Dr. Charu WaliKhanna, Member, NCW was Chief Guest at seminar on “State Commission and Women’s Right Vs. Human Rights” at Dehradun on 04.06.2012. The programme was organised by the State Commission for Women Uttarakhand and attended by advocates, NGOs, social workers, law students, Service Provider under the PWDV Act, Dy. Director ICDS, Child Welfare Officer, CDPO, Mahilla Sumkhya Officers among others. 

Member NCW stated that 45 years after the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted, and eight years after CEDAW entered into force, the UN World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna confirmed that women’s rights were human rights. This was a step forward in recognizing the rightful claims of one half of humanity (Aaadhi aabadi), in identifying neglect of women’s rights as a human rights violation and in drawing attention to the relationship between gender and human rights violations. Dr Charu WaliKhanna also said that the Constitution of India guaranteed equal rights to women, but their condition in reality was a sad reflection with denial of women’s basic human rights being persistent and widespread. For example : women are victims of gender-based violence and perpetrators often go unpunished; women continue to be uneducated/ illiterate as a consequence of which they are discriminated against and denied access to justice; besides women continue to die each year from pregnancy and childbirth-related causes, rates of HIV infection among women are rapidly increasing etc. 

During discussions it emerged that in the context of PWDV Act that number of cases are increasing but there is no specifically appointed Protection Officer (PO) by the State of UttArakhand to handle the matters sensitively. The need of the hour is immediate appointment of independent Protection Officer since the P.O. is the fulcrum of the PWDV Act. 

Problems of implementing laws for protection of women law was discussed. It emerged that not only has the Government an important role to play; but social acceptance and change in attitude and mentality towards women is imperative. 

It was decided that a two pronged strategy is required. One to target educated women and the other to focus on the problems of uneducated women, especially those from rural areas. The statement of the Prime Minister of India was quoted that Law must remain in not books, but go to villages. In this context State Commission of Women, Uttarakhand gave the assurance that they would be conducting legal awareness programme for women in collaboration with national Commission for Women. 

The declining child sex ratio rate was also discussed and Medical Officer complimented on his role in improving the adverse child sex ratio in Dehradun District. However, the Districts Pithoragarh, Champa and Rudraprayag showed an alarming decline. According to the Medical Officer District Dehradun under the PCPNDT Act from the year 2005 regularly (every month) the registration of Ultrasound machines is being undertaken. Verification and raid are being conducted by the District Level Committee. As a result of these efforts for the last 10 years in the District of Dehradun the decline in sex ratio has been arrested.

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