Annual 2022 edition of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report was released on Sunday, 3 December.

• Crime against women in India rose by 4 percent in 2022 as compared to 2021.
• Nearly one in every three reported crimes against a woman pertained to the “cruelty” of her husband and/or his relatives; Kidnapping and abduction of women constituted 19.2%; Assault on women with intent to outrage constituted 18.7% and Rape constituted 7.1%.
• The report finds a surge in the number of cases of crimes reported against children, Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and cyber-crimes.
• Uttar Pradesh tops the list of crimes against women, followed by Maharashtra and Rajasthan .(In terms of individual states).
• Among metropolitan cities, Delhi continues to remain the most unsafe for women or the third consecutive year.

                              LEARNING FROM HOME/ WITHOUT CLASSES/ BASICS

CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS AND LEGISLATIONS

Article 14 confers on men and women equal rights and opportunities in political, economic and social sphere.

Article 15, prohibits, discrimination against any citizen on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex etc.

 Article 16, provides for equality of opportunities matters relating to employment or appointment to any office under the state.

 Article 39(a)(d) , mentions policy security of state equality for both men and women the right to a means of livelihood and equal pay for equal work for both men and women.

 Article 42, Direct the State to make provision for ensuring just and humane conditions of work and maternity relief.

Factories Act 1948: Under this Act, a woman cannot be forced to work beyond 8 hours and prohibits employment of women except between 6 A.M. and 7 P.M.

Maternity Benefit Act 1961: A Woman is entitled 6 months, or 26 weeks, off maternity leave with full wages.

The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961: Under the provisions of this Act demand of dowry either before marriage, during marriage and or after the marriage is an offence.

The Equal Remuneration Act of 1976: This act provides equal wages for equal work: It provides for the payment of equal wages to both men and women workers for the same work or work of similar nature. It also prohibits discrimination against women in the matter of recruitment.

 The Child Marriage Restrain Act of 1976: This act raises the age for marriage of a girl to 18 years from 15 years and that of a boy to 21 years.

Indian Penal Code: Section 354 and 509 safeguards the interests of women.

 The Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act of 1971: The Act safeguards women from unnecessary and compulsory abortions.

73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Act reserved 1/3rd seats in Panchayat and Urban Local Bodies for women.

The National Commission for Women Act, 1990: The Commission was set up in January, 1992 to review the Constitutional and legal safeguards for women.

Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005: This Act protects women from any act/conduct/omission/commission that harms, injures or potential to harm is to be considered as domestic violence. It protects the women from physical, sexual, emotional, verbal, psychological, economic abuse. 7 .

 Protection of Women against Sexual Harassment at Workplace Bill, 2010: on November 4, 2010, the Government introduced protection of Women Against Sexual Harassment at Workplace Bill, 2010, which aims at protecting the women at workplace not only to women employee but also to female clients, customer, students, research scholars in colleges and universities patients in hospitals. The Bill was passed in Lok Sabha on 3.9.2012.

Section 354 of the IPC, which refers to ‘assault on women with intent to outrage her modesty’ and accounted for an average of approximately 23 per cent of all crimes against women.

India has also ratified various international conventions and human rights instruments committing to secure equal rights of women. Key among them is the ratification of the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 19936                        Only legislation and law enforcement agencies cannot prevent the incident of crime against women. There is need of social awakening and change in the attitude of masses, so that due respect and equal status is given to women. It’s a time when the women need to be given her due. This awakening can be brought by education campaign among youth making them aware of existing social evils and the means to eradicate same. Mass media can play an active role here as in the present days it has reached every corner of the society.