The Delhi Dialogue Commission on Wednesday released a draft bill of Charter of Women's Right 2015 for public consultation that aims to ensure enforcement of fundamental rights for women safety in the capital. The draft bill aims to put into action the recommendations made by the Justice JS Verma Committee in the wake of the Nirbhaya rape case.
The move comes after Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal informed Delhi Assembly of the proposed bill during the special session held on Monday. This bill will also give additional powers to the Delhi Commission for Women. The bill advocates for women rights concerning their safety, security, dowry and female infanticide.
As per the bill, women residing in Delhi will be able to ensure enforcement of their fundamental rights guaranteed by the constitution-including the right against all forms of violence, the right to appropriate healthcare, the right to education, right to privacy and the right to equality.
"We will hold public consultations for four weeks and also organise round table conferences to discuss over the draft bill," Vice Chairman of the Delhi Dialogue Commission (DDC) and party leader Ashish Khetan.
He said there were 29 Acts, which gave women the powers to exercise their rights "but are currently redundant". "We have included these in the bill to ensure that they become active," he added. "This bill would also give powers to the DCW to order enforcement of rights for women and initiate orders if not complied with." The move comes in the wake of the brutal murder of a 19-year-old girl, Meenakshi, in broad daylight in Anand Parbat.
Moreover, the DDC also uploaded a copy of the draft bill on its website for public consultation. It will now take comments and suggestion online for the next four weeks. "We are eagerly looking forward to the public comments - including - suggestions and recommendations by the civil society, lawyers and members of the judiciary. It will undoubtedly ease the struggle for equality by recognising the various rights available to the women in one over-arching, singular statute with emphasis on effective implementation of the provisions of the Act," said Ashish Khetan, vice chairman, DDC.