Government
initiates time-bound action plan to strengthen the police and administration to
combat sexual crimes against women
The Government
has initiated a time bound action plan to combat crimes against women. A number
of steps have been outlined to improve and strengthen the police and
administrative system to ensure that crimes against the women are prevented
through quick action, a gender sensitive response mechanism and greater
accountability of the enforcement agencies.
The Ordinance
promulgated by the President on February 3, 2013 deals with the amendments in
the criminal law. These measures are in addition to the Ordinance and cut across
various ministries.
The Cabinet
Secretary has held a series of meetings recently with senior officials of the
concerned Ministries to formulate an action plan within an indicated time frame.
Secretaries of seven key ministries have been directed to personally monitor the
implementation of these measures and report every month to the Cabinet Secretary
and the Prime Minister’s Office. The measures outlined deal with changes in the
police system, a review of the Motor Vehicles Act, measures to make responses to
crimes against women efficient and sensitive and other administrative
measures.
The steps
outlined include the following:
1. NCRB will
compile a database of persons convicted of criminal offences. The details of
criminals convicted of crimes against women will be displayed on their website.
2. Action will be
taken to provide the facility of registering an FIR in any police station
irrespective of the jurisdiction or area of the time. The FIR may thereafter be
transferred to the concerned police station for investigation. This will pertain
to serious crimes including issues against
women.
3. It is
important that citizens should not face any harassment when they come forward to
assist women in distress. For this, such citizens should be protected to enable
them to freely report a crime and assist the victim/police without being
subjected to any interrogation or being forced to become witnesses.
4. ‘Women Only’
buses should be pressed into service. A programme is proposed to be undertaken
for encouraging more women driven buses/taxis all over the country.
5. The existing
Motor Vehicle Regulations will be reviewed.
6. It has been
reported that in some instances vehicles have factory-fitted glasses wherein the
tint is more than the permissible limit. Secretary, MoRT&H, in consultation
with technical experts and police representatives, will examine what should be
the maximum permissible level of tinting in the glasses in public transport
buses. The use of curtains will be reviewed taking into account the need for
passenger comfort and visibility required for security purposes. MoRT&H
proposes to appropriately revise the standards and ensure compliance by the
manufacturers of these buses.
7. There is need
for 100% verification for drivers/conductors/helpers (the entire crew) of the
public transport vehicles, plying in Delhi in a time bound programme which will
include collecting bio-metrics of all such persons as well. For this, action
will be taken to review the relevant Rules for mandating the same. Ministry of
Home Affairs would develop a protocol over a defined time frame, for
verification of the crew of public transport vehicles and suitable advise the
State Governments also to undertake the same. After the stipulated time frame,
no public transport vehicle will be allowed to be driven/manned by any
driver/conductor/helper or other crew member unless such a person has been
verified and carries the verification certificate/identity permit.
8. Owners of
buses will be held responsible for compliance of the steps outlined. It is also
necessary to debar owners of vehicles involved in repeat offences from retaining
existing permits/obtaining any fresh permits for plying public transport
vehicles and for impounding of vehicles involved in repeat offences.
MoRT&H/State Governments will initiate action in this regard. The
particulars of the bus owner/drivers and details of permit and license shall be
prominently displayed in the buses both inside and outside, at places where it
is prominently visible in easily readable fonts. Use of GPS devices in all
public transport vehicles is necessary along with setting up of a control room
to monitor movement of buses. Ministry of Road Transport & Highways would
issue an appropriate advisory to all the States in this regard.
9. There is need
to increase the quantum of fines leviable on violation of permit conditions and
to disallow compounding of offences beyond a certain number
10. Delhi
Government will issue a draft notification for revising the permit for public
transport vehicle incorporating provisions for disallowing use of inappropriate
films and tinted glasses, higher punishment for repeat offences and other
necessary measures. The final notification will be issued within a month.
11. Secretary,
MoRT&H will write to all the States regarding the revision/changes in the
Permit conditions being made by the Government of Delhi
12. At the time
of inspection of police stations, it should be mandatory for the inspecting
officer to specifically record his findings regarding the gender sensitivity of
the personnel posted in the police station as well as the record of the police
station/SHO in registering/investigating complaints of crimes against women, and
for checking whether women are being discouraged from lodging complaints in the
police stations.
13. Strict action
will be taken against police personnel and officers found to be either
displaying bias against women or neglecting their supervisory responsibilities
in this regard.
14. There is a
continual need for gender sensitization among the police force, particularly at
the level of the constabulary on beat duty or at the police stations. There is
need for impressing that there has to be a complete cessation of gender
insensitive comments. For this, training courses need to be organized on a
regular basis by the police. Strict disciplinary action will be taken against
any official indulging in gender bias. Action taken in this regard has to be
reported at every level. If action is not found to be taken against an erring
official, the supervisory officer will be held accountable. Instructions in this
regard will be issued and compliance ensured.
15. At all
levels, it will be made mandatory for a reporting officer to comment upon on the
gender sensitivity of the police personnel reported upon in the Annual
Performance Appraisal Report. It will be emphasized and ensured that remarks in
this regard are based on specific instances of behavior and are not reduced to a
ritualistic yes/no. When considering postings or promotions of police personnel,
the attitude towards women should specifically be taken into account.
16. There is an
imperative need to recruit more women in the police force. Women will need to be
recruited in large numbers in the Delhi
17. There is need
for additional PCR vans in Delhi Delhi
18. It would be
proposed to have lady police personnel in at least some PCR vans, such as those
deployed in the vicinity of educational institutions, cinema halls, malls and
markets, as also the routes frequented by women employees of BPOs returning from
work at night. Over time, it is planned to have some more ‘all women’ police
stations.
19. It is also
planned to further develop and promote community policing. This would not only
augment the effectiveness of the police force but would also motivate the
responsible persons in each locality to perform their duty as citizens.
20. A number of
cameras are in the process of being installed and at present a CCTV system is
functional at 34 markets and 4 border check posts in Delhi
21. There is a
need for increased focus on street lighting in public places. Civic bodies must
undertake a review of the existing facilities and strengthen these wherever
required.
22. Department of
Women and Child Development will implement a scheme to provide compensation to
victims of sexual assault and also a scheme for setting up Crisis Response
Centres in select hospitals to provide psychological and other assistance to the
victims of sexual assault. The proposed scheme will be implemented in a pilot
phase in 100 districts from 2013-14.
23. The
Government proposes to put in place a countrywide three-digit number (such as
100) to respond to all emergency situations. This would be similar like 911 or
990 Emergency Management Systems in vogue in many developed countries. Such a
service would be available to subscribers of all telecom service providers as at
present there are different telephone numbers being used for responding to
different situations or target groups. It is, therefore, proposed to have a
system where there is a one point of contact available to a person in distress
of any kind. Also, once a call is made to this number, the caller should not be
asked to contact some other special/emergency number. Instead, the call should
seamlessly be transferred from the single point of contact to the appropriate
distress line. Ministry of Home Affairs in coordination with the D/o Telecom
will, by the end of February 2013, come up with a basic concept note on how the
system will be established and will operate.
24. In addition
to the general emergency response helpline, there would be a helpline dedicated
to responding to women in distress. This helpline should have a unique three
digit number across the country. For this purpose, the number 181 may be
operationalized all over the country.
25. The negative,
stereotyped and/or indecent portrayal of women in movies, television shows and
advertisements has been a matter of concern for long. It would be helpful if all
stakeholders were to be continuously engaged with in this regard. There is also
a need to have a sustained media campaign of public interest advertisements.
26. The role of
value education in schools is recognized as being very important. However,
merely prescribing it in the curricula/syllabus is not adequate. Teachers should
be given training in value education. Sustained awareness campaigns on gender
equality need to be undertaken in all schools and colleges and gender modules
need to be integrated in the curriculum at every level.
27. It would be
useful to impart training to girls in educational institutions in self
defence/martial arts.
No comments:
Post a Comment