The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) on Wednesday issued a notice to the Women and Child Development (WCD) Department seeking to know whether a rehabilitation policy for victims of commercial sexual exploitation has been framed, and if not, what are the reasons.
In the notice, DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal said that over the past one year, the commission has conducted several inspections of the brothels at GB Road and has been raising the issue of framing a rehabilitation policy for the women there.
“Yesterday (Tuesday), the commission again visited the area with north municipal corporation, SDM, Karol Bagh, SHO, Kamla Market, officials of Delhi Fire Service, Delhi Jal Board, and representatives of NGOs and inspected the brothels.
‘Appalling condition’
During the visit, the appalling condition of women (at the brothels) was brought to the notice of the commission. Many women wished to come out and seek alternative livelihoods... The commission has been raising the issue of framing a rehabilitation policy for these women.”
In the meeting of State-Level Coordination Committee on Combating Trafficking held on October 5 last year, the Chief Secretary had directed the Department of Women and Child Development to frame a rehabilitation policy for victims of commercial sexual exploitation.
‘Where’s the draft policy?’
In the notice, Ms. Maliwal asked the Secretary, Department of Women and Child Development, to submit a copy of the draft policy, details of the consultations held, and reasons for non-engagement with the commission as per Section 16 of the DCW Act, if the policy has been framed.
If the policy has not been framed, she sought the reasons for the same. “Noting the urgency of the matter, please provide the above sought information latest by January 4, 2017, failing which appropriate action will be taken as per law,” the notice said.
Ms. Maliwal along with North Delhi Municipal Corporation and Fire Department officials and some NGOs, visited around nine brothels on GB Road and found ‘tehkhanas’ (hidden cells) in large numbers in each of these brothels.
