies for higher participation in the country’s development.

Complaints this year are equivalent to 67.7 per cent of the total complaints received in 2022, with just three months left in 2023.

Data from 2000 on the NCW dashboard shows that 30,957 cases were recorded in 2022, the highest since 2014, when there were 33,906 cases. Also, 2021 was the only other year with over 30,000 complaints (chart 1).

The commission recorded complaints under 24 categories, such as acid attacks, cyber crimes against women, dowry deaths, sexual harassment and rape.

The maximum number of complaints was registered under the right to live with dignity, followed by protection of women against domestic violence, dowry harassment, outraging modesty of women / molestation and rape / attempt to rape.

More than half of the complaints were from Uttar Pradesh. Delhi recorded 1,765 cases, followed by Bihar (979), Maharashtra (906) and Madhya Pradesh (856).

These five states account for 77.9 per cent of the total complaints (chart 2). 

In the previous year as well, 54.5 per cent of the complaints were from UP.

The prevalence of violence against women in their lifetime was third highest in India among the G20 nations, according to data from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

The share of women who experienced physical/sexual violence from an intimate partner was 35 per cent in India. It is the highest in Canada at 44.1 per cent. Next was Saudi Arabia with 43 per cent. It was the lowest in Italy at 16 per cent (chart 3).

 

Data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) shows that total crime against women under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) increased by 4.2 per cent to 357,671 in 2021 from 343,177 in 2019.

The maximum number of cases was recorded under cruelty by husband or his relatives (136,234) and assault on women with intent to outrage her modesty (89,200) in 2021.

The conviction rate was 25.2 per cent for IPC crimes against women in 2021 compared to 22.2 per cent in 2019. During the same period, the share of pending cases increased from 91.3 per cent to 95.2 per cent.