New Delhi, December 3: With cases of sexual harassment taking a toll, the National Human Rights Commission has expressed concern over incidents of sexual violence against women. In this regard, the NHRC has issued notices to Centre and all states and UTs seeking report on the standard operating procedures to deal with such cases and use of the Nirbhaya Fund.
Taking suo motu cognizance of media reports on cases of sexual assault, the rights panel issued notices to the Chief Secretaries of all states and Union Territories seeking reports within six weeks about the status of Nirbhaya Fund. It has also asked the details about the availability of the fund and the money spent during the last three years.
The commission has also issued notices to the Directors General of Police of all States and UTs calling for their response about the SOPs and the best practices adopted by them to deal with matters relating to sexual abuse and atrocities against women. Meanwhile, both houses of Parliament expressed outrage over the gruesome gang rape and murder case of a veterinary doctor in Hyderabad and called for stringent punishment to the perpetrators.
The Commission observed that the largest democracy in the world, which has adopted the longest written constitution and has a rich cultural heritage of gender equality, is today being criticised for having the “most unsafe environment for women”. The notice also read, “There have been constitutional and statutory provisions to ensure that women are not subjected to any kind of discrimination and harassment but there is an alarming trend indicating that things are getting worse, amounting to violation of right to life, liberty, dignity and equality of women across the country,” it said.