Syllabus: Issues related to Women
Source: IE
Context: The recent rape and murder of a young doctor in Kolkata highlights severe flaws in the legal system.
Women’s Safety Statistics (2022)
- Total Crimes: 445,256 cases registered, a 4% increase from the previous year (about 51 FIRs per hour).
- Crime Rate: 66.4 per lakh population; charge sheet rate at 75.8%.
- Crime Types: 31.4% cruelty by relatives, 19.2% kidnapping, 18.7% assault, 7.1% rape.
- Sexual Violence: Nearly 39,000 incidents in 2016; one rape every 15 minutes in 2018.
- Workplace Harassment: Over 400 cases annually since 2018.
- Juvenile Offenders: 86 rape cases, 68 modesty outrages.
- State Data: Delhi had the highest rate (144.4 per lakh); Uttar Pradesh reported the most cases (65,743).
Demands of Healthcare Workers:
| Demands | Current Provisions |
| Central Protection Act | Advocating for a nationwide law similar to the UK’s NHS zero-tolerance policy and US felony classifications. Felonies range from Class A (life imprisonment) to Class E (1-5 years). |
| Enhanced Safety Measures | Better lighting, security guards, monitored security cameras, safer working conditions, and emergency response systems in healthcare settings. |
| State Responsibilities | Health and law enforcement are State subjects; lack of centralized data on attacks on medical professionals. N.K. Singh proposed shifting health to the Concurrent List. |
| Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Order | Mandates filing of an FIR within six hours of violence against healthcare workers. |
| National Medical Commission (NMC) Directives | Requires medical colleges to develop safe work environment policies and timely incident reporting. |
Issues with Legal Response to Crimes Against Women
- Inadequate Legal Action: History of violence often goes unaddressed, as seen in the Kolkata case.
- Low Conviction Rates: High dowry death cases with low convictions due to lenient settlements.
- Underpunished Domestic Violence: Domestic violence laws are weak, with minimal punishment for offenders.
- Lax Bail Norms: Easy bail access for serious crimes like stalking and harassment.
- Slow Legal Process: Delayed trials and high rates of cases disposed of without proper legal proceedings.
India’s initiatives related to women’s safety:
Legislations:
- CEDAW ratified (1993)
- Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act (1956)
- Indecent Representation of Women Act (1986)
- National Policy for Women Empowerment (2001)
- Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (2005)
- PoSH Act (2013)
- Criminal Law (Amendment) Acts (2013 & 2018)
- POCSO Act (2012)
Strategies and Measures:
- Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme
- Ujjawala Scheme
- NIRBHAYA Fund
- Ministry of Women and Child Development initiatives
- Safety in trains: 182 helpline, CCTV, ‘R-Mitra’ app
- Safety for women tourists: ‘Incredible India Help Line’, Code of Conduct
- Safety in metro: Women-only coaches, reserved seats
- Universal Women Helpline Scheme
Mobile Apps:
- Suraksha
- Amrita Personal Safety System (APSS)
- VithU
Global Initiatives:
- International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women: Observed on November 25 by the UN.
- UN Women Safe Cities Initiative: Creates safer public spaces for women and girls.
- Gender Inclusive Cities Programme: Funded by the UN Trust Fund, improves women’s safety in cities.
- UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM): Supports gender equality and women’s empowerment.
National Commission for Women (NCW) had asked all states to ensure that coaching centres and educational institutes strictly enforce the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.
Insta Links:
Prevention of sexual harassment or POSH Act
Mains Links:
“Though women in post-Independent India have excelled in various fields, the social attitude towards women and the feminist movement has been patriarchal.” Apart from women’s education and women empowerment schemes, what interventions can help change this milieu”? (UPSC 2021)
