National commission for women was set up as a statutory body in January 1992 under the National commission for women Act, 1990 (Act No. 20 of 1990 of Govt, of India ) to review the constitutional and legal safeguards for women ; recommend remedial legislative measures, facilitate redressal of grievances and advise the Government on al policy matters affecting women.
THE MANDATE OF THE COMMISSION : SECTION 10 OF THE ACT
(1) (a) Investigate and examine al matters relating to the safeguards provided for women under the constitution and other laws;
(b) review, from time to time. The existing provisions of the constitution and other laws affecting women and recommend amendments thereto .
(c) take up cases of violation of the provision of the constitution and of other laws relating to women with the appropriate authorities;
(d) look into complaints and take suo moto notice of matters relating to :-
(1) deprivation of women's rights;
(2) non-implementation of laws enacted to provide protection to women and also to achieve the objective of equality and development ;
(3) non-compliance of policy decision, guidelines or instructions aimed at mitigating hardship and ensuring welfare and providing relief to women, and take up the issues arising out of such matter with appropriate authorities;
(g) call for special studies or investigations into specific problems or situations arising out of discrimination and atrocities against women;
(h) undertake promotional and educational research so as to suggest ways of ensuring due representation of women in all spheres and identify factors responsible for impeding their advancement,
(i) participate and advise on the planning process of socio-economic development of women;
(j) evaluate the progress of the development of women.
(k) Inspect or cause to be inspected a jail, remand home women's institution .
(l) Fund litigation involving issues affecting a large body of women;
(2) The commission shall while investigating any matter have all the powers of a civil court trying a suit and,
REACHING OUT
COMPLAINTS AND COUNSELLING UNIT
This cell is the " unit of the commission and processes the complaints received oral, written or suo moto under section 10 of the NCW Act. The complaints received relate to domestic violence, harassment, dowry, torture, desertion, digamy, rape, refusal to register FIR, cruelty by husband, deprivation, gender discrimination and sexual harassment at work place. During 1999, the commission received 4329 complaints related to the above types of crimes against women.
The complaints are analysed to understand the gaps in routine functioning of government in tackling violence against women and to suggest correctional measures.
The complaints are also used as case studies for sensitization programmes for the police , judiciary, prosecutors, forensic scientists, lawyers and other administrative functionaries.
EXPERT COMMITTEES [Section 8 (1) ]
The commission constitutes Expert committees for dealing with such special issues as may be taken up by the commission from time to time.
NET- WORKING
Women's movement in the country was brought to the fore front by the efforts of Egos. The commission interacts and networks with the NGOs and the state commissions for ensuring gender equality and empowerment of women.
STATE VISITS
The commission undertakes state visits to evaluate the progress of development of women in various states. It has covered the states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa, Sikkim, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Tripura, Manipur
PUBLIC HEARINGS
The NCW holds public hearing on issues affecting large sections of women such as crime against women, in unorganised labour sector, women in agriculture and women of minority groups.
Important court Interventions The National commission for women can and it has intervened in some important court matters.
1.Bhateri gang rape case (Rajasthan ):- The commission suo moto took up the case of Ms. Bhanwari Davi and extended its full support in going for appeal and also providing security to the victim and appointment of a special public prosecutor to argue her case.
2. Capital punishment/ Death penalty (Ramshree's case ) : Due to the timely intervention of the National commission for women in the supreme court, the order of death sentence was temporarily stayed and the Hon'ble court, later on commuted the death sentence into life imprisonment.
3. Obscenity cases:
4. The Hon'ble High court of Delhi put an injuction on the launching of + 21 adult channel by the ministry of information & Broadcasting, Govt of India.
5. The NCW had moved the Hon'ble High court of Delhi against star TV Zee TV etc, for showing obscene pictures on television and other media
4. Against out dated customs & tradition ; Maimon Baskari's Nuh (Haryana) case: The NCW took up the case of Ms. Maimon Baskari who was allegedly a victim of torture and rape for marrying a person of her choice.
The supreme court has united the couple.
5. Divorced Muslim women's Entitlement to Maintenance beyond the lddat period : In the matter of Fakhruddin Mubarak shaik Vs. Jaitunbi Mubarak shaik, the NCW has intervened in the supreme court of India to support the stand of Jaitunbi. The case is pending.