Page 18 - PR Communication Age - JULY 2016

the composition," she says. Even when women are aware
of their legal rights against sexual harassment, they are
hesitant in exercising them, states Narula. "It is the unco­
operative nature of the organisation the women are work­
ing for as well as pressure from the family, which feels
publicising the matter can bring a bad name to it, that keep
women from taking action," she says. In a recent move since
a telephonic helpline for victims of sexual harassment,
`Madhyam' was launched, it is found only a few say, around
only 100 women called, many of them being just one­time
callers who did not take proceedings to the logical end.
Problem of violence against women is multifac-
eted. National Resource centre for Women has
adopted a Multi-Pronged strategy to tackle the
problem:
 Generation of legal awareness among women, thus
equipping them with the knowledge of their legal
rights and with a capacity to use these rights.
 Assisting women in Redressal of their grievances
through Pre­litigation services.
 Facilitating speedy delivery of justice to women by or­
ganizing "Parivarik Mahila Lok Adalats'' in different
parts of the country.
 Review of the existing provisions of the Constitution and
other laws affecting women and recommending amend­
ments thereto, any lacunae, inadequacies or short
comings in such legislation's.
 Organizing promotional activities to mobilize women
and get information about their status and recommend
paradigm shift in the empowerment of women.
 Investigate and examine all matters relating to the
safeguards provided for women under the Constitution
and other laws;
 Review, from time to time, the exiting provisions of the
Constitution and other laws affecting women;
 Take up cases of violation of the provisions of the Con­
stitution and of other laws;
 Look into complaints and take suo moto notice of
matters;
 Deprivation of women's rights;
"Copy, not from your industry, from others. You have to go where there is no competition."
18 PR COMMUNICATION AGE July 2016
 Special studies or investigations into specific problems
or situations arising out of discrimination and atroci­
ties against women;
 Undertake promotional and educational research so as
to suggest ways of ensuring due representation of
women in all spheres and identify factors responsible
for impeding their advancement;
 Advice on the planning process of socio­economic de­
velopment of women;
 Evaluate the progress of the development of women
under the Union and any State;
 Inspect or cause to inspected a jail, remand home,
women's institution or other place of custody where
women are kept as prisoners or otherwise and take up
with the concerned authorities for remedial action, if
found necessary;
 Fund litigation involving issues affecting a large body
of women.
Some Criticism as Expressed by Eminent
Personalities:
Ms. Brinda Karat, serving in the Rajya Sabha as a Commu­
nist Party of India (Marxist) member for West Bengal ini­
tially complained that the Bill does not cover women in the
armed forces and excludes women who are workers, "a
gross injustice to agricultural workers who are the single
largest female component of work force in the country."
However, the final bill includes the clause "No woman shall
be subjected to sexual harassment at any workplace"
(clause 3.1), and is considered to have addressed those
concerns. In the May 2012 draft Bill, the burden of proof is
on the women who complain of harassment. If found guilty
of making a false complaint or giving false evidence, she
could be prosecuted, which has raised concerns about
women being even more afraid of reporting offences.
Before seeing the final version of the bill, lawyer and
activist Ms. Vrinda Grover said, "I hope the Bill does not
have provisions for penalizing the complainant for false
complaints. This is the most under­reported crime. Such
provision will deter a woman to come forward and
complain."