Officials will have to cough up half of annual income for failing DCW orders
6 Aug 2015 11:36 PM GMT
The officials who fail to obey the directions of Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) will have to pay up half of their annual income as fine besides an imprisonment of six months.These are a few of the provisions of Charter of Women’s Rights Bill 2015, proposed by Delhi government based on the recommendations of Justice J S Verma Committee 2013 in the wake of the Nirbhaya rape case.
The bill, drafted by Delhi Dialogue Commission (DDC) was put before public for consultation on Wednesday, envisages to provide DCW almost all the powers of a civil court to enforce these rights for women residing or visiting the city. The rights of women are listed in chapters III to VII which include Right to Life, Security and Bodily Integrity, Democratic and Civil Rights, Equality and Non-Discrimination, Right to Secured Spaces, and Special Protections for elderly and marginalised women.
These include all the fundamental rights of a citizen enshrined in the Constitution and provisions of various acts passed by Parliament to protect the interests of women and also adjudicated in various orders of the judiciary. “The bill proposes to provide a comprehensive framework for women residing in the state of Delhi to effectively enforce their fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution and various existing statutes — including the right against all forms of violence, the right to appropriate healthcare, the right to education, right to privacy and the right to equality,” said Ashish Khetan, vice chairperson of DDC. The bill also gives power to the government to recover the amount of compensation awarded by DCW to the victim from its officers responsible for the violation of the right.
The draft bill enables a woman to seek redressal of legal grievances in a time-bound and effective manner against private individuals and the state and makes it <g data-gr-id="96">duty</g> of the state to make provisions to fulfil these rights.
As per the provisions, DCW will have all the powers to draft guidelines and its enforcement including imposing <g data-gr-id="98">fine</g> on <g data-gr-id="99">government</g> for its failure to protect the rights of the citizens.
“It will undoubtedly ease the struggle for equality by recognizing the various rights available to the women in one over-arching, singular statute with emphasis on effective implementation of the provisions of the Act,” said Ashish Khetan, vice chairman, DDC inviting suggestions from intellectuals from various fields.
Women’s rights charter
HIGHLIGHTS:
Every woman, irrespective of her sexual orientation, shall have the right to equality before the law
No woman, subject to the applicable personal laws, shall be unfairly discriminated on grounds of gender
The right to exercise complete autonomy in personal relationships including with respect to her choice of partners.
Every woman, irrespective of her marital status shall have access to adequate housing/shelter
The state shall protect, rehabilitate and offer all forms of medical and psychological treatment to every woman who is/has been a survivor of trafficking
Every woman shall have the Right to Free Education <g data-gr-id="82">upto</g> the <g data-gr-id="83">under-graduate</g> level
Every woman shall have the Right to Reproductive and Sexual Health
Every woman shall have right to adequate food, clean water
Every woman shall have access to Public Transport facilities without fearing the risk of violation of her dignity in any form by means of teasing, molestation, stalking or any other form of threatening
behaviour.
Every woman shall have the right to manifest her religion or belief in worship, observance, practice, teaching, ideas, or opinions of her own choosing, either individually or in community with others, both, in public or private.
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