TUR, CSWO submit women’s rights charter to political parties

SHILLONG: Two prominent pressure groups have petitioned political parties on the women’s rights charter in order to highlight various demands the women’s groups had placed time to time.
Angela Rangad, on behalf of TUR and Agnes Kharshiing, President, CSWO in their charter stressed the need for strengthening and implementing already existing legal rights and framing new policies and legislations for the protection and uplift of women and children in Meghalaya.
The charter said that dedicated gender policy should be initiated to indicate a party’s action plan, commitment and budget towards empowerment, safety and security of girls and women. Such a policy should also indicate plans on how to engage boys and men on issues of equality, safety and security of all, the statement said.
To ensure safety and security especially among girls and women, efficient and transparent fast track courts for crimes against women need to be set up in all districts, the pressure groups said.
According to the statement, medical reports in cases of sexual assaults should be mandatorily provided to the victims or family.
Other demands include setting up of directorate of prosecution and special courts in all districts with dedicated budgetary allocations.
The pressure groups said that the public servants involved in any crimes against women and children should be suspended pending inquiry.
As far as socio economic protection for women and children is concerned, the pressure groups said Maternity Benefit (Amedment) Act, 2017, should be strictly implemented in the state for all categories of women workers in institutions and establishments.
Other demands are revamping and better implementing the ICDS project with strict periodic monitoring to curb corruption, the need to have state run de-addiction centres and clinics, ban on private creditors and loan sharks, easy access to credit through formal banking systems and ensuring labour laws for women workers.
The pressure group wants state run old age homes to be set up, accessible free rational and essential medicines and diagnostics to be made available, free education for children and regulation of private education sector, tourism and skill development policies of the state that encourage and drives persons towards engaging in activities aimed at sexual exploitation and abuse should be stopped.  
The government should also put an end to political appointments in the Women’s Commission and Commission for protection of child rights and there should be a system of Search and Selection committees in place, the statement said.