NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR WOMEN – Short Note

NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR WOMEN

The National Commission for Women was set up as statutory body in January 1992 under the National Commission for Women Act, 1990.

Objectives- Main objectives on NCW is:

• review the Constitutional and Legal safeguards for women ;
• recommend remedial legislative measures ;
• facilitate redressal of grievances and
• advise the Government on all policy matters affecting women.

CONSTITUTION OF THE COMMISSION (SECTION 3)

The Central Government shall constitute a body to be known as the National Commission for Women to exercise the powers conferred on and to perform the functions assigned to, it under this Act.

2. The Commission shall consist of :-

(a) A Chairperson, committed to the cause of women, to be nominated by the Central Government.

(b) five Members to be nominated by the Central Government from amongst persons of ability, integrity and standing who have had experience in law or legislation, trade unionism, management of an industry potential of women, women’s voluntary organisations ( including women activist ), administration, economic development, health, education or social welfare;

Provided that at least one Member each shall be from amongst persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes respectively;

(c) a Member-Secretary to be nominated by the Central Government who shall be:-

1. an expert in the field of management, organisational structure or sociological movement, or
2. an officer who is a member of a civil service of the Union or of an allIndia service or holds a civil post under the Union with appropriate experience.

TERM OF OFFICE (section 4)- not more than three years

FUNCTIONS OF THE COMMISSION- (SECTION 10)

The commission shall perform all or any of the following functions, namely:-

1. Investigate and examine all matters relating to the safeguards provided for women under the Constitution and other laws;
2. present to the Central Government, annually and at such other times as the Commission may deem fit, reports upon the working of those safeguard;
3. make in such reports recommendations for the effective implementation of those safeguards for the improving the conditions of women by the Union or any state;
4. review, from time to time, the exiting provisions of the Constitution and other laws affecting women and recommend amendments thereto so as to suggest remedial legislative measures to meet any lacunae, inadequacies or shortcomings in such legislations;
5. take up cases of violation of the provisions of the Constitution andof other laws relating to women with the appropriate authorities;
6. look into complaints and take suo moto notice of matters relating to:-

• deprivation of women’s rights;
• non-implementation of laws enacted to provide protection to women and also to achieve the objective of equality and development;
• non-compliance of policy decisions, guidelines or instructions aimed at mitigating hardships and ensuring welfare and providing relief to women, and take up the issues arising out of such matters with appropriate authorities;

7. call for special studies or investigations into specific problems or situations arising out of discrimination and atrocities against women and identify the constraints so as to recommend strategies for their removal;

8. 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, such as, lack of access to housing and basic services, inadequate support services and technologies for reducing drudgery and occupational health hazards and for increasing their productivity;

9. participate and advice on the planning process of socio-economic development of women;

10. evaluate the progress of the development of women under the Union and any State;

11. inspect or cause to inspected a jail, remand home, women’s institution or other place of custody where women are kept as prisoners or otherwise and take up with the concerned authorities for remedial action, if found necessary;

12. fund litigation involving issues affecting a large body of women;

13. make periodical reports to the Government on any matter pertaining to women and in particular various difficulties under which women toil;

14. any other matter which may be referred to it by Central Government.