Centre takes 'STEP' forward in women empowerment

Union Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi said, a day should come when the recently launched e-box should not receive any complaint and everybody should feel safe in the society.

Delivering the valedictory address of the golden jubilee celebrations of JSS Arts, Commerce and Science College, here, on Friday, she said, unfortunately the e-box launched only two weeks ago, to protect children who have become victims of molestation, has already received 81 complaints.

“In most of the molestation cases, the perpetrators are relatives, friends, or somebody known to either the child or the family. So, it is an embarrassing situation for the victims and most of the times the child does not even know that it is a victim of molestation. So, either the child, its parents, relatives or teachers can drop a complaint about the crime. The identity of the complainant and the child will be kept confidential,” she said.

Elaborating on a slew of programmes initiated by her ministry to make the society a better and safer place for women and children, she said, there is a provision for all educational institutions to present a ‘gender champion’ award in all classes to a boy, who behaves well with girl classmates and helps them. “From January, all mobile phones will have a panic button which will help women and girls to summon help from the nearest police station in case of some untoward incident. One-stop centres would be set up shortly, where victimised women can avail all kinds of help,” she said.

“There will be a woman police personnel, an advocate, psychologist and volunteers. In the winter session of the Parliament, law will be amended to make six-month maternity leave compulsory in all establishments,” she said.

Speaking about the steps taken to empower women, she said, mahila e-hut is a portal which acts as a bridge between women manufacturers and consumers. “Any woman who produces or manufactures any product can upload the details and price and sell it through the portal. Under Support to Training and Employment Programme for Women (STEP), any NGO can avail up to Rs 30 lakh to train up to 200 women in skills that give employability to women and to provide competencies and skill that enable them to become self-employed. Step is there since 1986 and steps are being taken to further popularise it,” she said.

Suttur seer Shivaratri Deshikendra Swami, Ministers Dr H C Mahadevappa, H S Mahadev Prasad, Isro Chairman A S Kiran Kumar, former MP A H Vishwanath, UoM Vice Chancellor K S Rangappa, and JSS Mahavidyapeetha executive secretary C G Betsurmath were present.

Recruit more women police, state urged

Union Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi urged the Karnataka government to recruit more women police in view of ensuring more security to women and children in the society, reports DHNS from Mysuru.

Speaking during a function here on Friday, she said, seven states and all the Union territories have implemented 33% reservation for women in the process of recruitment of police personnel. Pointing out that the rate of crime against women and children in the states, where women police have a sizeable presence has come down, she urged the Karnataka government to adopt the model.