Member NCW Dr. Charu WaliKhanna was Chief Guest at “UP State Consultation- Implementation of the PCPNDT Act” held Lucknow, on 12.05.2012. The consultation was organised by Plan India and World Vision India and Solution Exchange for Gender Community. Opening remarks were made by Ms. Adele Khudr, Chief, UNICEF Field Office, Uttar Pradesh (UNICEF India Country office facilitator Solution Exchange for Gender Community). Dr. Charu WaliKhanna expressed grave concern at the adverse sex ratio, which is continuing to decline. She said that NCW is a member of National Inspection and Monitoring Committee (NIMC) which it has visited 2 districts each of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan and punitive action was taken wherever required. She informed the participants that NCW also held a seminar on the implementation of PC & PNDT Act, at Chandigarh and specific recommendations were made regarding amendments to the Act. 

Dr. Charu WaliKhanna said that NCW has written to the MOH & FW to initiate immediate action for incorporating the amendments in the PC& PNDT Act, 1994. It has also been suggested that the meeting of the Central Advisory Board be called to focus the attention on the subject at highest level. In this regard the then NCW has also drawn the attention of the Prime Minister and Minister for Women and Child Development. 

The Commission has requested the Hon’ble Home Minister & Chief Ministers of all States to issue suitable guidelines to all concerned levels for the effective implementation of the provisions of the Act as they stand today and has provided Draft guidelines for the purpose. Mr. Mukesh Meshram, IAS, Mission Director-NRHM, Government of Uttar Pradesh, stressed on the need for fast track courts. 

The consultation was moderated by Dr. Satish B. Agnihotri, IAS, Dr. Pam Rajput, Member- High Level Experts Committee to Review Status of Women, Govt. of India, also advisory member, Gender Community. 

Other speakers experiences included Dr. Hemlata, Chairperson, Jharkhand State Commission for Women, and Ms. Mary Thomas, Representative, Hivos on Southern States Consultation. 

Presentation was made by PCPNDT Cell Representative, Govt. Of UP- highlighting the Good Practices and other efforts to implement the PCPNDT Act in UP; and by NGO representative Dr. Neelam Singh, Vatsalya on the Status of the implementation of the PCPNDT Act in UP. Key state functionaries and different Stakeholder Groups shared inputs. 

Later in the day Dr. Charu WaliKhanna and Shamina Shafique Members NCW, met with women from the Muslim community and listened to their problems. The main issues discussed included compulsory registration of marriage and need for codification of Islamic law.

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