Women Safety Division in MHA

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : The MHA has created a new Division to address issues of women safety comprehensively. It would deal with all aspects of women safety in coordination with relevant Ministries/Departments and State Governments. Ms Punya Salila Srivastava, an AGMUT Cadre IAS officer of 1993 batch, has been posted as Joint Secretary to head this Division.

The new Division will deal with crimes against women, SCs & STs, children, and elderly persons, Anti-trafficking Cell, matters relating to Prison legislation and prison Reforms,all schemes under NIRBHAYA fund, Crime and Criminal Tracking & Network System (CCTNS), and National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), according to a PIB release.

In order to address offences against women particularly rape in a holistic and time bound manner, the Division would focus on enhancing capacity of the existing administrative, investigative, prosecution and judicial machinery, along with appropriate measures for rehabilitation of victims and bringing attitudinal changes in society.

It was considered to create a National Mission for the safety of women with participation of stakeholder Ministries/Departments, who would undertake specified actions in a time bound manner. These included setting up of Special Fast Track Courts (FTCs), strengthening of forensic set up and building up of National Registry of Sexual offenders, appointing additional Public Prosecutors, and providing appropriate medical and rehabilitation facilities to victims. Issues like sensitization of children through appropriate changes in school curriculum, a media campaign for raising awareness, checking proliferation of pornography materials and online contents etc. will also be addressed.

The National Mission for Safety of Women would result in credible response to emerging situation of crimes against women, especially minor girls and time bound implementation of measures with tangible impact on women safety.

It may be recalled that Union Cabinet on April 21, 2018, had approved Ministry of Home Affairs’ proposal for promulgation of Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018, and a number of other measures for effective implementation of the amended provisions of criminal laws aimed at enhancing women safety.

The Cabinet had approved the Promulgation of Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018, to amend the Indian Penal Code 1860 (IPC), the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, (Cr.Pc), with consequential amendments in the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences, 2012 (POSCO) and the Indian Evidence Act 1872. The said Ordinance was promulgated on April 21, 2018.

In order to effectively implement amendments made in criminal law, the Cabinet had also approved Setting up of Fast Track Special Courts, Strengthening of the Prosecution Machinery, and Improving the Quality of Investigation, Special Forensic Laboratories.