NCW for stringent law for checking sexual assault on women

Kapurthala, Mar 29 (UNI) The Centre is going to enact a law in the next session of parliament to review the Indian Penal code in respect of the definition of rape.

This was disclosed today by NCW Chairperson Dr Girija Vyas while talking to news persons after launching the campaign 'Chalo Gaon Ki Ore' (Go towards the Villages) in Punjab at Kanjali near here.

She said the National Commission for women (NCW) has recommended to change the definition of rape to sexual assault to give severe punishment to the rapists in respect of the rape. She said the sexual assault would cover the rape of three-year-old girl child, eve teasing and oral sex.

The commission has also recommended the rehabilitation of rape victims and formation of district level committees to check the rising menace of rape of women.

Commenting on the pre matal diagnostic technique (PNDT) act, Dr Vyas said there were many lacunae in the act and the NCW has recommended to set up an advisory committee for better implementation of the act.

She expressed her concern over the decline of sex ratio in Punjab to 754 females as compared to 1000 male child.She said of the sixteen worst affected districts in the country, ten were in Punjab, five in Haryana and one in Gujarat.

She said Nawanshahar district in Punjab has done a commendable job in its campaign against female foeticide and asked the other districts to follow this campaign. She asked the Punjab Government to enact laws against female foeticide and for the welfare of women.

Dr Vyas said NCW received about 25,000 complaints pertaining to dowry , domestic violence and atrocities on women every year.

She said women in the country were deprived of the freedom enshrined in the constitution, as the Indian society was male dominated.

She appealed to women to raise their voice against the atrocities of men and resist domestic violence.

A seminar was organised by the district administration in which women sarpanches, panches, students participated. Prominent among those who addressed the seminar included Mrs Parminder Kaur, Chairperson, Punjab Commission for Women, Deputy Commissioner Samir Kumar and other officials of the district.

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