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The Committee on the Status of Women in India (CSWI) recommended nearly two decades ago, the setting up of a National Commission for women to fulfill the surveillance functions to facilitate redressal of grievances and to accelerate the socio-economic development of women. The National Commission for Women was set up as a statutory body in January 1992 under the National Commission for Women Act, 1990.
Constitution of the Commission
The Commission shall consist of:
- a Chairperson to be nominated by the Central Government
- five members to be nominated by the Central Government from amongst persons of ability, integrity and standing who have had experience in law or legislation, trade unionism, management of an industry potential of women, women’s voluntary organisations (including women activist), administration, economic development, health, education or social welfare
- provided that at least one member each shall be from amongst persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes respectively
- a member secretary to be nominated by the Central Government who shall be:
. an expert in the field of management, organisational structure or sociological movement or
. an officer who is a member of a civil service of the Union or of an all-India service or holds a civil post under the Union with appropriate experience
Functions of the Commission
- investigate and examine all matters relating to the safeguards provided for women under the Constitution and other laws
- present to the Central Government, annually and at such other times as the Commission may deem fit, reports upon the working of those safeguards
- review, from time to time, the existing provisions of the Constitution and other laws affecting women and recommend amendments for remedial legislative measures to meet any inadequacies in such legislations
- look into complaints and take suo moto notice of matters relating to:
. deprivation of women’s rights
. non-implementation of laws enacted to provide protection to women and also to achieve the objective of equality and development
. non-compliance of policy decisions aimed at mitigating hardships and ensuring welfare and providing relief to 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, such as, lack of access to housing and basic services, inadequate support services and technologies for reducing drudgery and occupational health hazards and for increasing their productivity
- participate and advice on the planning process of socio-economic development of women
- inspect or cause to be inspected a jail, remand home, women’s institution or other place of custody where women are kept as prisoners
