COVER HINDI - Ministry of Women and Child Development

hailing from sections of Indian society with low
awareness levels proceeding abroad for
employment regarding their legal rights ,contact
numbers of officers of Indian embassies ,helpline
Numbers etc
— Adequate publicity by means of print and electronic
media and organization of grievance redressal camps
Legal Awareness Programmes
10.22 Recognising the need to impart legal awareness to
women and girls, regarding their rights, the Commission
has initiated a ‘Countrywide Legal Awareness Programme
for women and Girls’. The awareness programme is
implemented through Non Governmental Organisation
(NGOs)and reputed Institutions and aims to empower
women and girls with the knowledge of their legal rights
and duties, ultimately to be able to share power equally,
gain full access to the means to development and to inspire
a whole generation of women to work together towards
achieving equality and justice. 77 Legal Awareness
Programmes have been organized from February,2006 to
22.12.2006.
Parivarik Mahila Lok Adalats
10.23 The NCW has evolved the concept of Parivarik
Mahila Lok Adalat, which in turn supplements the efforts
of the District Legal Service Authority(DLSA) for
redressal and speedy disposal of the matters pending in
various courts related to marriages and family affairs .18
Parivarik Mahila Lok Adalats have been organized from
February,2006 till 22.12.2006. The NGOs intervene in
cases pending in trial in Courts and to counsel and advise
the parties to arrive at an amicable out of court settlement
which not only reduces burden of cases on judiciary but
also leads to settlement of disputes which would otherwise
have gone on in the Courts indefinitely leading parties to
suffer mental and economic hardship.
Adarsh Mahila Jail, Lucknow
10.24 A Committee of the Commission comprising Mrs.
Nirmala Venkatesh Member and Ms. Gurpreet
Deo,Deputy Secretary inspected the AdarshMahila Jail ,
in Lucknow, a corrective and reformatory jail for women
convicts sentenced for more than three years.
After having a round of the Jail and listening to the
problems faced by the women convicts, the Committee
made the following recommendations:-
— The jail Administration should intervene effectively
in special nature of problems women face. The Jail
Superintendent should compulsorily hold welfare
meeting with the women inmates every month. IG
Jails should hold such a meeting every 3 months and
DGP should hold such a meeting at least once in a
year to listen to the grievances and issue suitable
directions to the officers for rectifying the problems
of the prisoners. The Secretary in charge of prisons
should periodically review the administrative
arrangements and in particular review that senior
officers are inspecting and holding welfare meetings
in the prison campus to redress grievances.
— The State and District Legal Services Authorities
need to play an active role in providing free legal
aid and organize legal awareness camps for women
in prisons. As already pointed out, it appears that
women from poor backgrounds obviously appear to
be at a disadvantage in obtaining justice. Efforts
should be made to regularly organize meetings and
through formal & informal channels to secure the
services of lawyers of good repute in the panel of
lawyers for providing free aid under the LEGAL
SERVICES AUTHORITY ACT, 1987.
— On Transfer from another jail the convicts should
automatically obtain all documents ,including copy
of the judicial pronouncement regarding their
conviction from the trial court for the remission of
sentence. Delay in obtaining a copy of the order
causes avoidable hardship.
— Women should be allowed transfer to the jail situated
nearest to their home district to enable them to meet
their children and relatives easily and frequently.
— Segregation of women prisoners according to age
and gravity of crime is essential and there should be
a separate daily schedule of activity ,study, recreation
for each.
10.25 Visit of Foreign delegates to NCW
— Ms. Maria Shriver, wife of California Governor,
Arnold Schwarzenegger visited the National
Commission for Women and interacted with the
Chairperson and the Members of the Commission.
— A delegation from the European Parliament called
on the Chairperson and Members and discussed
matters related to Muslim Personal Laws ,female
foeticide and reservation for women in the legislative
bodies and the demographic policy.
162 Annual Report 2006-07