Four months after issuing order, SW deptt fails to set up Women’s Commission in UT

In what can be seen as a matter of ‘non priority’ the UT government has failed to ‘identify or choose’ appropriate persons to head what was proclaimed to be a high power Women’s Commission in the UT of Jammu & Kashmir. Over four months on when a formal order to this effect was issued, there is no progress in nominating the chairperson or members for the Commission.

It was with great enthusiasm and perhaps of sense of realizing the need to have Women’s Commission in place for safeguarding rights of women and providing justice to aggrieved, the LG government announced in February this year that the high power body would be set up soon. The order stated LG government has approved setting up of this body which will have powers to investigate all matters related to complaints of women on various fronts. However, there is nothing on ground as yet. Commissioner Secretary Sheetal Nanda when contacted told New Now that “the matter is under consideration…the process will be completed soon”. When asked as to what was the reason for delay, the Commissioner could not offer a proper reply.

As for the structural hierarchy, the Commission is to be headed by a Chairperson and shall have five women as members. The pick of these posts obviously would be amongst those who have experience in different fields like social welfare, administration, health, education and women’s welfare in general.

The order further elucidated details as to what should be the qualifications and background with regard to appointment of members or member secretary etc. In nutshell, the Commission is promised to be a body which will not just look into complaints or cases of violation of rights or crimes against women, but it has also been mandated

So far, so good. However, even as there dire need to have the Commission in place in view of growing cases of domestic violence and other matters of deprivation of rights or crimes afflicted upon women across Jammu and Kashmir, the department has not been able to nominate even the Chairperson for the body, leave alone members.

Pertinently, there was a Commission for Women but it ceased to exist after reorganisation of state as UT. Even though in the past its functionality remained affected for lack of one or the other requirement, this body registered and settled as many cases related to offences upon women.