National Commission for Women (NCW)

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In news- Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi recently addressed 30^th Foundation Day programme of National Commission for Women via video conference. The theme of the programme was ‘She The Change Maker’ .

About the NCW-

• It was set up as a statutory body in January 1992 under the National Commission for Women Act, 1990.
• The first head of the commission was Jayanti Patnaik. 
• The objective of the NCW is to represent the rights of women in India and to provide a voice for their issues and concerns. 
• The commission consists of a chairperson, a member secretary and five other members. 
• The chairperson of the NCW is nominated by the Central Government. 
• The Central Government also nominates the member secretary. 
• The five members nominated by the Central Government should have experience in law, legislation, management, women voluntary organisation, economic social development and so on.  

The functions of the National Commission for women are as follows:

1. Investigation and Examination of laws related to the protection of the rights of women.
2. Constantly all laws are reviewed and scrutinised and necessary amendments and alterations are made to meet the needs of the current world. 
3. Ensure there is no violation against women and taking due care of such cases.
4. It takes care of complaints and also suo motu matters about the deprivation of rights of women.
5. Assessing the development and the progress of the women community under the Center and State level.
6. To give recommendations to promote the wellbeing of women and their rights. 
7. Take measures to facilitate economic and social development and improvement of women by recognising their rights.
8. Inspect the jail, remand home to ensure that the women staying there are not exploited as they are vulnerable.
9. Presentation of reports to the Central Government every year upon the functioning and working of the safeguards. 

Powers of NCW-

• Provide consultation on all major policy matters that affect women.
• Issuing summons for the examination of documents and the witnesses.
• It has the power to make any public record.
• Receiving evidence on affidavits 
• Discovery and production of documents
• Summoning and enforcement 

Issues-

• The National Commission for women functions is hooked into the grants offered by the central government. 
• National Commission for women members are appointed by the government and therefore the commission doesn’t have the power to pick its members.
• The Commission lacks concrete legislative power but has power only to recommend amendments and submit reports.

The commission regularly publishes a monthly newsletter, Rashtra Mahila, in both Hindi and English. Ms.Rekha Sharma has been nominated as Chairperson of the NCW recently for another term of three years by the Central Government.

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