2006

WOMEN - 2006 Compiled By Human Rights Documentation ∗ Indian Social Institute, Lodi Road, New Delhi – 110 003, (India) Jain nun for sustained fight against female infanticide (8) SHRAVANABELAGOLA: Aryika 105 Prashanthmathi Mathaji on Sat urday called upon Jain women to unite and fight against female infanticide. Speaking on the contribution of Aryika Mathajis to the Jain way of life, she said the Jain community had been following the tradition, started by Vrishabnath, of imparting education to daughters since centuries. Recalling the contribution of Vrishabanath's daughters Brahmi and Sundari, who together evolved the Brahmi script, she said imparting modern educa tion along with dharmic values would help women in facing the hard realities of life. Criticising female infanticide, she called upon the Jain women to wage a sustained fight against this "anti-life" practice in society. Urging scholars to bring out a dictionary of Prakrit language, J. Jwala of Mysore, who spoke on the status of Prakrit language, said it would make the people study and understand the lan guage in a better manner. She commended the efforts of Shravanabelagola Digambar Jain Mutt in conserving the Prakrit language. She also called upon the Gov ernment to accord the status of national language on Prakrit. Lauding the translation of Dhavala texts into Kannada by the Jain mutt, she expressed hope that it would bring out more such works in the future. Speaking on "Jain and social life," Nagaraj Ujire said Jain dharmic values propounded the harmonious relationship among different classe s of people. Fol lowing a vegetarianism way of life contributed to understand ing the requirements of social life. (The Hindu 2/1/06) Married w oman gangraped, 2 held (8) New Delhi, Jan. 1: A 31-year-old woman was gangraped in a moving car in the Narela area. The vic tim, wife of a PCO and Mobile shop owner, was picked by three men believed to be in their twenties and gangraped for about three hours and later thrown out of the car. So far, the police has arrested Sushil and Naresh in connection with the gangrape while one of the accused Sonu is abscond ing. The police has also confirmed that the three men are from business families. According to the case registered at the Narela police station, the victim was offered a lift to her residence by her neigh bour, Sonu on Sunday around 9 pm. The victim had told the police that she accepted the offer as Sonu was a good family friend. The woman has also stated that Sushil and Naresh were there in the car and appeared in an inebriated condition. The FIR further states that Sonu then took the car to a lonely spot in the Narela area and threatened to kill the woman if she raises an alarm. The three men then took turnsicrrape her. The victim also stated that she was later taken to another lonely place and was again raped by the three men. After three hours, the three men dropped her outside a tern- ' pie in the Narela area and threatened to kill her if she reveals the details to the police and her husband. However, on reaching her residence, She informed her husband about the incident and then called the local police station and lodged a complaint against the three men. The complaint was later converted into an FIR after the medical examination of the victim proved the sexu al assault. (Asian Age 2/1/06) Punjabi Bagh victims wait for arrest of accused (8) New Delhi, Jan. 2: In yet another case of crime against women on New Year Eve in the Punjabi Bagh area, the police has so far not been able to arrest Bhura, who allegedly thrashed two women and later left them in a semi-nude condition near the Punjabi Bagh flyover. However, the police have received a tip off on the whereabouts of the accused. A police officer, on Monday, said that the accused might have escaped to a nearby state. So far, special teams of the Delhi police have been sent to different areas of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana but the police has refused to give details of the investigation. Sources have also revealed that teams of Delhi police are searching Bhure in the NCR cities of Ghaziabad, Noida and Faridabad. A source had also revealed that Bhure might have escaped with a second hand Maruti car, he owns. However, the relatives of the accused have told the police that the car had been sold to somebody in Uttar Pradesh. The police said that the accused had known one of the victim Arti’s son and had a ∗

This is a collection of previously published news and views from the print as well as the electronic media, whose reference marked at the end of each news items. Department of Documentation and Library (DDL) of the Indian Social Institute, New Delhi neither claims to the veracity of the f acts in the news nor subscribes to the views expressed.

scuffle with him over a family issue. Arti, who was accompanied by a distant relative Saroj on the day of the incident was way laid by the accused in the Punjabi Bagh area and later thrashed. The two women were later found by some residents of the area in unconscious condition and rushed to Sanjay Gandhi Hospital, where they were treated for severe head injuries. (Asian Age 3/1/06) Scientist alleges sexual harassment by senior (8) Agra : It is a common statutory practice to send a rape victim for medical examination. But the tests turned out to be traumatic experience for a woman scientist of Agra when one of her seniors began making sexual advances towards her in the name of "further tests". Tired of facing continual harassment by Tan Sen, a senior scientific assistant at the Forensic Science Laboratory at Agra, Neeta Gupta (name changed), also a scientific assistant at the laboratory has now filed an FIR in the Rakabganj police station of Agra against her senior, claiming of being sexually harassed by Tan Sen at work. According to Neeta Gupta, she had been working in the Forensic Science Laboratory at Agra since 1998 and Tan Sen had also joined the service at precisely the same time and was promoted as her senior last year and it was then, that her trauma began. First she was deliberately posted in the section specialised in conducting tests on vaginal swabs of rape victims and then Tan Sen began asking her to bring the findings to his home. When she went to his home with the reports, it became a routine affair for Tan Sen to make sexually-laced comments on the reports, asking her to re-test the slides in front of him. According to Ms. Gupta, whose husband is presently working in Mumbai, Tan Sen even tried to establish sexual relations with her a couple of times, after which, she stopped taking the reports to his home for evaluation. The harassment, however, continued in the form of occasional "patting" by him while she was bending down on a microscope to test a slide. (Pioneer 4/1/06) Another mov ing rape incident, this time from Manesar (8) Gurgaon: A15-YEAR-OLD handicapped Dalit girl was al legedly raped by three men in a cab and then by a truck driver. While the Gurgaon Police has registered a case against four unknown per sons , but even after 48 hours it has failed to arrest any of the accused. Hanif Qureshi, se nior superintendent of police, who promised a safe Gurgaon in the New Year said the police would arrest the culprits as early as possible. "The SHO of Pataudi police station is look ing into the matter and very soon he will ar rest the accused," said Qureshi. Deepa (name changed), the victim, is a res ident of Jhatauli village of Pataudi. She worked in a factory at Manesar. Late on Tuesday night the victim left work for home at 9:15 pm with her aunt and sister. In her statement the girl alleged that she and her aunt took a lift in a Scorpio to reach home. They thought that it was a passenger ve hicle as besides the driver two other men were present in the.cab. According to police sources the accused also bought liquor just before Pataudi. After drinking liquor they refused to drop the women to their destination. Apprehending trouble, the sister and aunt managed to jump off the cab through the window along with the victim, but the three men forced Deepa inside the cab and fled. The victim has stated that the accused took her to Kokadia vil lage of Rewadi and then raped her one by one. The ill-fated victim was later thrown out of the cab. (Pioneer 6/1/06) 10 m girls ‘missing’ in India (8) Paris, Jan. 8: Around 10 million female foetuses may have been aborted in India over the past two decades because of ultra sound sex screening and a traditional preference for boys, according to a study published online in The Lancet on Monday. Researchers based in Canada and India looked through data from a national survey, conduct ed among 1.1 million households in 1998, and at information about 133,738 births that took place in 1997. They found that in cases where the preceding child was a girl, the gender ratio for a second birth was just 759 girls to 1,000 boys. And when the two previ ous children were girls, this ratio fell even further, to 719 girls to 1,000 boys. On the other hand, when the preceding child or children were male, the gender ratio among suc cessive births was about the same. Based on the natural sex ratio in other countries, around 13.6-13.8 million girls should have been born in India in 1997 — but the actual number was 13.1 million. "We conservatively estimate that prenatal sex determination and selective abor tion accounts for 0.5 mil lion missing girls yearly," said one of the authors, Prabhat Jha of St. Michael's Hospital at the University of Toronto, Canada. "If this practice has been common for most of the past two decades since access to ultrasound became widespread, then a figure of 10 million missing female births would not be unreason able." The "girl deficit" is far more prominent in edu cated women, the investi gators found. The number of boys born as second children was twice as high among this group than among illiterate mothers. However, the deficit did not vary by religion. The study published by the London-based medical journal comes on the heels of a report last October by the United Nations

Population Fund, which warned that infanticide or abortion was driving India towards a gender imbalance with alarming social consequences. (Asian Age 9/1/06) 10 million female births aborted in India: study (8) LONDON: Despite a legal ban in India on sex selection of babies, a study indicates that the practice is still widely prevalent and it is estimated that at least 10 million female births may have been aborted in the past 20 years. The study, based on a national survey of 1.1 million Indian households and published in Lancet journal on Monday, claims that nearly 500,000 female babies are lost in India every year because of selective abortion. "We conservatively estimate that parental sex determination and selective abortion accounts for 500,000 missing girls yearly. ``If this practice has been common for most of the past two decades since access to ultrasound became widespread, then a figure of 10 million missing female births would not be unreasonable," the study said. The research was done by Prabhat Jha and his colleagues at St. Michael's Hospital at the University of Toronto and Rajesh Kumar of the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh. They discovered that the "girl deficit" was more common among educated families, especially in homes where the first-born was a girl. The desire to have a male heir was found to drive families to sex-determination tests and termination of pregnancy if the foetus was female. Highlighting the continuing trend of falling female birth rate in India, the study said: "Prenatal sex determination followed by selective abortion of female foetuses is the most plausible explanation for the low sex ratio at birth in India." (The Hindu 10/1/06) Daughter-in-law, son set w oman on fire (8) New Delhi : In a bizarre incident a daughter-in-law poured kerosene on her mother-in-law while the victim's son set his mother on fire in East Delhi on Thursday. The incident took place after an argument between the family members turned violent. The incident took place at A-90 residence in Rani Garden, Geeta Colony at around 1.30 pm on Thursday, the victim, Neelam (65) had an argument with her daughter-in-law, Komal. An enraged Komal took kerosene and sprinkled on Neelam while her husband Sushil, set his mother on fire. She was immediately rushed to Guru Tegh Bahadur hospital where she is being treated. She has received 80 per cent burn injuries. According to the police the son was in favour of his wife and used to thrash his mother. The couple has been booked under Section 307 (attempt to murder) at Geeta Colony police station. According to Komal her mother-in-law used to pass bad mouth her family members whenever they visited them. She added that they set Neelam on fire in frustration when she commented on one of Komal's family members on Thursday. The couple were staying on the first floor of the house. Sushil owns a shop of readymade garments in the area. The victim used to stay with her younger son, Rajesh, on the ground floor. (Pioneer 13/1/06) Bar girls start loan society (8) Mumbai, Jan. 12: Bar girls left without jobs after the ban on dance bars came into effect have found help in their fight for survival in the form of Sanman Mahila Manch, a cooperative which provides them small unsecured loans.The Sanman Mahila Manch started functioning on August 16, 2005 and helps bar girls in Mumbai by providing them loans. "The concept of forming a cooperative society and providing loans to bar girls was the idea of the bar girls themselves," said Ms Smita Sawant, founder of Sanman Mahila Samiti, which is situated in Malad West in Mumbai. One of the remarkable features of the cooperative is that it does not ask for security against the loan. "A form has to be filled during the time of registration, which is the only documentary proof of the agreement. The loans can be repaid in small instalments," said Ms Sawant. When asked what the organisation does when the loan is not repaid, Ms Sawant said, "This cooperative functions on trust. So, when the loan is provided we have to see that it is used for the right purpose." Ms Sawant said the motive for forming such a cooperative was to provide a better future for bar girls and their children. Initially, seven bar girls joined this cooperative. But now there are nearly 500 bar girls registered with the cooperative. "Thirty bar girls have benefited," added Ms Sawant. (Asian Age 13/1/06) Bill to fight harassment (8) New Delhi, January 13: WOMEN, BREATHE easy. A draft bill may soon be ready to protect your rights in workstations and in an entire spectrum of places—from prisons to Parliament, from hospitals to courts and state assemblies. Sexual harass ment of a woman consumer or a work er can terminate the service of the ac cused. If he is a government servant, it will be a red mark on his record. Im pinging on the rights of women can re sult in imprisonment even. In a new initiative by the department for women and child

development, the National Commission for Women has been asked to draft a bill to protect the rights of working women. This comes in wake of the HRD ministry's decision to reject a draft prepared by the Lawyers' Collective Women Rights Initiative. "Though the bill drafted by the Lawyers' Initiative was a comprehensive document, it didn't refer to punishment nor to a definite time-frame to settle a complaint of sexual harassment. So, we decided to entrust the job to the NCW, which is a more representative body of women," explained a ministry official. According to officials, the govern ment wants a clear definition of the rights of women and what tantamount to sexual harassment. The bill should explain what action should be taken against the employer for not constituting a sexual harass ment complaint committee. The bill is likely to be introduced in Parliament in April. (Hindustan Times 14/1/06) Rifle drill forced on pregnant constable (8) New Delhi, Jan. 14: A four-month pregnant woman constable at IGI Airport police station, was reportedly forced to parade in a ground continuously for one hour holding a .303 rifle on Friday afternoon. She was punished because she wasn’t wearing the police uniform on "uniform day." The incident happened when DCP (airport) Naresh Kumar visited the police station on Friday and found Veena, the lady constable and six others not wearing the police uniform while on duty. Veena, who is pregnant since the last four months, reportedly fell sick after the continuous drill punishment and had to visit the Safdarjung Hospital for medical treatment. However, now fearing that she might complain as reports of the incident leaked out, senior officials at the police station are advising her to go on leave. "Some officers were found not wearing uniforms while on duty. But I had no idea that Veena was pregnant. You will have to ask the DCP," said Aditya Arya, joint commissioner, operations. However, DCP Naresh Kumar was not available for a comment. according to the rule, the police is bound to wear the uniform on Tuesdays and Fridays. However, when DCP Naresh Kumar visited IGI Airport police station at 2.30 pm on Friday afternoon, he found two sub-inspectors, constables Veena and Anita and head constable Hawa Singh in the record office; besides two others in the malkhana — head constable Rashid Khan and constable Mithlesh not wearing the "uniform". Directing them to join the Friday parade on the grounds near DCP office at 4.30 pm, DCP Naresh Kumar made them form a separate platoon and forced them to parade holding 303 rifles, revealed the police sources. (Asian Age 15/1/06) Sex w orkers to get gov t redressal Cell (8) New Delhi, January 16: THERE WILL now be a body that is exclusively devoted to listen ing to the complaints of sex workers, redressing their griev ances and investigating cases re garding them. The Centre has decided to con stitute a nodal authority at the central level to effectively pre vent and combat human traffick ing. "The state governments can also constitute similar bodies to check trafficking," a senior gov ernment official said. According to officials of the department for women and child in the human resources develop ment ministry, a provision has been made in the Immoral Traf fic (Prevention) Amendment Bill, 2005 for the constitution of such an authority. "The Act is be ing amended to give sex workers more respectable lives," said Lovleen Kacker, joint secretary in the department. The authority — to be headed by a chairperson — is expected to have police officers from dif ferent state cadres. "The author ity will have the power to take suo moto cognisance of any of fence committed under the Immortal Trafficking (Prevention) Act, 1956," an official said. Unlike other authorities, this body will also have the power to investigate cases. "The police normally say they don't take up cases of sex workers because of a huge workload of law and order problems. That's why we plan to give the authority the power to investigate cases and for that pur pose, we propose to depute police officers," said a senior official. The official added that fram ing of rules would take some time. Reason: Cabinet had earli er this month approved the con troversial Bill and it would now have to be placed before Parlia ment. Once that's done, the rules would be framed. The government will also con sider the suggestion of a GoM on the issue, that cases related to sex workers should be handled by women police officers, wher ever and whenever possible. (Hindustan Times 17/1/06) NCW meet on safety of w omen in BPOs (8) New Delhi, January 16: IN THE wake of the rape-cum-murder of a call cen tre employee in Bangalore, the National Commission for Women (NCW) will on Tuesday hold a meeting with industry representa tives to review the safety of women employees in the BPO sector. The Commission has called call centre heads from the National Capital Region (NCR), police offi cials, NGOs as also repre sentatives of the Call Cen tre Association of India for the meeting to discuss safe ty arrangements for women working in BPO units, an NCW spoke sper son said. "We would like to know from the management of the call centres what

arrangements they have put in place for the safety of women employees," she said. The call centre heads would also be asked about the problems that they are facing in making proper arrangements for their women workers and what are their expectations with the different agencies. The meeting would also deliberate on a system to deal with cases of sexual harassment in such organi sations. It will come out with a set of recommendations on what arrangements the call cen tres need to make to ensure the safety of women work ing in the sector. A young woman employee of a call centre was raped and murdered in Bangalore after being picked up from her workplace by a compa ny car. The incident prompted the NCW to seek a report from the Karnata-ka Government, while the state women's commission has already launched an in quiry into the matter. (Hindustan Times 17/1/06) Ex-IAF officer at NCW for fresh probe (8) New Delhi, Jan. 16: Dis missed Indian Air Force Flying Officer Anjali Gupta approached the NCW in the capital on Monday seeking fresh probe into her allega tions of facing sexual harrassment at "work place." Anjali, 29, alleged that she was sexually harrassed by some of her seniors prior to her dismissal from, service. Blaming the IAF for adopting a "casual approach," she said that this raises a big question on the safety of women at work place. She was dismissed after a general court martial found her guilty of insubordination and irregularity. (Asian Age 17/1/06) ‘Single legislation for marriage registration’ (8) New Delhi, Jan. 17: The National Commission for Women has advocated for the enactment of a Central legislation on registration of marriages through an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court. It will plug the loopholes in the existing state legislations and also provide succour to women, says NCW. "Be it prevention of child marriages or checking of illegal bigamy or polygamy or the right of a woman to live in her matrimonial house, maintenance and deterring men from deserting woman after marriage, a uniform law on registration of marriages would serve the purpose better," the affidavit said. "The commission is in favour of a Central legislation on the issue as not only the provisions of each state acts in force at the moment are at variance inter-se, these also do not fulfil the objectives," the affidavit stated. "The nonregistration of marriages affect women the most and, hence, from its inception it has supported the legislation," the NCW said, informing the top court that the commission has chalked out a blueprint in the form of a bill on the issue. The commission, in its functioning, has come across several cases where women face acute harassment at every step in the absence of any documentary proof of their marriage which could be used to prove the fact of their marriage. In the absence of that, women, especially widows and their children, remain deprived of various benefits, the affidavit stated. Besides checking selling of girls under the garb of marriage, it will also help women to facilitate prosecution of bigamous husbands, said the affidavit (Asian Age 18/1/06) My complaint overlooked: Anjali (8) New Delhi: FLYING OFFICER Anjali Gupta has in a petition told the National Commission for Women that no ac tion was taken on her com-, plaint of sexual ha rassment against se nior officers of- the Air Force while she was posted in Bangalore. The flying officer said in the written representation that following her earlier complaint to the Karnataka State Commission for Women in April 2005, the commission wrote to Air Marshal in charge of head quarters training command. The commission said a com mittee for prevention of sex ual harassment, as per the Supreme Court guidelines in the Vishkha judgement, may be constituted to probe charges of sexual ha rassment. The com plaint al leged that the airport authorities took no ac tion. The National Commission for Women has sought a n action taken report in the matter. The Air Force authorities have been also asked to submit a report on compliance of the Supreme Court guidelines regarding setting up of com plaints committee to deal with sexual harassment at workplace. (Pioneer 20/1/06) HC stays single girl child's free school education (8) NEW DELHI , 20 JANUARY: IF you were hoping to get your single girl child educated at a premier private school, then you are in for some disappointment. The Delhi High Court has stayed the circular issued by the Central Board of Secondary Education, asking schools to provide tuition free schooling to single girl children and a 50% tuition waiver for a two-girl child family. The court will hear the matter now again on March 27. Delhi's Carmel Convent had filed a case in the high court challenging CBSE's October 15

circular which directed all affiliated schools to "grant full waiver of fees (including tuition fee and all other fee under any head except the meals and transportation fee) charged by them from class VI onwards to each girl student who is also the single child of a parent." The CBSE-affiliated schools were to implement this latest by April 2006. Carmel's logic is simple, the scheme would cost this girls' school some Rs 20 lakh a year as they are not being compensated by the government or the CBSE. The scheme doesn't make any differentiation based on economic criteria. Something that Jyoti Bose of Springdales also objects to. "In effect you are asking the school to subsidise rich kids. Most of the families that send their kids to private schools are well to do, what is the point of subsidising these children, instead of those who could really do with the help." Carmel's argument is that the scheme calls for cross-subsidisation which had been prohibited by the Supreme Court in the TMA Pai case. (Economic Times 21/1/06) Top court directions on w orkplace harassment (8) New Delhi, Jan. 20: Expressing concern about the states not taking adequate steps to stop sexual harassment at workplace, the Supreme Court has issued some additional directions in this regard. A bench of Justices K.G. Balakrishana and R.V. Raveendran directed the states to appoint an officer in order to coordinate the steps taken in this regard. The officer should be either the secretary of the women and child welfare department or any other suitable officer who is in-charge and concerned with the welfare of women and children in the state, ordered the bench. The chief secretaries of each state shall see that an officer is appointed as a nodal agent to collect the details and give suitable directions whenever necessary, the bench "added. (Asian Age 21/1/06) Sexual harassment at workplace: States told to set up panels (8) NEW DELHI: Expressing concern over non-implementation of its judgment relating to sexual harassment at work places, the Supreme Court has directed the Chief Secretaries of all the States to inform within eight weeks whether they have set up committees in all the departments and institutions having over 50 staff members to deal with such complaints. A Bench of Justice K.G. Balak-rishnan and Justice R.V. Raveendran noted that the apex court in 1997 had issued a series of guidelines in the "Vishaka case" on how to deal with the problem of sexual harassment at work places. All the States were parties to those proceedings. Passing interim orders in the petition filed by Medha Kotwal Lele, it said: "Now it appears that the directions issued were not properly implemented by the various States. The counsel appearing for the various States submit that they would do the needful at the earliest..." The Bench also pointed out that the number of complaints received and the steps taken in these complaints were not available. "We find that in order to co-ordinate the steps taken in this regard, there should be a State level officer, i.e., either the Secretary of the Woman and Child Welfare Department or any other suitable officer who is in charge and concerned with the welfare of women and children in each State," it said. The judges said: "The Chief Secretaries of each State shall see that an officer is appointed as a nodal agent to collect the details and to give suitable directions whenever necessary." It also noted that directions were not fully complied with, in respect of factories, shops and commercial establishments. The Bench, therefore, directed the Labour Commissioner of each State to take steps. It asked the Labour Commissioner to act as nodal agency and collect details regarding the complaints and ensure that the required committees were established in such institutions. (The Hindu 23/1/06) Coming up soon, health policy for w omen in slums (8) NEW DELHI, JANUARY 23 THE Delhi government is coming up with a women's health policy aimed at women living in slums soon. For years, the government had been running a camp— Stree Shakti—but due to lack of awareness, more than half the population did not make use of it, say officials. Slum clusters in the Capital have a women population of 30,00,000. "The policy aims to look at different aspects including malnutrition, Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), non-institutional deliveries, immunization structure, pre-natal care. To address these issues, the infrastructure needs to be strengthened and this will happen only if we have a policy in hand," said Rakesh Mehta, Principal Secretary, Health. "We need to integrate all health-related issues to have focussed approach towards the health of women. At present, the Infant Mortality Rate is 10.3 per lakh; we need to bring it further down. Out of the total number of deliveries, 30 per cent are non-institutional; we want to reach the stage where we have 100 per cent institutional deliveries," added Mehta. The government, as part of its preliminary work, is working with the Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI) to collect data on women living in slums in the Capital. In a meeting with VHAI, senior government officials have asked the agency to collect data on women aged between 16 to 19 years. "This will help us monitor their health-related issues immediately and on a continuous basis,"

Mehta added. (Indian Exp 24/1/06) ‘Plan will prioritise foeticide’ (8) New Delhi, Jan. 24: The topmost priority of the 11th Five Year Plan will be to curb the practice of female foeticide, promised the Planning Commission at the national seminar on "Sex Selection: Technologies, Populations and Social Relations" held in the capital on Tuesday. The societal impact of sex determination of girl-child in states like Punjab and Haryana caught the attention of the participants in the seminar. "The growing phenomenon of female foeticide is going hand in hand with the active reassertion of caste panchayats," said Dr Prem Choudhary, advocate of a female rights group in Haryana. "It is not surprising that in Haryana, the unmarried men are the ardent supporters of these caste panchayats," she said adding that caste panchayats are legitimising structures totally controlled by men. Stressing the fact that certain societal structures and schemes are turning into roadblocks with the changing times, Dr M. Geeta of IWDA put the Ladli programme in Haryana under scrutiny. "Under the scheme, parents of the girl-child are given a yearly sum of Rs 5,000 which matures after the girl attains maturity," she said. However, this money is mainly going in the form of dowry for the girl’s marriage, she revealed. Rapidly decreasing girlchild sex ratio in the metros wa s blamed on the connivance of the doctors and the law enforcement agencies with the families. (Asian Age 25/1/06) Naseem, UP’s new Imrana, is j ust 16 (8) Lucknow, Jan. 24: Six months after the Imrana story hit the headlines, another Imrana has emerged in Uttar Pradesh.She is younger — only 16 — and has a story that is even more horrendous than that of Imrana.Naseem, a resident of Khijirpur village in Bareilly district, was first forced into marriage with Ehsan Ali, who is not only polio-stricken but also mentally retarded. She was then raped repeatedly by her father-in-law Khidmat Ali in the presence of her mother-in-law, Mukhtari. Naseem became pregnant and is today the mother of a five-month-old child. On Monday, she finally gathered the courage to approach a family court and seek justice. "My father Rehmat Ali is a beggar and we are three sisters. When I entered my teens, two persons in the village, Irfan Ali and Usman Ali, began threatening my father, forcing him to marry me to their nephew who is a resident of Udhra village under Devraniyan police station. My father agreed because he felt he could not give me a better life. The marriage was solemnised, but when I came to my husband’s house I realised that he was invalid as well as mentally retarded. I went back and told my father but when he demanded an explanation from Irfan Ali and Usman Ali, he was beaten up," says Naseem. When Naseem returned to her in-laws’ house after this incident, she allegedly went through hell. "In the presence of my mother-in-law, my father-in-law told me that I would have to live in the house as his mistress and added that the marriage was merely a façade. He said that he had purchased me for a sum of Rs 20,000 from Irfan Ali and Usman Ali. I was locked up in a room and my father-in-law would rape me almost every day. My mother-in-law did try to protest in the beginning, but soon she gave up too. Even when I became pregnant, my father-in-law did not spare me," recalls Naseem. (Asian Age 25/1/06) ‘Include women’s part in GDP’ (8) New Delhi, Jan. 24: Women’s contribution to the GDP should be given due recognition through suitable modification in the national accounting methodology, said Dr Girija Vyas chairperson of NCW on Tuesday, pointing that women should not face gender discrimination in the annual budgeting. "Gender audit is an important aspect for gender budgeting the ensure transparency and accountability in the allocations meant for women," said the NCW chairman presenting a memorandum to the finance minister in a formal meeting of pre-Budget consultations of the finance minister with different ministries, organisations and pressure groups. Demanding that the exemption limit under income tax should be raised for women, the commission stre ssed on the setting up of gender cells in all the Central ministries and departments. "The Union Budget 2005-06 had gender budgeting for only some of the ministries and departments. Gender budgeting needs universal application in all departments with regular sensitisation and orientation of its staff," it said. "The National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme needs to be made gender sensitive," said NCW stressing on the need to earmark a substantial portion of the 2 per cent education cess to girl students. "Specific and focused attention needs to be given for allocation of funds and devising new schemes for empowerment in areas of education, health, sanitation and job opportunities," stated the memorandum presented by National Commission for Women. (Asian Age 25/1/06) One in four US students sexually harassed (8) Washington: Nearly two-thirds of US college Stu dents are affected by sexual harassment — ranging from

offensive jokes and gestures to touching and grabbing, according to a study re leased on Tuesday. Men are more likely to ha rass than women, but women and men are equally likely to be harassed oh US campuses, according to a report by the American Association of University Women. Researchers found that 62% of college students experienced sexual harass ment, and 32% of college stu dents said they were victims of physical harassment. "The primary form of ha rassment that we're seeing is actually noncontact: it tends to be remarks, ges tures and jokes," Elena Silva, the report's co-author, said in a telephone interview. "But the fact that one-third of college students are experiencing some form of physical harassment is cer tainly a concern." In a representative survey of 2,036 undergraduates at US colleges and universities, 41% said they had sexually harassed someone. "In most cases, these students say that they thought it was fun ny, the other person liked it, or it is 'just a part of school life'," the report found. Common types of physi cal harassment include be ing touched, grabbed or pinched in a sexual way, or intentionally brushing up against someone in a sexual way, the study found. Flash es of frontal or rear nudity, calling someone gay, lesbian or a homophobic name or spreading sexual rumors about someone also were reported as sexual harassment in the survey. "It messe s things up for you," said Heather Pennison, who has encountered sexual harassment through out her school career and is now a student at Georgia Southern University. (Times of India 26/1/06) MPs criticise police's attitude towards rape (8) New Delhi, Jan. 25: The Delhi police observation on Tuesday that two widows who were murdered at their flats in East Delhi were pimps has drawn flak from several women parliamentarians. On Tuesday, the police said that the two victims were earlier booked under Immoral Trafficking Act and that was probably the reason that they were killed. However, the women MPs didn't like the Delhi police's Manuwadi attitude towards murder and rape of women who do not follow their morality code. "Are we still living in the old age where woman are humiliated and treated as commodity. In many cases we have seen the police either links the crime with the dress or way of living of the victim," said Brinda Karat, a prominent woman activist and Rajya Sabha MP. A case in point is Dhaula Kuan gang rape case of a DU girl last year. Instead of focusing on investigation, the Delhi police were seen accusing the girl for "not wearing proper clothes" and "roaming in the night when good girls stay at home." Margaret Alva ,a former Congress MP was strongly critical of the investigative authqritres casual way to link the character of the women with the crime. Calling it a backward mentality of the khakiwalas, she said: "A crime is a crime and anyone who commits is a criminal irrespective of who is the victim. Because of this, recently the law on rape was also amended. But unfortunately flaws still exists in the system and women continue to suffer because of the traditional mind set of the police in the patriarchal society," and emphasised on making police more gender friendly. (Asian Age 26/1/06) Alarming Sex Ratio means Delhi Shame (8) NEW DELHI, JANUARY 29: AN alarming dip in sex ratio, zero conviction under a law meant to end selection at birth — this is the grim picture for the girl child in the Capital 10 years after the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Test (PNDT) Act came into force. And the reality, reflected in a new survey of 30 hospitals by the Registrar of Births. The monthly survey of sex-at-birth in Delhi hospitals shows that the situation is worse at the ground level. The lowest the survey, conducted since July 2005, recorded was 514 girls per 1000 boys — at Moolchand Hospital (that is 35 boys and 18 girls). This was in July and the situation marginally improved in August—667. In the three months' data available so far, Aruna Asaf Ali Hospital came a close second — the percentage dipping to 557 in July (7'' boys and 39 girls). Several other hospitals also slipped way below a ratio of 800: 624 in Holy Family Hospital in July (68 girls for 109 boys) 637 in St Stephens in August (158 girls for 248 boys) 671 in All India Institute of? Medical Sciences in September (98 girls for 146 boys) Girls outnumbered or equalled boys only in 11 hospitals and just once in 2005. Only four of these hospitals had achieved this in the same period in 2004, the survey found. The number of births, in these cases, however, is too low to be seen as any positive shift in attitude. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, for instance, recorded the birth of 18 boys and 28 girls in July 2005 but by September, the ratio again fell to 757. (The data of only 24 of the 30 hospitals was available). (Indian Express 30/1/06) Female foeticide is rampant (8) New Delhi, Jan. 29: As if the menace of female foeticide among Indians was not enough, another startling fact comes to light. British Asians are coming to India to abort female foetuses, it is revealed. There are ultrasound clinics in Delhi that specially cater to the "white" Indians, revealed Mr Saboo George from the

Centre for Development Studies. "This practice came to light when I visited the UK last year in July after eleven years. Indian community leaders in Leiscester told me that women from the United Kingdom come to India for determining the sex of the foetus and getting abortion if found to be a female," said Mr Saboo George. His fears were confirmed when a reputed medical journal in the UK raised this growing concern amongst the British Asians. "However, this social malpractice when reported in the UK gets coloured with racism, as Indians term it as a deliberate attempt of discrimination," be said. The fact that Indians in other countries are going for sex selective abortions is evident from the fac't that sex ratio at birth among the Indian community in New Jersey is as bad as in Punjab and Haryana, said Dr Puneet Bedi, a gynaecologist in the Apollo Hospital. A recent report in the British newspaper Observer came up with evidence that the UK Asian women come to India to abort their baby girls. According to the Observer report, pregnant Asian women, who have undergone numerous abortions and are now barred by the British National Health Scheme from coming to India. While, the British law does not allow parents to choose sex of their babies except to avoid certain gender-linked diseases, India, is the easiest destination. ( Asian Age 29/1/06) Tw o dow ry deaths in a day (8) New Delhi : In two separate incidents, two women committed suicide on Tuesday. In both the cases, the family members and relatives of the deceased have alleged that they have been killed for dowry. In the first incident, one Sarika Kataria (27), was found hanging from the ceiling fan in a room on the third floor of house number 143 in QU block of Pitampura in North-West Delhi. She was married to one Vipul Kataria of Majlis Park in Adarsh Nagar area two years ago. The couple has a one-year-old daughter. According to the police, there were differences between the husband and wife. The wife had been staying with her parents since the last six months. Her husband works in Gol Mandi. The deceased was found hanging from the ceiling fan at around 2 pm on Tuesday. Police recovered two suicide notes with the body and both were unsigned. She has alleged in the suicide notes that her in-laws would harass her for dowry. The deceased has specifically mentioned her husband, father-in-law and mother-in-law in the letter. Investigation into the matter has been handed over to Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM). In another incident, one Amarjeet Kaur (26) was found burnt at her C-14 residence in Tilak Vihar area in West Delhi at around 9.30 am. Her husband, Gurwant Singh, is a peon in a private bank. The victim got married to him two-and-a-half years ago and they have a one-and-half-year-old son. The cousin of the deceased has alleged that her in-laws would harass her asking her for a car. The cousin also alleged that her in-laws had killed her. The case has been forwarded to the SDM for investigation. (Pioneer 1/2/06) Women’s board says dress-code fatw as valid (8) LUCKNOW, FEBRUARY 2: Just two days after the All India Muslim Personal Law Board ruled that fatwas on dress codes were inadmissable, the president of the All India Muslim Women’s Personal Law Board, Shaista Amber, has categorically stated that fatwas stand valid on all Muslim women, irrespective of their profession. The statement adds fuel to the controversy over sports persons like Sania Mirza, who has been under attack by extremist Muslim bodies for her skimpy on-court attire. Speaking at the AIMWPLB’s first anniversary function, Amber said, “Whatever Muslim women do should be under the tenets laid down by Islam, no matter what profession they belong to. Islam has given women the right to go out and support their families but under certain conditions. These must be followed. By doing what they do, actresse s, models and even sports persons in skimpy attire have violated the tenets of Islam.” Amber says it has been her effort to work for bettering the lives of Muslim women by protesting against social evils like dowry. “Lack of education is also a prime issue,” she said. “It has crippled the growth of our sisters in the community. Even at madarsas you hardly have any women studying to learn the true laws of shariat and tenets of Islam leading to illiteracy and ignorance regarding their rights. While raising a voice against malpractices like distance talaq through internet, e-mail, telephone and SMS, Amber said the board’s prime aim was to discourage the practice of dowry in Muslim marriages and uphold the advance payment of mehr from the groom to the bride at the time of nikaah. (Indian Exp 3/2/06) Anj ali Gupta dismissed (8) NEW DELHI: Anjali Gupta, the first Indian Air Force woman officer to face court martial proceedings, was dismissed from service on Friday for indiscipline. In his executive order, Chief of the Air Staff S. P. Tyagi "mitigated" the quantum of punishment given by the general court martial (GCM) from cashiering to "mere dismissal," said IAF spokesperson Mahesh Upasani. The dismissal order was ready for some time but could not be served as Ms. Gupta had been absent without leave since January 8. She was served the

order when she reached the Aircraft Systems Testing Establishment in Bangalore. The reduction of punishment would allow her to claim provident fund dues for three years of service, besides unclaimed temporary duty allowances. The charges against her were obtaining allowances on the basis of a false statement, making a false statement in documents (two charges), conduct unbecoming of an officer and absence from place of duty (three charges). The GCM held her guilty of five charges and absolved her of two relating to making false statements. Earlier, the officer responded to charges of indiscipline, by making allegations of sexual harassment by her trainers. This led to the IAF appointing a court of inquiry headed by the seniormost woman officer, Padma Bandopadhyay, and including a member from the Karnataka State Women's Rights Commission. (The Hindu 4/2/06) Concern ov er impact of w heat crisis on w omenfolk (8) JAIPUR: The president of the All India Democratic Women's A ssociation, Subhashini Ali, has expressed concern over the likely impact of the wheat crisis in the country on the womenfolk. The need to import wheat would probably affect the public distribution system (PDS), which in turn would endanger the life of women and children, she said. "The PDS is already under stress with interested groups trying to dismantle the whole sy stem," she said. Ms.Ali, who is in the Rajasthan capital in connection with the three-day central committee meeting of AIDWA which commenced here on Friday said the present predicament over wheat was the result of the long neglect of the farmers. "The farmers are not getting enough support from the Governments for buying inputs which have become costlier manifold," she said talking to a group of newspersons. "Strengthening of the farmers will only make the country self sufficient in food," Ms.Ali who later addressed a rally in the Walled City said. The wheat prices were already showing an upward trend in the given situation of impending imports and the poor were to be hit badly, she warned. "It is a dangerous situation. We used to export wheat and now we are forced to import the commodity," she said attributing the situation to the effects of liberalization and free market economy. Talking about the meeting of various women's organizations with the Union Finance Minister P.Chidambaram in Delhi on Thursday, Ms.Ali said the promises made in the Common Minimum Programme on six per cent allocation for education and 3.2 per cent allocation for health should be upheld in the next Union Budget as it directly affected women and children. Addressing the rally Ms.Ali said women were being considered an economic burden in the country and the fall in the man-women ratio all over the country could be attributed to the general attitude. (The Hindu 4/2/06) NCW's w oman empow erment scheme goes the v illage w ay (8) NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Women (NCW) on Friday launched an ambitious "Chalo Gaon ki Ore" campaign aimed at empowering women in the villages. The campaign, launched to coincide with the Commission's Foundation Day, was inaugurated by Union Human Resources Development Minister Arjun Singh. To begin with, it will cover the States of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi, where it will focus on the pressing problem of female foeticide and the missing girl child. "All the schemes formed postIndependence had the village as their focal point. But somewhere in the middle we lost our way. We assumed what the situation was like in the villages, but did not know the reality," Mr. Singh said. Mr. Singh also said that women had a lot to contribute to the country's development and called for empowering them at the grassroots level. "It is not just the responsibility of the Commission but for all of us to see that the campaign is a success," he added. Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister of State for Women and Child Welfare Renuka Chowdhury said the campaign would make women in the villages aware about HIV/AIDS, finance schemes and will also sensitise them on how to take legal and police help. Union Panchayati Raj Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar called for involving the 12 lakh women Panchayati leaders in the campaign. "These 12 lakh women can get organised and together with the Commission can ensure that the campaign is a success,'' he said. In her opening remarks, NCW Chairperson Girija Vyas said the reason for starting the campaign in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi was the sharp dip noticed in the sex ratio in these States. (The Hindu 4/2/06) Health of slum w omen cause for worry (8) New Delhi, Feb. 3: Everything does not seem to be well with the health of women living in the slums of Delhi. The profile of beneficiaries attending various health check-up camps set up since 2002 under the Delhi government’s Stree Shakti project reveal that women living in the slums, including those below the povertyline are suffering from acute anaemia, hyper-tension, sexually transmitted diseases and eye problems. The number of women suffering from such diseases is on the increase. But what is more worrisome is that these poor women seems to be vulnerable to grave diseases such as tuberculosis,

though the number, at present is not very high. As per the data available from the Delhi health department as on January 8, of total beneficiaries attending the camps across the capital, over 45 per cent were found to be suffering from anaemia while over 50 per cent pregnant women have given birth to underweight children. Hyper-tension too is taking a toll on the health of these poor women, particularly elderly women. Dr D.K. Pandey of Delhi Competitive Vocational Society attributed the deteriorating health of women to poor surroundings, unawareness, besides poor nutritional diets available to these economically backward women. Mr Rakesh Mehta, Delhi government health secretary said: "Keeping in view their poor health status, a health policy for them is on the anvil." Initiated by chief minister Sheila Dikshit, Stree Shakti is a capacity-building project started in 2001 to strengthen the ability of women to participate equally in the mainstream. Health is an important indicator of women’s development. (Asian Age 4/2/06 Warrant against Minister on charge of glorifying sati (8) JAIPUR: Rajasthan Minister of State for Tourism Usha Punia has been issued a bailable warrant by a Special Court here on a charge of glorification of sati. She, along with the publisher and the author of a book on the folk gods of Rajasthan, has been found prima facie liable for prosecution for the violation of the Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act 1987. Acting on a petition by Kavita Srivastava, general secretary of People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), Rajasthan and 10 others, the judge of the Special Court (Sati Prevention), Justice J.P. Sharma on Friday observed that the book, "Rajasthan Ke Lok Devi Devata" published by the Devasthan Department contained references on various satis in the State which amounted to glorification under Section 5 of the Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act 1987. The court has found Mahendra Bhanawat, the author of the book, Fateh Krishna Kalla, the publisher and the printer Parshav Kalla liable for prosecution for the references on pages 104 and 106, which speak about the concept and tradition of sati in reverential tones. The references cited by the court: Rajasthan is widely know for its sati matas; there is no place left in Rajasthan where there has been no sati; Satis are chivalrous women; those who give up their lives for 'sat' are brave women. The book contains references of Rudeda sati near Salum-ber, Jhevar Mata Rani Sati of Jhunjhunu and others.Ms.Srivas-tava and other activists in their petition charged that Mahendra Bhanawat and others were guilty of glorifying sati under Section 2(B) and Section 7 of the Act. (The Hindu 5/2/06) 15 or 16? Gov t mulls age of consent for girls (8) New Delhi: The government is grappling with a legal contradiction which has led to two different age limits being set for what constitutes "consent" in the case of a minor girl having sex without it being considered rape. Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code states that sexual intercourse with a girl below 16 years amounts to rape. In such cases, the girl's consent is inconsequential and the man would be liable for prosecution. The twist comes in the form of an exception made to this IPC section which stipulates that sexual intercourse by a man with his wife, who is above 15 years of age, will not be construed as rape. In effect, the rape law would not apply to a married 15-year-old girl even though she is below the legal age of consent. This conundrum has existed for decades. Now, a Group of Ministers headed by HRD minister Arjun Singh has begun to probe the question — which of the IPC-prescribed age bars should be retained so as to remove ambiguity. It is also studying whether the marital clause needs to be revisited. The need has arisen in view of the Prevention of Child Marriage Bill, 2004, pending in Parliament which seeks to improve upon the existing Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929. The recommendation was made by the standing committee on law and justice, which scrutinised the pending legislation. The stated aim is to bring it in conformity with the new proposed Bill. (Times of India 7/2/06) Dow ry-in-a-day lands groom in dour state (8) New Delhi : Demand for dowry barely 24 hours before his marriage landed a 25-year-old groom in Tihar Jail . Rajesh Kumar was arrested in Janakpuri area on Monday.for demanding Rs 40,000 from the bride's family The accused Rajesh is a resident of Mansarovar Garden and is the owner of a placement agency. His marriage was arranged with the daughter of a government employee in Janakpuri. The marriage was scheduled for 7th of February."On Monday the accused called up the residence of the bride and demanded for Rs 40,000," said a senior police officer. The father of the bride Ram Ayodhya was caught unawares by such a demand from Rajesh merely 24 hours before the marriage. The family members even tried to reason with Rajesh about the dowry demand. But he refused to budge. The family decided to call off the marriage of their daughter with Rajesh. such a greedy person. Jitendra, bride's brother then decided to teach him a lesson, called up the local police and informed them about the incident. On Monday afternoon they called up Rajesh at their Janakpuri residence and said that they were ready to pay

the amount demanded by him. "Prior to the marriage was fixed Rajesh never demanded anything. The bride's family were unable to decide what step to take as the marriage was scheduled the next day itself," added the officer. The accused was arrested when he arrived at their residence to receive the money. The cops arrested him and a case was registered at the Janakpuri police station. "It was a very tough decision on the part of the family as the future of their daughter was involved, to save her from further problems in future they took this bold step," added the officer. (Pioneer 8/2/06) Principal, teachers suspended in girl's assault case (8) CHANDIGARH: The Haryana Government has suspended the Principal and eight teachers of the Government Senior Secondary School, Durjanpur, in Jind district following reports of alleged sexual exploitation of a girl student by them. Also, five lecturers and a master of the school have been transferred to Gurgaon and Mewat districts, the Deputy Commissioner of Jind, M. P. Bansal, said on Thursday evening. In a statement here, he said the district administration and the police swung into action on getting the information about the alleged sexual exploitation of a student and police parties have been sent to different places to arrest the absconding teachers. He said the residents of Durjanpur village were feeling hurt over the manner in which some TV channels had telecast the news about the unfortunate incident. He asserted that the issue had been exaggerated by some TV channels and a newspaper. He also denied that there had been an adverse effect on the attendance of girl students in schools of adjoining villages. He categorically denied reports that 17 girl students of the school had allegedly been raped by teachers. The figure of victims had been exaggerated to give colour to the story, he alleged. Mr. Bansal added that the residents of the village, members of the village panchayat and prominent citizens of the area were satisfied over the manner in which the police and the district administration acted after getting the information about the incident. He hoped that the accused would soon be arrested. Those who have been su spended in the case included Chhotu Lal, Principal of school, Hazuridas Bhatia-Demonstrator Physical Education (DPE), Khazan Singh, Science Master, Ram Kumar Punia, Mathematics lecturer, Krishan Chander and Krishan Kumar, both Social Studies masters, Tek Chand, Hindi teacher, Ajit Singh, Drawing teacher and Rameshwar. Those who have been transferred included Ram Kumar, Social Studies master, Jagdish Chander, lecturer in Economics, Surjya Dev, lecturer in Sanskrit, Jai Pal, lecturer in History, Balbir Singh, lecturer in English and Mrs. Jangjit Rani. The entire staff of the school have been replaced by appointing new teachers. (The Hindu 10/2/06) AMU girl narrates tale of w oe (8) NEW DELHI: It may be over a week since she was allegedly harassed by two students for wearing Western clothes, but the ordeal is far from over for Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) student Farah. With the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) extending support to her, Farah addressed a press conference for the first time on the JNU campus here on Thursday. Accusing the Administration of restraining her from taking necessary action, the post-graduate journalism student said the AMU Students' Union had been insisting on her giving up her demand for a gender sensitisation committee and warned her of "dire consequences" in case she continued with her campaign. She said she was abused and harassed in the campus area on February 2, when while walking to her department two boys on a black Pulsar snatched her shawl and passed lewd remarks. "I usually wear jeans and T-shirt to my classes and over the last one year a number of people had told me I should wear a dupatta, as it was unacceptable on the campus. I did not pay much attention to these remarks then, but on February 2 when these boys snatched my shawl they said `how come you are wearing a dupatta today?''' she said. But AMU officials say the allegations are nothing but an effort to malign the name of the University on the pretext of eve teasing. "When the matter was brought to the notice of the Vice-Chancellor, he immediately directed the Proctor to enquire into it and report the matter to the police. An FIR was lodged instantly. Since the culprits were not identified by the victim, immediate disciplinary action could not be taken. However, the ViceChancellor issued an appeal to all the students exhorting them to cooperate in curbing this evil," the AMU said in a statement issued on Thursday. But what made things worse for the student was her decision to mobilise students to demand appointment of a gender sensitisation committee against sexual harassment on the campus. The students alleges that when she took up her case with the University administration and asked for setting up of an active body, she was asked to focus on her own case. The University reportedly has a complaint mechanism, but one that students are still largely unaware of. (The Hindu 10/2/06)

Anti-Greenpeace rally greets French envoy (9) Gandhinagar:: France ready to take back ship's toxic waste ---- French Ambassador Dominique Gerard visited the Alang ship recycling yard and promised to take back all the toxic material from the decommissioned aircraft carrier Le Clemenceau, which is slated to berth here for breaking even as intensive protests against Greenpeace continued on Wednesday. Slogan-shouting Shiv Sainiks and villagers burnt an effigy of Greenpeace and chanted, "Greenpeace go back." They slammed the peaceniks for playing into the hands of vested interests in a conspiracy to destroy Alang. "Why don't they enforce cleaning at the ship owners level, why push the ship-breaking yards to ruin instead. Obviously it is a question of funding," said a spokesman of the Shiv Sena pointing out that they were waiting to give the peaceniks a reception of a lifetime if they entered Alang. The French Ambassador visited plot number 79 of the Sreeram group at the ship-breaking yard where Clemenceau is slated to berth for breaking if permitted by the authorities. He was shown a demonstration of the hazardous waste handling capabilities of handlers trained in France. He also visited the training centre for workers and interacted with the students. Thereafter he saw the hazardous waste disposal facility for himself before leaving for Bhavnagar. Talking to mediapersons in Bhavnagar, Ambassador Gerard said that his government was "committed" to taking back all the toxic material that came out of its decommissioned aircraft carrier le Clemenceau if the Indian Government or the Supreme Court so desired. "The French Government is prepared to take back to France whatever toxic material comes out after the operation (ship-breaking) was over whatever the quantity though I am convinced that Alang has hazardous waste disposal facilities of international standards," he added. (Pioneer 9/2/06) AMU girl narrates tale of w oe (8) NEW DELHI: It may be over a week since she was allegedly harassed by two students for wearing Western clothes, but the ordeal is far from over for Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) student Farah. With the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) extending support to her, Farah addressed a press conference for the first time on the JNU campus here on Thursday. Accusing the Administration of restraining her from taking necessary action, the post-graduate journalism student said the AMU Students' Union had been insisting on her giving up her demand for a gender sensitisation committee and warned her of "dire consequences" in case she continued with her campaign. She said she was abused and harassed in the campus area on February 2, when while walking to her department two boys on a black Pulsar snatched her shawl and passed lewd remarks. "I usually wear jeans and T-shirt to my classes and over the last one year a number of people had told me I should wear a dupatta, as it was unacceptable on the campus. I did not pay much attention to these remarks then, but on February 2 when these boys snatched my shawl they said `how come you are wearing a dupatta today?''' she said. But AMU officials say the allegations are nothing but an effort to malign the name of the University on the pretext of eve teasing. "When the matter was brought to the notice of the Vice-Chancellor, he immediately directed the Proctor to enquire into it and report the matter to the police. An FIR was lodged instantly. Since the culprits were not identified by the victim, immediate disciplinary action could not be taken. However, the ViceChancellor issued an appeal to all the students exhorting them to cooperate in curbing this evil," the AMU said in a statement issued on Thursday. But what made things worse for the student was her decision to mobilise students to demand appointment of a gender sensitisation committee against sexual harassment on the campus. The students alleges that when she took up her case with the University administration and asked for setting up of an active body, she was asked to focus on her own case. The University reportedly has a complaint mechanism, but one that students are still largely unaware of. (The Hindu 11/2/06) Another teacher accused of assault on schoolgirl (8) Sirsa (Haryana): Close on the heels of reports of sexual harassment of some girl students in a school in Jind district, a teacher was accused of raping a 13-year-old physically challenged schoolgirl over a long period, leading to her pregnancy, in Sirsa district of Haryana. Mr. Subhash, posted as a Sanskrit teacher at the Government Middle School in Sadewala village of the district, was accused of raping the girl, studying in the same school, for months together, officials said here on Friday. The teacher has been placed under suspension and transferred to Chaharwala village after Ram Kumar, the Block Education Officer, visited the school on Thursday and made an on-the-spot inquiry, the officials said. However, the victim's kin have not yet reported the matter to police, the villagers said. They demanded a high-level inquiry and proper punishment to the teacher. Hariram, the village head, said that for the last few months the activities of the teacher were found to be ``dubious'' and that a memorandum was submitted to the

Education Department but no action was taken against him. The victim's condition deteriorated after the accused teacher had allegedly given her some medicine to clandestinely abort the foetus. When her kin took her to a hospital, she was found pregnant, officials said. (The Hindu 11/2/06) 30,000 to attend first-ever w omen's meet of Jamat (8) Hyderabad: THIRTY THOUSAND Muslim women have started gathering in Hyderabad for the first State conference of women organised by Jamat-e-Islami Hind on the theme of creating awakening and awareness among the women about their rights in Islam. The first conference of its type will be held in "Wadi-e-Huda" in the outskirts of Hyderabad where a temporary tent city and a huge pandal has been put by Jamat's volunteers to provide accommodation and food facilities for the delegates from all over the State. The conference with the theme of “O Muslim women wake up” will be formally inaugurated by Prof Abdul Haque Ansari, chief of Jamat-e-Islami Hind. Nasera Khanam, chief of the State women's wing of Jamat told the media that the conference will be organised by several prominent women, including State Education Minister N Rajya Lakshmi, Dr Zeenat Kausar, Prof, International Islamic University, Malaysia, Teesta Seetalvad, social activist, Uzma Nahed, member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board. Ms Khanam said that the conference was aimed at creating awareness among the Muslim women against the invasion of the western culture endangering the Islamic social and cultural ethos, and against the social evils like the problem of dowry. "There is a misconception among the Muslims that the women do not enjoy in rights in Islam and she has been confined behind the veils. We are trying to remove these misunderstandings. Purdah is not a restriction but it is a protection against the invasion of our privacy," she said while replying to a question. (Pioneer 11.2.06) Women’s forum to discuss sexual assault (8) Mumbai, Feb. 10: Ms Meeta Ullal, 22, scans newspapers everyday for a job. She once worked as a executive in a call centre but quit the job as she couldn’t bear to hear the lewd comments passed by her team leader. He even cornered her once, after-working hours. All this got so unbearable that finally she put in her papers. She says that though the office has a sexual harassment cell, there are certain grey areas in the policies. For example, they only look into the cases of sexual harassment occurring on the office premises or in the company’s transportation. Ms Leena Uttamchand, 23, had a horrible experience to narrate. She was so obsessed by her weight problem that one day she decided to visit a clinic in South Mumbai. The doctor whom her family knew for years turned out to be a demon. "This doctor, who is wellknown in our locality asked me very personal questions. At first, I thought that since he is an elderly person he wouldn’t dare to misbehave with me. On the second day when I visited him, he said that he wanted to conduct a full body check up. Terrified and nervous, I excused myself saying that I wanted to make a call and just rushed back home. I did not share this horrific experience with my family." Ms Sarika Bhagnani, 28, who works in an IT firm got married last year in a very conservative family. "I work in the night shift. At the time of getting married, my parents had discussed with my in-laws about my work timings. They had said then that they did not have any problems with my work profile. But for the past six months, my in-laws, including my husband are making my life hell. I told them, that I don’t mind leaving the job but they want me to earn and financially support the family too. (Asian Age 11/2/06) God's ow n country fighting losing battle (8) Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala seems to be losing grip on its distinction of being the only state with a favourable sex-ratio. Feelers of a back-slide are being felt with the disturbing trends emerging in school enrolments and a changing demographic profile. According to the 2001 census, there are 1058 females per 1,000 males in Kerala, as compared to the national average of 933 females per 1000 males. However, girls' enrolment in schools in the past few years are showing a steady decline, reveals the State Economic Review of 2005-06. For long the state has zealously kept its honourable record of gender parity in school education. Of the over 48 lakh students that enrol each year, more than 49% were girls. Recent figures show that number of girls at lower primary level decreased from 9.15 lakh in 2002-03 to 9.05 lakhs in 2003-04. It further came down to 9 lakh in the following session. The cumulative effect of this trend, if not reversed, would make a marked difference in a decade and the state might lose its top slot as the most female-savy state, the Review apprehended. But this not where the state's problems end. A recent study of the Achutha Menon Centre for Health Studies tossed up another disturbing statistic, boldening the su spicion of a change in the state's demographic profile. The study revealed that an estimated 25,000 annual female infanticide were taking place in Kerala. Infant Mortality (IMR) in Kerala has, for 40 years, been favourable to females. Kerala still holds the trophy for lowest overall IMR in India — 11 per 1000, as

against 60 all-India. But the registrar general data revealed that while IMR for female has been 12 per 1000, the same for male has been 8. Dr S Irudaya Rajan, demographic expert of Centre for Development Studies, said while there was no alarming swing in population structure immediately in Kerala, the blowing wind shows where the future leads. The technological facilities easily available may have prompted couples to go for choosing sex, and consequently to the male-preference mood, he said. "Kerala has a sizeable population that migrated to other states," observed K N Joseph, a social analyst. "They seem to have picked up the national trend of male-preference from others,'' he remarked. (Times of India 11/2/06) Girl throw n in burning pit to please gods (8) Mumbai: In a shocking incident, a 22-year-old girl was thrown into a burning pit to 'a ppease the gods', at Tembi Pada in Virar, 62 km from Mumbai. Worse, the girl, Jyotsna Tandel, was not given any medical assistance from the time of the incident around 10 pm on Friday till 6 am on Saturday. At present, she is in KEM Hospital, Parel, with 64% burns that she suffered after being 'o ffered for sacrifice' in a pit. On Saturday, she was rescued from the house where she was held captive by so-called faith-healers and rushed to Sanjeevani Hospital in Virar (W). The Virar police have since arrested two members of a family — Vijay Mangela (22) and Anita Mehar (21) — in this connection. On a visit to the village which is a settlement of fish ermen, TOI learnt that Jyol sna and 20 other youngster were suffering from chickei pox. The Mehar famil; claimed to have the 'powei to cure the condition. The 1,500-odd villagers, o: the Mehar family's belies1 had stopped eating non-veg* tarian meals ever since th chicken pox outbreak 15 day ago. Over the fortnight, chi dren struck by chicken pox were sent to the Mehar home. "We were told the family was carrying out prayers, but they would lock away our children and not allow grown-ups to enter their house," said a villager. On Friday, the Mehar family announced that it had organised a havan to 'appease the angry gods' — this followed door-to-door lectures by the public health department on how all that chicken pox needed was medical treatment. A six-feet-deep pit was dug within the dilapidated Mehar home for the havan . "They sent for Jyotsna and her sister, Ashwini, for the prayers," recalled a relative of Jyotsna, waiting outside KEM Hospital's burns ward for news about his cousin. (Times of India 12/2/06) NCW seeks report from AMU (8) NEW DELHI: Taking suo motu notice of alleged molestation of a student of the Aligarh Muslim University by two students on the campus, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has sought a report from the Vice-Chancellor of the university. NCW chairperson Girija Vyas has a sked the Vice-Chancellor to give a comprehensive report on the incident and furnish details on whether the university had in place a complaints committee to look into cases of sexual harassment as required under the Visakha guidelines prescribed by the Supreme Court. The AMU student was reportedly harassed and threatened by her fellow students for dressing up in jeans and T-shirt. The victim had moved the National Human Rights Commission on the issue. (The Hindu 15/2/06) Registration of marriages must: Court (8) New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered compulsory registration of marriages irrespective of religion. It directed the Centre and all the States and Union Territories to amend the rules to this effect within three months. A Bench consisting of Justices Arijit Pasayat and S. H. Kapadia issued the direction on a petition filed by Seema, a divorcee, seeking directions for making the registration compulsory. It asked the Union Government to give publicity to this order and said the public could give their objections within a month. The new rules should be notified after taking into consideration their objections. The Centre and the States should incorporate appropriate provisions for the consequences of nonregistrations and false declaration during the registration of marriage. The Bench said one way of curbing the practice was to make it mandatory for all to register their marriage under which one was obliged to give one's age at the time of the wedding. The rules should specifically contain a provision for appointment of an officer for this purpose. The judges agreed with the views of the National Commission for Women that compulsory registration would be of critical importance to prevention of child marriages and marriages without the consent of parties; checking illegal bigamy/polygamy; ensuring the minimum age of marriage; and enabling married women to claim their right to live in the matrimonial houses. The Bench said a Central law would enable women to claim their inheritance rights and other benefits and privileges which they were entitled to after the death of their husbands; deter men from deserting women after marriage, and parents and guardians from selling daughters/young girls to any person including a foreigner under the garb of marriage. (The Hindu 15/2/06)

Raman faces flak ov er w itch hunting (8) Raipur : Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh's attempt to curb incidents of atrocities against women in the name of practicing tonahi (witchcraft), is yet to make a tangible impact in Chhattisgarh. This was evident from the fact that in Rajnandgaon district, which is part of the Chief Ministers' s constituency, witnessed maximum number of witchcraft cases last year even as 10 women were killed for allegedly practicing this all over the State. Last year, the State Assembly passed an Act to prevent atrocity against women for allegedly practicing witchcraft. The issue echoed in the ongoing Assembly Session on Thursday. The nominated legislator Roseleen Bekemen raised the issue during the question hour asking about the number of witchcraft cases registered in 2005 and also wanted to know whether there was an increase in such cases compared to last year. Minister of State Lata Ushendi informed the House that 10 women were killed and 22 cases were registered in 2005. Six cases were registered in Rajnandgaon, while three women were killed in Sarguja. However, she pointed out that since there was no Act so no case was registered in 2004. Replying to the question on efforts being made to prevent tonahi cases, the Minister said that though no committee was constituted for this purpose, yet people were being educated about this through campaigns. BSP MLA Kamada Jolhe pointed out that the maximum number of cases were registered in Chief Minister's district Rajnandgaon. And therefore, she further added, the issue should be taken very seriously. She demanded formation of social committees on village level to curb such incidents (Pioneer 17/2/06) Married w oman immolates self on lover's pyre (8) Begusarai : A mother of two allegedly immolated herself on the funeral pyre of her young unmarried lover in Baipura village of Begusarai district, shocking her family members and neighbours. Savita Devi (25) jumped on to the funeral pyre of her lover and neighbour Subash Yadav (20) on Monday, police said here on Thursday. Family members of Yadav said Savita, whose husband is employed in New Delhi, could not bear the trauma of the death of her lover. Yadav had died of snakebite Monday. "We were shocked. It took us over 15 minutes to decide to pull her out, but she was burnt by then and succumbed to injuries when we rushed her to a private clinic," said a villager who had witnessed the incident, but declined to be named. Begusarai Superintendent of Police (SP) Amrit Raj said the police would lodge a complaint in the incident."Preliminary evidence shows that she was not forced to take the extreme step but police will investigate the aspect," he said. There are two theories doing the rounds about the death of Yadav. While some villagers said that he had consumed poison after being humiliated, tortured and warned of social boycott by the villagers if he did not end his illicit relationship, some maintain he had died of snakebite."Not only were Yadav's family members against the relationship, her family was also dead against it. To escape the pressure, both ended their lives to unite in death," said Mahesh Yadav, a distant relative of Yadav.Most of the villagers reluctantly admitted to the relationship. "They were deeply in love for the last two to three years," Kalavati Devi, a village woman said. (Pioneer 17/2/06) Gov t to keep stricter eye on NRI marriages (8) New Delhi: Fast dissolution of NRI marriages and rapid increase of distress calls has prompted the ministry of overseas Indian affairs (MOIA) to announce a slew of measures to keep a check on the welfare of Indian women married to expatriates. The measures include setting up of a gender cell and a gender advisory group to sensitise and advise the ministry and overseas centres abroad to provide social and legal counselling for women. The measures were announced by OIA minister Vyalar Ravi, after a seminar held on Saturday. The seminar was attended by representatives from Society of International Law, Department of Women and Child Development, National Human Rights Commission and National Commission for Women. Speaking on the occasion, Ravi said, "The ministry fully recognises the urgent need to build safeguards to protect unsuspecting brides, and their parents seeking marriage alliances with overseas Indians." Describing the national consultation as the first step in this direction, Ravi said his ministry was see king active partnership with states and non-government organisations to launch a series of measures to address this "very real" problem of failed or fraudulent marriages. Besides publishing a guidance booklet for the parents and prospective brides, the ministry also proposes to launch centres abroad in locations that have a significant Indian population. To start with there can be centres in the US, Gulf, Europe, Africa and in South-East Asia. These Centres will extend legal, medical and social counselling to those who face the problem of fake, fraudulent or failed marriages, and will also operate helplines to respond to women facing difficulties in their marriages. The ministry will also constitute a cell to build gender sensitivity in policy matters and establish a gender advisory group comprising

representatives of all stakeholders to advise the ministry from time to time on gender issues of the diaspora. (Times of India 19/2/06) UP w oman given talaq on phone (8) Lucknow, Feb. 18: They took her thumb impression on a blank paper, used it to write her "talaqnama" on it, and then informed her that her husband had sent her "talaq" through her uncle-in-law. Ms Razia, with her three-year-old son Asif, is now in a dilemma as her husband Riyaz, who has just returned from Saudi Arabia, is preparing to remarry on February 26. "I really do not know what to do with my life. When I was informed by my uncle-in-law that my husband had conveyed his decision to divorce me, I telephoned Riyaz and he assured me that he had no such intention. When our son was born in November 2002, my husband even sent clothes for him from Saudi Arabia. Now that he has returned to India, he even refuses to accept that Asif is his son," she said. Razia, a resident of Bakshi-Ka-Talab in Lucknow, was married to Riyaz, a resident of Gopalpur village in Barabanki district in May 2000. Riyaz and his family were facing severe financial constraints when the marriage took place. A few months later, he found a job in Saudi Arabia and left his young wife in the care of his family. Riyaz returned to India a year later and stayed for six months. During this time, Razia became pregnant. After Riyaz went back to Saudi Arabia, his family members, particularly his uncle, began beating up Razia on the slightest pretext. Razia’s father heard of his daughter’s plight and wanted to take her back to his house for the delivery. "My in-laws said that they would let me go only if my father amd I signed on a blank paper. I had been tortured so badly that I gave in to their demand and we signed the papers and left for my father’s home. A day later, my uncle-in-law telephoned and informed us that Riyaz has given me talaq on the phone. He said Riyaz had informed him of this decision," recalled Razia. (Asian Age 19/2/06) DCW calls national meet on domestic violence (8) New Delhi: TO PROTECT women and prevent their physical, verbal, psychological, emotional, sexual and financial abuse, the Government constituted Domestic Violence Act in 2005. However, the irony is that it has still not been implemented. Now to bring about its enforcement women from 21 states have joined hands. These 21 women belong to various organisations, involved in curbing domestic violence. They are scheduled to meet today and tomorrow. The two-day conference would be addressed by Minister for Women and Child Development Ms Renuka Choudhary. Apart from her, Minister of State for Finance Mr Pawan Bansal and Chairperson of Delhi Commission for Women Ms Kiran Walia will also address the conference. A delegation has also been invited to make a presentation before Member of the Planning Commission Ms Sayeeda Hameed. In the conference the testimonies of victims of violence and their struggle to get justice will also be presented. Participants will draw up a roadmap to get the Act implemented. The participants are also asking for specific resource commitments in the forthcoming budget to monitor the process of implementation at the state level. Under the Act, married women and their relatives will also be offered protection. So far a signature campaign of two and half lakh women has been conducted over the past three years. The conference has been organised by Activists of Action India and the National Centre for Advocacy studies. (Pioneer 20/2/06) Police round table on pariv artan (8) New Delhi : The Delhi Police held a round table conference on Parivartan-a campaign for safety on Monday at the India International Centre to review its performance. The conference was attended by senior officers from UN agencies, the British Council, professors from universities, prominent scholars. Addressing the gathering Commissioner of Police KK Paul said, "Violence against women is a complex phenomenon and it is the joint responsibility of the civil society, the police, the academia, the media and the RWAs to combat it." Deploying woman beat constables has led to reduction in rapes by 20 per cent. It has also resulted in reduction of other forms of violence against women by 30 per cent. Professor Anand Kumar of JNU said, "Policemen should consider violence against women their personal responsibility, instead of waiting for the orders from senior officers." Parivartan has been launched by the Delhi Police to reduce crime against women. "We have designed the programme taking the vision of 2011," said Sagar Preet Hooda, Deputy Commissioner of Police, North West district. (Pioneer 22/2/06) Widow stripped, paraded in v illage (8) Lucknow, Feb. 21: A young widow was stripped and paraded in a village in Uttar Pradesh by two youths to avenge the humiliation that they had suffered at the hands of her brother. According to reports reaching here, this incident took place last week in Janki Nagar village in Bahraich district and came to light only

when the victim, accompanied by her mother, reached the Bhinga police station on Sunday to register complaint against the offenders. Police sources said that the victim, Chabban’s brother Nankane had eloped with a girl a few days ago. The girl’s brother Nadir and Munawwar could not bear the insult even though the couple was caught and brought back home and the village panchayat had resolved the matter. On February 18, Nadir and Munawwar saw Chabban, a 30-year-old widow, and caught her. The brothers tied her hands with a dupatta and striped her naked. Chabban was then paraded through the village even as the local people looked on stunned. Nadir and Munawwar dragged Chabban to their house and locked her up in a room for two days till the villagers persuaded the brothers to set the young woman free. Soon after her release from captivity on Sunday, Chabban went to the Bhinga police station with her mother and narrated the incident. A case has been registered against Nadir, Munawwar and three others. who are now absconding form the village. (Asian Age 22/2/06) Woman, 30, killed by husband (8) New Delhi, Feb. 22: In a recap of the Gol Market murder case, a 30-year-old woman was found dead in her Najafgarh residence. The police confirmed that Anita was strangulated by her husband, Gyan Chand, who has been arrested along with his father, Brij Chand. A FIR of has been registered at the Najafgarh police station. After sustained interrogation, the accused, Gyan has confessed that he suspected his wife of having an extramarital affair with a nephew, Bittu. Gyan had reportedly told the police that he used to indulge in fights with his wife over his suspicion of an illicit relationship. He also told them that it was very hard for him to live with the fact that his wife has an extramarital affair. However, Gyan has also confessed to the police, that it was only on doubts that he decided to kill Anita. (Asian Age 24/2/06) Campaign to reduce crime against w omen (8) NEW DELHI: This is one place where children in the Capital are most unsafe -- inside their own homes. With the incidences of child sexual abuse on the increase, workshops conducted by Swanchetan Society for Mental Health in 23 schools across the Capital confirmed the worst fears of experts -- that not only are children aware of the concerns that were raised by them, but, worse, parents are sometimes unwilling to confront these uncomfortable questions. We had left mobile phones with children in case they needed to get in touch with us and we got 543 phone calls in a three-month period. It was all very well talking about breaking the walls of silence, but the problem was that most parents were not really prepared to face the uncomfortable stuff,'' says Swanchetan director Rajat Mitra. These workshops were part of Delhi Police's Parivartan, a programme aimed at partnering with the community to reduce crime against women. While most of the schools visited were mainly Government schools, the problem is not limited to a particular section of society or strata. With parents unable to talk about setting limits about adult proprietary for their children, it is difficult for children to come out into the open. "I recently got a call from a young girl who asked me whether it was okay for her mathematics tutor to touch her when she solved a question correctly. When I told her to talk to her mother, she was told that she should continue till her examinations and then she could leave the tutor. When I talked to the mother and explained to her in detail, she first wanted to know if I was not exaggerating the problem,'' said Dr. Mitra. (The Hindu 24/2/06) Husband held for ‘dow ry death’ (8) New Delhi, Feb. 24: A day after a 24-year-old woman was found hanging in her Shahdara residence, the police confirmed the arrest of the deceased’s husband, Vikesh Jain, and his cousin, Bobby. The police said that Nandini had committed suicide after failing to fulfil the dowry demands of her husband and inlaws. It is alleged that Nandini was asked by her husband Vikesh to provide him with a car and Rs 50,000 in cash as dowry. She had killed herself after her husband repeatedly asked her to fulfil the dowry demands. The police also said that initially Nandini’s in-laws refused to comment. "It was only after su stained interrogation that Vikesh confessed that his wife was a sked to get a car and a cash of Rs 50, 000 as dowry," said an investigating officer. The police said that Nandini’s parents have revealed that she was scared for the past few months and also feared that her in-laws might try to kill her, if their dowry demands were not fulfilled. The police detained Vikesh’s parents, Rakesh and Sakshi Jain for questioning. However, the police only said that it is questioning Vikesh’s parents and it is too early to connect them to their daughter-in-law’s suicide. According to a case registered at the Shahdara police station, on Thursday, Nandini locked herself in her room while her husband was away and later hanged herself. The police said that it received a call from Nandini’s brother, Anurag, who informed them about the incident. Immediately, a team of police officers was despatched to the spot and Vikesh and his cousin Bobby were detained for questioning. Later after the confessions of the accused, a case was registered at the police

station. (Asian Age 25/2/06) Forum: Scrap marriage law (8) Guwahati, Feb. 25: Mizo women are up in arms over the outdated Mizo Christian marriage law that allows men to walk out of marriages at will and the existing customary law reduces them to a cheap purchasable commodity with the bride price being Rs 420. Disclosing this to this newspaper on Saturday, Mizo Women Federation president B. Sangkhumi said: "We have drafted three bills proposing implementation of the Indian Christain Marriage Act, amendment to the Mizo Divorce Bill and a new bill to accord right to inheritance and succession to the Mizo women." Admitting that Mizo women are also suffering from the growing menaces of domestic violence, Ms Sangkhumi said: "We want that the bill enacted by the Indian parliament giving safeguard to women in case of domestic violence should be adopted by the Mizoram government." These decisions were taken at a workshop of Mizo Women Federation which was attended by the representatives various women organisations of the state at Aizwal. Ms Sangkhumi asserted: "It is time now that we have the Mizo Christian Marriage Act or the Indian Christian Marriage Act in Mizoram." (Asian Age 26/2/06) Worried Sikhs want end to foeticide (8) Fategarh Sahib, Feb. 26: Sikhs attending the World Sikh Heritage, or Virasat, Conference in Punab’s Fatehgarh Sahib township on Sunday unanimously called for end to the "evil practice of female foeticide" which has prevented the birth of thousands of girl children and dangerously skewed sex ratios in Punjab. The state has not only reported the lowest adult male-female sex ratio in India (2001 Census), but even lower child sex ratio has been documented in certain districts, including Fatehgarh. Significantly, among the 19 resolutions adopted at the mammoth gathering of Sikhs on Sunday, the urgent call for an end to the age-old practice of killing girls before birth read: "We are most concerned that the evil practice of female foeticide has become common amongst many Sikhs despite that the Sikh faith forbids all baptised Sikhs from maintaining any contact with a kudimaar (girl child killer). Every Sikh must shun such evil practices," said resolution number eleven. Sponsored by the Damdami Taksal, a Sikh seminary once headed by the separatist leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, the conference was addressed by scores of Punjab-based religious leaders from the self-styled Sant Samaj and included many hardline Sikh politicians closely aligned to Bhindranwale’s separatist ideology. Notably, the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, which claims to be the only representative body responsible for Sikh religious affairs, not only went completely unrepresented at the event but its leaders also came in for sharp criticism for buckling under political pressure from former Punjab chief minister Prakash Singh Badal and the mainstream Shiromani Akali Dal. (Asian Age 27/2/06) Sex ratio: DU study w ith new answ ers to old questions (8) New Delhi, February 26: A survey in two rural and semi-rural areas in the Capital by the Women's’ Studies and Development Centre (WSDC) of Delhi University has challenged some perceptions of women’s issues in areas with adverse sex ratios. The preliminary results of the survey, which was presented at the recently held national workshop on ‘‘Attitudinal Difference Towards the Girl Child in India’’, showed almost 80 percent of the respondents aged between 13 to 18 years, felt the birth of a girl child was welcome. And, 77 per cent felt there wasn’t any appreciable difference between the rearing of boys and that of girls. However, on the prevailing ‘‘stereotypes’’, almost 95 per cent said excellence in household work was still a prerequisite for their families. A large number also reported the persistence of notions like the sex of the unborn child being dependent upon destiny. ‘‘One of the aims of this survey was to find out the differential between the urban and semi-rural settings vis-a-vis attitudes towards the girl child,’’ said Dr Nilima Srivastava, who coordinated the workshop. Dr Malashri Lal, Head, WSDC, say s: ‘‘It’s disturbing that the number of girls is decreasing despite an increase in the overall sex ratio.’’ The survey was carried out on agricultural and office workers, comprising a sample of 1,200 respondents of individual units of three family members each (father, mother and child) in the North-east and South-west districts. The areas covered from the North-east district, which has the highest sex ratio of the Capital, included Yamuna Vihar, Welcome Colony, Bhajanpura, Gamri extension, Tukhmirpur, Sabhapur, Mandoli and Wazirabad. Areas from the South-west district included RK Puram, Vasant Kunj, Palam, Satya Niketan, Dhanasa village, Nalothi, Ranaula and Nangloi. (Indian Exppress 27/2/06) NCW offers a draft on marriage registration (8) New Delhi, Feb. 26: Following the Supreme Court directive for making registration of marriage

compulsory, the National Commission for Women has forwarded to the Centre a draft bill for the purpose that would apply to all Indian citizens irrespective of religion. The draft bill for Compulsory Registration of Marriages Act, 2005, sent to the ministry for women and child development recently, proposes mandatory registration of all marriages irrespective of religion or caste of either party within 30 days of the wedding. The proposed law, which if enacted, would be a Central legislation that would include marriages performed as per law or custom, practice or any tradition as well as remarriages. The parties to a marriage shall prepare and sign a memorandum of marriage, to be presented to the local area registrar of marriages. The certificate issued to them shall be conclusive proof of their marriage, and be received by any court, government of public authority. The Central government, it states, shall appoint a registrar general of marriages, India, while at the state level, a chief registrar of marriages shall be appointed. The registration set-up would include district registrar, marriages, as also registrar, marriages, the latter empowered to register a marriage contracted or solemnised within the local area under his or her jurisdiction. A bench comprising Justice Arijit Pasayat and Justice S.H. Kapadia on February 14 had asked the government to give wide publicity to the order and granted one month for public objections on the issue. The court made it clear that the new rules should incorporate the provisions for the consequences of non-registration and false declaration during the registration of marriage. (Asian Age 27/2/06) Woman alleges torture by in-laws (8) Bhubaneswar: This is a tale of torture — of a woman by her in-laws, including her handsome actor husband. The victim, Chandrakanti, was subjected to physical assault — the in-laws would tie her to a pillar in the night, shut her mouth up with straws forced into it and then beat her up with a piece of cane, regularly asking to bring more money from her father, reports our correspondent. If she would object, the father-in-law threatened to rape her in the presence of others. This fact came to light after the Bhubaneswar police, acting on an FIR filed by Chandrakanti, arrested the accused in-laws on Thursday and forwarded them to court. In the FIR, Chandrakanti has alleged that ever since her marriage to Srikant Nayak of Bhubaneswar in 1998, she was savagely treated by her in-laws. (Asian Age 27/2/06) I am a woman too, then why this difference?’(8) New Delhi, March 5: Half-a-million unborn girl-children are aborted every year in India, states the research work of Delhi Commission for Women. To fight the menace of female foeticide, Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit unveiled the "Ladli campaign",a few days before the International Women’s Day. The Ladli campaign is a collaboration of a Mumbai based NGO, Population First and the DCW. Ms Dikshit on the occasion said, "I am a woman and I am the chief minister and I think women are equally competent and productive and can even support their parents in old age. Then why this preferential difference?" She added that the practice of aborting female foetus is not only a blot on civilised society but also a crime. Ms Dikshit pointed out that the trend has become so alarming that according to the 2001 consensus, there were only 814 women against 1,000 men in Delhi alone. Ms Dikshit said that it is shameful that foeticide is even observed in the educated and urban segments of the society as compared to the illiterate segments. The DCW officials have said that the campaign will work in cracking down the whip on ultrasound clinics and diagnostic centres conducting gender-based programmes. The DCW officials added that they have already started mobilising various NGOs in dissenting information to women about the evils of female foeticide and its long-term repercussions on the societal imbalance. "We are also contacting the medical authorities to discuss how we can put in place a system for routine, reliable and long-term measurement of births and deaths," said chairperson of DCW Kiran Walia.Prof. Walia said that while both foetal sex determination and medical termination of pregnancy based on the gender of the foetus have been banned for over a decade, the failure to check the growing decline in the sex ratio demands newer and more effective strategies. Prof. Walia said the DCW will work with youth, local communities, media and health service providers in implementing the Ladli campaign. She pointed out that a pilot campaign is already underway with the Jamia Millia Islamia, which aims at training several people at various schools and colleges, who will then help educate and build a group to help restore the rights of women. (Asianage 6.03.06) NCW seeks report on campus harassment (8) New Delhi: Perturbed by the recent alleged molestation of a girl student in Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), the National Commission for Women (NCW) has sought reports from all universities on whether they have set up committees to deal with complaints of sexual harassment as per the Supreme Court guidelines. "We have asked for a report from the AMU Vice Chancellor on the incident. Besides, we have

sought reports from all universities on whether they have a complaint committee, as per the Visakha guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court to deal with cases of sexual harassment at workplace," NCW chairperson Girija Vyas said. She said the commission has also asked the universities to set up such a committee, if not already constituted. The Supreme Court in its judgement in 1997 in the case of Visakha and others versus State of Rajasthan and others had prescribed that all organisations should set up complaint committees headed by a woman, comprising at least 50 per cent women members and having a representation from an outside agency, mainly a social organisation. (The pioneer 6.03.06) Women, a source of inspiration: Kalam (8) March 8.2006: President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam has said women had an important role to play in the mission to transform the country into a developed nation by 2020. In a message on the eve of International Women's Day, Mr. Kalam said women were a source of inspiration for the family, society and ultimately the nation. When a woman was empowered with value-based education, an empowered society was assured. Chairperson of the National Commission for Women Girija Vyas asked the people to "rededicate" themselves to the cause of improving the quality of life of women. "When women thrive, the entire society benefits, and the succeeding generations get a better start in life," she said in a statement. It was the endeavour of the Commission to reach out to each and every woman to empower her to enjoy her constitutional and legal rights. The modern Indian woman was aware of her rights and had made great strides in every sphere. (The Hindu 8.3.2006) Women activists voice out neglected issues (8) New Delhi: Women’s voices are coming out of the closet to commemorate the International Women’s Day on March 8. The centuries-old struggle of women that can be dated back to the time when Lysistrata initiated a sexual strike against men in order to end war in ancient Greece; has become a struggle for "rights, liberty and equality" for women in the 21st century. Growing concerns of female foeticide, neglect of the vast rural population of women and increasing incidents of violence continue to prove a blotch on the empowerment of women. Women activists and NGOs fear that the "essence" of the day should not be missed in growing euphoria for the occasion. "Today the day is celebrated by the private sector, financial sector, not just women and government bodies. The RBI bank, for example, is marking the occasion with a discussion on the workplace relationship between men and women," said Ranjana Kumari, director of the Centre for Social Research. The agenda however remains unfinished, she added. "Larger issues like employment for rural women, implementation of the Domestic Violence Act and women’s representation in decision making bodies are still being pushed under the carpet," said Ms Kumari. Raising an alarm on the fast declining female population, Dr Puneet Bedi, gynaecologist and activist against female foeticide said, "While the world is celebrating Women’s Day, the very existence of women is at risk in India. Female foeticide is an organised crime that is taking genocide proportions. The chances of extermination of a girl child are one in five in India and China." Demanding that the male population be sensitised to issues like gender equality, activists stre ssed an urgent need to involve more men and boys. "We need to begin from the base," said Babu Matthew, country director of Action Aid. "One of the most important weaknesse s is the failure to reach out the poorest sections of society, who constitute the majority of the country’s population. Their issues hardly get reflected." (Asian Age 7.3.06) Sex workers to organize meeting in New Delhi (8) March 8, 2006: On International Women’s Day, the capital city will witness a unique coming together of over 4000 women, transgenders, sex workers and other sexual minorities representing collectives from states across the country such as West Bengal, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Organised by the National Network of Sex Workers, the event intends to draw attention to the problems faced by this community as well as highlight the innovative work done by the collectives. "We are here not only to draw attention to problems faced by sex workers, transgenders and sexual minorities but to highlight the innovative work being done by us to prevent HIV-AIDS," declared representatives of National Network of Sex Workers. Ms Mala Singh, member of Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee, Kolkata said, "We are doing far more effective HIV prevention among the community than even so called leading organisations." (Asianage 8.3.06) ‘Curb female foeticide for prosperous nation’ (8) March 8, 2006: On this Women’s Day, the joint commissioner, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, Ms Pragya

Richa Srivastav, had written a poem in which she addresses her daughter and all the daughters of the nation, to stand against all odds and be winners. The poetess and an IPS officer, Pragaya believes that the time is changing and women are getting empowered every other day. For this proud mother of two daughters, female foeticide is the most disturbing evil that pervades in the contemporary society. "Till the time we curb female foeticide, we cannot claim ourselves to be proud citizens of a prosperous nation. Birth of a girl child too has to be celebrated the way we celebrate the birth of the male child," she say s. She is hopeful of a society where women would not be meted out with inequality and injustice. "People have undergone attitudinal changes in regards of independence of women. I am hopeful India will become a country where every woman would be able to claim her existence proudly," she said. Parvati, a maidservant, does not even know what Women’s Day is all about. She has never heard of women’s issues. For her meaning of life confines to making both ends meet for her family. "I do not know what Women’s Day are you talking about," is all she has to say. For her, women emancipation is a not even a dream. "My life has always been like that. Right from my childhood, I have been struggling to make my both ends meet. In old age, if my son does not shelter me then I fear I will have to take to begging," she fears. She got her elder daughter married at a "right age". "I got married my elder daughter at 17. Next year I will get my younger daughter married too. Both have studied till fifth standard and can read and write letter which is enough. The son is the youngest. "I wish he can get a job of a peon," she said. Bearing the share of struggles of life more than her husband does cause a pain to her. "Husband is happy after a drink or two. When ration finishes off, its not his headache. Even at this age too, he sometimes beats me. There is no way out for me till death takes me into its fold," she said. (Asianage 8.3.06) Woman molested at Delhi Secretariat (8) March 8, 2006: A young woman was allegedly molested by a supervisor of "safai karamcharis" at the Delhi Secretariat in Players' Building where she had gone to seek work on Monday. The accused has been arrested. According to the police, the incident took place in the General Administration Department on the third floor of the premises in the afternoon when the 25-year-old woman from Ghaziabad met the supervisor, Ranbir Singh Negi. According to her, she was molested, following which she went to the police and lodged a complaint. Acting on the complaint, the police immediately registered a case and arrested Ranbir. Further probe is under way. Meanwhile, the Government has appointed a one-member inquiry panel headed by Arvind Kale, an official of the Home Department, to look into the issue and submit a report. The incident rocked the Delhi Assembly on Tuesday with opposition BJP members accusing the Congress Government of trying to hush up the case. (The Hindu 8.3.2006) Indian women more focused on careers (8) March 9, 2006: Indian women are more career-focused than their peers in Europe and the United States, according to a study conducted by the Shell Group, even as the oil and gas major said it is launching a "global female attraction recruitment drive as part of its commitment to increasing the numbers of women in the workforce." The launch of the new recruitment drive coincided with International Women’s Day, which was celebrated on Wednesday. The Shell Group recently surveyed 12,000 students and young professionals in 12 markets around the globe, including India, to gain a better understanding of the factors that candidates consider important when making decisions about their prospective careers. The study found that although there are many similarities in what male and female candidates look for in a potential employer, there are still many significant differences. According to the research, while in the United States 51 per cent women are more interested in a balance between personal life and career, and less interested in developing new products as compared to men, at 41 per cent in India the differences between men and women are small. "When it comes to choosing the industry, the female respondents said that they prefer working in the automotive industry (25 per cent) as compared to consumer electronics (two per cent), consumer goods (six per cent), hotels, restaurants and tourism (five per cent), IT/telecommunications (18 per cent), management consulting (six per cent) and oil/energy/petroleum (four per cent). Men are more interested in working in IT/telecommunications (25 per cent) and banking industries (22 per cent)," the Shell Group said in a statement. When it comes to remuneration, the study shows that women consider a potential employer’s ability to provide childcare (26 per cent), extra paid vacation/personal days (27 per cent) and performance-related bonus (21 per cent) as important factors influencing their decision-making process, whereas male respondents were more likely to consider performance-related bonuses (37 per cent), company cars (30 per cent) and profit-sharing (34 per cent) to be important factors. "When it comes to quality, women find flexible work hours (32 per cent), good career references (37 per cent) and varied assignments and responsibility (33 per cent) as the most attractive factors, whereas men find broad

opportunities (31 per cent) and an inspiring and innovative environment (26 per cent) as the most attractive factors. David Pappie, global attraction and recruitment manager, Shell, said: "Shell has made significant progress in recruiting, developing and progressing women in its business. However, our study shows us that there is more to do. The launch of our global recruitment drive on International Women’s Day is symbolic of our wish to continue to promote gender equality throughout our business." (Asianage 9.3.06) Women take to streets against rapes by militants (8) March 09, 2006: Over 1000 women from various ethnic minorities marked International Women’s Day here today by staging a massive rally to call attention to the plight of the 21 Hmar tribal girls who were allegedly raped by United National Liberation Front (UNLF) militants in three villages of Manipur’s Churachandpur district, in January. A general strike ensured that Churachandpur town shut all its commercial doors as a mark of solidarity. Openly lambasting the UNLF, in what locals say is a first for the state, the rally was held even as Manipur’s most powerful militant outfit issued a media statement denying the rape charges. According to Hmar Women’s Association president J L Sawmi, the spate of rapes saw 21 girls being raped on the night of January 16. Fourteen girls were raped in Lungthulien village, five in Parbung and one in Tuolbung. Sawmi added that one other victim didn’t want to reveal her village’s name. Two girls from Lungthulien village, Lavis and Kwpuithar—who attended the rally and claim to have been present in the village when the rapes occured— said the militants were armed, spoke in Manipuri and identified themselves as UNLF cadres. “They herded all of us into the street. The men were made to lie face down and were beaten up. They then picked out the women of their choice, took them to secluded spots or inside houses, and raped them. We were too scared to come out of our houses, but we could hear the victims screaming for help. They even raped the village pastor’s daughters; the younger one only 13,” said Lavis. “We don’t know why the UNLF turned against us. Whenever they would come to our village, we would cook for them, make their beds, give them all hospitality we could. But now all we ask i s that they leave us alone,” added Kwpuithar. While the dust kicked up over the past few days swirls strong, the fact remains that none of the victims have recorded their statements with the police, nor have they undergone medical tests to ascertain rape. Sawmi said the social norms of the Hmars prevented them from coming forward. In their media statement refuting the rape charges, UNLF has said the charges along with the exodus of Hmar villagers from the region were engineered by Indian intelligence.(The Hindu 9.3.06) Man sw aps w ife to settle debt (8) March 9, 2006: As the world celebrated the 96th International Women’s Day on Wednesday to mark the emancipation and empowerment of women, a man in southeast Nepal paid off his $15 debt by handing over his wife to his debtor. Sitaram Pariyar, a resident of Rupnagar village in Saptari district close to the Indian border, hit the headlines in the local media on Wednesday with the tale of trading in his wife, Bishnu Maya, to settle a debt of Nepali Rs 1,000. Pariyar had reportedly taken the money from a resident of Kanchanpur village, Chhedilal Yadav, promising to find a bride for Yadav, a two-time widower. However, when he could neither find a match nor return the money, an angry Yadav started pressing Pariyar to return the sum. A desperate Pariyar then hit upon the idea of paying off the debt by handing over his first wife as he had married a second time. The Kathmandu Post daily reported that both Yadav and Bishnu Maya were happy at the trade. The woman said she had been leading a "miserable life" since Pariyar married a second time, as she was abused by the new wife as well as Pariyar. Though polygamy is illegal, it still flourishes in Nepal with public figures, including ministers, indulging in it. Though over 50 per cent of the kingdom’s population comprises women, they are still treated as inferior citizens. Families prefer boys to girls and spend more money on the education of sons. The law too is discriminatory and prevents women from inheriting parental property if they are married. Domestic violence is also a way of life. (IANS) (Asianage 9.3.06) Our fight is not against men (8) March 9, 2006: Do Indian women need a day marked out specifically for them? * The International Women's Day is celebrated all over the world. Though the concept originated in the West, it is relevant for women everywhere. It's a day to initiate a change in our lives. It's a day to mark solidarity among women from all over the world through demonstrations, talks and seminars. Not all women can attend talks and seminars...* The day is observed in various ways throughout the world. In India, some groups organise talks, others protest and yet others celebrate through gatherings and plays.

In villages, NGOs working in this field, often do not mention the international flavour of the day, but spread awareness of the concept. Most of the issues highlighted on this day are against men...* Standing against men is unrealistic. The day is for fighting the evils of our patriarchal society that still deprives females of basic human rights. Rapes, female infanticide and other atrocities are rampant. How does one day of fighting help? * The day just highlights these issues a little more. We fight these evils everyday but this special day draws more attention to crime against women. (The Pioneer 9.3.06) Rural w omen to fund their welfare (8) March 9, 2006: Rural women of Andhra Pradesh's We st Godvari district, who made history by collecting Rs 60,000 by contributing 50 paise each last year to save the life of a helpless woman, have now decided to create a permanent welfare fund to help women of their ilk. The West Godavari district federation of women's self-help groups (SHGs), with 4 lakh members in 40,500 groups has decided that each member will contribute Rs 1 per month to create a social security fund. This way the SHGs will save Rs 48 lakh a year and utilise the fund to help the women members and their families in case of health and other emergencies. The SHGs in this district hit the headlines in December last, when they collected Rs 60,000 by contributing 50 paise each to help 36-year-old Basavani Hymavathi in Vemuladeevi village to undergo a complicated cardiac operation. Basavani has, now, fully recovered after the surgery. This success story spurred the district collector Luv Agarwal to suggest that these groups find a permanent solution to their problems by having their own system of insurance as well as organised entrepreneurial and business network The setting up of social security fund is being seen as a first step in this direction. Ms Raghupati, who heads the Federation of such groups in the district said that the fund will go a long way in meeting the immediate needs of the members. The fund will provide Rs 10,000 to a woman member or spouse for a major medical treatment and another Rs 3,000 to travel to a big city to go to a super specialty hospital. In a case of death of a member, also the fund will provide an immediate assistance of Rs 10,000 to the bereaved family. Significantly the women have also chosen a major social cause for the fund. In a move to protect the girl child and discourage female foeticide and infanticide, the fund will provide an assistance of Rs 1,000 to a mother who gives birth to a female child. If a couple decides to go in for sterilisation after having a girl, the fund will give them Rs 2,000. The move to come to the rescue of the girl child by these poor rural women is significant as the falling sex ratio and decline in the female population has become a major reason of social concern in the country. (The Pioneer 9.3.06) Women need support to move: PM's w ife (8) March 13, 2006: What empowers a woman is not the money or career but a freedom to exercise her choice, that's how the women achievers feel. Economic independence is important but if a woman cannot spend her money the way she wants to, how relevant this independence is? "Earning money minus the freedom to spend it is not empowerment. How about maids who come and work at our homes. They earn but are they free to spend what they earn. We certainly can't call them empowered," asserts Shabana Azmi. She finds a grave supporter in actress-politician Smriti Irani who believes that to be empowered it is not essential to be working. "Its not just a choice about spending money but about choosing a way of life. How a woman wants to live her life, what she wants to do. No matter if it is about buying a Saree or choosing a career." "Women empowerment is not merely a buzzword but the true index of country's development. It is as important an issue as national GDP," says Azmi who feels women are "different" and it is this difference that needs to be celebrated. The women achievers, participating at a discussion on "women's empowerment" here, agree that its illiteracy that is responsible for the plight of women, but it is not the only cause. "If education reinforces gender divide, how long can it help," quips Azmi. "Women need recognition, support, motivation and opportunities to move forward as much as they need education," is how Gursharan Kaur, wife of Prime Minister, puts it. Had lack of education been the only cause, we would not have seen female foeticide practiced at alarming rates in the upper middle class families of South Mumbai. I guess, those people are not illiterates. Many educated women still face violence, in one or the other form, at their home." According to Azmi, "its the mindset that makes all the difference. We need to change our thinking." Talking on the same line, Sapna Gupta, who started an AirHostess academy with three students in 1997 and now has 25 branches all over India, says that denying girl child a chance to learn and grow is the biggest injustice against women. "Kiran Majumdar Shaw was denied a loan by a bank just because no one at that time knew about biotechnology and they can't believe a woman to do good in a lesser-known area. (The Indian Express 13.3.06) Women lobby for bill against harassment in office (8)

March 13, 2006: If the Bill on sexual harassment at workplace is passed by the Parliament, as the Centre had promised, it will be a watershed in the history of women’s rights not only in this country but world over. Planning Commission member Sayeeda Hameed said, "Women across the world feel that if this bill is passed, it will bring remarkable change in the working condition for the women. They feel that India has taken a revolutionary step by moving such bill for enactment of law in the Parliament." "What is also important that maximum number of people should have information regarding it," Ms Hameed of the Planning Commission added. Various studies and surveys have shown that the absence of proper law, lack of seriousness, political and managerial interference, stigmatisation and pressure on victims to withdraw complaints, the creation of an even more hostile environment for complainants, threats to end employment of the women and the filing of counter-charges of defamation by the accused, have left the victims of sexual harassment at the receiving end. Clearly, the Supreme Court guidelines laid down in 1997 to deal with sexual harassment at workplace has failed to deliver any result. National Commission for Women along with a Kolkata-based NGO, Sunhita, had carried out a survey and found that there is "very poor" compliance of the Supreme Court order. (The Asianage 13.3.06) Working w omen feel the need for safeguards (8) March 14, 2006: The brutal murder of two Delhi high court lady lawyers, late on Saturday evening has left working women and elderly people feel extremely vulnerable in the city. Women lawyers feel that there is an urgent need to bring safeguards for the vast number of women living alone in the capital. "Thousands of women live alone, with single parents or in hostels. This incident shows that women doing any kind of jobs are unsafe," said Shobhna, a lawyer in the Delhi high court. The incident has also triggered panic amongst the elderly people living alone. "I live alone. Now I feel I should shift with my son as Delhi is becoming very unsafe," said 75-year-old Suraiya, who resides in Defence Colony. The absence of the deceased Swarna and daughter Anuratha Mahajan, was conspicuous in high court on Monday, as lawyers were still reeling under shock. "Anuratha was very relaxed on Friday, her last visit to the court," said Kamlesh Mahajan, another lawyer in high court, ruling out the possibility of any threat faced by the Mahajan family. Exposing the darker side of the profession, he added, "Sexual abuse and exploitation is rampant in courts. For the first time we have four women judges. Thus, we are planning to set-up a forum for problems faced by women in court." Meanwhile, to condole the deaths, women lawyers of court have decided to hold a prayer ceremony. (The Asianage 14.3.2006) Orissa top cop’s son charged w ith rape of German w oman (8) March 22, 2006: The Alwar police today stopped a Delhi-bound train after they received an SMS from Berlin and arrested the son of a Orissa DGP-level officer, charging him with the rape of a German woman who had accompanied him on a visit to the Rajasthan town. Alwar SP Rajesh Ari said 22-year-old B H Mohanty, an MBA student in Delhi, had been taken into custody for the alleged rape of a 25-year-old from Berlin. He said the incident took place last night in a Alwar hotel where the victim, working with an NGO in South Delhi, had checked in with Mohanty. “He (Mohanty) is the son of a Director General rank officer posted in Bhubaneswar,” Ari said. Mohanty reached Alwar with the woman yesterday on a sight-seeing trip and checked into separate rooms in Ankur hotel, said police. “Around midnight, he knocked on her door in an inebriated condition. That’s when the crime was committed,” police said. Ari said that Mohanty also snatched the woman’s mobile phone but returned it in the morning. The woman sent an SMS to a friend in Delhi who alerted the German Embassy which contacted the victim’s family in Berlin. “I received an SMS from her family which had her telephone number. I called her but she was on a train to Delhi with Mohanty,” Ari said. Police then stopped the train at Khertal railway station and brought both to Alwar. (The Indian Express 22.3.06) Top court to Centre: Amend law for div orce (8) March 23, 2006: The Supreme Court has recommended to the government to "seriously consider" bringing an amendment in the Hindu Marriage law to make "irretrievable breakdown" of marriage as a ground for divorce. Expressing concern that divorce could not be granted in number of cases where marriages were virtually dead due to the absence of the provision of "irretrievable breakdown" under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, the court strongly advocated incorporating this concept in the law in view of the change of circumstances. "Ultimately, it is for the legislature whether to include irretrievable breakdown of marriage as a ground of divorce or not but in our considered opinion the legislature must consider it as a ground for divorce under the act," a bench comprising Justice B.N. Agrawal, Justice A.K. Mathur and Justice Dalveer Bhanari said. The bench referred to matrimonial laws of various countries and reports,

including the one by eminent international jurist Salmond, who maintained that "divorce should be seen as a solution and escape route of a difficult situation". "We have been principally impressed by the consideration that once the marriage has broken down beyond repair, it would be unrealistic for the law not to take notice of that fact, and it would be harmful to society and injurious to the interests of the parties. "Where there has been a long period of continuous separation, it may fairly be surmised that the matrimonial bond is beyond repair. The marriage becomes a fiction, though supported by a legal tie. By refusing to sever the tie the law in such cases do not serve the sanctity of marriage, on the contrary, it shows scant regard for the feelings and emotions of the parties," the bench said. (The Asianage 23.3.06) A visual history of w omen's movement (8) March 23, 2006: This is the rather "sticky" story of women in the past 35 years. Posters pasted with gum on walls might not be the stuff that history is made of, but these brightly coloured and often carefully drawn posters are. Representing a visual history of women's movement in India, Zubaan, a publishing house, is giving people a room full of posters of what women want. Titled "Poster Women'', this is really the first time that such an exhibition has ever been mounted. Being ephemeral, the posters are usually the first to be trashed even though they are very integral to the battles that women have fought against."It was a mammoth task to put together. We had to network with 200 groups from all across the country, so the sheer magnitude of the task wa s huge,' says Jaya Bhattarcharji, an editor with Zubaan. From hand-made posters using newspapers to the sophisticated glossy printed posters that are in vogue now, "Poster Women'' span 35 years of history of women. A collection of the visual expression of the milestones in the women's movement, the exhibition has managed to preserve passion activists felt on paper. "Posters are an integral part of the movement. They make excellent resource material and are a visual history of the women's movement. The earlier posters were drawn on chart-paper and sometimes even newspapers as you had to use whatever you got access to,'' adds Jaya. Starting from the turbulent and idealistic 1970s, the exhibition literally guides the viewer through the changing gender world. The decade that was marked with the desire to change India saw the birth of many feminist organisations. There is a lot of written material to document the period, but not very many posters survive. Having gone on a paper trail, Zubaan has tried to piece together the campaigns through the years on posters and pamphlets. There is a change not only in the style of the resource material, language, but also the demands. While there are age-old battles left to win like violence against women, there are newer problems that need to find solutions. The exhibition opens at Lalit Kala Akademi here this Friday evening and will be on up to April 5. (The Hindu 23.3.06) Rape accused flaunted contacts, asked victim to ‘keep mouth shut’ (8) March 23, 2006: Rajasthan Police are firming up evidence against B H Mohanty, the son of an Orissa DG-level officer, as investigations now show that the 22-year-old MBA student, charged with raping a German woman, flaunted his ‘connections’ and threatened her to ‘‘keep her mouth shut’’. Meanwhile, the woman, a research scholar at Berlin University, returned to Delhi today. ‘‘The chargesheet will take another two-three days as we want to make sure the case is strong given the profile of the accused. The investigations show that he had terrified the woman saying no harm would come to him and he could get away with the crime,’’ Alwar Superintendent of Police Rajesh Arya said. He said Mohanty also seemed to have planned the crime as he had insisted on taking a single room while checking into the hotel but the woman did not agree. Mohanty later forced himself into her room. The victim, who has been in Delhi for a month now to carry out research on the Ozone layer depletion, told the police that Mohanty tried to escape from the train, which they boarded for Delhi after she told him that she had informed her friends and the German Embassy of the rape. ‘‘When my men stopped the train after I got a fax from Germany with the victim’s telephone number, she told us that Mohanty was hiding in another coach. He tried to flee, but we nabbed him,’’ the SP said. Ankur Hotel receptionist Rakesh Sharma is a key witness for the police. ‘‘Both had checked in around 10 pm on Monday. The boy insisted on a single room, but the woman ruled otherwise so we allotted them different rooms — 205 and 207. In the morning, when the woman came to check out, she appeared terrified. I asked her what was wrong, but she did not reply and just paid the money and walked out. The boy soon ran after her,’’ Sharma told the police. Another person, travel operator Kishore Saini, who was standing outside the hotel that morning, told the police that Mohanty rushed to hold the woman by her arm and then kept shouting at her for 10 minutes. Then they hired a rickshaw to leave for the station. Besides the woman, police have also made Rakesh Sharma and Saini depose before a magistrate and give a statement to firm up their case. Police said the case would be tried by a fast-track court in Alwar on the lines of a similar court in Jodhpur, which sentenced two persons to life

imprisonment for raping a German tourist last year in a record 16-day trial. Mohanty has since been remanded to 15 days judicial custody in Alwar. A qualified computer engineer, he was pursuing MBA from a private south Delhi institute. (The Indian Express 23.3.06) Woman of the Year Aw ard given to Rajshree Pathy (8) March 24, 2006: Enjoy the highs and survive the lows, women entrepreneurs told MAKING A MARK: Rajshree Pathy (left) receiving the award from Zubeida Asgar Ali Dhala, chairperson, FICCI Ladies Organisation, in Chennai on Thursday. — Photo: Vino John CHENNAI: "Life is a roller coaster ride— enjoy the highs and survive the lows." This has been the mantra followed by every outstanding personality, especially successful women entrepreneurs, says Rajshree Pathy, Chairperson and Managing Director, Rajshree Group of Companies, who has won "The Woman of the Year Award" of the FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO). In a presentation after receiving the award for 2005-2006 here on Thursday, Ms. Pathy said globalisation had thrown open the gates of opportunities for women to make their mark in different sectors. Narrating her experience of climbing the ladder of success against many odds, she said: "A crisis became my opportunity in life to move ahead and fulfil my destiny." She advised the women entrepreneurs to nurture a dream if they wanted it come true. "The balance sheet does not provide for gender performance. Ultimately what matters is that you play the game and come out winning. If men are from Mars, women are from Venus. We are running the race in the same way in the same arena." Ms. Pathy also gave some useful tips to the women entrepreneurs for success: "Focus on building core competency within the organisation; identify key motivating factors and pursue them; set realistic goals and revise them periodically; improve values in the organisation; reinvent yourself constantly; benchmark yourself with the best in your business." FLO chairperson Zubeida Asgar Ali Dhala presented the award to Ms. Pathy. The citation, read out by Nirmal Mirza, said Ms. Pathy had engineered the growth of the RGC with sheer grit and dedication and consolidated the group's progress in various fields. (The Hindu 24.3.06) Woman's heroic act sends thief behind bars (8) March 24, 2006: A scene straight out of the Hindi movies was witnessed on Thursday evening. A thief involved in petty crimes stole a gold chain of woman and tried to flee. But people nearby caught hold of him and he got arrested. But what is generally lacking in Hindi flicks was done up here. The presence of mind of a woman. It put a free-moving chain snatcher, who was quite active in the capital for some years, behind bars. The incident took place at 5 pm on Thursday when the 44-year-old Padmavati was going back from her Tamil Nadu Emporium office in Connaught Place. Padmavati always used to cross the subway in order to take the bus to her home. The subway connects her office-Tamil Nadu Emporium and Hanuman Mandir. On Thursday too she followed the same route but an unfortunate incident was waiting for her. While crossing the subway, a chain snatcher stole her gold chain and tried to flee away. The woman then screamed aloud. All the people present there rushed in and caught hold the thieve. Padmavati too didn't stand as mute spectator. She immediately pushed the alarm button installed in the subway. Upon hearing the alarm, police officials reached at the spot of the incident and nabbed the culprit. They then took him to Connaught Place Police station. The boy arrested has been identified as Anjal Kumar. He is 22-years-old and according to police officials, he is involved in such crimes for the past few years. Police appreciated the courage displayed by Padmavati and also thanked the people for their co-operation. Lately, the New Delhi District police have arrested various criminals involved in crimes ranging from stealing mobiles to snatching chains to pick pocketing. The investigation carried out by the police revealed that out of the many such thieves arrested, mostly hailed from Bangladesh and is quite active in the Capital. (The Pioneer 24.3.06) Uttering `talaq' in sleep lands couple in soup (8) A Muslim couple in Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal have been ordered by local religious leaders to separate as the husband allegedly uttered `talaq' three times in his sleep. While the couple, who have three children, refused to obey the order as there was no discord between them, the community leaders are adamant that they must separate or face a "social boycott." Aftab Ansari and Sohela have been married for the past 11 years. However, on the night of December 20 last, Aftab allegedly uttered `talaq' three times in his sleep after a tiff with his wife. The matter came to light when Sohela discussed it with her close friends and soon it reached the ears of the Muslim leaders. — PTI (The Hindu 27.3.06) First j ail term in female foeticide law (8)

March 29, 2006: Twelve years after the law was enacted to check female foeticide and 4000 cases later, the first conviction with a prison terms took place today under the Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act. A doctor and his assistant were sentenced to two years in prison and a Rs 5000-fine in Palwal, Haryana. Punjab has seen one conviction to date — Dr Neelam Kohli of Ropar district was fined Rs 1,000 by the Kharar court in July, 2003. This case followed the typical route: it was filed in 2001 when Dr Anil Sabsani was caught red-handed by members of the Appropriate Authority set up under the Act in every state. The four-member authority had a decoy customer and made audio and video recordings of the doctor’s interaction with the customer in which he identified the sex of the foetus as female and assured the patient that “it would be taken care of.” As is the trend, all private witnesses turned hostile but the recordings made the difference as the case was heard by a lower court in Palwal. ‘‘When we first received complaints on the phone against the doctor, we sat and strategisied. We made a detailed plan,’’ said R C Agarwal, civil surgeon based in Faridabad and head of Haryana’s Appropriate Authority. He has four others complaints pending in local courts. ‘‘The most important thing is to get an early judgment. When it takes five years for a case to be decided, we get completely demoralised,’’ said Agarwal. ‘‘T he lacunae in the PNDT Act is the implementation rather than the Act itself,’’ said (The Indian Express 29.3.06) Widespread practice of sex selection techniques exposed (8) MUMBAI: Satara-based Varsha Deshpande of the Yuvak Kranti Dal has conducted a series of sting operations on radiologists and doctors practising sex selection techniques. She has shown that ordinary people can effectively use the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act (PCPNDT). Ms. Deshpande argues that the unique strength of the Act is that instead of vesting powers with the police, it has given citizens the right to act. Since 2003, Ms. Deshpande — legal adviser to the Satara District Appropriate Authority — has been conducting sting operations. In June 2003, when she filed her first case against a radiologist in Satara, she had to photocopy the Act and show it to the district judge. Since then, things have changed. Her efforts have led to two cases almost nearing conviction in Kolhapur and Satara. While confusion on who will implement the Act continues, she has shown how it can be used effectively. Using a pregnant woman as a decoy, she raided a clinic in Nagothane, near Mumbai on March 6 and seized the machines used for sonography. "I don't think sex selection is a social evil, it is organised crime against the girl child," Ms. Deshpande remarked. The punishment for doctors convicted for practising sex selection is three-year jail term and a fine of Rs. 10,000 and five years suspension from the State Medical Council. She discovered that this clinic in Nagothane was not even registered. The doctor was popularly known as the acupressure doctor. The local Appropriate Authority, mandated by the Act to be in charge of registration and action, was not aware whether this particular clinic was registered. In one of the raids in February in Dombivli, the decoy was seven months pregnant and the doctor was willing to perform an abortion in case the foetus was a girl. (The Hindu 31/3/06) ‘We had no spycams to catch doctors, it took months planning’ (8) NEW DELHI, MARCH 30: Ever since Tuesday, when a judge in Palwal sentenced a doctor and his assistant to two years in prison and slapped a Rs 5,000 fine—the first conviction with a prison term under the Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act—the phone has not stopped ringing at the Gurgaon home of Dr Baljit Singh Dahiya. Because five years ago, Dahiya, who retired as Haryana Director General of Health in 2005, and a small team began a war against unscrupulous doctors in a state which today has the second lowest sex ratio in the country. He was the first to use in-built provisions in the Act to raid and chargesheet doctors willing to abort female foetus for a hefty fee. “We booked 26 cases of violation of the PNDT Act in one year (2001-2002) and Dr Anil Sabsani (who has been convicted) was one among them,” Dr Dahiya told The Indian Express. He wa s then a civil surgeon and the appropriate authority under the PNDT Act. Of the 26 cases, chargesheets have been filed in 24. “We had no spy-cameras to catch doctors red-handed. It took months of intelligence gathering, planning, raising a committed team before raiding a sex-determination clinic,” he said. Post-retirement, he’s still travelling, motivating others like him to keep up the pressure. “When I heard the decision of the court, my first instinct was to call all members of my team and congratulate them. Some of them are still working with the government and they are doing the follow-up in the courts,” he said. (Indian Express 31/3/06) Wife threatens abused half w ith severe action (8)

Agra : In a rare incident of female-domination, a wife who had reportedly been torturing her husband continually for three years was arrested by the police, went on the offensive again and threatened to take dire action against her doctor-husband if he dared to report the incident to the police. The case of this medico couple in Agra has caught the attention of everyone last week, when Dr Himanshu Kulshreshtha, an anaesthetist, filed an FIR against his eye-surgeon wife, Leena Kulshreshtha, in the Hariparwat police station. The doctor had complained of physical torture both at home and in public, and even at the hospital where he worked, he even allegedly suffered fracture in his arm once besides numerous other injuries. The police have been searching for Dr Leena ever since, who has been absconding after the case was filed against her under Section 323, 325, 499, 504, 506 IPC in Agra. On Wednesday, Dr Leena was finally arrested at her maternal home in Kota and was brought to Agra by the police. However, instead of sending her to jail, they released Dr Leena on a personal bond, despite being charged for a non-bailable offence.Talking to the Pioneer, RK Singh, Inspector-in-charge, Hariparwat police station, upon perusing the details of the case, said that being a reputed surgeon of Agra, there were no chance of her running away again and since it was more of a domestic dispute she was released on bail.After being released, she reportedly once again openly threatened her husband with dire consequences for going against her and reporting the matter to the police. She has reportedly once again left Agra. (Pioneer 31/3/06) Woman quarrels w ith husband, kills daughter, commits suicide (8) Meerut : After a quarrel with her husband, a woman poisoned her daughter and committed suicide. Even as the family tried to hush up the matter, the police learnt about the sordid drama. The woman's father lodged a report against the son-in-law. The police sent both the dead bodies for a post-mortem. According to sources, Seema ,of Ghaziabad, had been married for the last five years to Mahesh Saini of village Badnoli. However, within a few months of their marriage the couple had several disagreements. Seema would refuse to help out with the farmwork. A few years after the marriage, Seema gave birth to a daughter and that didn't go down well with Mahesh. When some time later another daughter was born, the husband turned abusive towards Seema and he started forcing her to help out on the arm. Seema declined to do that. Neighbours confirmed that the couple had several disagreements, but nobody interfered in their affairs. About six months ago, Seema gave birth to a male child and it appeared that he couple had finally made peace. They even attended a puja at a temple out of town and returned on Tuesday. On Wednesday Mahesh asked Seema to fill a bucket of water for him but she refused claiming that she was busy with the children. They started quarrelling over it and Seema threatened that she would commit suicide but Mahesh did not take it seriously went about is business as usual. Seema took out a bottle of pesticide and forced her eldest daughter to drink some. She also had some herself. At this time, Mahesh entered the house and snatched the bottle away from her. (Pioneer 31/3/06) Husband gets life for killing wife (8) New Delhi : A city court has sentenced a person to life imprisonment for killing his barren wife. The accused Lalit has been convicted under Section 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and his accomplice Santosh has been convicted under Section 120 B and 302 (murder) of IPC. The incident occurred in 2002. Lalit married Yashodhra in 1991 and 11 years after the marriage, they failed to have any child. So, Lalit wanted to marry again. To make this possible he conspired to kill his wife. He lured Santosh with Rs one lakh to murder his wife. On September 6, 2002 Santosh stabbed Yashodhra to death in the he kitchen. The police arrested Santosh on the day of the incident. Under interrogation, Santosh admitted to the crime. (Pioneer 31/3/06) Jamad orders w oman’s tonsure (8) Tiruchirappalli, April 1: Taking the law into their own hands, seven members of a Muslim Jamad allegedly tonsured the head of a 55-year-old woman in the presence of the public at a village in Perambalur district recently on suspicion that she allowed her daughter to indulge in adultery. The seven, including a village administrative officer of Vepanthatai Kalathur village, were arrested on Friday evening. Two others, the panchayat president Mohammed Ismail and a Jamad member, are absconding, the police said. The seven office bearers of the Jamad ordered the tonsure on Ms Mumtaz Begum, following a Jamad decision on March 8 last. The police said the woman’s 25-year-old daughter had married one Zahir Hussain and had a two-year-old daughter. As the man suspected his wife’s fidelity, he divorced her. Thereafter, she has been living with her mother. The man filed a complaint with the Jamad early this year, alleging that his wife was indulging in adultery. After an enquiry, the Jamad fined the woman Rs 5,000 for allegedly encouraging her daughter to do so. The woman paid the fine. Meanwhile, the man filed a second

complaint against his mother-in-law, charging her with allowing her daughter (his ex-wife) to indulge in adultery. The police said that the Jamad did not give an opportunity to Ms Mumtaz Begum to explain her stand, asked her to appear before them and ordered tonsuring of her head. But her son lodged a complaint with Perambalur superintendent of police P. Samuthirapandian, who ordered that a case be registered and that they be arrested. Investigation revealed that the man, after divorce, should not have interfered in her affairs, the police said. A section of Muslims have condemned the Jamad’s act and opined that their decision was one sided. (Asian Age 2/4/06) In this Rajasthan village, if you don’t have a sister you w on’t get a bride (8) JHUNJHUNU : APRIL 1: THE dwindling number of girls in the desert belt of Rajasthan has given rise to a new matrimonial trend. Fathers of eligible brides are refusing to marry off their daughters unless a girl from the groom's family simultaneously ties the knot with their bachelor son. The girl-for-a-girl sy stem, known locally as Aata-Saata' or the 'double jodi' plan, has become a common practice in the drought-prone Shekhawati belt that spans three districts—Jhunjhunu, Churu and Sikar. "Around 30 per cent of the marriages in the past one year in villages in Shekhawati were fixed under this swap sy stem," says fourtime Churu MLA and cabinet minister Rajendra Rathore. The sex ratio in these districts is on the decline, touching 922 in the last census. In some of the villages, the situation is worse with the ratio plummeting to less than 500. As a result, hundreds of boys are finding it difficult to get married. Since brides are at a premium, it has pioneered a new order that gives families with girls an edge in the society and the power to dictate terms. For almost five years, Amra Ram of Bhorki village, nearly 30 km from Jhunjhunu, searched for suitable girls for his two sons. He could strike an alliance in the adjoining Dhamora village only after he agreed to marry off his two daughters in return with the brothers of the brides. (Indian Exp 2/4/06) Social activist makes history (8) NEW DELHI: Dr. Baljit Singh Dahiya, social activist and former Director-General of Health Services, Haryana has made history of sorts as his diligence has led to the country's first conviction under the PreNatal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act. He told The Hindu on Saturday that he had finally put to use an Act that can be listed among "the most powerful and underused in the country.'' Speaking from his Gurgaon residence, he said he was thrilled when on last Tuesday a judge in Palwal sentenced a doctor and his assi stant to a two-year prison term and imposed a fine of Rs. 5,000 under the PNDT Act. It was also a grim reminder of the fact that there lay a challenging task ahead to ensure that "the unborn girl is given a fair chance at life in our country''. Dr. Dahiya said the conviction was only the first step in the direction and maintained that the gender imbalance in the country was growing at an alarming rate. Speaking about the cases he is working on now with his core team and the in-built flaws that fail to give the Act its teeth, he said: "We had brought in enough evidence to ensure conviction in this case but we are working on 25 more cases currently. It is a long-drawn and complicated process. The fact of the matter remains that nobody wants to take prevention of sex-determination and aborting unborn female foetuses as top priority. ``Lack of commitment with respect to monitoring and implementing agencies, half-hearted implementation of the Act and lack of accountability are major loopholes that we need to work around.'' A self-confessed non-believer in round-table discussions and seminars, he said there were various reasons for taking up the violation seriously. (The Hindu 2/4/06) Sex workers show the red light to politicians (8) Kolkata : A little more than a year ago, a film on the children of sex workers, "Born Into Brothels," won the Oscar for the Best Documentary Feature. Those mothers are today scripting their own story on "the apathy of the governments that come and go." "Our story is not meant to catch the eye of any film jury. It is to draw the attention of political leaders to our plight. Our gesture is one of defiance; we refuse to be part of this ritualistic electoral exercise," says Gouri Roy, 35, a mother of three and a sex worker from Kolkata's biggest red-light area, Sonagachi. She was sold into the flesh trade 13 years ago. "Whichever party they belong to, they are all the same in their apathy to our demands — whether on the question of our services still not being registered in the occupation schedule of the Ministry of Labour, or the repeal of anti-sex worker legislation or the protection of labour and human rights," Ms. Roy, secretary of the Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee (DMSC), says. The DMSC is an organisation of sex workers set up in July 1995 to combat and prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. "Our agenda has been expanded since then. Along with me, the families of nearly 75,000 sex workers across West Bengal will boycott the Assembly polls to register our protest against the Government's callousness towards our demands. Our parents and

children will be joining us in the boycott," says Ms. Roy. Sex workers will take out processions announcing their boycott in the run up to the five-phase Assembly polls, starting on April 17. "We demand the repeal of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956, which has been amended on at least two occasions. Our protests are directed at the proposed move by the Centre to introduce further amendments to the Act as stated in a draft Bill being framed by the Department of Women and Child Development," says DMSC president Gouri Das. (The Hindu 6/4/06) Enforce law against sex determination tests: NCW (8) NEW DELHI: Disturbed over the declining sex ratio across the country, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has called for more stringent implementation of the Pre-Conception Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 1994. Speaking to reporters on the World Health Day, Commission chairperson Girija Vyas said the NCW had resolved to mount an "offensive" against the misuse of medical and genetic technology for sex selection and elimination of female foetus. Barring Kerala, Sikkim, Tripura and Meghalaya, all other States had shown a decline in the sex ratio between 1991 and 2001. Already, there are reports of sale of girls from the poorer States to those where the sex ratio is extremely low. These girls are bought on the pretext of marriage but abandoned after they bear children. Trafficking in young girls within the States has also increased. The sex ratio in the age group of 0-6 all over the country has come down from 976 in 1961 to 927 to 2001. Of the 591 districts, 16 have a sex ratio of less than 800, in 33 districts it is between 800 and 849, and it is between 850 and 899 in 72 districts. It is between 900-949 in 213 districts, between 950-999 in 245 districts and 1,000-1,049 in only 21 districts. Apart from the misuse of technology for sex determination, the latest trend witnessed is the use of mobile vans for sex determination and medical termination of female foetus. (The Hindu 8/4/06) Three clinics in Okhla, Sangam Vihar sealed (8) New Delhi, April 7: Cracking down on clinics flouting the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act (PNDT) against sex determination of the foetus, the National Inspection and Monitoring Committee, set up to oversee implementation of the PNDT Act in the country, has raided and sealed three clinics in Okhla and Sangam Vihar. in the capital. The registration of the three clinics, viz. Lokpriya Nursing Home, Shadab Imaging and Diagnostic Centre in Okhla and one in Sangam Vihar, has been cancelled. The registration of an ultrasound specialist Dr K.P. Singh, who regularly visited the clinics in question was also cancelled, revealed NCW member Malini Bhattacharya. "Documents have been seized, machines have been sealed, registrations have been withdrawn because the clinics were found to be violating the law," said Ms Bhattacharya. Expressing concern over the declining female sex ratio which is as low as 865 in the capital, Ms Girija Vyas, chairperson, NCW said, "For the last one year, the NCW has been campaigning intensively for the proper implementation of the Act." The raids conducted earlier this month discovered that Lokpriya Nursing Home in Okhla was not registered under the PNDT Act. Shadab Imaging and Diagnostic Centre, also located in Okhla did not have proper records. Ms Bhattacharya said that the third clinic in Sangam Vihar, frequented by Dr Singh, was found to be operating out of a shop premises. "It was a small and shabby place and none of the machines used in the clinic was found to be registered," she said. "We have asked the appropriate authority to set up a committee to monitor implementation of the PNDT Act," she added. (Asian Age 8/4/06) Gender, caste bias still w idespread in North (8) Chandigarh In a workshop on Legal implications of Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act at Chandigarh, NHRC activists presented a strange case of sexual exploitation based on caste and gender. When Dheeraj Kumar, an upper caste boy learnt that his girlfriend, with whom he had a live-in relationship, was pregnant, he asked her to go for sex detection test. He offered to marry her if the child she was carrying was a boy. The girl refused to submit to a test, and is now the mother of a four-monthold baby girl. This unwed mother now wants justice. An emaciated 19 year-old Rekha (name changed on request) of Muktsar wa s first raped by her neighbour Dheeraj Kumar, when she was only 16. She did not dare to inform her parents due to the social stigma. But after two months when Dheeraj raped her again, she told her parents, who in turn went to Dheeraj's mother Darshana Kumari asking for justice. When Darshana and Dheeraj blamed Rekha of misconduct, the girl's family filed a case of rape against Dheeraj Kumar, who was later sentenced by a local court. After Dheeraj had spent about five months in jail, his maternal uncle approached Rekha's uncle and assured them that Dheeraj would marry her if she withdrew the charges against him. As proof of his intentions, his uncle also gave them an affidavit to that effect. In return, Rekha too signed another affidavit, in which she agreed that what ever happened

between her and Dheeraj was with mutual consent. The latter was released from jail in November 2004 on the basis of the affidavit.Based on the promise of marriage, Rekha continued her relationship with Dheeraj for almost a year. When she became pregnant, he promised to marry her after the delivery. After the birth of the girl, Dheeraj's family refused to agree to the marriage pointing out Rekha's Dalit status. (Pioneer 11/4/06) Haryana doctor held for sex test on foetus (8) Chandigarh, April 12: Haryana’s health authorities on Wednesday arrested a woman doctor for allegedly conducting an illegal sex determination test on one of her patients. Officials claimed Dr Vijay Bhargava accepted what they described as a "bribe" of Rs 2,350 from a decoy patient sent in by the health department. According to them, Dr Bhargava accepted the money to carry out a sex determination test on the patient. Officials who raided the premises of the Bhargava Hospital & Nursing Home in the southern Haryana town of Rewari claimed to have recovered marked currency notes that had earlier been handed over to the doctor by the decoy. A similar sting carried out by Haryana’s health authorities earlier had recently led to the first-ever conviction of a doctor under the Prenatal Diagnostic Techniques Act. A court found Dr Anil Sabani and his assi stant Kartar Singh guilty of conducting a sex determination test and offering to conduct an abortion on another decoy patient and sentenced them to two years in jail. Emphasising the Haryana government’s seriousness to curb the illegal practice of sex determination tests and female foeticide, a spokesman of the health department said as many as 865 ultrasound clinics and 66 genetic counselling centres have been registered under the PNDT Act. He said at least investigations are currently underway in another 24 similar cases. (Asian Age 13/4/06) High court lifts Mumbai ban on dance bars (8) Mumbai : The Bombay high court on Wednesday lifted the ban on dance bars in the state and declared void the amendments enacted by the state government to ban them. The ban, the brainchild of state home minister R.R. Patil, which came into effect on August 15, 2005, had resulted in the unemployment of thousands of ladies working as bar dancers. A high court bench comprising Justice F.I. Rebello and Justice R.S. Dalvi had heard the petitions filed by various organisations representing displaced bar dancers and bar owners. The court in its judgment said dance bars and other establishments that had been exempted had the same licenses as a place of public entertainment and performance. The court, however, noted that the two constituted distinct classes since the dances performed in dance bars had distinct traits and characteristics of their own. The court said the object of the ban on dance bars wa s to prevent dances which were obscene, vulgar or immoral and, therefore, derogatory to the dignity of women. However, the court said that if women other than dancers could work in dance bars and that did not amount to exploitation, then it was not clear why, when women danced to earn a living, it was termed exploitation. It therefore declared void the amendments to the legislation which declared dance bars illegal. The legal counsel for one of the petitioners, Association of Hotels and Restaurants (AHAR), Ms Veena Thadani, said, "We had argued that the ban was in violation of the Constitution since it discriminated between organisations. The court has agreed that this violates our right to equality and on that ground the ban has been struck down." The state government had banned dance bars across the state, but had permitted dance performances in hotels classified as three-star or above. The court also noted that it had found that prima facie there appeared to be a case against Mr Vilas Satham and Mr Paresh Patil regarding their demand for money from a dance bar owner. (Asian Age 13/4/06) In 3 weeks, the rape verdict: 7 yrs j ail (8) JAIPUR, APRIL 12: An Alwar fast track court today sentenced BH Mohanty, son of an Orissa IPS officer, to seven years’ jail after he was found guilty of raping a German tourist on March 20. An MBA student from Delhi, Mohanty had been arrested on charges of raping the 26-yr-old woman in a local hotel. He was also fined Rs 10,000 by Additional District Judge R K Maheshwari. Reading out the 33-page judgment, the judge said he had given the minimum possible punishment because of Mohanty’s age and background. His lawyers said they would appeal in the High Court as the incident was consensual. The victim had left for Germany on March 29 after testifying against the accused. The hearing had begun on March 29, barely eight days after the complaint was filed. Over the next few days the court examined 21 witnesse s. The victim’s account of the incident, supported by circumstantial evidence and the testimony of the local police and hotel staff, helped the prosecution secure a conviction within a fortnight. Mohanty, son of a DGP-level officer, was abandoned by his family on the judgment day. Not a single relative was by his side when the sentence was announced. This is the second quick conviction in the state for raping a tourist. In

May, a German tourist was raped by an autorickshaw driver and his colleague in Jodhpur. Both were given life terms within 21 days by a Jodhpur fast track court. (Indian Express 13/4/06) Maharashtra gets bill to ban Devdasi system (8) MUMBAI, APRIL 13: The Maharashtra Assembly today passed the Maharashtra Devdasi Practices (Eradication) Bill prohibiting the age-old Devdasi tradition. Introduced by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshawardan Patil, the Bill is the first legislation against the practice—in which girls are dedicated to Goddesse s—after independence. The Bill has punitive provisions, including imprisonment from to two to three years, with fine from Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000. ‘‘We want to stop rampant exploitation of women through this tradition which has religious sanction,’’ Patil told The Indian Express The state would have a control board under a judge and district-level Devdasi Practices Control Committees headed by the respective chief judicial magistrate of the district. The panels would be formed in 10 districts. These are: Sangli, Kolhapur, Solapur, Sindhudurg, Usmanabad, Nanded, Latur, Mumbai, Pune and Satara. Patil said the government wanted to create fear in the minds of people abetting this practice. ‘‘We have provided for severe punishment....Even if 100 persons are punished, it would send the right signal and curb exploitation of women in the name of religion.’’ He said the government was also contemplating rehabilitation of Devdasis. ‘‘There are about 1 lakh Devdasis in Maharashtra and about 20,000 of them have been surveyed. As many as 6,500 of them get pension of Rs 200 per month with allowances of Rs 300, besides Rs 10,000 towards marriage expenses of their daughters,’’ Patil said, adding, ‘‘We have made a provision of Rs 16.21 lakh in the 2006-07 budget for them’’. (Indian Express 14/4/06) CBI probe into rape of w oman activ ist (8) DEHRA DUN: The Uttaranchal Government on Monday ordered a judicial probe into alleged gang-rape of a woman activist staging a dharna seeking closure of a liquor shop at Gangolihat in Pithoragarh district last week. Announcing this in the Vidhan Sabha, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Indira Hirdeyesh said efforts were also being made to find out why the local police did not register it as a case of atrocity against a Dalit woman. The announcement came after the entire Opposition entered the well of the House shouting slogans for justice to the Dalit woman who had been gang-raped when she was staging a dharna. Several members also wanted to know how the Pithoragarh District Magistrate was saying that she had not been raped while the Chief Minister had sanctioned a compensation of Rs 2.5 lakhs for the victim the very next day after the incident. Markets in Gangolihat had remained closed in protest for four days and angry crowds blocked roads in Pithoragarh and neighbouring towns last week. Several members also wanted a CBI probe into the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl near the Santla Devi temple in Dehra Dun city on Saturday. The child had come to offer prayers at the temple with her family from Saharanpur. Her body was recovered from the bushes near the temple by the police the next day. "The increasing number of rape and murder cases in the State indicate that the law and order enforcing agencies have failed miserably and the Government should immediately revamp the police structure in the interest of the State," BJP members told newspersons later. PTI adds: The Opposition staged a noisy walkout alleging that the crime graph was on the rise. Raising the issue during zero hour, Prakash Pant of the BJP demanded stern action against culprits who raped the Dalit woman. Mr. Pant was supported by other BJP members on the issue, alleging that the local administration was trying to cover up the rape case. Opposition members also demanded a compensation of Rs 10 lakhs for the victim and sought su spension of guilty police personnel in this regard. (The Hindu 118/4/06) Teen molested, set on fire (8) Lucknow, April 18: A 15-year-old girl was first molested by her landlord’s son and then set on fire when she reported the matter to her parents. The victim, Naini Varma, is now battling for life with 70 per cent burns in Kanpur’s Urusla A. Houseman hospital while the police has refused to register a complaint against the accused. Inspector Rajendra Dwiwedi of Babupurwa police station, where the incident took place, insists that it is a case of attempted suicide. "However, we are investigating the matter and if any other facts come to light, we will register a case accordingly," he said. Naini’s father, Ramu Varma, who runs a tea stall and lives in a rented accommodation in Babupurwa locality of Kanpur, told this newspaper that his landlord’s son and nephew, along with another young man, had molested his daughter on Saturday. "They threatened her with dire consequences if she reported the incident to us. However, Naini came to us and related the entire incident. In a fit of rage, I caught hold of the culprits and gave them a dressing down in public. I thought that the social pressure and public ridicule would teach them a lesson, but I was wrong. On Sunday, I heard my daughter screaming and when we rushed to the roof, we saw her

engulfed in flames. We managed to put out the fire and rushed her to the hospital," says Ramu Varma. Naini’s mother, Suman, was with her daughter when she was set ablaze. "We were washing clothes on the roof when the accused came in from behind and caught hold of her. They molested her again, sprinkled kerosene on her and set her on fire. I kept trying to rescue my daughter but they threw me down on the floor and before I could do anything else, my daughter was caught in flames," she sobbed. (Asian Age 19/4/06) Wife #6 teaches husband a lesson (8) Lucknow, April 18: Her determination is apparently bigger than her frail frame and lack of education seems to be no deterrent for her. Sita, a 19-year-old uneducated housewife, on Monday put women activists to shame when she marched alone to the Jahnaganj police station in Azamgarh district and demanded that her husband, Virendra Chauhan, be arrested for being a "habitual polygamist". The police initially took Sita and her complaint lightly but the young woman sat on dharna and refused to budge till her erring husband was hauled up. After a six-hour wait, the police finally acted and Virendra Chauhan, 36, was brought to the police station.The husband, it was found, had six marriages behind him and was preparing for the seventh round at the marriage altar when Sita — his sixth "wife" — put her foot down. Virendra confessed that he had successfully driven five wives out of his life. "I would start beating them and torturing them and they would finally run away. Every marriage brought me money and gifts and I thought that this was an ideal way to save up for my old age because I have no relatives of my own," he said. He revealed that he got Rs 20,000 in cash and expensive gifts in each marriage. Sita was apparently not as weak as his five earlier "wives" and she put up a strong resistance when Virendra tried to shoo her away from his life."I decided to fight back because I did not want to return to my parents and make them suffer. My neighbours had told me about Virendra’s earlier marriages and I decided I would teach him a lesson when he tried the same tricks with me. Six months ago, he began beating me and depriving me of food, but I did not give up. When I came to know that his seventh marriage had been fixed in a neighbouring village, I decided to approach the police," she said. Sita told the police that while she did not wish to put her husband in the lockup by lodging a complaint against him, she wanted him to learn his lesson. Virendra was, therefore, thrashed by the policemen till he fell on his wife’s feet, begged her forgiveness and promised to stay with her for the rest of his life. He said he would mend his ways and remain faithful to her. Sita made the policemen witness to her husband’s pledge and warned that she would return to the police station if he ever misbehaved with her again. She also threatened to bring back his ex-wives and make them testify against him. (Asian Age 19/4/06) Hooda announces bonanza for w omen (8) CHANDIGARH: Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Tuesday announced a bonanza for women for their socio-economic and educational upliftment including enhanced honorarium and financial assistance to the Mahila Mandals for exposure visits and purchase of toys and swings. Addressing the State-level women empowerment function and launching the "Chalo Gaon Ki Aur'' programme at Karnal, Mr.Hooda said that the Government would provide pension of Rs. 300 per month to the eunuchs with immediate effect on the pattern of old age and widow pension. He also announced increase of Rs. 100 per annum in the honorarium of Anganwari workers and helpers from May 1.This decision would be reviewed after five years. Mr. Hooda said that keeping in view the social and economic problems faced by widows, the Government has decided to increase their pension by Rs. 50 per month. Now they would get Rs. 350 per month. He also announced one per cent concession in the rate of interest for women for getting loan from Women Development Corporation and other Corporations in the State for starting their own ventures. And to facilitate members of Mahila Mandals to visit other districts to apprise themselves with the developmental activities, Rs.5,000 would be sanctioned as financial assi stance to each Mahila Mandal. There are 7,000 Mahila Mandals in Haryana. Mr.Hooda said that it had been decided to provide free education to girls belonging to scheduled castes (SC).Toys and swings would be made available in the Anganwari Centres. The dress allowance for the girls belonging to SC would be enhanced from Rs. 150 to Rs. 300 up to Class Fifth and Rs. 200 to Rs. 500 up to Class Twelve. He further said that 11,000 teachers would be recruited in the state and 33 per cent seats would be reserved for women. Also, 25 per cent seats had been reserved for the fairer sex in the ITIs and vocational institutions. (The Hindu 19/4/06) Concern ov er grow ing crime against w omen in Rajasthan (8) JAIPUR: The National Commission for Women has expressed concern over the growdng rate of crimes against women in Rajas-than during the past five years. It is paradoxical that in a State where many laws

enacted at national level to prevent violence against women had their origin should continue to have its womenfolk under duress, NCW Chairperson Girija Vyas said. "Crimes against women are on the rise in Rajasthan be it the cases of dowry deaths, rapes, domestic violence or harassment of women though I am not denying that the number of cases filed also has gone up in the State," Dr. Vyas, who was on a one-day trip to the Capital, told media persons on Friday after a meeting with the Chief Secretary and other senior functionaries of the State Government to discuss child marriages and atrocities on women."The number of rape cases is very high," Dr. Vyas said pointing out that since 2004 on an average the State registered about a thousand cases of rape against an all-India figure of 15680. "Going by the population of the State's its share is very high." Similar was the case of dowry. Against a total number of 6,540 cases at national level in a year Rajasthan had 487 incidents of dowry harassment. "This is a serious situation considering that Rajasthan accounts for only 5.5 per cent of the national population," she said. Referring to the recent rape cases involving foreign tourists in the State, Dr.Vyas said Rajasthan should raise a separate police force for deaUng with this kind of crimes, as the State was more "vulnerable" to this aspect due to the heavy presence of tourists. Noting that the State had some police meant for the tourism sector, she said there was a need to define their role. "Let there be tourism police as we have Railway police," she suggested.NCW, which had requested the States to carry out gender budgeting, is not happy with the performance of individual States. "We have received reports from all the States but NCW is not happy with any on gender budgeting," Dr.Vyas noted. (The Hindu 22/4/06) Court backs Muslim couple (8) New Delhi, April 21: The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Orissa government to provide police protection to a Muslim couple who were forced to separate after local clerics issued a fatwa that they were divorced even though they wanted to live together. The husband of petitioner Nazma Biwi had pronounced triple talaq in an inebriated condition in 2004, but later, realising his mistake, he decided to live with his wife and three children. However, local clerics at Bhadrak issued a fatwa that they were divorced and hence could not live together. Thereafter the couple was forced to live separately by the community. "No one can force them to live separately. This is a secular country. All communities, Hindus or Muslims, should behave in civilised manner," a bench comprising Justice Ruma Pal, Justice C.K. Thakker and Justice Markandey Katju observed. The observation came after the petitioner’s counsel complained that the couple continues to be ostracised by the Muslim community in Bhadrak, Orissa. Orissa government counsel Shibo Shanker Mishra sought two weeks to file a reply to Nazma’s petition and the court obliged. Earlier, Nazma had approached the high court against the fatwa and had sought police protection from the men who were allegedly harassing the couple. (Asian Age 22/4/06) ‘Why aren’t w omen paid for w ork?’ (8) New Delhi, April 23: Much of the success of the Union government’s ambitious National Rural Health Mission depends on the Accredited Social Health Activists (Asha), but experts feel that Asha is doomed to failure as many other schemes in the past which had volunteer workers. Most experts are sceptical of the fact that Asha will be a volunteer who will be paid small amounts for the various jobs she performs like assisting in delivery and administering medicines for common ailments. According to government estimates, an Asha could earn about Rs 1,000 per month from this and government expects that the community might support her. According to the mission document of NRHM, the government is planning to appoint 10 lakh Ashas by the year 2012, with at least one Asha for every 1,000 of population. But women organisations working in health and women issues are not satisfied with Asha being appointed as a volunteer worker who they felt will not have the motivation and also the support system to be able to perform all the various tasks assigned to her. Also women activists felt that to consider work done by a women as volunteer and not to pay her for the job is not a good sign. Objecting to women being appointed as volunteers, Action India’s Gauri Chaudhary said, "Why do women always have to be appointed as a volunteers? Why is their work not taken seriously and why are they not compensated properly for it? We are not sure how much Asha will be able to achieve and what will be her motivation level." Ms Deepa Venkatachalam of Sama, a resource group for women and health, said, "Asha will not be paid but she is expected to do a lot of things. We are not sure how much she will be able to perform considering that health subcentres are far away. How much support she will get from the auxiliary nurse midwife and also from the community to whom she is responsible is also a question." (Asian Age 24/4/06) ‘Sati’ by w oman aged 77 in Bihar (8) Patna, April 23: A 77-year-old woman committed sati on Saturday, jumping into the funeral pyre of her

husband at Imamganj in Bihar’s Gaya district. The charred body of Sita Devi, wife of Sugreev Prasad, who had gone missing since Friday evening, was recovered on Saturday. Villagers claimed that the septuagenarian woman had committed sati and that her body was spotted lying on the ashes of Sugreev’s funeral pyre by some local youths. Sugreev had died on Friday and his body was cremated the same evening. After family members of Sugreev returned from the funeral ghat, they found Sita missing. She could not be traced all through the night, and her body was finally spotted only on Saturday morning. "She was a religious woman. No one had forced her to commit sati. It was her decision," her sons told local reporters on Sunday. The local administration has denied having any information about the incident, saying that no one had turned up to report the matter. Officials of the administration said they were now investigating whether the woman had committed sati of her own free will or whether she had been coerced into doing so. The Speaker of the Bihar Assembly, Mr Uday Narain Choudhary, represents Imamganj constituency in the House. (Asian Age 24/4/06) Soon: Woman-friendly sati law (8) New Delhi, April 24: A NEW law on sati will be easy on the woman who tries to commit the act but tough on family members and others who abet the crime. According to the amended Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act, 1987 — which the government plans to introduce in Parliament in May — a woman who attempts sati will not be charged-sheeted for attempted suicide. According to senior officials of the Ministry of Women and Child Development, the amendment bill is awaiting the Cabinet's approval. "We expect to introduce the bill in the latter half of the session," an official said. The bill was drafted following representations from various women's organisations saying that the present law — which books the woman for attempted suicide and sentences her to a year in prison — only went on to further harass the victim. "The woman is usually forced to burn herself. Even after she is saved, instead of rehabilitating her, she is booked for attempted suicide," an official said. To further balance the law in favour of the woman, the bill proposes to penalise the immediate family members for sati murder and the village for abetting the crime. "This section can act as a deterrent to sati and will force family members, including children, to worry about the legal implications," an official said. The ministry's changes have the approval of the home ministry and the law ministry "The home ministry's approval was required as the act refers to sections of the Indian Penal Code on attempted suicide and related sections," an official said. (Hindustan Times 25/4/06) NCW seeks report from Bihar on `sati' (8) NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Women (NCW) has sought a report from the Bihar Government regarding a 77-year-old woman reportedly committing `sati' in Gaya district last week. The Government has been asked to submit its report within 10 days. NCW chairperson Girija Vyas, who has written to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, said the incident was a complete violation of the Sati Prevention Act. The Commission is in the process of gathering information from the State administration as to how the incident was not prevented. It has sought information on the action taken against the guilty. Apparently overwhelmed by the agony of losing her life partner, Sita Devi (77) ended her life on the pyre of her husband last week at Sidupur village in Gaya district. Reports reaching here said the villagers had decided to construct a structure at the spot to commemorate the incident and people had started visiting the place in large numbers. (The Hindu 26/4/06) Women in night shift report ailments (8) Mumbai, April 27: A new study conducted by Assocham titled "Night Shift for Women: Growth and Opportunities", and made exclusive to this newspaper, indicates that almost 10 per cent of respondents working in night shifts have been diagnosed for clinical depression, 45 per cent have suffered from respiratory illness and an equal number experienced continual tiredness. At least 50 per cent of the 272 participants (including 216 women doing night shift work at least for 6 months) from nine different cities in India, complained about minor and major digestive disorders and 60 per cent said that they suffered from sleep difficulties. The study revealed that most respondents agreed that putting in regular hours during the night shift had negative effects on health, social and family life irrespective of gender. Employees who work in night shifts reported that they felt generally lethargic because they work at nights. Only 8.1 per cent of the low-paid employees reported that a better pay package was the main attraction for them to work in night shifts. The study suggests that doing the night shift continuously should be disallowed for pregnant and nursing mothers and those engaged in strenuous activities. During the survey, doctors felt that night shift employees face physiological, emotional and biological problems, based on disturbed

rhythmic pattern of sleeping and waking. Doctors felt that a change in the working schedule affects a person and leads to sleep deprivation disturbing the rhythm of the body and negatively affecting the concentration, job performance, social interactions and general health. (Asian Age 28/4/06) Bride calls off wedding after dow ry demand (8) FARIDABAD, May 1: A gutsy bride-to-be here called off her wedding after allegedly receiving a call from the groom at the last moment for an additional dowry of Rs 2 lakh and a car. The groom, Manoj Bha-tia, his father Darshan Lai Bhatia and uncle Ashok Bhatia were today arrested under the Dowry Prohibition Act on the complaint of the girl's uncle Sanjay Bhatia, pohce said. They were produced before the chief judicial magistrate's court and remanded in police custody till Thursday, they said. Dressed in bridal regalia, Ritu Bhatia was waiting in a decorated community hall here for the 'baarat' to arrive when she allegedly got a call from Manoj saying that the wedding would be cancelled if the dowry was not arranged. Ritu said she got the call at around 10 last night when she was all ready for solemnisation of the ceremony. The 'baarat' was due to arrive at 10:30 pm, Ritu's brother Sachin said. Instead of bowing to the demand for Rs 2 lakh and a Tata Indica car, Ritu and her family called off the marriage celebrations and called in the police. Her uncle Sanjay described her as a "brave girl" and said the whole family would fight the case to its logical conclusion. Denying the allegations, Manoj said, "I was not interested in the girl and had already told her. The charges of dowry demands are false". A case had been registered in NIT pohce station against nine people, police said., Ritu's case appears to be similar to that of Nisha Sharma in Noida that was widely reported thre^e years ago. Nisha also car^-celled the wedding at the eleventh hour and brought in the police.Stqatistics indicate that the social evil is steadily on the rise despite the Dowi^ Prohibition Act. (Statesman 2/5/06) 16-year-old mentally challenged girl ‘raped’ (8) New Delhi, May 3: It is yet another blow on the safety of women in the city. A mentally challenged 16year-old girl was allegedly taken to a secluded spot in the Sabzi Mandi area and later raped by at least eight men. A case has been registered at the Maurice Nagar police station. The incident is believed to have taken place at around 7 pm, when an unidentified man took the victim to a lonely area on the pretext of feeding her. The police said that the victim is mentally disturbed and use to live on pavement. They also added that it seems that the accused were in inebriated condition and had taken turns to rape her. According to eyewitnesse s, the victim was dumped at a compound near Delhi University‘s Hindu College by the accused. The victim later revealed the incident to some residents of the area, who took her to the local police station. However, a FIR of the case was lodged only after medical examination of the girl at a nearby hospital proved sexual assault. The police said that there were difficulties in the initial probe as the girl could not remember the number of people involved in the incident. The investigating officers said that the girl kept on changing her statements. "Initially the victim said that there were five men involved and later after recollecting, she had confirmed that at least eight men had raped her," said a senior police officer. However, they are investigating on the possibility that eight men involved in raping her. (Asian Age 4/5/06) Gold for w omen at w edding, promises Jaya (8) Chennai : Showing signs of desperation as the election campaign reaches its homestretch, AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa has promised four grams of gold for poor women from all religions at the time of their wedding. Her announcement invited derisive comments from archrival DMK that she was merely imitating the Opposition party's promises, and that it was even funnier as she had ridiculed some of them only a few days ago. Jayalalithaa, who gave the promise about gifting four grams of gold for making mangalsutra for indigent women, was faced with the question from DMK president M Karunanidhi, "Is it only for Hindu women, then?" On Tuesday, she clarified that it would be given to all women. "Christian women can use the gold in their wedding rings, and Muslim women in any manner they like." The DMK has been taunting her over her sudden promises that did not figure in the AIADMK's election manifesto. "If she is so concerned about the marriage prospects of poor women, why did her regime withdraw a marriage assi stance scheme for poor women implemented by the DMK Government?" asked Karunanidhi. The AIADMK is apparently not perturbed by criticism that she has started adopting the DMK's manifesto piecemeal. She started by assailing the DMK's rice for Rs 2 promise for a fortnight, saying it was not realistic or feasible to supply rice at ridiculously low price, and then changing tack to announce a free supply of 10 kg by the AIADMK Government, if re-elected. She attacked the DMK for promising total waiver of agricultural loans given by cooperative banks, on the ground that norms of NABARD, the refinancing agency, would not allow such waiver of the principal. Realising that such

promises were cutting ice with the public, she also suddenly promised to waive farms loans too. (Pioneer 4/5/06) Women's groups seek case against doctors (8) JAIPUR: Women's groups in Rajasthan have demanded immediate action, including the registration of criminal cases, against 21 doctors allegedly involved in sex determination tests during pregnancy. A television news channel had recently exposed the activities of these doctors in its sting operations. Women activists representing 16 organisations stormed into Swasthya Bhawan here on Thursday and staged a demonstration in protest against the State Government's failure to implement the PreConception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1994, alleging that it had led to a large number of female foeticide cases reported across the State. The former chairperson of the State Women's Commission, Pawan Surana, who led the demonstration, pointed out that these cases had come to light in several towns such as Jaipur, Chittaurgarh, Ajmer, Hanumangarh, Sirohi, Kota, Bikaner, Jhalawar and Bhilwara, but the State Government had not initiated any action so far. The activists told S.P. Yadav, who is the State Appropriate Authority under the Act, that sex selection was prohibited under the law and violation of the provision was punishable under Section 25 of the Act. Besides, action should be taken against the district authorities for their delay and inaction in these instances, they said. Laad Kumari Jain of Rajasthan University Women's Association said Dr. Yadav refused to agree to a time-frame for registering cases under the Act. "Under the Act, a complainant may move the court if the Appropriate Authority does not initiate action within 15 days of receiving a notice. We have served a notice on Dr. Yadav,'' she said. A memorandum given to the Appropriate Authority demanded immediate filing of criminal complaints before a Judicial Magistrate under Sec. 28(1)(a) of the Act and registration of first information reports against the erring doctors in the police stations concerned. (The Hindu 5/5/06) Constable demands dow ry; case registered (8) Bhopal : The Mahila police have registered a case of pre marital dowry harassment against a police constable and his family who had been making dowry demands from his would-be daughter in law's father who is incidentally also in the police. According to the Mahila police station, Ramlal Vishwakarma, resident of Police line, Govindpura had complained that Mohanlal, his wife Munni bai and sons Pravin and Nitin had been demanding a car and Rs 2 lakhs from him before his daughter got married to Mohanlal's son. The would be husband and wife had been engaged about 2 years back and Mohanlal kept postponing the marriage till the time Ramlal fulfilled his demands for a car and Rs 2 lakh.The marriage was to be held on May 1st but Ramlal approached the police when Mohanlal postponed it again. Both Ramlal and Mohanlal are in the police. The police have registered a case under section 3 / 4 of the Dowry Act. (Pioneer 5/5/06) Women to gherao Parliament (8) New Delhi, May 6: Calling for an increased role of women in decision-making process, women groups have plans to intensify their campaign to pressurise the government for enactment of women’s reservation bill in the forthcoming parliamentary session. But unlike last year, this time they are not relying on merely having dialogues with the parliamentarians. Instead, they have decided to hit the roads and "fight" till the bill is passed. Ranjana Kumari, of Women Power Connect (WPC) said: "Women are getting extremely unhappy with this delay. Various women’s organisations from all over the country will gherao Parliament and demand for passing of the bill. We will fight till the bill is passed," she said. Ms Kumari was speaking at a two-day national convention on "Legislative co-ordination and action for women’s issues" organised by the Centre for Social Research and WPC. Over 400 women activists from across the country participated in the convention. Agreeing unanimously that the women groups should not fall to various "tactics" of those who are against the bill, the participants felt that priority should be given to the passage of the bill in its present form. All the participants vowed to fight vigorously for their rights. It was decided to collectively hold the rally during the Lok Sabha session outside Parliament and in various states simultaneously. Prof. Rita Bahuguna Joshi, All-India Mahila Congress president highlighted on the discrimination being faced by the women in the political parties. She exhorted the women politicians to join hands with the NGOs and civil society to raise their voice in fight against the injustice. In India, women’s political representation at the legislative level has declined from 49 in 1999 to 44 in 2004 in the directly elected Lower House whereas in the Upper House it increased from 20 in 1999 to 28 in 2004 — the cumulative rate still hovering at less than nine per cent, pointed Ranjana Kumari. (Asian Age 7/5/06)

Jobless bar girls become barat girls in Agra (8) Agra : Each summer, hundreds of weddings take place in the villages around Agra from April to July and the common feature in all these weddings is a "transvestite" dancing in front of the wedding procession to the sound of folk music. But this season, the village weddings have ignored transvestites and now feature "live" barat girls, dancing to popular Bollywood tunes on a "mobile DJ" dance floor constructed on a tractor-trolley. These dancing girls are none other than the bar girls of Mumbai who have returned home to Agra to wait out the "dry season" after the Maharashtra Government's ban on the dance bars in Mumbai. Over the past few months, while a number of "jobless" bar girls have taken up flesh trade to survive, hundreds of bar girls have taken a working holiday in Agra, transforming from "Bar Girls" to "Barat Girls" in a bid to cover their expenses till the bars reopen. In almost all these wedding processions, that curiously lack a band, at least two to three bar girls in dazzling outfits and costume jewellery add to the tamasha, dancing for all their worth on a makeshift stage built on a tractor trolley. Most of them are under contract with a Chitrashala, a large number of which have popped up in the recent days on the Fatehabad Road of Agra, owing to the easily availability of these girls. But do these bar girls really enjoy dancing at weddings? Many Chitrashala owners claim that they do, but the girls beg to differ. They claim that they are exposed to all kinds of hazards including almost regular molestation at the hands of drunk people dancing in the procession. In the dance-bars, they were under the protection of the "bouncers" who handled the miscreants at the bars. (Pioneer 11/5/06) Notice to Centre on acid attack menace (8) New Delhi, May 12: The Supreme Court on Friday sought response from the Centre on a PIL seeking framing of a new legislation or suitable amendment in the existing law to effectively curb the growing menace of acid attack on young girls across the country. A bench of Chief Justice Y.K. Sabharwal, Justice Ruma Pal, Justice B.N. Srikrishna and Justice G.P. Mathur asked the Union law ministry, Law Commission of India and National Commission for Women to file their replies. A minor girl from Delhi, who herself was a victim of acid attack, through her counsel sought direction to the authorities to frame a new legislation or an appropriate amendment in IPC to curb such menace. "An act or a special section in the IPC dealing exhaustively with such crime is the need of the hour. It should take into account the extraordinary nature of the crime," said the petition. "With acid attacks growing in number, it should not be clubbed together with other assaults," stated the petition. (Asian Age 13/5/06) Gender tests: action sought against 35 doctors (8) JAIPUR: A group of health professionals and activists, taking exception to sex determination tests during pregnancy and female foeticide, registered its protest here on Saturday against the Central and State Governments' failure to take action against 35 doctors in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, found involved in these crimes recently. The Sahara Samay television news channel had exposed the activities of these doctors in a series of sting operations last month. The health professionals regretted that the guilty doctors had not been booked for violation of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1994, despite "clinching evidence" produced against them. The group of nearly a dozen health activists, led by New Delhi based Mira Shiva of Voluntary Health Association of India, pointed out at a press conference here that the Government's failure to implement the Act had led to a steep increase in the number of female foeticide cases which in turn had disturbed the sex ratio of population in several States. In Rajasthan, for instance, the number of girls per 1,000 boys has reduced to 909 against the national average of 927. Sex selection is prohibited under the law and violation of the provision is punishable under Section 25 of the PC & PNDT Act, with the offence warranting criminal complaint to be filed before the Judicial Magistrate. The TV channel's sting operations had exposed 18 doctors in Rajasthan and 17 elsewhere. The concerned health activists told reporters that the District Appropriate Authorities in Rajasthan had only suspended three Government doctors and sealed some of the private clinics. (The Hindu 14/5/06) Orissa gets more time to reply to fatwa-separated w oman (8) New Delhi: The Supreme Court has granted additional time to Orissa to reply to the petition filed by Nazma Biwi challenging the fatwa issued by local clerics to her and her husband, after he pronounced triple talaq in a drunken state. On April 21, the court directed the Government to provide police protection to the couple, who were forced to live separately following the fatwa that the divorce became effective after the husband had pronounced triple talaq. This notwithstanding the fact that the husband, realising his mistake, decided to live with Nazma Biwi and their three children. Earlier on her petition, the court in January issued notice to the parties concerned. On April 21, the Orissa Government, sought two weeks to

file a reply to the petition. When the matter came up before a vacation Bench comprising Justices B.P. Singh and R.V. Raveendran on Monday, counsel for the petitioner said the Government was yet to provide police protection to the couple, who were still living separately and were being threatened. The Bench asked counsel to file a contempt petition if the order was not implemented. However, counsel for the State said police protection had been provided to the couple. He would put the statement on record and also file a reply to the petition, and sought time for doing so. (The Hindu 16/5/06) 38-year-old says gangraped in car (8) GHAZIABAD, MAY 16: A 38-year-old woman, who hails from Kerala, has alleged that she was raped by six people in a Ford Ikon car in Ghaziabad on Saturday. The police regis tered a case last night after around a hun dred people gath ered at the Sahibabad Police Station, protesting "police in action". According to the police, the prelirninary medical report has ruled out any external or in ternal injury, but they are waiting for the final report to reach a conclusion. According to the woman, she had come to Delhi after being promised a domestic help's job in Dubai by the fam ily of a liquor baron. However, the family rejected her after a medical test. The victim who is married and has children, claims that she was staying in a flat in Noida all this time. Naming Bittu, the family driver, in the FIR, the woman said he was supposed to drop her to Noida on Saturday, but he and his friend drove her to a secluded place and raped her. The duo was joined by four more people in the crime later, the woman added. The victim has told the police that she was raped in broad daylight. The woman, who can neither speak Hindi properly, nor English, said she could es cape only after the accused stopped at a traffic signal. She said she ran out of the car and called a relative, who then in formed the police. The Sahibabad police have registered a case against Bittu and five others. (Indian Express 17/5/06) Court: Woman's rape testimony is good enough (8) New Delhi, May 16: Expressing concern over the increasing cases of rape in India, the Supreme Court has ruled that convic tion can be on the basis of the victim's testimony alone, and does not need medical or other corroboration. A bench comprising Justices Arijit Pasayat and S.H. Kapadia said: "The victim of sexual assault is not treated as an accom plice and, as such, her evidence does not require corroboration from any other evidence, including the evidence of a doctor." "If the doctor who examined the victim does not find signs of rape, it is no ground to disbelieve the sole testimony of the prosecution " said Justice Pasayat, writing the judgement for the bench. Giving weight to the victim's testimony, the bench said: "A prosecutrix of a sex offence cannot be put at par with an accom plice. She is in fact a victim of the crime. The Evidence Act nowhere says that her evidence cannot be accepted unless it is corroborated in material particulars." Taking note of the rising incidence of rape in the country, the bench said: "It is an irony that while we are celebrating women's rights in all spheres, we show little or no concern for her hon our." "Rape is not merely a physical assault — it is often destructive of the whole personality of the victim. (Asian Age 17/5/06) NHRC takes cognisance of new s report on sex tests (8) NEW DELHI: The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognisance of a May 5 report in The Hindu that 21 doctors were allegedly involved in sex determination tests in Rajasthan. As per the report, women activists submitted a memorandum to the appropriate authority under the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1994, alleging that 19 of the 21 doctors agreed to abort the foetus after sex determination. Three of the erring doctors were posted in the Chittorgarh Government Hospital. It directed that a copy of the report be sent to the Rajasthan Chief Secretary to obtain his comments within four weeks. (The Hindu 18/5/06) DCW exposes sex determination racket at Naj afgarh clinic (8) New Delhi : The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) exposed a private nursing home for illegally undertaking sex-determination test and fraudulently promoting 'guaranteed medication for male child'. The case was brought to DCW's notice after the Najafgarh Residents' Welfare Association (RWA) filed a complaint with the panel. Taking strong note of this malpractice, the DCW immediately referred the case to the Directorate of Family Welfare. In its report submitted to the Commission, the Chief District Medical Officer (South West), and the DFW mentioned that on a surprise check, it was found that "the hospital was functioning without mandatory registration from the Department of Health Services". Sources said the CDMO had also opined that the owner Dr Shiv Raj Chaudhary was "indulging in blatant quackery and fleecing the gullible patients in gross violation of medical ethics". Consequently, a show cause notice has

been issued to him. The licence to conduct ultrasound tests at the nursing home has been suspended and its machines have been sealed. In fact, the incident came to light when one of the executive members of the RWA saw an advertisement board in front of Gobhania Nirog Dham and X-Ray laboratory in Najafgarh, 'S hartiya ladka hone ki oushadhi'. Confirming this, DCW chairperson Kiran Walia said, "One of the complaints brought it to notice that the nursing home was illegally undertaking sex-determination. "The complaint also mentions that in the last one month, nearly 10-12 prenatal sex determination tests have been performed and that about 6-7 female foeticides have been performed. It also alleged that they had written to relevant authorities earlier but no action was taken against the erring hospital due to their political links," the chairperson said. (Pioneer 18/5/06) Women's panel: post armed forces in tw o v illages (8) NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Women (NCW) has demanded that armed forces be stationed in two villages in Manipur's Churachandpur district, where 25 young women were raped and molested in January allegedly by armed militants of the United National Liberation Front and the Kangleipak Communist Party. It is said that on the night of January 16, eighteen militants surrounded Lungthulien, dragged the villagers to a central place and beat them up. They then sexually assaulted 15 young girls. The villagers left for Mizoram, where 650 of them have been accommodated in a camp at Sakawrdi. Talking to reporters here on Thursday, NCW chairperson Girija Vyas said the first report on molestation was lodged only in February as the villagers had been terrorised. It also came to light that the militants had been camping at Parbung and committing atrocities since January 6, when they raped 10 women. One boy, two of whose si sters were sexually assaulted, was also shot dead. The people of the two villages belong to the Hmar tribe. The area is now under army surveillance and the NCW wants the security forces to stay there as long as needed. Inaccessibility makes it difficult for the villagers to communicate with the rest of the world. The torture and rape victims hardly received any medical aid, said Ms. Vyas. The State Government has set up a commission, under a retired judge, to investigate the case. But the help that reached the villagers from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund, the Deputy Commissioner and elected representatives was inadequate. Even after four months of the incidents, no rehabilitation scheme under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act had been decided upon, said Malini Bhattacharya, NCW member who visited the victims. (The Hindu 19/5/06) Village Reverses tide of sex ratio (8) Village Lakhanpal (Jalandhar), May 19: A small, non-descript village in central Punjab’s prosperous Doaba region has successfully turned the virtual tide of male births for the first time. The village reported a sex ratio which weighed considerably in favour of female children. In a state that has the lowest child sex ratio in India and where female foeticide, though illegal, is the norm, the village of Lakhanpal proudly stands out with nearly 1400 little girls for every 1,000 boys. Situated in the Doaba region, where the age-old feudal patriarchal mindset still rules and the birth of a child is a happy occasion only if it is a boy, the village is rejoicing its little girls. A recent survey conducted by a local voluntary group, Punjab Panchayats Federation, has revealed that quite unlike in the rest of the region, Lakhanpal village has a child sex ratio (CSR) of nearly 1,400 (which means 1,400 girls for every 1,000 boys). The average CSR for the state of Punjab stands at an alarmingly low 776, the worst in the country. Lakhanpal’s sarpanch, Kamlesh believes more girl children is God’s own way of blessing our village. "We have never been afraid of speaking out against the evil practice of female foeticide, which is like an epidemic in Punjab. I can now assure you that not one of the 258 families that live in Lakhanpal have or will ever even consider aborting a child merely because it is a girl," she said. The sarpanch and her younger panchayat colleague Jeevan Kumari said no one in the village was aware of its uniqueness. "It was only when the Panchayat Federation informed us earlier this month that they proposed to honour the village for achieving the highest child sex ratio in Punjab that it dawned on us that something very special had occurred here," said Ms Jeevan Kumari. Last week activists of the Panchayats Federation organised a special event to felicitate the people of Lakhanpal. The citation (in Punjabi) presented to the villagers on the happy occasion reads: "A heartfelt prize for all the people of Lakhanpal, where daughters get one-and-a-half times the love that sons are given where the sandstorm of female foeticide has not been allowed to enter a living example with 1,400 daughters for 1,000 sons. Village Lakhanpal is a unique island where woman have found respect." The president of the Federation, Ms Inderjit Kaur Mann, who is herself sarpanch of a village some distance away said she is trying to use the example of Lakhanpal to inspire other villages in the Doaba region. (Asian Age 20/5/06)

Sexual harassment case: (8) Bhubaneswar: The Orissa High Court on Friday rejected the bail petitions of three professors of Ut kal University, who were accused of sexually harassing girl students of the Psychology department. While Adhikari Srikant Das (56) was arre sted on May 7 for alleged sexual harassment of six girls during a study tour, the other two accused, PK Mishra and Banamali Mohanty, are absconding. The duo had moved the courts for anticipatory bail. However, the High Court granted bail to Mishra, head of the Psychology department in connection with the sexual harassment case of Prof Adhikar Srikant Das, where he was a co-accused, but rejected his bail plea in the second case in which he was accused of sexually harassing a girl student in 2005. In the first case Mishra was accused of attempting to suppress the complaints lodged by the girl students against Das. A single judge bench of the High Court while rejecting the bail petitions, directed the two absconding professors to surrender and move for bail before the sub-divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM) Bhubaneswar, sources said. A criminal case was registered in Sahid Nagar police station against Das under sections - 506 (criminal intimidation), 509 (word or gestures or act intended to insult modesty of a woman) and 294 (using obscene acts and songs) of IPC and section - 3 of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. After preliminary investigation by the Sexual Harassment Cell (SHC) of Utkal University, Vice-Chancellor LN Mishra referred the complaints lodged by six girl students of Psychology department to the police. (Pioneer 20/5/06) Riot v ictims: NCW w ants Modi gov t to explain rehab (8) New Delhi, May 19:Four years after the Gujarat riots, the Narendra Modi government would have to explain why it is going slow on rehabilitation of riot-victims, mostly Muslims, and why they still continue to live in makeshift camps. The notice sent by the National Commission for Women (NCW) follows a visit to the state by its expert group, set up after the Prime Minister’s Office asked the commission to monitor rehabilitation work. The NCW has given a three-month deadline to the government to set up proper facilities for camp inmates. NCW chairman Girija Vyas, who led the team, said the conditions in the makeshift camps was appalling. The team visited Vatva and Narol camps on the outskirts of Ahmedabad. Clarifying that her mission was not to ‘‘refresh gory memories of the past’’, Vyas said Modi has been asked to finish all relief and rehabilitation within three months.( (Indian Express 20/5/06) ‘Forced sati’ in Fatehpur village (8) Fatehpur (Bindki), May 19:In a shocking incident, a “forced sati” was witnessed on Friday at Raari Khurd village, under Bindki police station of Fatehpur, when locals allegedly “humiliated and provoked” Vidyavati, 45, to jump into the pyre of her husband Lakhan Lodhi. According to reports, Vidyavati had an extramarital affair and had been living with one Rohit of Gazipur block (under Kalyanpur police station) for the past two years with her three children. Lakhan Lodhi, who worked as a vendor, lived in the village. Vidyavati reportedly sent a message through Neeraj, 20, her son, to her husband on May 14, evincing interest in meeting him. Lodhi, missing since, was found dead on Thursday — his body was fished out of a pond in Revari village under Kalyanpur police station. According to reports, when Vidyavati arrived this afternoon for the cremation of the body at a field in Raari village, the locals, who held her responsible for Lodhi’s death, humiliated her for the alleged extramarital affair before some of them pushed her into the pyre and forced her to remain there till she died. Kalyanpur Police took Lodha’s son Neeraj into custody for interrogation. The Bindki Police registered a case — provoking for suicide under Section 306 of IPC — against 200 villagers, including three brothers of the deceased. Inspector (Bindki) Siraj Ahmad Khan, however, told Express that Vidya had an extramarital affair with Rohit and committed suicide, fearing arrest on charges of murdering her husband. Superintendent of Police Veer Bahadur said the villagers incited her to jump into the pyre as they held her responsible for Lodhi’s death. “A complaint has been registered against Lodhi’s brothers — Ram Vilas, Prem Lal and Kartar — and all villagers present at the spot,” he said. Sub Divisional Magistrate Gyanendra Singh told Express: “Either she committed suicide out of humiliation, or she was pushed into the pyre by relatives. These are just the possibilities…the picture would be clear after the arrest of the absconding Rohit and Lakhan, Lodhi’s brothers.” (Indian Express 20/5/06) Women power for electrification (8) New Delhi : Meet Geeta Maurya, 35-year old woman from Kotdwar in Uttranchal. A franchisee under rural electrification scheme of the Government, she handles as many as 16,000 rural electricity bills with a team of 105 people, including 60 women. Asked by Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde to share her experience, Maurya said: "If the bureaucrats co-operate, bringing a turnaround in the system's functioning

is not difficult." An impressed Shinde responded: "Her words are the real motivation for the entire Ministry to complete the mission of rural electrification." A group of franchisees from UP, West Bengal, Karnataka, and other States has a ssembled to receive the contract letters from Shinde on the launch of national programme of franchisees on Monday. "Individual or institutional franchisees hold the key to the success of rural electrification mission in the country. In the process, they are ensuring the economic empowerment of women, war widows, and unemployed youths. It is a heartening situation," Shinde said. "Since August 2005, our self-help group have been tackling 22,000 electricity bills in Rudraprayag district. There are 44 women and 8 males in our group," Sangeeta Negi said. "There is an increase of 25 per cent in total revenue collection of Electricity Department in our district," Negi added. The State Governments pay Rs eight for every bill, and Rs 50 for regularisation of an illegal connection or new connection. They get Rs 50 for every replacement of defective connection. "On an average every member of a self-help group gets Rs 500 to Rs 3,000 per month, depending upon the kind of responsibility one handles.The Government undertakings, namely, Power Grid, NTPC, NHPC and DVC have taken up the responsibility of electrification of 20,000 villages by building the required infrastructure under the rural electrification programme. By 2007, 50,000 villages have to be covered under the scheme across the country. (Pioneer 23/5/06) Tw o arrested in Kerala w oman gangrape case (8) Ghaziabad : The Ghaziabad police have arrested two culprits out of five involved in the gang rape of a Kerala-based 35-year-old woman. Of late, the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW) organised a protest march in Sahibabad and staged a dharna at Sahibabad police station against the lax attitude of UP Police in the case. The Sahibabad police arrested Bitto, the driver of BL Bakshhi and his accomplice whose name could not be confirmed by the police. (Pioneer 24/5/06) Proposed amendment will affect us, say sex w orkers (8) NEW DELHI: Sex workers and their representatives said on Wednesday the proposed amendments to the Immoral Traffic Prevention Act (ITPA), tabled in Parliament in the just-concluded session, would affect the livelihood of 1.5 crore sex workers and their families. According to Bharati Dey, Project Director, HIV/STD Intervention Programme of West Bengal, around 1.5 crore men, women and transgender engaged in sex work support themselves and their families. The amendment would seriously affect the livelihood of the sex workers and their dependants — approximately five crore people. The ITPA Amendment Bill seeks to raise the age of child from 16 to 18 years, enhance the quantum of punishment for a person who keeps or manages a brothel, make visiting brothel a punishable act and provides for punishment for seducing or soliciting for prostitution. The representatives of the sex workers, under the banner of the National Network of Sex Workers, met senior parliamentarians, including Somnath Chatterjee, George Fernandes, Maneka Gandhi, Ram Vilas Paswan, Oscar Fernandes, Omar Abdullah, Akhilesh Yadav, Sharad Pawar, Sachin Pilot, Kamal Nath, Ambika Soni and former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, and urged them to reconsider the proposed amendments. Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi assured them that the Bill would not be passed until the proposed changes were discussed with the sex workers, the representatives said on Wednesday. But sex workers were still apprehensive that it would be passed in the monsoon session. Anand Grover, advocate and director of the Lawyers' Collective, said the philosophical underpinnings of the ITPA was that organised prostitution was a social evil and by banning prostitution trafficking in humans could be curbed. The result of this was the creation of a punitive environment where sex workers operate in fear and uncertainty. (The Hindu 25/5/06) G.B. Road school spins hope for sex w orkers’ children (8) New Delhi :Sadhna was seven when she was first brought to the Mashaal Shiksha Kendra. She is the daughter of a G.B. Road sex worker Meenakshi and now works a s a computer executive in a Delhi-based firm. After many requests by S.A. Lalita, assi stant director of the Christian Institute for Study of Religion and Society (CISRS), Meenakshi enrolled her for non-formal education at the centre run by CISRS and the William Carey Study and Research Centre (WCSRC). The centre was started in 1991 when sex workers made an appeal to Lalita who worked in the area to make arrangements for their children. "We realised while working with the sex workers that their kids need our help. We wanted to stop the second generation from getting into this profession and opening the centre was the best option possible," said Lalita who first stepped into the red light area 20 years ago. The two-room centre (in the MCD school campus) is located in the same area, as the sex workers did not want their children to be far away from them. Either the mothers or their "so called husbands" (pimps or brothel managers) drop and pick up the

children. The centre admits children below 12 years of age who are further divided into three groups. A crèche for one to three year olds, preparatory (four to six years) and six to 12 year olds. "Six plus kids go to the MCD school, the middle group is prepared for school and the toddlers are well looked after," explains Lalita, adding that once children clear Class 6, they are sent to boarding schools across the country. While most of the mothers agree and even pay for their further education, very few are apprehensive about sending their wards away. The centre is open from 8 in the morning till 7 in evening and has one centre incharge, four part-time teachers, two helpers and one cook to provide three meals in a day.More than 20 children pass out of the centre every year and Lalita informs that 18 out of them go to hostels. This year itself eight kids appeared for their Class 10 Board exams. (Asian Age 25/5/06) UP police finds three foetuses in a dustbin (8) Lucknow, May 25: Three female foetuses were found lying in a dustbin outside a private nursing home called Baba Sahil Nursing Home in Rampur district on Wednesday night. A local resident who saw the dead foetuses lying in a dustbin informed the police and other local residents who immediately collected outside the nursing home. Angry residents raised slogans against the owner of the nursing home Dr Ahmad Hasan and demanded closure of the nursing home. The National Commission for Women has asked the UP government to submit a detailed report on the incident. The commission is also likely to send its team to Rampur to further investigate the matter. The police, meanwhile, seized the dead foetuses and ordered a search of the nursing home. Some documents were also seized by the police. Two employees have been arrested but the owner managed to escape before the police arrived on the scene. Umar, an untrained paramedical staff with the nursing home, admitted before the police that more than half a dozen abortion cases were being handled by the nursing home in a day. Wasim, a local resident, later told reporters that the nursing home was known to carry out illegal abortions and used to dump foetuses in the backyard. "On several occasions, we accosted Dr Hasan and warned him of action but he would apologise profusely and promise not to indulge in illegal activities in future. We are fed up with this nursing home which dumps all the hospital waste and the foetuses on the road. We will not allow the nursing home to function now," he said. Other local residents said that the nursing home had been known to carry out illegal abortions for quite some time but no action had been taken when the matter was brought to the notice of the local administration. (Asian Age 26/5/06) Shiv raj to marry off MP girls (8) Bhopal, May 25: Parents with marriageable daughters but unable to fulfil their obligation due to financial constraints need not worry anymore. Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan has promised to ensure that such families don’t suffer merely because they lack the resources to marry off the girls. The CM’s a ssurance came on Wednesday at a function of the Deendayal Antodaya Mission at Rawatpura in Bhind district in the presence of state panchayat minister Narendra Tomar and local MLA Narayan Kushwaha. The mission was specially constituted to help rehabilitate neglected children, orphans, widows, and deserted women. The welfare of young girls from poor families is an issue which has always been close to Mr Chauhan’s heart. As Vidisha MP, he performed kanyadaan at various mass marriage ceremonies in his home constituency. He is, however, not the first CM to show his commitment to the cause. His predecessor, Ms Uma Bharti, had announced free distribution of thousands of bicycles to girls whose primary education was suffering due to the absence of any proper means of transport. The promise came to fruition during the tenure of her successor, Mr Babulal Gaur. Traditionally, mass marriages are performed all over the state on the occasion of akshaya trittiya around April-May. That many of the couples are minors has never been a limitation. The state has quite willingly turned a blind eye to it. Of course, it is quite another matter that mandarins in the MP government have often over-reached themselves in their zeal to make their programmes a success. Nuptials of couples already married were performed with fanfare during mass marriage functions recently organised by the state women and child welfare department in districts like Khandwa and Shajapur. (Asian Age 26/5/06) When w ill w omen’s reservation Bill see the light of day? (8) New Delhi: The determina tion that the UFA government showed in pushing through quota in education, is com pletely missing when it comes to another major issue of so cial justice: reservations for women in Parliament and state legislatures. The OBC quota Bill is ex pected to come in the monsoon session, but there has so far been no such firm indication on when the women's reserva tion Bill will see the light of the day. This is despite the fact that on May 19 several women MPs in the Rajya Sabha, cut ting across party lines and in cluding Brinda Karat and Sushma Swaraj, demanded a commitment from the govern ment that

it would bring the women's reservation Bill in the next session. Though its much-touted common minimum progr amme promised that it would "take the lead to introduce leg islation for one-third reserva tions for women in Vidhan Sabhas and in the Lok Sabha," the UFA has done precious lit tle — two years have gone by and, for some reason or the other, it has not moved to in troduce the necessary Consti tutional amendment Bill. But when it came to reviv ing the quotas that had been banned last year by the Supreme Court in private educational institutions, the required Constitutional amendment was introduced and passed by both Houses in the same session, raising the suspicion that politicians feel social justice is a great idea, so long they don't have to sac rifice for it. If the proposal of introduc ing quota for OBCs in Central educational institutions was an incidental fallout of the 93rd Constitutional amendme nt that came into force in Jan uary this year, the government was pushed into promising ex tra seats across the board to ensure that the general or "me rit" category does not shrink. This is a striking parallel to the increase in the strength of Lok Sabha and legislative as semblies proposed by the gov ernment to compensate for the one-third seats intended to be reserved for women. (Time of India 28/5/06) Police training manual on gender issue out (8) New Delhi, May 27: The police tends to view crimes committed against women, especially domestic violence, as a private matter and usually counsels reconciliation as a solution to the problem. But this is invariably not the best solution, observes Ranjana Kumari of the Centre for Social Research, an NGO working for the welfare of women. To break this myth and make the police gender sensitive, the CSR has brought out a police training manual, "Facilitating Change: Restructuring Gender Relations," on gender issues, particularly domestic violence and trafficking. The manual has been compiled for the police trainers who will share their learning with police officers in the middle and lower ranks a s most ca se registrations and other modalities of investigation are dealt by middle rank officers. It will be used by trainers in the Delhi Police Academy, Andhra Pradesh Police Academy and Delhi Home guard. "Gender sensitisation is an ongoing process and it has been going on for quite sometime. We will use the manual in our sensitisation programmes," said Dr. K.K. Paul, Delhi commissioner of police. "The manual largely examines gender relations and policing. Beginning with examining the objectives and rationale for such an exercise, the focus shifts to understanding the relation between human rights and the police, the phenomenon of violence and the police followed by probing the causes, myths and manifestations of violence," says Dr Ranjana. IPS Kiran Bedi says, "It is a road map with a very clear milestone with the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of driving (policing and crime prevention)." (Asian Age 28/5/06) Underweight girl equals 6 kg w heat in UP (8) Lucknow. In a poor tribal belt of Uttar Pradesh, young girls are now the bread-winners for their families, literally. The state government appears to have hit upon a magic mantra in the tribal belt of Mirzapur and Soneb-hadra districts with the Nutrition Programme for Adolescent Girls (NPAG). Run by the women and child welfare department, a teenage girl weighing less than 35 kg gets six kilograms of wheat for three months. After the stipulated period, girls who avail of the scheme are weighed again and if they are still underweight, the scheme is extended. The project initially met with skepticism. Mirzapur district programme officer (DPO) Asha Rai said Anganwadi workers, who went door-to-door holding weighing machines provided by the government roused suspicion and hostility among parents who thought the girls would be struck with evil eye. "But wheat bags did the trick," says Dilip Pandey, child development project officer, Nagva, in Sonebhadra. illagers not only overcame their resistance, but also started showing up with girls dressed in their best for check-up. "The change is for all to see," he says. Suddenly a daughter in the family turned from another mouth to feed to a de facto bread earner. But whether the wheat is actually helping the poor mouths it is actually supposed to benefit, is another issue. "There is no way to ensure that the girls actually get to eat what they get," says Pandey. "Parents get touchy when asked how much is it helping the girls. Some claim that it isn't possible to cook for one person and keep an exact account. We all know that the wheat is being shared by the entire family, but can't do much," he added. ((Times of India 4/6/06) Women were raped in Parbungg: NWC (8) IMPHAL, June 3: The justice (Rtd) Rajkhowa Inquiry Commission may be mulling whether to allow cross examination of rape victims of the Parbung area, as was demanded by some •NGOs, but a lone-member fact-finding panel from the National Women Commission has already announced its "verdict". Mrs Malini Bhattacharya, who flew in from Kolkata yesterday, has recommended in a report subrnitted to the 'Governor, chief minister and chief secretary of Manipur, the

immediate opening of the Parbung Primary Health Centre and posting doctors on an "emergency basis for the medical treatment of the tortured rape victms". Speaking to the Press today at the Manipur Press Club, Mrs Bhattacharya said that though there was no direct medical evidence of rape, secondary evidence in the form of trauma, depression, psychological disorder and various other signs associated with rape and molestation, had been enough for her to come to the conclusion that the girls had been raped. "In the absence of primary . evidence, secondary evidence coupled with testimonies of the victims, were enough," she said. She brushed aside a question as to whether she had come to the conclusion based on the expert opinion of a doctor present during the inquiry, and said that even though she was not a doctor, she had been associated with rape victims for a long time and could arrive at the conclusion herself. Asked if she might be guilty of contempt of court, as she was commenting on a sensitive issue which was currently under inquiry by a commission instated for the purpose, Mrs Bhattacharya said that she respected the Justice Rajkhowa Commission and it was not the intention of the National Women Commission to interfere with the inquiry. "I have spoken with him (Justice Rajkhowa) on an informal basis; we have shared our findings, although I have not given evidence before him. Ours is an independent inquiry; we take up issues that concern women and the report has been approved by the NWC," Mrs Bhattacharya said. "It is up to you to decide whether I am inviting contempt of court charges or not," she told the reporters. Giving details on the inquiry, Mrs Bhattacharya said she had visited Parbung and Lungthulien in Manipur on 10 and 11 May and Sakawrdai Camp in Mizoram on 12 May. (Statesman 4/6/06) 7-year RI for dow ry death (8) New Delhi A city court awarded seven years' rigorous imprisonment to the husband and the 75-year-old mother-in-law of a woman who, after facing harassment for not bringing dowry, hanged herself. Declining to show any mercy to Surender and his mother Chanderwati, Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Rajender Kumar said "such abominable incidents are blots on human civilisation and courts cannot remain passive to this horrendous social evil." The ASJ also slapped a fine of Rs 7,000 each on convicts after finding them guilty under section 306 (abetment of suicide) and 498A (subjecting a woman to cruelty) of the IPC. The deceased, Mithilesh, 22, was married to Surender on December 13, 1994 and hanged herself on the evening of June 3, 1996. A Delhi court has rejected the bail application of a garment exporter who allegedly evaded customs duty to the tune of Rs 7.55 crore. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Kamini Lau dismissed the bail plea of accused Harmesh Arora, arrested last month by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) for violating provisions of the Customs Act, on grounds that investigations were still in initial stages. According to the DRI, three firms controlled by the accused had allegedly fraudulently availed benefits of customs and excise duty, between 2001 and 2003. Investigations showed that the Russian consignees to whom the exports were allegedly made, had not traded with any Indian company at all for the past five years. It was further alleged that the goods were diverted outside Russia, had not entered the country, which was a violation of the Indo-Russia Rupee-Ruble Agreement as per a 1993 RBI circular. As a result, the remittances shown were 'unrelatable' to the exports in question, and therefore the duty benefits availed were illegal, DRI said. (Pioneer 4/6/06) HC grants bail in dow ry harassment case (8) New Delhi : In an unprecedented order, the Delhi High Court has granted bail to a dowry harassment accused on the condition that he would pay monthly maintenance of Rs 10,000 to the victim. Besides ordering a monthly maintenance of Rs 10,000 Justice A K Sikri has also ordered the accused a 75-year old businessmen and father-in-law of the victim Shakeela to furnish a personal bond of Rs one lakh with a surety of like amount. The applicant Haji Abdul Karim was arrested on April 26, 2006 along with his son Mohd Yashin on a complaint by the latter's wife Shakeela that she was subjected to constant harassment and ill-treatment by her husband and in-laws owing to dowry related disputes. Karim move a bail application before the Additional Sessions Judge who rejected the same on May 16. In his appeal filed before the Delhi High Court through counsel L K Giri, the accused pleaded that he was aged 75 years, belongs to a responsible family and was suffering from high blood pressure and blood sugar requiring constant personal care and medical assistance. He further pleaded that as per the FIR lodged no specific allegations are made against him and they are general allegations of harassment made by the complainant. while noting that the allegations against the petitioner were serious, Justice Sikri felt the facts which weigh in favour of Karim for bail are his old age and the various ailments he is suffering from because of which he needed constant attention from his family members.At the same time the High Court felt that it cannot be oblivious to the plight of Shakeela and her two children born out of the wedlock and as

such any order passed on the bail plea should be equitable to the victim and her offsprings. (Pioneer 5/6/06) J&K: gender discriminatory clause removed (8) Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has dispensed with the `valid till marriage' clause in the Permanent Resident Certificate (PRC), thus bringing the women of the State on a par with men. Earlier, the PRC was valid only till marriage for women whereas there was no such condition for men. The PRC is one of the most important documents in the State, as without it one cannot buy land, get employment or get admission in professional institutions. The certificate is given to those whose ancestors lived in the State for at least 10 years before May 14, 1954. The issue gender iniquity came to focus on October 7, 2002, when the Jammu and Kashmir High Court struck down the executive order of the State Government which stated that the PRC of women of the State was valid only till marriage, implying that if the women married outside the State they would lose their certificate. The High Court ruled that women would have the same rights as men even if they married outside the State. It was challenged by the State government in the Supreme Court. But within a year, it decided to withdraw the special leave petition. The Opposition charged the Government with trying to erode the special status of the State guaranteed under Article 370 of the Constitution and after this a special Bill was brought in the Assembly in March 2004. It unanimously passed a Bill seeking to withdraw the Permanent Resident Status (PRS) of women belonging to the State who marry non-permanent residents. However, the Bill was not passed by the Upper House.Women have welcomed the removal of the archaic clause. (The Hindu 7/6/06) Operation Talaash to track missing girls (8) Lucknow, June 7: There is renewed hope for parents of young girls who have run away or have gone missing from their homes over the past one year. The Lucknow police have launched "Operation Talaash" to track down such girls. Talking to reporters, the Lucknow SSP, Dr G K Goswami said that while browsing through records, he discovered that 19 girls had been abducted in 2005 but no efforts have been made to track them down. "The police are so pre-occupied with VIP duties and heinous crime cases that it tends to take such case s rather casually. Even the parents give up after some time when they fail to get any response from the police. While some of these girls marry their lovers and settle down, most of them are sold off and land up in brothels. Through Operation Talaash, we will make an effort to track down these girls and rehabilitate them accordingly," he explained. The SSP has sent circulars to all the police stations, additional SPs and circle officers, asking them to collect and send details of such case s in their respective areas to his office. "Once these details are compiled, we will be forming police teams to search for these girls who either been abducted or have eloped," he said. Once the girls have been tracked down, they would be brought to the police station where they would be thoroughly quizzed in the presence of their guardians or parents. In case, the girl is a major and is married and she wishes to continue living with the man/husband, the police will help them in completing the legal formalities before settling down. In case the girls are minor, they will be produced in court and handed back to the parents. The SSP said that the purpose of conducting this operation was to save young girls from being trapped into flesh trade. "There are several instances, where young girls have been trapped into love affairs and are then sold off to pimps by their own paramours. (Asian Age 8/6/06) 70-yr-old w oman stripped, paraded naked in Punjab (8) Chandigarh : Harvinder Kaur (name changed) was allegedly stripped, her hair cut and face blackened because her son had seen a girl belonging to an influential family in a compromising position with her lover.Following the incident, a panchayat was summoned at the girl's house. To hide her lover's identity, the girl alleged that 70-year-old Harvinder's son had come to her house with a dubious intention and had tried to molest her. The girl's statement provoked the panchayat to order the girl's family members to punish Harvinder. She was then stripped, then put on rehri (handcart) and paraded around the village Chakk Sadia, Ferozpur. "At midday the panchayat was called. We were asked to be present there. So I went there along with my husband Khushhal Singh. As we reached there, the villagers including Mahinder Singh (girl's father), along with 13 other persons pounced on us. They tied my husband and then tore off my clothes. There after they put me on the handcart and paraded me around the village ", Harvinder said. Faridkot Police have registered a case against the 13 accused, including sarpanch Harichand and former-sarpanch Guradittamal of Chakk Saria village. In a telephonic conversation with the Pioneer, Faridkot SSP Arpit Shukla said: "we have registered a case against 13 persons including two women, but all of them are absconding. A DySP has been stationed in the village to keep tab on the investigation".

Pioneer 9.6.06) 8 held for molesting tw o British w omen (8) Hisar: Eight persons have been arrested for allegedly molesting two British women tourists at a roadside eatery on the Delhi-Hisar national highway, a police official said on Friday. They were produced before a local court which remanded one of them in judicial custody and released the others on bail. The two British women were returning in a car to Delhi after a sight-seeing tour of Jaisalmer in Rajasthan when the car's tyre deflated near Satroad Khas village, about 20 km from here late on Thursday night, Senior Superintendent of Police Saurabh Singh said. The driver, Ram Sewak of Delhi, along with the tourists then went to a highway `dhaba' to find out a puncture repair shop, he said. Some people sitting at the `dhaba' allegedly tried to ``outrage the modesty of the women'' whereupon the driver locked the tourists inside the car and went to a police outpost and informed them about the incident, the SSP said. Eight persons Krishan Saini, Pradeep, Jiwan and Shashi Ram of Satroad Khas village, Devender of Bagla, Kuldeep of Kalirawan, Sanjay of Dhigtana and Mukesh of Azad Nagar - were arrested and produced in court after registering a case at the Sadar police station, he said. (The Hindu 10/6/06) Another Gudiya-like story emerges (8) Lucknow, June 9: It is generally said that every life has its own tale to tell but sometimes coincidences can be frighteningly similar. Barely a year-and-a-half after the story of Gudiya — the woman who was caught between two husbands — grabbed headlines, another "Gudiya", with an almost identical story, has come forward in quest of justice. This young housewife (name withheld on request) belongs to Ghaziabad and had married one Shahid in 2001. Due to family disputes and her "incompatibility" with her in-laws, the girl returned to her parents’ house in 2002. Husband Shahid, who then seemed equally fed of the bickering in the family, reportedly gave talaq to his young wife. The young woman stayed with her parents for some months and then got married to one Shahzeb in 2003. The woman was living happily with her second husband and even had a daughter from him. Just when life seemed perfect for this young woman, her first husband returned to reclaim his wife. According to Shahid, the first husband, his wife had left home after a minor tiff and he had never divorced her. "I love her too much to even think of divorcing her. It was a normal husband-wife tiff and I thought that she would soon return home. Months rolled by and every time I contacted her parents, they would tell me that she was away visiting some relatives. Recently I found out that my wife had married another man from Delhi and even had a child from him. Since I never gave talaq to my wife, her marriage to this man is null and void and I now want her back," he told reporters in Ghaziabad. The woman’s father, who insists that he does not want his daughter to turn into a TV "tamasha", says that Shahid and his family have political connections and they have forced the witnesses into denying the talaq. "We are ordinary poor people and we cannot fight against powerful people like Shahid. Everyone in our locality knows that my daughter was divorced and we got her married again after several months. All these years, Shahid never made any inquiries about her but suddenly he has started claiming the wife he had divorced," says her father. (Asian Age 10/6/06) Committee appointed to curb talaq in Raj asthan (8) Jaipur, June 12: Disappointed over growing number of cases of talaq in Muslim Bhishti (Washerman) community in Rajasthan, the community has decided to curb it by appointing a committee to monitor such cases and pursue a reconciliatory approach. The decision has been taken after debating for hours the Talaq issue in a meeting of Bhishti Samaj on Friday night in Jaipur. "We are at pain when the cases of talaq on petty issue were on rise," said Abdul Mazid, ex-secretary of Sheikh Jamitul Abbas. The elders of the Bhishti community expressed their concern when they noted that youths uttered Talaq and got it drafted on a stamp paper of Rs 10 and got signed of Qazi. "We disapprove such practice," said Ikramudin, secretary of the community. In presence of over 900 community members, the community decided to appoint a 25 member committee in each of their locality, which is empowered to handle such delicate cases. "We would also constitute a five member committee in each ward to keep a watch on such cases, there are complaints of misuse of word talaq, we saw it was a wastage of money and time while approaching the police and judicial system," said Mr Mazid. The community members sited example of a girl, who has been facing problem of separation after marriage when she used specs due to poor sight. "Sasural wale kahne lage ki yeh andhi hai, jabki shadi se pahle ladki ko dekha tha,"(Her in-laws now say she was blind, but they had seen her before the marriage), said Mr Mazid. The community assured that it would resolve if any problem rise between husband and wife. "the time has come when we check problem of Talaq on petty issue," said Kayam Bhai. (Asian Age 13/6/06)

Namaaz out of limits for w omen: Dargah keepers (8) JAIPUR, JUNE 12:Let the men pray in peace.’’ This is the appeal to women from the khadims at Ajmer Dargah who have sought a ban on their entry in the main courtyards during namaaz. The association of khadims has written to the Dargah Committee, saying women should not be allowed to enter these courtyards as they are ‘‘ruining’’ the prayers of men. ‘‘According to Islam, if a man sees a woman while performing the namaaz it becomes fasik (futile). In the interest of the namaazis, women should be made to stay away from the prayer courtyard during the main namaaz,’’ the letter said. Reacting to their request, the Dargah Committee has decided to appeal to the women visiting the shrine to keep off the main compound during namaaz. The khadims, however, want stricter action. ‘‘We want the committee to appoint guards to ensure that women do not disturb the prayers of namaazis,’’ the association said. The Ajmer Dargah attracts devotees from across the world, irrespective of religion. The khadims say the number of visitors has surged over the past few years, leading to the problem. ‘‘There used to be very few women earlier. But now they come in huge numbers and occupy the Begumi Dalan (the courtyard facing the saint’s tomb). Hundreds of Muslims object to their presence, saying their prayers are ruined on spotting the women,’’ Dargah Khadim and legal advisor to the association SF Hassan Chisty said. ‘‘Sometimes, the offended men pick up fights with women and manhandle them. We have sought the ban on the entry of women to avoid such confrontations.’’ The Dargah Committee, which is nominated by the government, held a series of meetings on Sunday to discuss the issue but is reluctant to take stricter action. ‘‘People come with a lot of faith to the dargah. It would be difficult to execute strict measures,’’ Dargah Nazim (administrator) Abdul Aleem said. (Indian Exp 13/6/06) Rape Capital registers tw o more cases on Tuesday (8) New Delhi : Two cases of rape in the Capital on Tuesday have sent the Delhi Police into a tizzy. In the first instance, a 19-year-old woman was allegedly gangraped by five men including a handicapped person. The victim was picked up in a car at Paprawat village in Najafgarh on Tuesday around 2 pm. Seema (name changed) was on going to her home when four people came in a Maruti van bearing registration number DL4C-L-3235 and reportedly abducted her. The police added that the accused took the victim to a nearby field and allegedly raped her. One villager noticed them and informed a PCR van which was patrolling on the road at that time. The accused tried to flee in their car but was apprehended by the PCR van after a long chase. The girl belongs to the same village and had recently got married. Preliminary investigations suggest that the accused are from the same village. They have been identified as Sonu, Jai Prakash, Vinod, Surender and Vijender alias Kala. Vijender is a handicap; his legs are dysfunctional. The medical examination of the victim have confirmed rape. All of the accused have been booked under Section 376 (rape) of the IPC at Najafgarh Police station and are under arrest. In another instance, a tantrik was arrested by Northeast district police on Tuesday for allegedly raping a woman at his office. The victim had reportedly come to the tantrik for treatment of her son. The incident took place on Tuesday morning when Suman, 35 (name changed), came to the shop of Dilshad, 26, near traffic intersection of Bhajanpura. Dilshad runs a shop and reportedly treat patients with ayurvedic medicines and supernatural powers, as he claims. (Pioneer 14/6/06) 235 w omen finish self-defence course (8) New Delhi, June 14: The Delhi police women’s cell has been carrying on the drive to empower women by teaching them self-defence for quite some time. On Wednesday, 235 women passed out from its summer training camp. The occasion was graced by Governor B.L. Joshi. "It is noteworthy that we have people from all sorts of educational backgrounds and from all age groups," said additional commissioner of police Anita Rai. She added that the momentum of the sensitisation programme has increased as many schools in Delhi have introduced this concept in their curriculum. Still, the idea of self-defence does not seem to be very popular in among high society women. "The drive for self-defence is really essential in today’s time as Delhi is no more a safe place for women. But I am not that keen on learning self-defence techniques at present as my career is my priority, leaving me with no time to spare," says Sheetal, who studies in a reputed private college, pays a hefty fee and drives a swank car. Another teenage girl, Shweta, when told that the Delhi police also runs summer camps for self-defence, said, "During the summer we try to just chill out. Any way, it is hot in Delhi so I definitely prefer going to a hill station than joining a summer camp." "I take necessary precautions. I refrain from going out alone at night so the possibility of any kind of untoward incident happening to me is very bleak," said Priya. According to Ms Anita Rai, poor people are more vulnerable, but learning self-defence is not on their priority list. But the Delhi police trains women for free and this has clicked with the poor and middle class. She adds, "We have doctors, engineers and

teachers who turn up for these camps. So the question of the upper class not being sensitised by this campaign does not arise." (Asian Age 15/6/06) Jamia, DCW set up youth brigades to prevent violence against w omen (8) New Delhi: A task force made-up of the youth will soon be set up in the capital to fight crime against women. To curb the increasing women harassment cases, the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has tied up with the Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) university to impart professional and academic training to its cadres and to formulate youth brigades. This is being done with the help of the JMI because they run a Women’s Studies Centre which is devoted to research projects on women’s issues. A first-of-its kind effort in the capital, this task force will have youth volunteers who will fight for the cause of women. According to the chairperson, DCW, Prof. Kiran Walia, though the effort was to initially target the slums, it will soon be shifted to the college campus. "Since maximum number of cases of crime against women are registered in the slums, we have decided to include youth volunteers to wage a battle against this menace at the grassroots level. We believe that the youth will make a difference as the perpetrators of the crime against women also include a large number of young people," says Prof. Walia. She added that the Delhi police has also agreed to lend its support. They have earmarked two police stations (Badarpur and Sarita Vihar) where complaints regarding such cases can be lodged. Elaborating further on the tie- up, Prof. Walia says, "It has been observed that most of the cases of violence go unreported, as women are not aware of their rights and even NGO workers are ignorant about them. Keeping this in mind, and in an effort to increase male involvement in gender sensitisation programmes, we approached the Sarojini Naidu Women Studies Centre at JMI to train our new recruits who have been working in 18 prominent NGOs in the capital." (Asian Age 15/6/06) Ordinance on molestation (8) Mumbai: The Maharashtra Government on Friday promulgated an ordinance making molestation of women a non-bailable cognisable offence and providing a maximum of one-month imprisonment. Making obscene gestures, whistling, using vulgar language or singing aloud a raunchy song, will come under the offence, an official release said. (The Hindu 17/6/06) NCW seeks police report in Rakhi case (8) New Delhi, June 16: Taking cognisance of the complaint filed by Rakhi Sawant against pop singer Mika, the National Commission for Women (NCW) on Friday said that it prima facie appeared to be a case of sexual assault. The NCW has sought a report from the Mumbai police over the action it has taken on the FIR lodged by Sawant in the matter. "From what we have seen in the electronic media, it is clear that Mika’s behaviour with Rakhi Sawant was wrong. It prima facie appears to be a case of sexual assault," NCW chairperson Girija Vyas said in a statement. Sawant, who mailed her complaint of sexual assault against the Punjabi singer Mika to the NCW on Thursday, will meet Ms Vyas on Monday for a personal hearing. "As the matter is in court now, we hope justice will be done," Ms Vyas said. Sawant, in her complaint to the commission, said Mika "brutally assaulted me and forcibly kissed me." (Asian Age 17/6/06) NCW for educating people on problems in NRI marriages (8) NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Women (NCW) has asked the Government to sign the Hague Conventions, especially those related to Non-Resident Indian (NRI) marriages, and enter into more reciprocal treaties, particularly with countries having large number of Indians. Talking to reporters on the eve of a two-day workshop on the issue at Chandigarh from Tuesday, NCW chairperson Girija Vyas said there was a need to educate people on the possible problems that could arise in marriages with NRIs, as the number of complaints, both registered and unregistered, had gone up over the years. The workshop is likely to be attended by Chief Ministers of Delhi, Punjab and Haryana. It could also see the presence of some victims of NRI marriages. Ms. Vyas suggested a review of the existing laws and enactment of special ones to address the various issues that arise in NRI marriages. Enactment of uniform personal laws for all religious communities, divorce, maintenance and property rights, while making marriage registration compulsory and the procedure simple, affordable and accessible, will also be suggested at the meeting.The Government should adopt a `convergence' approach among the Ministries of Women and Child development, Overseas Indian Affairs and External Affairs, as well as the National Commission for Women and the National Human Rights Commission through special cells. Indian embassies also need to be geared to provide assistance and response to victims. Similar workshops will also be held in Kerala,

Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and New Delhi, as the number of complaints from these States was high. (The Hindu 20/6/06) Armed forces must be more sensitive, says NCW (8) NEW DELHI, JUNE 19:A day after the National Commission for Women (NCW) expressed its displeasure over the reported remarks of the army vice-chief on the presence of women in the force, the women’s panel today said there was a need for gender sensitisation of the forces. Describing the statement made by army vice chief Lt Gen K Pattabhiraman that the force could do without women as ‘‘very irresponsible’’, NCW chairperson Girija Vyas said, ‘‘on such a policy matter (whether there should be women in the forces), it is for the government to decide and not for the chief or vice-chief of the army to comment upon.’’ Asserting that there should be gender sensitisation of the forces, Vyas said, ‘‘there is need to take steps to make our forces more gender sensitive and measures should also be taken to deal with the issue of stre ss among the army personnel.’’ However, she said she was happy that Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee had taken note of the issue and said the Army needs more women officers. Taking a strong view of Rakhi Sawant’s complaint of sexual assault against pop singer Mika, the NCW sought footage of the party where the incident took place to explore the possibility of action against those who made slight of the ‘‘forced kiss’’. ‘‘We have asked TV channels to send us footage as we want to identify the guests who made fun of the incident. Action should be taken against all those who made slight of it,’’ Vyas said.(Indian Exp 20/6/06) Apologise, I’ll take back complaint, says Rakhi (8) New Delhi, June 19: Carrying the footage of the party, where pop singer Mika "forcibly kissed" her, Bollywood item girl Rakhi Sawant deposed before the National Commission for Women on Monday. Rakhi showed willingness to withdraw the complaint if the punjabi artiste apologised to her. Claiming that Mika insulted her and "took her advantage", she, however, said, "If he apologises before the public and the media, I will take the case back." Terming the incident a "sexual assault" or "harrasment", NCW chairperson Girija Vyas said, "We have taken serious note of the matter and has recorded her statement." "The matter is sub-judice and we have full faith in the judiciary and the Mumbai Police," she further added. Earlier in the day National Commission, taking a strong stand on the complaint, against sexual assault, of item girl Rakhi Sawant against pop singer Mika, sought the footage of the party where the alleged incident took place, besides seeking a report from the Mumbai police on the action taken on the FIR lodged by Sawant (Asian Age 20/6/06) Sorry if my remarks hurt women: Army Vice-Chief (8) NEW DELHI: The Vice-Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General S. Pattabhiraman, on Tuesday said he regretted that "remarks asc ribed to me by a journalist during an interview on June 16 in relation to intake of lady officers in the Army have caused consternation and generated adverse publicity". "Should my remarks, a s reported in the Press, have caused any anguish or doubt on my personal commitment and healthy respect towards the role of lady officers in the Army, I have no hesitation in tendering an apology to such groups or sections of society or individuals," he said in a statement. Gen. Pattabhiraman had been quoted as saying that the Army could do without women. His purported observation came against the backdrop of a lady officer committing suicide. Despite issuing a clarification that his comments were "misconstrued and quoted out of context", the said remarks had drawn flak from women activists. In his statement on Tuesday, Gen. Pattabhiraman said: "I would like to place on record that the lady officers joining the Army as part of the Women's Special Entry Scheme have contributed in as much measure as their male counterparts have towards upholding the Army's traditional work culture and ethos. They have also excelled in fields such as adventure sports and shooting, apart from providing value addition to the Army's work in fields like education, IT, communication engineering, architecture, inventory management, intelligence and combat logistics. I also recognise that women of our country have played a stellar role not only in nation-building but also in extreme adventure activities like climbing the Everest." PTI reports: The Bharatiya Janata Party, which demanded that Army Vice-Chief be suspended for his remarks that the force can well do without women, on Tuesday expressed satisfaction with his apology. "The matter is now over. He has shown grace and apologised," party leader Sushma Swaraj said. (The Hindu 21/6/06) One-third quota makes Youth Cong desperately seek women (8) NEW DELHI, JUNE 20:Office-bearers of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) are chasing women, as part of their job. What has set them scurrying for women is an instruction from Congress pre sident Sonia Gandhi

that each one of its committee must have at least one-third women members. Since women are not easy to come by in political parties, at least six pradesh Youth Congress presidents have been functioning for months without committees. The lists of office-bearers submitted without one-third women have been rejected outright by Oscar Ferandes, CWC member in-charge of frontal organisations. ‘‘No organisation can move forward without adequate representation of women. The Congress constitution stipulates that and I have asked them comply with it,’’ says Fernades. Since its formation in 1969, the IYC has had only one woman president—Ambika Soni in 1975-77. Of its 33 pradesh committees, only two have women presidents—Meenakshi Natarajan in Madhya Pradesh and Tilotama in Manipur. The decision on increasing women representation was part of a list of instructions that the high command gave the youth brigade nearly four months ago. The newly appointed presidents of Orissa, Meghalaya, Tripura, Uttaranchal, Delhi and Mumbai are offering a post to virtually any woman who they can find! After a lot of effort, Meghalaya and Mumbai have managed a list with adequate numbers, but others have not been as lucky with women. They are scouting in the hinterlands after being advised that local bodies are the place to look, where 33 per cent women members are mandatory. So far, the campaign has not been impressive, but the seniors are unwilling to accept anything less. (Indian Express 21/6/06) Army’s first woman officer comes to its defence (8) Manraj GrewalPosted online: Wednesday, June 21, 2006 at 0000 hrs Print Email Chandigarh, June 20:The first woman officer of the Indian Army is rather upset these days. Major Priya Jhingan, cadet No 001 at the Officers Training Academy who retired after 10 years of service in 2002, can’t digest the ‘‘negative publicity’’ coming the army’s way in the last few days. ‘‘Lt Sushmita Chakravarty’s suicide was rather unfortunate but it is the first time that a woman officer has taken such a step in the 14 years since the induction of women into the army. And why drag the Vice-Chief into a controversy when the army has already clarified that he was quoted out of context,’’ she says. Looking back at her years in the army, Jhingan, a retired officer of the Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Department, the army’s judicial wing, who now edits a weekly in Gangtok, pooh-poohs all talk about low comfort-levels with women in the army. ‘‘It may be true of the combat units which have never had women officers but I never felt any discomfort in the JAG department.’’ She claims it was equally true of her 25 batchmates. ‘‘I was in touch with them for the first five years and none of them had any complaints on this account.’’ Gender, she assert s, was never an issue. ‘‘Right from day one, our instructor told everyone to call us ‘Sir’, not ‘Maam’. Later too, we were addressed as officers, not as ladies or gentlemen.’’ Jhingan, a lawyer, had a first-hand experience of the army jurisprudence when a drunk jawan tried to barge into her room. ‘‘He was court-martialled and sent packing within days. Justice in the army is very quick.’’ The former officer blames the growing frustration in the young army officers on the disconnect between civilian expectations and OG reality. The girl, who shot off a letter to the then army chief asking him to open the doors of the forces for women when she was in Class X, say s she never spared any thought to her monthly pay-cheque. ‘‘I used to deposit it in the bank and then spend to my heart’s content.’’ (Indian Exp 21/6/06) New law to protect NRI brides sought (8) Chandigarh, June 21: After an estimated 30,000 instances of NRI grooms abandoning their brides in India, the National Commission for Women appears to have finally woken up to the need for specific laws and administrative provisions to protect the hapless young women. This, in fact, was precisely what discussions at a consultative workshop on "Problems Related to NRI Marriages" in Chandigarh focused on over the past two days. The venue of the discussions is significant because nearly half of the abandoned NRI brides are struggling to live in Punjab’s villages. NCW chairman Girija Vyas said the commission would make specific recommendations to the Union government on preventing the exploitation of women and their families by unscrupulous expatriate men who marry them in exchange for a huge dowry and subsequently fly abroad, leaving the young brides to fend for themselves. Included among the list of suggestions are amendments to the Passport Act to include special provisions for the cancellation of the passport of the offending NRI spouse, and for the Extradition Act to incorporate typical offences in NRI marriages, like fraud, dowry and marital cruelty, as an additional class of offences under the Indian Penal Code, Criminal Procedure Code, CPC and Citizenship Act. "The registration of all marriages involving NRIs must be made mandatory under law and special provisions must be introduced to include full details, including a photograph, of the wife on the passport of every NRI groom," Ms Vyas said. The commission will demand that all certificates for NRI marriages be issued in duplicate and must compulsorily include the social security number of the husband. (Asian Age 22/6/06)

5 Rapes In 24 Hours (8) New Delhi, June 22: Tearing apart the claims of the Delhi police to make the capital city a safer place for women, five females, ranging from an innocent four-year-old kid to a feeble octogenarian, have been brutally raped in the last 24 hours on Thursday. Pointing more towards the declining moral values than the deteriorating law and order situation, the heinous acts involve accused mostly known to the victim with one of them even being an assi stant sub-inspector in the crime branch of the Delhi police. Still fighting for her life in Jagjivan Ram Hospital, an 80-year-old has been raped by her neighbour in her house at Jahangirpuri. Narrating the story of ghastly act the old woman had wounds inflicted all over her body with the accused biting the hapless victim at every place possible. As her neighbours heard cries they came for her rescue but the accused took out a knife and stabbed the old woman. Her debilitating sensory organs and weary limbs are still to come to terms to the dastardly act. In a similar incident in Purana Seelampur, a four-year-old girl fell prey to the pervert mindset of the society. The kid was kidnapped while playing outside her house on Wednesday. Her parents searched all night desperately, only to find her unconscious and scantily-dressed near a metro rail crossing. Her uterus and anus have been torn and she will have to be operated. The third incident in the Prashant Vihar area is an epitome of a protector turning a destroyer. ASI K.B. Jha of crime branch Delhi came to know of a couple in Prashant Vihar that had eloped from Mumbai and thus got a vulnerable victim to satisfy his lust. The accused was caught redhanded and suspended with immediate effect. A girl from Hauz Khas was raped in the bathroom at third floor of G.B. Pant hospital. Even more astonishing is the fact that the corridor outside the bathroom links the building to the administrative block frequented by the passers-by. The police has arrested the accused in three cases. The accused in all the case aged between 35-40 years. (Asian Age 23/6/06) Plea against NCW member w ithdraw n (8) NEW DELHI: :In A curious turn of events, a petition filed in the Supreme Court by a girl accusing NCW member Yasmin Abrar of ‘‘forcing’’ her to have physical relations with some senior Congress politicians was today sought to be withdrawn on behalf of the girl by her lawyer citing ‘‘changed circumstances’’. ‘‘In view of the changed circumstances, the applicant petitioner does not wish to pursue her aforesaid writ. Hence the same is required to be withdrawn unconditionally. That it would be in the interest of justice that the aforesaid writ petition is allowed to be withdrawn unconditionally,’’ the application filed by advocate S.K. Sabharwal said. Allowing the request, a vacation Bench of Justice A.R. Lakshmanan and Justice Altamas Kabir dismissed the writ petition ‘‘as withdrawn’’. The petitioner had accused the NCW member of taking her and another minor from the ‘Snehalaya’, a home for destitute women in the capital, to her residence. Later at her residence, she (a major) was forced to have sex with some Congress MPs, her petition alleged and sought a CBI probe to bring out the truth. The Indian Express spoke to Sabharwal who directed it to advocate-on-record in the case Jasbir Singh Malik. When contacted, Malik said he had filed the petition in the SC on May 10 and that he had appeared in court today seeking permission to withdraw it. But he did not elaborate on what the ‘‘changed circumstances’’ (Indian Exp 23/6/06) ‘Rapist often know n to victim’ (8) New Delhi, June 23: The five rapes that shocked Delhi on Thursday have brought the issue to the forefront again. What is most frightening is that the rapist is usually someone known to the victim. The profile sketch of a rapist shows that most of the time it is acquaintances who commit the crime. They are mostly neighbours, friends and relatives — people in whom the victim reposes faith. The data with the Delhi crime branch shows that in "98 per cent of cases the accused is known to the victim". Ranjana Kumari of the Centre for Social Research says, "In most of the cases that we are handling, the rapists are people known to the victim. And a strikingly large number of rape victims have been duped in relationships." In the year 2005-2006 a total of 642 rapes and 741 cases of molestation were registered in Delhi. Of these, 62 cases took place in Sultanpuri area of northwest district alone. The figures point towards the vulnerability of women in these areas. "Women from the lower (economic) classe s are more prone to fall prey to the perverted attitude of men because of many reasons. Common toilets or going to a distant place for defecation at odd hours are other factors that expose women to these crime," said Ranjana Kumari. Joint CP (crime) Ranjit Narain observed: "Most of the rapists are concentrated in the areas where financial levels are low." Rape is sexual violence against women. The rapist is often a substance abuser or an anti-social element. Psychologist Samir Parikh say s, "A rapist is a person of pathological perversion. A man whose sexual desires are converted into perversion. The psychologist’s opinion is also echoed in Ms Ranjana Kumari’s opinion when she says, "Rapists are generally goons or anti-social elements that are let loose by the police." (Asian Age 24/6/06)

States didn’t report v iolations (8) New Delhi, June 24: The latest data till May 2006, of violation of the Pre-Conception & Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act (PC & PNDT) 1994, has revealed that as many as 22 out of the 35 states in India have not reported a single case of violation of the act, since it came into force in 1994. In India, where declining female sex ratio has reached genocidal proportions, the findings pose a big question mark on the effectiveness of the law and the lax attitude of the Union health ministry. The biggest violators include Delhi, which is leading with total of 76 cases of violation of the PC&PNDT rules including 69 cases of non-registration of births. Close on its heels is Punjab with a total of 67 cases and Gujarat with 57 cases including 38 cases of non-maintenance of records. The biggest violation reported, however, is 13 cases of communication of the sex of the foetus in Punjab, 12 in Haryana, eight in Maharashtra, one in Delhi, two in Uttarachal, one each in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. "Major violation is happening in developed states. In Punjab and Haryana, the district authorities are not taking interest,"said Dr Ratan Chand, director of PNDT. While Maharashtra and Delhi are leading in illegal advertisement of pre-natal diagnostic facilities in clinics; Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Gujarat, Andra Pradesh, Punjab and Karnataka are in the defaulters’ list for non-registration of births. The Union health ministry , that is raising concern about the rising number of ‘missing’ girls in the country, needs to wake up from its slumber. While in the early 1990’s, the country had 25 million missing girls, the figure has now risen to 35 million, recently stated health minister Anbumani Ramadoss. The ‘missing’ number of girls are in reality the ones who are missing from all records of the PNDT Act. (Asian Age 25/6/06) `Women being encouraged to j oin armed forces' (8) New Delhi: Insisting that there is no bias against women in the armed forces, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Sundaysaid women were being encouraged to join the defence services in large numbers. He also said that no view had been taken at the "decision-making" level on the issue of creating the post of Combined Defence Services. "I can assure you (that) there is no bias against women officers," Mr. Mukherjee told NDTV amid controversy over allegations that women in the defence forces are being discriminated against. "We are proud of them (women). They are making valuable contributions and we like to encourage them to come (into the armed forces)," he said. On the issue of women being part of combat duties, the Defence Minister said "that depends upon their willingness, wishes. But it will be more hard work, there is no doubt in this." Mr. Mukherjee said, "The job will be more strenuous, there will be more hard work. But they are getting ready." Last week, Vice-Chief of the Army Staff Lt.Gen. S. Pattabiraman reportedly said the Army could do without women. His remarks came after a lady officer committed suicide in Jammu. The Hindu 26/6/06) Rajasthan woman raped at gunpoint (8) Jaipur: A tribal woman was allegedly raped by two persons in the presence of her husband in Bindayka village under Jhalawar district of Rajasthan. The two men also allegedly torched the hut of the victim. No arrest has been made in the case so far, the police said. According to the Jhalawar police, the incident occurred on Thursday night when Kanhia and Chintamani descended on the victim’s house, along with three others. "We have registered a case of rape on the victim’s report and a medical officer has also examined the victim," Pushpendra Singh, circle officer of the Jhalawar police, said. The victim was allegedly raped on gunpoint, the report said. The victim said in her report that the men were drunk and beat up her husband. (Asian Age 26/6/06) Rape victims: Legal system torturous (8) New Delhi, June 25: With the incidents of rape rising at an alarming rate, the failure to provide succour to the victims has become all the more conspicuous. The agony of a rape victim is being augmented by the callous behaviour of the police, the jibes of society and the mental trauma due to prolonged trials. The Delhi police claims to help rape victims in distress through "Rape Crisis Centre" in each district. The usefulness of these centres come after a long way. The victims we talked to suggested, "After the traumatising incident lies the uphill task of getting an FIR registered." To get an FIR registered, a rape victim has to first shrug off the doubts against her integrity. On June 17, a woman was raped in Badarpur by two men known to her. The police went to her neighbourhood to inquire about her character. The only option left for the victim was to shift her residence. Women’s organisations are demanding capital punishment for the rapists. However, what rape victims really require is stringent implementation of the law. The Hetal Parekh rape case dragged on for 14 long and arduous years. Though the rapist, Dhananjoy Chatterjee was given a death penalty, it was nothing but a derision of justice for her parents.

The conviction rate of rape cases is very low. As there are generally no eyewitness to a rape, the result of the case depends on the medical examination of the victim to a large extent. The examination has to be conducted within 22 hours of the incident, due to short sperm life. Due to delay in the examination in many cases, rape is confirmed but it becomes difficult to ascertain the identity of the rapist. "The absence of an eyewitness also calls the police to take a statement of the accused and victim before a magistrate under Section 164 CrPC so that they do not backtrack from their statements," said Asghar Khan, a criminal advocate. "Generally this is ignored and overlooked by the police and its advantage is taken by the accused," he further added. (Asian Age 26/6/06) Centre seeks to redefine rape (8) New Delhi, June 25: Forcing a woman into oral sex, insertion of any extraneous objects or touching her private parts, will all be included in the new definition of rape that the government is contemplating, while updating and modernising laws concerning sexual assault on women. Another new provision in the Bill for this purpose, that is likely to be introduced during the Monsoon session of Parliament, will be to make sexual assault "gender neutral" — meaning that both men and women could be punished for such an offence, according to souses in the Home ministry, currently working on the proposed Bill. The Bill seeks to amend Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code, dealing with the definition of rape, and Section 376, which prescribes punishment. At present, penetration against will alone constitutes sexual intercourse amounting to rape. "The draft Bill is almost ready and will be taken to the Union Cabinet for its approval before introduction in Parliament," said ministry sources. Two days ago while talking to newspersons, the Union home minister Shivraj Patil had impressed upon newspersons the need to tone up the investigating machinery, strengthening the prosecution system and safeguarding the interests of women. However, the suggestion of former home minister and deputy prime minister L.K. Advani, to prescribe death penalty for committing a rape did not find much favour with the Law Commission or the National Commission for Women, on whose recommendations the new laws are being introduced, said government sources. And, therefore punishment for rape, which now varies from a seven-year jail term to life imprisonment, is unlikely to be changed. Under the new provision, separate clauses were being introduced to deal with sexual offences committed by security force personnel, including the armed forces, as also those deputed in hospitals and educational institutions, besides assault on children. (Asian Age 26/6/06) Meghalaya mulls courts for crime against w omen (8) Shillong : The Meghalaya Government has mooted fast track special courts for dealing with growing crimes and violence against women. Home Minister RG Lyngdoh, while replying to a barrage of supplementary questions from the legislators during the Question Hour in the State Assembly on the alarming rise of violent crimes against women and low prosecution rate, tried to calm the members by saying that the department was fully aware of the situation, and it was already considering setting up special courts to deal with the crimes against women. Besides, he also said that existing cells for investigation of women-related crimes within the police department would be activated and strengthened. Lyngdoh admitted that incidents of rape, violence, murder and abduction in the State capital itself were enough to cause concern, but he strongly rejected the charges of inefficiency and lack of professionalism against the police department for its failure in bringing the perpetrators of crimes against women to justice. Giving details of the types and scale of crimes in Shillong in the last five years, Lyngdoh said the police had brought before the court over 80 per cent of the cases with charge sheet, even though, the prosecution was almost nil. But for that, the Home Minister asserted, the police department could not be blamed. "It is up to the court," he said. When a legislator asked why were the incidences of violence against women rising, Lyngdoh said: "Those incidences of rape, sexual abuses, abduction etc were always there, but of late due to growing activism by women's organisations and growing interaction between them and the law enforcement personnel these cases are being registered." Earlier, because of the fear of social stigma and isolation, crimes against women were not reported to the police. In the last five years, police have registered about 150 cases of women related crimes in the State capital, but there was only one prosecution. (Pioneer 29/6/06) Yet another dow ry death in Ghaziabad (8) Ghaziabad : In yet another dowry death, a model, working with a cassette company, was allegedly killed by her parents-in-law in Ghaziabad's DLF residential locality on Tuesday. Police have registered a case against the accused and also arrested the deceased's husband. According to circle officer (border) Ummed Singh, "On Tuesday night, the police received a call from the deceased's parents-in-law that their

daughter-in-law had committed suicide. We immediately rushed to the spot and the body has been sent for post-mortem." "Police have registered a case under Section 304B of IPC against the accused only after recording the statements of the deceased's parents, who alleged that their daughter was killed for dowry," he said. In fact, the victim, 24-year-old Rupa, a model with Chandra Cassette, was married to a surveyor of a Meerut-based computer company in 2004. After the wedding, the family started residing in DLF apartments. But, Rupa's mother alleged that the accused started demanding dowry immediately after the marriage. "We presented a motorcycle during the marriage. But demands kept coming. On several occasions, Rupa attempted suicide. Ultimately, dowry became the cause of death for our daughter," she claimed."My daughter was killed. Her husband Dinesh, mother-in-law Shimla, father-in-law Chandroo and brother-in-law had killed her," she alleged. "We want justice," the deceased's mother demanded. (Pioneer 29/6/06) Army against permanent commission for w omen (8) NEW DELHI: Even as the Chiefs of Staff Committee begins examining the possibility of giving permanent commission to women, it now transpires that the Army had submitted its objections to such a move in response to a court case. In an affidavit filed by the Army Headquarters in the Delhi High Court, the Army has argued that it is not possible to give extensive assignments to women officers because of "organisational hierarchy, lack of mobility" besides the possibility of stagnancy because of the "limited role" played by them. However, the Army said a regular commission could be granted if the Government took a policy decision in this regard. The case was filed in 2003, shortly after the first batch of women officers under the Women's Special Entry Scheme retired after 10 years of service. It was argued that the women retired even though they were medically fit and had given the prime of their youth to the Army. In response, the Army said the Government would have to consider the social and largely rural background of the troops whom the lady officers might command if they were inducted as permanent officers. There were also "assignment constraints on utilisation of women officers to a great extent." At present, women are trained at the Officers' Training Academy (OTA), Chennai, "in such a way that it is less demanding physically and therefore the female officers generally receive lower ratings than men in physical training, leadership and tactical subjects." (The Hindu 30/6/06) Girl wants mom ‘humiliated’ (8) Lucknow, June 30: A young girl, who was abandoned by her own mother because the latter did not wish to be saddled with daughters, wants the state Women’s Commission to publicly humiliate her mother for this act. The girl Rashmi (not her real name) was born after two daughters and her birth plunged the family, particularly her mother, into mourning. ‘Disgusted’ at the idea of having three daughters, her mother decided to give away the new born child and her father silently supported the decision. "My mother would have probably thrown me into a dustbin but my maternal grandparents intervened and took me to their home. I was brought up by my grandparents and whenever I visited my mother’s home, I was humiliated and abused by her. Though my two sisters and brother remained affectionate towards me, my mother made it a point to make me feel unwanted. In fact, my mother clearly told me not to visit her home and that I was not wanted in the family," Rashmi told this newspaper. Some years ago, Rashmi’s mother left her father and married another man who was much younger in age. "My stepfather was much kinder and he allowed me to meet my siblings and tie rakhi to my brother but my mother remained hostile towards me," she recounts. Some months ago, Rashmi’s maternal grandfather passed away and her grandmother is confined to her bed. "I am now at the crossroads of life once again. There is no one to support me and I have nowhere to go," she says. The state Women’s Commission, acting on the girl’s petition, summoned the mother and directed her to pay a monthly allowance of Rs 1000 to Rashmi and also to bear half the expenditure of her wedding. The SWC has also said that Rashmi would be allowed to visit her siblings."I do not want money form my mother — I simply wanted to humiliate her in public by dragging her to the SWC. I have suffered for no fault of mine and it is time that she paid for her behaviour," says Rashmi. (Asian Age 1/7/06) "Include NCW suggestions in changes to rape law" (8) NEW DELHI: Poornima Advani, former chairperson of the National Commission for Women (NCW), has sought the intervention of Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil to include the recommendations of the women's panel in the proposed amendments to the rape law. In a letter addressed to Mr. Patil, Ms. Advani said that despite so much ground work done by the Commission, the necessary statutory changes have

not seen the light of day. The NCW had recommended that the age of consent in rape law should be uniformly raised to 18 years, the definition of rape widened to cover other forms of sexual assault, deletion of the marital rape exception clause and incorporating a statutory provision to provide for compensation to the rape victim. It had also sought deletion of clause 4 of section 155 of the Evidence Act dealing with the prior sexual history of the victim, besides providing for counselling (including trauma counselling) and legal aid to the victim. Death penalty was not recommended since the human rights activists worldwide are working towards the abolition of capital punishment, the recommendations said. However, rigorous imprisonment for life for the culprit would be a reasonable alternative. These recommendations have been adopted and published by the Commission, Ms. Advani said, adding that these were further discussed at the first All India Directors General of Police and Home Secretaries Conference on women's issue s. She appreciated the Government taking up the amendment of the rape law among others. The subject had been thrashed out in several forums in the past few years and a number of committees and commissions, among them the National Commission for Women and the Law Commission, gave their inputs, she said. (The Hindu 2/7/06) DCW to monitor pre-natal tests(8) New Delhi :The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) will set up a state monitoring centre to keep vigil on ultrasound clinics which undertake sex determination tests or are not filing requisite monthly statements as prescribed under the Pre-natal Determination Test (PNDT) Act. This was decided at a gender roundtable, organised jointly by the DCW, Solution Exchange, UNFPA and UNIFEM. The theme of the roundtable, held at UN conference hall, was "Gender-based violence with focus on pre-natal sex selection". Stressing on the need of a concrete and focused action plan to curb the falling sex ratio in the capital, Professor Kiran Walia, chairperson, DCW, said, "The incessant decrease in sex ratio is quite alarming. The more disappointing is the lethargy on the part of the bodies that have the responsibility to implement the PNDT Act. The need of the hour is to wage a battle against the menace." She also added that the DCW plans to constitute a task force to implement the PNDT act in totality. Dr Puneet Bedi, an eminent gynaecologist, alleged that the lapses in conducting regular audits of ultrasound clinics were deliberate and not just an oversight. Stressing that mere soft measures like holding awareness camps will not serve the purpose, he said, "Whereas the entire country of Denmark had 23,000 births in 2005, the same number of female foetuses were aborted in Delhi alone during the same year. When we conducted a sample social audit on ultrasound clinics spanning three months data, we found that only 700 out of the registered 1,800 ultrasound clinics in Delhi were actually even submitting monthly reports based on Form F, which is mandated under the PNDT Act. We wonder why such clinics haven’t yet been sealed." He also informed that out of 50,000 scanned forms during the period, around 80 per cent were incomplete with vital and incriminating information missing and, moreover, many forms were either manipulated or falsely filled. (Asian Age 3/7/06) Manager arrested for sexual harassment of Mathura teacher (8) Agra : Schools have for long been considered as safe workplace for women and consequently the proportion of women working as teachers in schools has increased considerably over the years. Lately, with incidents of sexual harassment of teachers in schools repeatedly coming to light, this assumed sense of safety is slowly disappearing among young women working as teachers in schools. Yet another bizarre incident of sexual harassment was reported by a school teacher in Mathura, the police have booked the manager of the school on charges of trying to get intimate with the teacher on the school premises and having failed n his advances, distributed pamphlets in the city making obscene comments about the teacher. Following an FIR filed by the teacher on Thursday, the school manager has now been sent to jail. Talking to the Pioneer about the incident, Dileep Singh, station-officer, Kotwali Police Station in Mathura said that Geeta (name changed), a resident of Dwarikapuri, worked in a school which was managed by Shyam Sunder Gautam, who also works a s a supervisor in a local research institute. He said that on Thursday, the teacher arrived at the Kotwali police station carrying a printed pamphlet that contained several obscene comments about her, claiming that the pamphlet had been printed and distributed by Shyam Sunder Gautam. In a formal FIR filed against the manager, Geeta claimed that ever since she had joined the school, Gautam had been making advances towards her. A few days back, Gautam even tried to corner her inside the school's computer room but she ran out of the room. After the incident she resigned from the job .However, Gautam continued to harass her and threatened to defame her she did not give in to her demands. (Pioneer 3/7/06)

Forced to be prostitutes as part of tradition (8) Bharatpur: As reports on the Jammu and Kashmir sex scandal flash on the front pages of national dailies, one wonders if it is common knowledge that communities in the suburbs of Bharatpur in Rajasthan earn their living by sending their daughters and sisters into flesh trade. The Bedias and Nats in the Ghatoli, Bansi Paharpur and Kharkanagla villages have been sending their daughters for the flesh trade to either Delhi or Mumbai, for decades now, to fetch financial support for the entire family. One scan around the village and you find a quarry, some shops and fields where people cultivate mustard. Ask them if these means of livelihood isn't sufficient for them, they either give a blank stare or a cynical laugh echoes into the wilderness. Stark poverty and unemployment have forced 58 families in the Bedia community of Ghatoli, where a total of 163 families dwell out of which 70 are Bedias, to follow the inhuman age old practice. But again one look at their houses shows older women wearing gold jewelleries, buffaloes in most of the houses and the men indulging in gambling and drinking. A local NGO, Samriddhi, active in all these villages and especially involved in educating children from these communities, tries to dispel the confusion. "Poverty and unemployment are no doubt the main reasons behind this. But now it seems that they are content with the way it is and would not even look for an alternative," Rano Behen, who runs the NGO, said. When the girl is 12, the father or a brother takes her to a big city and hands her over to a relative already in the profession. Some girls willingly go, charmed by the prospects of earning fat money, others have no choice. They continue in the profession till they are 35 and have to retire. Meanwhile, they make a trip to their villages twice a year, during Deepawali and in April with money and gifts for the family. (The Hindu 4/7/06) Haryana records improved sex ratio (8) CHANDIGARH: Fourteen Haryana districts have shown improvement in the sex ratio according to the statistics available for 2005. The sex ratio had declined to 861 females per thousand males according to the 2001 Census as compared to 865 according to the 1991 Census. The Haryana Health Minister, Kartar Devi, said here on Tuesday that these districts include Fatehabad 873 females per 1,000 males (828 in Census 2001), Faridabad 869 (850), Panipat 862 (809), Panckhula 856 (829), Sirsa 856 (817), Jind 856 (818), Hisar 834 (832), Kaithal 830 (791), Yamunanagar 830 (806), Rohtak820 (799), Karnal 811 (809), Sonepat 790 (788), Ambala 790 (782) and Kurukshetra 781 (771). She said that the districts which had not shown improvement included Bhiwani, Gurgaon, Jhajjar, Mahendergarh and Rewari. She also disclosed that the sex ratio was alarming in the age group of 0-6 years as it was 819 females per 1,000 males as per Census 2001. But the statistics of the calendar year 2005 revealed that the overall average had improved to 823 in this age group. She attributed the increase in sex ratio to initiatives taken by the State Government to provide incentives to girls to enhance their socio-economic status and the growing awareness among the people. Although the Pre-natal Diagnostic Technique Act has been implemented strictly, there was a need to change the mind-set of the people to check the menace of female foeticide. (The Hindu 5/7/06) Kerala has w omen's Sabarimala too (8) Kochi : The raging controversy over women between puberty and menopause not being allowed inside the sanctum sanctorum of the all-men hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa at Sabarimala in Kerala overlooks the fact that there are temples that are meant only for women devotees. One such shrine is the Chakkulathukavu temple in the village of Neerettupuram near Thiruvalla where Parvati is the presiding deity. The temple is popularly referred to as "Women's Sabarimala". Curiously, though meant for women devotees, men are allowed entry to these temples which have male priests. It would seem women devotees who visit these temples are more indulgent in relaxing tradition. The famous Sabarimala temple, which attracts millions of devotees every year, is caught in a controversy over the "revelation" by Kannada film actor Jaimala that she had touched Lord Ayyappa's idol in the sanctum sanctorum when she was 27. This is a breach of the shrine's tradition. The issue has caused hiccups among officials because the Kerala Government 59 oversees the operations of the Travancore Devaswom Board that manages the affairs of the temple and it has reached the Kerala High Court. The Chakkulathukavu temple meant for women devotees is situated on the border of Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha districts, 12 km westward from the town of Thiruvalla. Rivers Pampa and Manimala flow on either side of the shrine.The shrine is open to all women irrespective of their caste and creed who wish to worship the Goddess. Since the Devi is not bothered by the caste or creed of the pilgrims, innumerable Hindus, Christians and Muslims visit the shrine regularly. A large

number of women offer Pongala, holy pudding, on the Thrikkartika day of Vrikschika (NovemberDecember) of the Malayalam calendar. (Pioneer 5/7/06) Ex-j awan held for chaining first w ife (8) Patna, July 5: The Bihar police has arrested a retired jawan of the Army who kept his first wife chained in a room for two years in order to make his second wife "happy". The police rescued Bhagyamani from the house of Bhola Singh, a retired Army jawan, in Berer village of Bikram block in Patna district on Wednesday. With serious injuries all over her body, Bhagyamani has been admitted to a government hospital in Bikram. She was married to Bhola Singh some eight years ago. Her captivation began when Bhola married another woman from Shivgarh village. Bhola’s second wife was not happy with Bhagyamani’s presence and not only did she charged her with having illicit relationships with Bhola’s friends but also asked Bhola to throw her out of his life. Tortured by her husband, Bhagyamani decided to go back to her parents’ house. She returned back to Bhola around two years ago. Things did not change. Bhola’s second wife asked him to make a choice as she was not ready to live with Bhagyamani. Bhola decided to stay with his second wife and chained Bhagyamani. She was locked in a room of the house. As if this was not enough, Bhola and his second wife used to beat up Bhagyamani every morning and night. She was bludgeoned so often that most of the time Bhagyamani used to lay unconscious inside the room, Bhola’s neighbours told the police. It was one of Bhola’s neighbours who informed Ram Sharma, Bhagyamani’s brother, about the inhuman treatment of his sister. Mr Sharma sought the help of the local police which finally raided the house of Bhola and rescued the woman. The police says action will also be taken against Bhola’s second wife. (Asian Age 6/7/06) MP girl dropout rate high (8) Bhopal, July 6: The dropout rate among schoolgirls continues to be among the highest in Madhya Pradesh. This has been confirmed by the difficulty faced in finding enough girl students to disburse scholarships under the novel "Gaon Ki Beti" scheme. Barely 3,000 members of the fairer sex met the criteria for the scholarships after a statewide search extending to every single village in the state. The scheme had been introduced by Mr Babulal Gaur in 2005 during this tenure as chief minister. State government sources told this newspaper that one girl from each village who had passed Class 12 in the first division was to have been identified with the specific aim of funding their higher studies. Barely 2,000-2,200 met the criteria. The numbers inched up by another 750-800 when the district headquarters were included. With the result that a good portion of the Rs 1.28-crore budget set aside for this purpose remained unused, sources in the state finance department conceded. Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan also minced no words in expressing his deep anguish over the high rate of school dropouts, especially among girls. To curb this, he has specifically directed collectors in all districts to run a "School Chalen Hum" campaign till July 15. The campaign will cover both drop outs as well as those boys and girls who ought to studying, but failed to take admission due to family circumstances. To make the campaign effective, the chief minister has requested the participation of MPs, MLAs, ministers, local self-bodies, and NGOs. Mr Chauhan reiterated that school education was right on top of his economic agenda. Most development initiatives were quite useless without success on this front. In fact, a number of collectors were categorically told that their performance would be judged by how much effort they were putting to spread education in the districts. (Asian Age 7/7/06) BJP Mahila Morcha rises against female foeticide (8) New Delhi Concerned over the ever widening male and female ratio in the country, the BJP Mahila Morcha has decided to take up the cause of creating awareness among the masses to check female foeticide. "The campaign would be formally launched on July 11 in the Capital that would be attended by women party activists from the National Capital Region. Since the issue is of great importance, apolitical women would also attend the demonstration," Karuna Shukla, MP and president of the Morcha, announced. Elaborating their objective, Shukla said the BJP as a political outfit is not only for vote bankpolitics, but is equally concerned about social problems. "If female foeticide is not checked on a priority basis, there will be social imbalance that would lead to many other problems. Hence, there is a need to make the masse s aware of the evils of female foeticide," she added. They hope that once the movement kicks off on July 11 in the Capital, it would spread to other parts of the country in due course. "From block to district level to State level, the Morcha activists will organise awareness campaigns. Such activities also help in expanding the party's support base," she added. Former Union Health Minister Sushma Swaraj will be the key speaker during the launch of the campaign in Delhi. The Morcha chief has

requested party president Rajnath Singh to address the gathering. The other leaders that would address the gathering include Sumitra Mahajan and the chiefs of Mahila Morcha from the neighbouring States. At present, the male-female ratio in the country is 1,000:933. "The gap is quite wide in Haryana, Delhi, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan where for every 1,000 male there are only 776, 835, 939 and 909 females respectively. Things will certainly change if awareness is created at the grassroot level in rural and urban areas alike." (Pioneer 10/7/06) Dow ry victim doctor dies after four years in coma (8) Ghaziabad : A dowry victim, Dr Rashmi succumbed to her injuries after struggling for life for over four years in coma in a Ghaziabad hospital. Rashmi, who graduated from Lata Mangeshkar Medical College at Nagpur, married her classmate Dr Deepak Dubey, who is the son of dean of the same college. But after a year of marriage, her matrimonial relations started getting strained and on May 11, 2002, her husband who has done masters in medicine, allegedly attempted to murder her in a specialised manner, alleged Rashmi's mother Asha Garg. In the attempt to kill her, Rashmi sustained hypoxic brain injury and 75 per cent of her gray cells were dead, her mother alleged. She had been in a coma and struggling for life for more than four years. Rashmi had sustained an 8.10-cm-deep wound in the front portion of her neck and another 4-cm-deep wound on her left shoulder allegedly at the hands of her husband. Her blood supply to the brain was stopped by snapping the arteries at her neck. And to deoxygenate her brain, her nostrils were closed, alleged the mother of the victim.After the attempt to kill her on May 11, 2002, when the mother of the victim phoned her daughter, she was told by maid Sheela that Rashmi had met with an accident and had been admitted to Ekvira Heart Institute, Nagpur. After hearing this shoc king news, her mother phoned Rashmi's father-in-law, Dr Gopal Krishna Dubey, on his mobile. The father-in-law, who is the former dean of Lata Mangeshkar Medical College, bluntly told her mother that Rashmi was dying. Initially, Dr Dubey tried to explain that Rashmi was dead by saying that she had tried to commit suicide but during sustained interrogation, Dr Deepak Dubey confessed that he tried to kill her, said Rashmi's mother. After this incident, Rashmi's parents rushed to Nagpur and returned after lodging a complaint with the Ambazari police station stating that their daughter was being tortured for the greed of dowry and her husband attempted to kill her. (Pioneer 10/7/06) AIDWA hails court j udgment (8) NEW DELHI : The All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) has welcomed the Supreme Court judgment on inter-caste marriages and its direction to the authorities to protect the harassed and tortured couples. In a statement, the AIDWA said swift and timely action by police in such marriages would help thousands of such couples."Instances of ``honour killings,'' where panchayats issued decrees to murder or separate those who chose partners outside their community, exposed the extent of the casteist, communal, and feudal notions entrenched in society," the statement said. Quite often, the administrative authorities ignored the barbaric judgments and punishments issued by caste and community-based panchayats, the AIDWA said. (The Hindu 11/7/06) Dow ry case against in-laws (8) New Delhi, July 11: In an unconventional incident, a woman has filed a case of dowry harassment against her in-laws after her husband committed suicide and though they were living separately from their in-laws. Married to Mahesh Verma three years back, Aarti has been living separately from her in-laws. Few months back, her husband committed suicide without living a suicide note. Aarti had married Mahesh in January 2003. Her father-in-law Jagdish Verma allege that immediately after marriage she insisted that she and Mahesh should start living at her father’s place and Mahesh should invest in her father’s business. Agreeing to this demand, Mahesh started living with his in-laws. He is also said to have invested Rs 4 lakhs, given by his father, in the business. "We gave that money by selling off our jewellery," Mr Verma said. Time passed and the business failed. At this time, Mahesh’s father-in-law asked him to live separately. Seeing no other options, Mahesh took a house in the vicinity on his in-laws on rent. Later on, his father-in-law allegedly asked him to leave the business and also refused to return the money invested by Mahesh. Defeated, Mahesh returned to his father’s home. His parents gave them separate floor to live. But Jagdish Verma alleges that after few days her daughter-in-law threatened Mahesh he should get more money from his parents or else she would compliant to the police that Mahesh’s family harassed her for dowry. Fearing for his parents and agonised by the tension Mahesh snuffed out his life. Mahesh is survived by his wife and one daughter. Mahesh parents said, "We are not aware what went wrong. Aarti’s father wanted to marry her second time. We agreed and said that we are ready to brought

up Mahesh’s daughter. However, after a few days she filed a complaint in women cell regarding dowry harassment." (Asian Age 12/7/06) UP to launch 'Beti Bachao' campaign from Wednesday (8) Lucknow : In order to create awareness among masse s about female foeticide and to curb the practice, Uttar Pradesh Government is going to launch "Beti Bachao" campaign beginning July 19. A rally would be taken out on that day in the city with active participation from NGOs, doctors, college and university students, UP Social Welfare Board Chairman Anjana Prakash told reporters here on Monday. It would be an attempt to create awareness among masse s on the sensitive issue, he said. Prakash said with female foeticide on the rise, the number of girls was decreasing alarmingly and it was a matter of grave concern. Under the campaign, all districts would be covered and similar rallies and awareness programmes would be launched. The Board was also planning to constitute a task force to check illegal abortions and ultrasound centres, she said. (Pioneer 18/7/06) Sabarimala: Sachar objects to Minister's stand (8) Mr. Rajindar Sachar, former president, People's Union for Civil Liberties, has issued the following statement: "Kerala Minister, Mr. G. Sudhakaran, has taken objection to the suggestion of Ms. K.R. Gauri, former Minister, that the Sabarimala temple be made accessible to women. This is surprising and painful coming as it does from a person who is Minister in the Kerala Cabinet, which is sworn to secularism and gender-free bias. It is wrong, in my view, to take the stand that these rituals which are discriminatory to women or secularism are not the concern of the government. "In this connection, [thanks to] the bold stand taken by Nehru and his insistence on passing in 1952 [the] Hindu Women Right to Property Act, notwithstanding the very serious objections raised by equally tall leaders like President Dr. Rajendra Prasad and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the law came into force. Had Nehru wavered and become unnecessarily nervous at the reaction of the medieval religious slogans the advancement of women's movement would have suffered. "The Government of Kerala has an Endowment Board and also gives some funding and also has a hand in managing the temple. With that situation it is not permissible for the government to take neutral, rather than adverse, position on women praying at the temple. Male chauvinism or dominance has no place in our socialistic Constitution. It is also ironic that Hinduism which prays to the Goddess of Durga, and Parvati should in practice allow the keepers of [the] temple to deny to women their inherent right to pray before the deity." (The Hindu 20/7/06) Woman on run ov er threats by family(8) New Delhi, July 19: Thirty-two-year-old Ruby Sherawat is on the run. The mother of a 7-year-old child, she alleges that she fears for her life in her parents’ house in Nangal Dewat village in Mahipal Pur. Her family members, including parents, have been threatening her with dire consequences, forcing her to compromise with her husband of 16 years, alleges Ruby who is now living almost a secluded life. Now, she has approached the NHRC, seeking protection to her life and rights. Her advocate Navdeep Singh said that while she doesn’t want to stay with her husband, an engineer in a private firm, Ruby’s parents have been opposing her idea tooth and nail. "I am not being allowed to attend school or to make any phone calls. My son’s life is also at stake. I have run away from my home on my own will and a desire to live according to my choice," Ruby who teaches in a school in Delhi Cantt area writes in the application about her plight. With no permanent address, she is now running from one city to another. "Last time the hapless woman called me from some STD booth in Agra and today she has moved to Gwalior. She fears that her brothers will kill her if she returns to her parents home," said her advocate. The Mahipal Pur police which ignored her plea of safety are now searching for her after her parents filed for a missing case. "We have filed a DD report in the case and are in the lookout for Ruby. If she approaches you then tell her she is a major and is free to lead her life in whatever way she wants," said a senior police official. But what the police doesn’t know is that even her entry in the city means a risks to her life. Ruby’s youngest brother Sanjeev Sherawat, 25, is extremely annoyed at her elder sister’s "vulgar" decision. "She is a black spot in our family. Such steps are strictly forbidden for girls in our society," Ruby’s brother said. (Asian Age 20/7/06) Woman killed for anti-liquor protest (8) Agartala, July 19: An anti-liquor woman activist was killed by her husband on Tuesday night for becoming part of a delegation that carried a deputation to the local police station demanding action against liquor sellers and consumers. Nine-month-pregnant Jhulan Das of Kalsimura village, under Kalamchaura police

station in west Tripura district, took active part in organising the local women against liquor sellers and addicts, including her husband Gopal Das. They also succeeded in forcing the police to launch an antiliquor drive. When Gopal Das, a seller of petrol and diesel in the black market, returned home at night, Jhulan proudly announced her success, but it backfired violently. He started beating her and finally poured petrol on her and set her on fire. Hearing her cries, a neighbour rushed in and took her to hospital where she succumbed to her injuries. Her eight-year-old daughter Maman also suffered serious burn injuries when she tried to save her mother. (Asian Age 20/7/06) Men unite against w omen (8) Mumbai, July 19: More and more men in the city have come out in the open to speak up against the atrocities committed on them by their spouses. Over 18,000 men across the country have come together and formed a forum called All India Crime Against Men by Women Sangh. At present, the members of the Ahmedabad based organisation called All India Crime Against Men by Women Sangh is in the city to discuss how the issue can be dealt with. Over 200 men from Mumbai on Wednesday registered their names with the forum to fight against their wives who have made their lives miserable. Ramesh Shinde who has a live-in relationship with a woman for ten years said, "I have been working in a carpet manufacturing company in Kuwait for years. Every year I visit Karuna, my companion for a month at a flat in Khar which was bought by me. However, two years ago, when I came back she wa s rude to me and forged the documents of my property in the city on her name. Later, she told me she wanted to stay separate and consulted a family court and is taking maintenance of Rs 3,000 since then." He alleged that the woman is also seeking maintenance charges from her other male companion as well, who at present in residing in Ahmedabad. Advocate V. Vyas, who is a legal adviser to the forum, said that in Mr Shinde’s case the lady cannot claim any maintenance since she is not his legal wife. However, she told the court that she had done a gandharv vivah with Mr Shinde. "I am appalled that even the marriage registrar at the family court did not check the documents which prove that she is Mr Shinde’s wife," he said. Men who are equally harassed by their wives complained that the mahila mandal’s operating in every area are a big nuisance in their lives. Rajiv Murudkar who works in a courier company said, "I stay in a joint family at Parel and recently I told my wife to pay little attention to my ageing parents, she got annoyed at this and left the house a year ago. She approached a mahila mandal, who summoned me to their office at central Mumbai and told me to give in writing that I will never raise my hand on my wife." He added that it is strange to know that his wife levelled false cases of torture against him in front of the mahila mandal members. (Asian Age 20/7/06) Exempt Zahira from prison, urge w omen activists (8) New Delhi, July 21: A section of women activists have appealed to President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam o exercise his powers of clemency and exempt Zahira Sheikh of the penal imprisonment she is undergoing for committing perjury and contempt of court by lying to the court. The members of the delegation, led by noted lawyer Indira Jaisingh, met Dr Kalam and presented to him a signed appeal. It pointed out that the Supreme Court verdict on March 8 pronounced one year imprisonment and a fine of Rs 50,000 for Zahira Sheikh. It also ordered the freezing of Zahira’s accounts for three months. The freezing effectively may rule out any possibility for Zahira to pay the fine, resulting in another year of imprisonment. Furthermore, Zahira has also been sentenced to three months for perjury by the trial court — the sentence is to run consecutively, after the completion of her imprisonment for contempt. The delegation reminded the President that perhaps for the first time in the history of the independent India, the judiciary has meted out such a harsh punishment for contempt of court to someone who herself is a survivor of Gujarat violence. Zahira has been penalised to set an example of all that a hostile witness ought not to do, without considering the context that produces this hostility. Zahira is not a professional hostile witness but an injured witness. It is likely that she could not bear the burdens placed upon her when she became an icon of the multiple injustices that marks the violence in Gujarat. Even though Zahira has repeatedly changed her statements, it must be remembered that her "hostility" to the prosecution is a product of surviving in a highly hostile and insecure environment, particularly in the absence of a witness protection programme or rehabilitation. While the court has punished Zahira, it has not passed similar stringent orders against politicians like Madhu Srivastava, who intimidated Zahira to change her testimony. (Asian Age 22/7/06) I w ill continue to w rite against `patriarchal discrimination': Taslima (8) JAIPUR: Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen on Sunday said she would continue writing against "patriarchal discrimination'' against women and support secular humanism in all parts of world where

religious minorities were persecuted. Ms. Nasreen, who was here to participate in the launch of "Education for all'' project, said women were still victims of physical and sexual violence, religious terrorism and trafficking and suffered unbearable inequalities and injustices. "'Their condition cannot improve unless we evolve an ethical world in which humanity flourishes,'' she said. Interacting with mediapersons before the formal launch of the scholarship project for basic education at Raj Bhavan here, Ms. Nasreen said she dreamt of a tolerant world where human beings respect each other. "I have been writing to make my dream come true with the hope that war, bloodshed and violence come to an end,'' she said. Ms. Nasreen, who was on her first visit to Rajasthan, said she was presently working on the next part of her autobiographical memoirs and added that she was forced to live in exile because extremists in her country were still threatening to kill her. "They burnt my books and threw me out of Bangladesh for what I wrote,'' she said. The writer of the "Lajja'' (shame) fame attended the function in Raj Bhavan amid indications that the Rajasthan National Forum, which organised the event, was reluctant to introduce her to Governor Pratibha Patil. The organisers, who were indecisive till the last moment, held a separate function for the campaign in a luxury hotel where mediapersons were invited. (The Hindu 24/7/06) High time quota Bill is tabled, say w omen (8) NEW DELHI: It is high time the Government took the Women's Reservation Bill out of cold storage, women's groups warned here on Monday. They said if the United Progressive Alliance Government ignored the voice of women and failed to feel the pulse of the people, it would have to regret its failure in the near future. They were participating in a protest by the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW), which began a 17-day dharna demanding that the Bill be tabled in the winter session of Parliament. The Communist Party of India (CPI)-backed NFIW general secretary Annie Raja said the National Democratic Alliance Government, despite giving several assurances to women's delegations, did not bring in the Bill, which seeks to provide reserve 33 per cent reservation to women in the Assemblies and Parliament. "We expected the UPA Government to pass the Bill, as they have not only committed themselves to adopt the legislation but also prioritised it in the common minimum programme. "It is really surprising why consensus should be sought within Parliament for the introduction of this Bill, when all political parties have given their commitment in their election manifestos. It seems that this kind of lip service and assurance is in reality a mere strategy to ensure votes from the women folk." (The Hindu 25/7/06) Probe Into priest's 'sex escapades' (8) KOCHI, JULY 25: WOMEN continue to put Sabari-mala, Kerala's richest temple with its avowedly celibate deity Lord Ayyappa, in the headlines for the wrong reasons. Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan today asked ADGP (Intelligence) Jacob Punnoose to look into the al leged sexual escapade of Sabarimala's tantri (chief priest) Kantaru Mohanaru. Crime Branch is already prob ing how Kannada actor Jaimaala got to touch the Lord's idol, when women in the reproductive age are for bidden from entering temple. The tantri's lawyer had com plained to the cops on Sunday night that his client was 'kid napped' by a gang of 10 in a Qualis and taken to a flat in the city. The men then forcibly took off his clothes and clicked his photographs with the women there in less than dig nified circumstances, and threatened to circulate the photos. The tantri was forced to part with his gold ornaments and Rs 18,000 to the gang, the complaint claimed. On Monday the tantri lodged a fresh complaint say ing there were three and not 10 kidnappers. Then, revised it to mention six men, by the same evening. The police, however, insist he was trying to cover up an amorous adventure. The Sabarimala Devaswom Board has removed Moha naru from the post, and asked his elder brother to take over. According to the cops, the tantri was surprised by abunch of men who barged in after he drove down in his own car and got into a flat in an upper mid dle class, apartment complex here, where two women stayed —the cops had booked one of these women a few months back for immoral trafficking. The police informed the women are being interro gated, and police sources say they admitted to have been 'close' to the tantri for many years now, and that he went to them regularly. The cops are looking for the men who took the tantri's ornaments and money. Mohanaru, meanwhile, is press ing for a Crime Branch probe, which he claims will prove his innocence. (Indian Express 26/7/06) UPA failure on bill w orries w omen (8) New Delhi, July 26: Women’s groups have expressed their concern and anguish over the UPA government’s failure to initiate any process towards tabling the bill on women’s reservation. The key members of WomenPowerConnect, a national level organisation comprising of more than 400 women’s groups and individuals, met with Ms Krishna Thirath, head of the parliamentary committee on

empowerment of women and expressed their annoyance that how women have been let down and the UPA government should explain them what they are doing to fulfil the promise they had made in the CMP on the issue. "The government does not have a proposal except the mention in the party manifesto and CMP. They are just paying a lip service to the whole issue. They have not initiated any process, unlike the NDA government which had at least tabled the bill for discussion," said Dr Ranjana Kumari, director, Centre for Social Research and president, WomenPowerConnect. Women’s groups are actively lobbying for the passage of sexual harassment and women’s reservation bill in the Monsoon session of the Parliament. All the member organisations of WPC have demanded parties’ support for the introduction of the bill in the ongoing Monsoon session. These organisations have also urged the MPs to play a key role in ensuring security for the women of India by opening discussion on the Draft Bill to prevent sexual harassment. To garner maximum support for the issue, women’s groups have also meet the leader of Opposition as well as Ms Renuka Choudhary, minister for women and child development. (Asian Age 27/7/06) "Islam gives many rights to w omen" (8) MUMBAI: The Quran does not give permission to kill innocent people, said Aalima Nowhera Shaikh, president of the newly launched Muslim women's organisation, At-Tawheed International Dawah Centre for Women. Speaking to The Hindu before addressing over 400 Muslim women ho had travelled from distant suburbs to listen to her, this religious teacher from Tirupati said, "If there are a few bad people, you can't call all people of that community terrorists." Aalima Nowhera is convinced that Muslim women will realise how much their religion offers them by way of rights if they can first understand what is written in the Quran. She says that most women barely know the Quran and what they are taught is in Arabic. As a result, they are not aware of their rights and cannot question the interpretation of the Quran by male clerics. "I want a day to come when women can speak up for their rights", she says. To this end, the Aalima, who received her training in religion in Chennai but now runs the Jamia Niswa al Alifiya Women's Arabic College in Tirupati, says educating women is essential. Originally from Kallur in Chittoor District, Andhra Pradesh, she says, "In our district, they don't send girls to school. So we set up a madrassa with a regular school curriculum. We want to give women the courage to fight." The Dawah Centre is the first allwomen Muslim organisation that is not affiliated to any other existing organisation. Men cannot be members. Even at the meeting in Mumbai, men were not permitted to attend although they were allowed to listen in from an adjoining room. "Women think they are suffering because they are women. They don't realise that Islam gives us so many rights." (The Hindu 29/7/06) ‘Unfaithful men pass on HIV to their w ives’ (8) New Delhi, July 30: Indian women are bearing the burden of their polygamous spouses, according to a recent United Nations survey, which has revealed that the number of HIV/AIDS infected women in India is on rise. In most of the cases, the disease is passed on by their polygamous husbands. And the worst is that hardly 10 per cent of these HIV positive widows are allowed to stay on with their husband’s family, where no care in given to their health and nutritional aspect. The survey, Gender Impact of HIV/AIDS in India, was carried out by the United Nations Development Programme, National AIDS Control Organisation and National Council of Applied Economic Research. The main focus was to assess the socio-economic impact of HIV/AIDS in the six high-prevalence states of India — Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Manipur and Nagaland. "The surveillance data indicates that a significant proportion of new infections is occurring in women who are in monogamous relationships and have been infected by husbands or partners who have multiple sex partners," said the study, adding that biological, socio-cultural and economic factors make women and young girls more vulnerable to IV/AIDS. (Asian Age 31/7/06) Women's groups put UPA Gov ernment on notice (8) NEW DELHI: Not in a mood to brook any more opposition to the Women's Reservation Bill, 10 national women's organisations have issued "notice" to the United Progressive Alliance Government saying they will not tolerate any further delay in its passage. Led by the CPI (M)-backed All-India Democratic Women's Association, members of these groups will sit in dharna here for three days from Tuesday to `compel' the Government to push the legislation, which seeks to re serve 33 per cent seats for women in the State Assemblies and Parliament. If the demand is not fulfilled, the campaign will intensify and spread to all parts of the country. The participants in the dharna will be: All India Women's Conference, Centre for Women's Development Studies, Forum for Rights of Children, Guild of Service, Joint Women's

Programme, Muslim Women's Forum, National Federation of Indian Women, SAMA and Young Women's Christian Association. The groups say there should be no further postponement of the Bill in the guise of "consensus" as there is a positive change in the stance of some UPA partners. The Bill, pending before Parliament for 10 years, has not been included in the list of business for the monsoon session. "And we, the women's organisations, who have been fighting consistently for its passage, understand that without widening and intensifying the struggle, the Bill is never going to see the light of day," says their appeal to the people. (The Hindu 1/8/06) Unicef aid Orissa for w omen’s upliftment (8) Bhubaneswar, July 31: Worried over the increasing mother mortality rate in Orissa, the state commission for women has joined hands with Unicef to check the situation. "The commission will launch safe motherhood adalat to advocate maternal safety and child care," SCW chairperson Namita Panda said. Though the state and Central governments have launched several welfare schemes for women in Orissa, the state’s mother mortality rate, according to SCW, stands at 367 per one lakh live births. "The situation is worse in rural areas where the rate is above 620 per one lakh live births," Ms Panda said. She rued that schemes like the Janani Surkshya Yojana have not helped much in reducing the state’s mother mortality rate. Keeping all this in mind, the SCW will be launching the safe motherhood programme on August 7 from the tribal-dominated Rayagada district. "The adalats will now be held at the district level. It will be later taken to the block level," Unicef representative Lalatendu Acharya said. The safe motherhood adalats will be organised in Rayagada, Anugul, Boudh, Sambalpur, Kandhamala, Koraput, Malkangiri, Jagatsinghpur, Keonjhar, Nuapara, Kalahandi, Gajapati, Ganjam, Nayagarh and Mayurbhanj districts where the mother mortality rate is quite high. The SCW members , with the district collector’s assi stance, will organise the adalats where public hearings will be held on safe motherhood. "We will invite chief district medical officers and district family welfare officers among others to the adalats. They will be asked to ensure that no woman dies while delivering child", Ms Panda said. (Asian Age 1/8/06) MP CM in soup ov er aid to rape victim (8) BHOPAL, AUGUST 1:Physically and mentally challenged, she was a helpless rape victim till a couple of days ago. Seven months pregnant, the 17-year-old’s family was keen on abortion and ready to dump her if the quacks in their slum did not succeed. On Sunday, she got a cheque for Rs 1 lakh from Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan at a function attended by over 1,000 panchayat representatives who had gathered to give their suggestions to help the state shape its policy for women. The wheelchair-bound victim was not supposed to be there nor had anyone bothered to help her before. ‘‘We gatecrashed as we wanted to share her plight with the participants. The machinery quickly moved and within an hour the cheque was arranged for. The government did not want to lose face in front where it wanted to showcase its concerns for women,’’ said Ajay Dubey, secretary of Prayatna, a voluntary organisation, which took up her case. ‘‘Given that the chief minister was present all top officials wanted to know why the case was not brought to them before,’’ Dubey told The Indian Express on Tuesday. Prayatna had a hard time in even getting the FIR lodged and then getting the accused arrested. ‘‘In fact, we handed over the accused to the police. Even the state commission for women did little when we approached it for the victim’s rehabilitation on July 11,’’ Dubey said on what drove him to take the victim to the state function. ‘‘We were left with no choice.’’ …………. (Indian Exp 2/8/06) Probe Alwar rape afresh, says NCW (8) NEW DELHI, AUGUST 1:The alleged rape of a minor that triggered communal tension in Alwar last month is likely to be re-investigated by the police on the directions of the National Commission for Women (NCW). The development comes after the victim today approached the Commission claimimg that she was ‘‘intimidated and pressurised’’ by the accused’s father, who is an influential Muslim BJP leader, into giving a ‘‘favourbale’’ statement before the police and the magistrate. NCW chairperson Girija Vyas told the The Indian Express that she has asked the Director General of Police to re-investigate the case after hearing the girl’s statement. On July 22, the son of Mewat Vikas Board chairman Nasru Khan was accused of abducting and raping a minor Sikh girl. On hearing the news, Shiv Sena and Vishwa Hindu Parishad called a day-long bandh in protest, which threatened to take on communal hues. But the tensions eased when the accused was nabbed in Jaipur the very next day. The girl initially told the police and the media that she had been drugged and raped by the BJP leader’s son and his friends. But she retracted her statement before the magistrate. SSP Alawar Rajesh Aarya told The Indian Express that the accused was let off following the girl’s statement. The girl’s parents had last year too lodged a complaint

against the accused for trespassing and attempting to molest their daughter. The girl’s age has also become a bone of contention with the cops claiming that she is 17, while her father said that she is just 15. (Indian Exp 2/8/06) Members want Women's Bill tabled now (8) NEW DELHI: A demand for tabling the long-pending Women's Reservation Bill was made in both Houses of Parliament on Wednesday. While members sought its passage this session, the Government reiterated its support for the measure, which seeks to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and State Assemblies. In the Rajya Sabha, JD(U) president Sharad Yadav and Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh stood up in protest when Deputy Chairman K. Rahman Khan observed that the entire House was in agreement on the issue. Raising the subject during zero hour, CPI (M) leader Brinda Karat demanded that the Bill be debated this session itself. "Let there be amendments, but at least let it be tabled and debated." The Bill was not a question of men versus women, she said. It was a question of democratic system. "This Lok Sabha has only eight per cent women members." Several members associated themselves with her but as soon as Mr. Khan said the entire House was in agreement, Mr. Yadav said: "This is wrong." BJP deputy leader Sushma Swaraj said the Bill was introduced during the Deve Gowda regime and it came up for discussion twice during the NDA rule but did not see the light of day during the UPA regime. In the Lok Sabha, CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta, raising the matter during zero hour, said the Government should not make the Bill a matter of political controversy. He drew the attention of the House to thousands of women staging a dharna at Jantar Mantar here demanding early passage of the Bill.Intervening, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi assured the members that there was "no going back" by the Government on its commitment to the Bill. However, as it was a Constitution Amendment Bill, the support of all sections was required. Home Minister Shivraj Patil was engaged in talks with various parties. But before the matter could be further discussed, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee adjourned the House for lunch. (The Hindu 3/8/06) When Arnie’s wife struggled to find common ground w ith Indian w omen (8) New Delhi, August 3:The National Commission for Women (NCW) recieved a high-profile visitor on Thursday in Maria Shriver, wife of Hollywood actor and now California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Inquisitive at first, and shocked by the end, Shriver spent a confusing three hours with chairperson Girija Vyas and Commission members hoping to identify struggles common to women in India and the US. Shriver, on a private visit to India, had formally requested the NCW for a meeting ahead of her visit, which was then arranged by the US embassy officials here. Shriver’s first question to NCW members was whether Indian women face domestic violence, a major issue back home in the US. She appeared shocked on hearing of female foeticide, child brides, and other education and health issues facing Indian women, sources said. When chairperson Girija Vyas told her about NCW’s recent mission to help women cheated in NRI marriages, Maria wondered if she could be of help, at least for such women in California. She sought an impromptu briefing from American embassy officials on this subject who told her that neither the US nor India was a signatory to the Hague treaty that entitles spouses to legal action against a cheating partner living in another country. Maria therefore informed with a heavy heart: ‘‘Neither you nor we have signed the treaty. Nothing can be done.’’ There were also a few tense moments, as when Vyas appeared to be ticked off with Maria’s repeated queries on female foeticide and child marriages. She is said to have burst out: ‘‘Why do you insist on looking at the negative side of Indian women, please see how our women are going ahead especially in the IT field inspite of these odds.’’ …………. (Indian Exp 4/8/06) Manmohan hopeful Women's Bill will be introduced soon (8) NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said there was progress in talks among various allies of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) in arriving at a common understanding on the Women's Reservation Bill, and that he was hopeful that it would be introduced as soon as possible. Dr. Singh gave this assurance to a women's delegation that met him here to demand that the Women's Reservation Bill be included in the business of this Parliamentary session and adopted immediately. The delegation pointed out to him that neighbouring countries had a high proportion of women's representation in decision-making bodies. Nepal had 33 per cent, Pakistan 22 per cent, Bangladesh 14 per cent and even the strife-ridden Palestine had some percentage. Led by Brinda Karat of the All-India Women's Democratic Association, the delegation comprised Sathi Devi, Sujatha and Jyotirmoy Sikdar (CPI-M),

Mohsina Kidwai, Mekhala and Prabha Thakur (Congress), Durga Devi (Telugu Desam Party) along with Nirmala Deshpande, Subhashini Ali (AIDWA), Annie Raja (National Federation of Indian Women), Manorama Bawa (All-India Women's Conference), Mary Khemchand (Young Women's Christian Association), Jyotsna Chatterjee (Joint Women's Programme), Vimal Thorat (National Federation of Dalit Women), and Mary John (Centre for Women's Development Studies). ……….. (The Hindu 4/8/06) Ex-cop held for `burning' daughter-in-law (8) NEW DELHI: A retired Delhi police inspector and his son have been arrested on charges of setting afire his daughter-in-law at Burari in North Delhi in the early hours of Thursday. While the victim is fighting for her life at Apollo Hospital with 90 per cent burns, her mother-in-law and sister-in-law are still at large. According to the victim Shruti's uncle Sudhakar Sharma, on Thursday morning her father Mahendra Sharma, a retired Air India employee, received a call from her in-laws saying she had sufferen burn injuries and had been taken to JPN Hospital and he should reach there. Mr. Sharma reached the hospital to find that his 28-year-old daughter had sustained 90 per cent burns. "Surprisingly, her in-laws claimed that her clothes caught fire from a candle," said Mr. Sharma. Shruti's relatives immediately got a case registered at the Timarpur police station. In her statement to the area Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Shruti said she was asleep when the accused poured kerosene on her and set her afire. "They did not take her to the hospital on their own, but called up the Police Control Room and waited for the PCR van to take her away. They claimed that their vehicle's tyre was punctured," said Mr. Sharma. Shruti married Anand, son of Om Prakash Sharma, about three years ago and has a two-and-half year old daughter. The marriage was fixed reportedly through a matrimonial advertisement. "In the matrimonial advertisement they had claimed that Anand earned Rs. 25,000 a month. But, later we came to know that he had no fixed source of income. It was about a month ago that he had joined a bank as an agent," alleged Mr. Sharma. He alleged that Shruti's in-laws would keep demanding dowry in cash and kind, time and again. "She had earlier told us that she was being harassed by them. About a couple of days ago, she had called and said that she was not feeling safe there. My brother thought that he would bring her home on the eve of rakhi," said Mr. Sharma. Acting on the complaint, the police have arrested Om Prakash Sharma and his son Anand, but his wife Shakuntala and daughter Geeta are at large. ……… (The Hindu 5/8/06) Sati pulled from pyre (8) Lucknow, Aug. 4: Sangeeta Singh, 32, was saved from becoming a sati just in time after she had been dragged to her husband's pyre in front of her three-year-old daughter in a Fatehpur village yesterday. The panchayat head of Kathola village, Mamta Devi, has been named in the FIR Sangeeta filed after she was rescued by resi dents of a neighbouring village, additional superintendent of police, Fatehpur, Uday Singh, said. Randas Singh, 45, had died of cirrhosis of the liver on July 30 when Sangeeta was away at her parents' place in a nearby village, po lice said. A post-mortem was conducted be fore the body was handed over to his family on Wednesday night. Yesterday, when the body was being crem ated, Sangeeta arrived at the burning ghat with her daughter Suman. In the FIR, she said Mamta, her husband Surendra Kumar and Randas's brother-in-law Shiv Prasad started abusing her as soon as she reached, blaming her for the death. They stripped her and dragged her to the pyre, screaming: "Die with him to save your soul from the shame of your husband's death." "A section of residents from a neighbour-tag village intervened and saved the woman. She later lodged an FIR against the village panchayat chief and two others. We are try-tag to nab them," Uday Singh said. Suman was questioned by the police on her mother's humiliation by the villagers. Sangeeta was married to Randas, a farm er with about 12 acres of land, seven years ago. But relations between them had soured because of his drinking habit and for the pa st year, she had been staying more and more at her parents' place in nearby Birodhpur village. She was at Birodhpur with Suman when news of Randas's death reached her. His sister, who also lived in Kathola, had been looking after Randas during his long illness. Mamta and Randas's family accused San geeta of neglecting her husband and causing his death, she said. The young widow, who has gone back to her parents, has been provi ded security, the police officer said. (Telegraph 5/8/06) Woman told to w ed spouse kin before her remarriage (8) Muzaffarnagar, Aug. 5: In a unique development, the panchayat of a village near here has said a divorced Muslim woman could remarry her husband only if she first married and divorced her brother-in-law. The panchayat, which was convened on Friday at Raipur village in Saharanpur district to decide the fate of Shahida who was divorced by her husband Matlub on August 2, made its ruling on the basis of Shariat or Muslim law. Under Shariat law, a woman divorced by her husband can remarry him only after marrying

and divorcing another man. Experts say this is to ensure that couples do not opt for divorce on frivolous grounds. Stating that the Shariat law says the husband should provide a maintenance allowance to his ex-wife, the panchayat asked Matlub to pay a fixed amount every month to Shahida during the iddat or four-month period starting from the day of divorce. It also asked Matlub to pay Rs 2 lakhs to Shahida as compensation. Matlub, who married Shahida six years ago, divorced her over a minor family dispute on August 2. The families of the couple agreed to follow the order of the panchayat to pave the way for their re-union. (Asian Age 6/8/06) Man kills 2 kids, stabs wife (8) New Delhi, Aug. 6: A 43-year-old man allegedly killed his two children and stabbed his wife, injuring her seriously, before committing suicide by consuming some poisonous substance on Sunday in Burari area in North Delhi. Satinder Singh, who was a temporary employee at the Guru Nanak Hospital, strangled to death his daughter Rekha (13) and son Gaurav (10) before attacking his wife Paramvir with scissors at their residence in Burari area of Timarpur, a senior police officer said. He is believed to have been going through a severe marital discord. Singh then consumed some poisonous substance, which is believed to be the cause of his death, the police officer added. Paramvir, who called up police informing them about the incident, was rushed to Shashwat Trauma Centre, where she is recovering. While Satinder’s body was found on the ground floor of the house with back injuries, indicating that he had fallen from some height, the bodies of the children were found on the first floor. The couple had been married for 15 years and had been having problems in their marriage. The couple always used to fight since their marriage and had a fight on Saturday also after which Satinder took this extreme step, the police officer said. Rekha and Gaurav were studying in a government school. The police officer also said that the couple might have been facing some financial problems. "We are trying to find out if Satinder was alcoholic," the police officer said. The police have registered a case of murder and attempt to murder and the bodies have been sent for post-mortem. (Asian Age 7/8/06) Man sells 2-yr-old child for liquor (8) Lucknow, Aug. 8: A man sold off his two-year old son to a beggar because he needed money to buy alcohol. This bizarre incident took place in village Sigania under the Kotwali police station in Lakhimpur district of Uttar Pradesh. The man’s wife, Jannatun, has given a letter to the station incharge of the Kotwali police station, detailing the incident. According to Jannatun, she had married Mobin, a resident of Sitapur district, about three years ago. "Immediately after marriage, Mobin started harassing me and my family for more dowry and finally I left his house. I started earning my own living by doing embroidery and knitting. My husband came to me and promised to mend his way, so I went back with him," she says. Two years ago, the couple was blessed with a son whom they named Noor Mohammad. Mobin again started drinking heavily and in April this year, he asked Jannatun for money to buy alcohol. "I refused so he beat me up and in a fit of anger, pronounced "talaq". He took away our son and I returned to my parents’ house in Sigania village. Last month, I went to visit my in-laws and it was here that I learnt that my son had been sold off to a beggar called Jogi Raza Ahmad," she recalls. Jannatun immediately went to the beggar and asked him to return her son but he refused. "I begged, pleaded and cajoled him but he refused saying that he had paid Rs 2,500 for the boy and would not return him at any cost," she says. Jannatun then sent a letter to the police but no action was taken. "Since the past one month I am running from pillar to post in quest for justice," she says. (Asian Age 9.8.06) Div orced man pelted w ith eggs in Jamshedpur (8) Patna, Aug. 7: Residents of Jamshedpur Steel City in neighbouring Jharkhand on Sunday showered rotten eggs on a man from the Muslim community for divorcing his wife and claiming right on his children. A report in a vernacular daily published from Jharkhand claimed more than 200 rotten eggs were hurled at Javed, a resident of Zakir Nagar, on Sunday evening when he entered Mango area, where his wife lives, to take back his sons. Javed had divorced his wife Jakia Khatoon recently over some "trivial issue", which is not known. The action against Javed was initiated by a group of local resident, Paradise Welfare Society, formed to fight back rising divorce cases in the Muslim community. "The action was well planned. We wanted do something on Javed so that other male members of the community were compelled to think several times before abandoning a woman. We had asked Ja kia to invite her husband to Azad Nagar in Mango," the newspaper quoted Babar Khan, central secretary of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and the lady’s neighbour, as saying. According to Babar, several hundred resident of Azad Nagar had gathered in the locality much before Javed arrived and had purchased rotten eggs from the local shop.

And no sooner did Javed enter the area, the people left him egg faced. "For the last couple of days, Javed was threatening the women with dire consequences if she did not hand over the children to him. Jakia brought the matter to our notice. We were looking for such a person who could be taken up as a test case," Babar maintained. Later, in a meeting, the local resident vowed to continue their fight against those who abandon their wife and think of "much more humiliating punishment" for the defaulters. …………. (Asian Age 8/8/06) Sex workers seek CBI probe into misuse of funds by NGO (8) Bhubaneswar : As the Monsoon Session of the Assembly is on, many strikes, protests dharnas and demonstrations are being carried out since July 31. But on Tuesday PMG Square witnessed an interesting scene when the sex workers of Malisahi came out on the streets against Orissa Patita Uddhar Samiti alleging misappropriation of funds, which were given to them by the Government. Meanwhile, the pimps have alleged the police of taking glut action against them without any valid reason. Demanding CBI inquiry into the functioning of this NGO, sex workers flayed the statement of Health and Family Welfare Minister Duryodhan Majhi, who in reply to a question of Congress MLA Danajaya Sidhu in the Assembly said there are 238 sex workers in Malisahi while the figure is 100. Patita Uddhar Samiti and State AIDS cell was not working together since last February but how the Minister got this information about the sex workers in Malisahi, sex workers union president Nagamani Rao said. She alleged the Patita Uddhar Samiti's secretary Abharani Choudhury and her husband Madan Behera have been misusing the funds, which were sanctioned by the Government for the development and welfare of the sex workers in Malisahi. "We have submitted an eight-point memorandum to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Health Minister, Khurda SP, Collector, Director AIDS Cell and the BMC Commissioner, urging their intervention and earlier we had also apprised the State Commission for Women about the work of the Patita Uddhar Samiti," she said. "Although we have lost our morality but we want our children should not follow this profession but due to lack of assistance, they are compelled to do this job," Tarini Behera, a sex worker said. If the Government does not look into the cause of the sex workers, we would step up agitation, she threatened. (Pioneer 9/8/06) Parties assure support to w omen's groups (8) NEW DELHI: Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) chief S. Ramadoss on Wednesday assured women's groups that his party would make all efforts to ensure that the Women's Reservation Bill is tabled and passed in Parliament. Addressing a rally, organised by the National Federation of Indian Women and other women's groups here, Dr. Ramadoss said the PMK had always championed the cause of women's development and believed in granting them equal opportunities in education, employment and economy. However, to achieve this, women need to be politically empowered. This could be done only by reserving seats in Parliament and Assemblies. Information Technology and Communications Minister Dayanidhi Maran also sought the passage of the Bill. He said Tamil Nadu was the first State to reserve 33 per cent seats for women in panchayats during the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam rule. The DMK wanted the Bill to be passed without any dilution. Among others present at the rally were Union Environment and Forests Minister A. Raja, Sudhakar Reddy (CPI), Durga (TDP) and Syeda Hamind, member of the Planning Commission. (The Hindu 10/8/06) Act fast against doctors charged w ith female foeticide, Gov t. told (8) JAIPUR: Women's groups met Rajasthan Minister for Health Dijamber Singh here on Tuesday to demand legal action against 64 doctors who have been charged with female foeticide and conducting of sex determination tests. They demanded issuing of challans against the doctors as well as cancellation of their registration. Several cases of sex determination tests and violation of the PC and PNDT Act (Pre Conception and Pre Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 1994) in Rajasthan have been unearthed by various agencies since April this year but the State Government has not acted on them with alacrity, a women's delegation, which met the Minister, said. The groups, led by Pawan Surana, former chairperson, Rajasthan Women's Commission, asked the Minister to act upon the cases against 64 doctors who were exposed by a private television channel in April last in their acts of violation of the PC and PNDT Act. More cases of female foeticide have been unearthed since then in various parts of the State, they pointed out. The activists said the appearance of three unclaimed female fetuses in Fateh Sagar Lake in Udaipur last week and detection of a female foetus in a bag belonging to a couple in Bharatpur town were indications of the continuance of the malaise, despite the public outcry over such cases. In Udaipur and Bharatpur, the Chief Medical and Health Officers -- who are the Competent Authority under the Act -- should have

taken action under its Section 25, they said. The team, which included Kavita Srivastava, Nishant Hussain, Mita Singh, Teja Ram, Shubh Lakshmi, Vijay Lakshmi Joshi, Mohammed Hussain and Shukat Bhattacharya, noted that out of the 64 doctors exposed by the TV channel, only 21 were issued challans till May 15 last. In the whole of India only 391 cases have been registered under the PC and PNDT Act (till June) and only in one case (in Haryana) conviction has taken place. Rajasthan now has 64 cases though first information reports have been lodged only in 21 complaints. ……… (The Hindu 10/8/06) Female foetuses found in backyard (8) Chandigarh, Aug. 9: The Punjab police on Wednesday arrested two doctors who are alleged to have buried at least 50 female foetuses in their backyard after carrying out illegal abortions in their clinic in Patiala district. Patiala police chief Pramod Ban said Dr Pritam Singh and his wife, Dr Amarjit Kaur, conducted a number of such abortions for couples who were keen to ensure the birth of a male child. Acting on a tip-off, police and health department officials raided Sahib Nursing Home in Patran town on Wednesday afternoon. Based on information given by junior medical workers at the clinic, the officials recovered the remains of at least 50 female foetuses and placentas buried in a dug well located on the premises. Later, acting on clues collected during the raid on Patran Clinic, a police squad also sealed the premises of a nearby ultrasound centre. The police said it had reason to believe that Agarwal Ultrasound Centre was working in collusion with the arrested doctors to illegally determine the sex of unborn children. Both Pritam Singh and Amarjit Kaur have been charged under the PNDT Act. When Pritam Singh, a retired Army jawan, and his wife fired Pooja, who worked as a midwife, she approached the health department and alleged that over 30 female foetuses had been aborted and dumped in a plot adjoining the hospital. The decomposed foetuses were sealed and sent to the pathology department of the Government Medical College here for hystopathological examination. Singh claimed he was a registered medical practitioner in Haryana but had got his registration transferred to Punjab three years back when he started this hospital. (Asian Age 10/8/06) Foeticide: Police to uncover second well (8) PATRAN (PATIALA), AUGust 10:A day after the shocking discovery of a well filled with female foetuses at Sahib Hospital in Patran, the district health authorities have decided to investigate another well in the front yard of the hospital which had been covered recently. The midwife who blew the whistle on the goings-on in the hospital has alleged that over 100 foetuses lie buried there. Coming down heavily on the diagnostic centres which had been sending their patients to Sahib Hospital, the health department has also sealed Aggarwal Ultrasound Centre in adjoining Samana and suspended its licence for two months. Mohi said he received a list of the ultrasound centres in the adjoining towns of Jakhal, Kaithal, Ambala, Raipur Rani and Naraingarh in Haryana which had been allegedly sending patients to Sahib Hospital. He said the Punjab Government will take up the matter further with the Haryana Government for action against these centres which were conducting PNDT tests and referring the patients to the nursing homes in this hospital. He said he had also sought an explanation from I S Tuteja, Senior Medical Officer of Patran. The civil surgeon said strict instructions have been issued to the senior medical officers and medical officers in the district to step up vigil on diagnostic centres and maternity clinics. Three teams have been constituted to supervise the excavation of aborted female foetuses from the second well tomorrow. Meanwhile, the town remained agog with talk about the excavations. The locals also wondered why the well was not discovered during a raid on the hospital last year. (Indian Exp 11/8/06) Manmohan's assurance on Women's Bill (8) NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday said he was hopeful that the Women's Reservation Bill would be introduced in the winter session of Parliament. Dr. Singh gave this assurance to a women's delegation that called on him to impress upon the Government the need for speedy tabling and passage of the Bill. He said all political parties were heading for an agreement on the issue. The delegation comprised National Commission for Women chairperson Girija Vyas, members of the Commission and representatives of women's groups. A statement issued by Dr. Vyas said she would seek the support of the UPA chairperson, the Lok Sabha Speaker, the Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha and leaders of political parties to build support for early introduction of the Bill. (The Hindu 11/8/06) Punjab foeticide: Midw ives brought clients for accused (8) Patran (Patiala), August 12:While the Punjab Police seem to have developed cold feet in the case of recovery of parts of foetus from Sahib Singh Hospital here, the preliminary interrogation of accused Pritam

Singh and his wife Amarjit Kaur has revealed their modus operandi. The couple had allegedly developed a nexus with midwives of neighbouring villages, who used to get cases of abortion and delivery from their villages to Sahib Singh Hospital for commission. The commission used to be fixed on the basis of the condition of the case of abortion. While the accused, who are in Punjab Police custody for the last two days, are being interrogated thoroughly, the Punjab Police officials seem to be in no mood to arrest any of these midwives, who too were allegedly involved in the crime. When asked, S-I Jagbir Singh, SHO, Sadar police station of Patran, said, ‘‘We have not yet received any instructions from our senior officials regarding arrest of any of the midwives involved in the act. Moreover, there is also no concrete evidence, other than the accused’s disclosure, which could substantiate their involvement.’’ Sources disclosed that the accused used to charge from Rs 1,200 to Rs 10,000 per case depending on the condition. ‘‘If the girl coming to the hospital was unmarried and wanted an abortion, the charges for abortion used to be higher. There was nothing fixed. It all depended on the paying capacity of the patient or the attendants and of course, the gravity of the case,’’ said one of the police officials. The Patran police will produce Pritam Singh in the Samana court tomorrow. The officials disclosed that they had procured the details from a couple from a village near Naraingarh, who had deposed against Pritam Singh and Amarjit Kaur alleging that they had wrongly aborted their child. (Indian Express 13/8/06) Accused of torture, NGO takes on State's panel for w omen (8) Bhubaneswar : A city-based NGO tried to defy the State Commission for Women when the later tries to rescue a destitute woman. When the State Commission for Women took up the case of helpless Rashmita Mahalik's alleged torture case, City based NGO Sanjibani Maa Ghara staged a demonstration in front of the Commission's office on Monday and urged it not to intervene in the matter. As the scuffle continues between the SCW and the NGO, Rashmita is silently suffering the indignity. It was alleged that Rashmita Mahalik of Jajpur, was allegedly tortured by the activists of the NGO when she was staying with them in the home for Distressed Woman. Meanwhile, the NGO chief Ritupurna Mohanty has challenged the Commission's intervention and it has snowballed to hot issue now. The NGO activists gheraoed the State Commission for Women demanding non - interference of the commission in the alleged sexual tortured case. Interestingly, the complaint Rashmita Mahalik in a letter narrated her story and said that she parted ways with her husband after finding out that he was having an illegitimate affair. She also filed a complaint with the police and the State Commission for Women. The Commission instructed Maa Ghara to keep Rashmita permanently in the destitute home. She stayed in the NGO for one and half years. She alleged that she was mentally and physically tortured along by other inmates. After a few days the NGO sent her to Ambika Lane in Cuttack to work at the residence of one Vijay Mohanty. She was also being tortured there. She also lodged a complaint that instead of giving her six months pending salary, she was just paid one months salary and later kicked out. Again she returned to Maa Ghara totally helpless. Maa Ghara chief Rituparna again sent her to work in Maitri Vihar in Bhubaneswar. She alleged that there she found many young girls were compelled to indulge in immoral activities. She said Rituparna even took her signature in a blank paper. ………… (Pioneer 16/8/06) 25% rise in crimes by maids in last 3 months causes concern (8) New Delhi :The recent murder of an elderly couple allegedly by the maid in Karol Bagh has put the placement business in the capital under scrutiny. But to the dismay of the city police, such placement agencies are mushrooming and their numbers are soaring everyday. According to a senior police official, north-west district, there are no specific rules and regulations formulated to scan the functioning of these agencies. Blaming the labour ministry, he says, "The central labour ministry is the regulatory body that checks the employment of girls who are hired as maids. But the ministry hasn’t issued any guidelines regarding their employment. The police, thus, can’t take any stern action against these employment bureaus." Responding to these allegations, a labour ministry official says, "All the maid placements agencies in the capital are supposed to get a police verification done before employing any girl. If the police fails to do their duty, such incidents are bound to take place." In the midst of the counter-allegations of the authorities, some owners of these placement agencies revealed to this correspondent their modus operandi. Kedar Sharma, the owner of Bharti Maid Placement Bureau, Shakurpur, says, "During the last couple of years, the demand for girls has increased multifold in the capital and that’s why such placements agencies have surfaced in large numbers. We source the girls from states like Assam and Orissa and charge a one-year commission after their employment." Talking about the pattern of hiring, he adds that they negotiate the salary for these maids according to their ability to carry out household chores. "A trained and experienced girl gets Rs 2,500 and above as monthly salary while the less trained ones get anywhere

between Rs 800 to Rs 1,200. We don’t enquire about the past of these girls. It’s upto the employer to get them verified by the police. Our job ends when we get suitable jobs for these girls," reveals Kedar, adding that authorities pose no threat to their business as they regularly pay them "their share"……….. (Asian Age 18/8/06) Notice to Centre, States on female foeticide (8) New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the Centre, States and Union Territories on a petition seeking a direction for strict implementation of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition on Sex Selection) Act, 1994 to prevent female foeticide. A Bench of Justices K.G. Balakrishnan and D.K. Jain issued the notice on a petition by a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Voluntary Health Association of Punjab, which brought to the notice of the court the prevailing practice of female foeticide in many parts of the country and the consequent decline in sex ratio. The petition said that though the Act was amended in 2003 pursuant to the apex court direction, there was a need for guidelines for proper and full implementation of the Act. The declining sex ratio would have serious repercussions in future, especially on the status of women. It would lead to increased sexual violence, trafficking and reduced mobility of women. As the law was not being implemented strictly, doctors were conducting sex determination tests indiscriminately, resulting in female foeticide. The NGO gave Statewise figures to show the declining sex ratio. Female foeticide would cause irreversible damage to society if remedial measures were not taken immediately by the apex court by issuing further directions to the Centre and the States to ensure proper implementation of the Act, the petitioner said. (The Hindu 19/8/06) Women can enter Sabarimala (8) Thiruvananthapuram, Aug. 18: The Kerala government on Friday expressed its willingness to allow women to enter the famed Sabarimala temple. The Marxist government’s response came hours after the Supreme Court issued notice to it on a petition challenging the provision barring entry to women. Women aged between 10 and 50 have so far not been allowed into the temple of the celibate deity, Lord Ayyappa. Kerala’s devaswom minister G. Sudhakaran told reporters here on Friday that if the Supreme Court asked the government a straight question, on whether women should be allowed to enter the temple, the government would say yes. "How can I say no if the Supreme Court asks me such a question?" asked Mr Sudhakaran, a rather outspoken leader of the state’s ruling CPI(M). He, however, hastened to add that the government would not voluntarily offer its opinion to the court. "We are not against women entering the temple," he said. "At the same time we are bound to uphold the high court verdict endorsing the rule barring women".He added that for the time being, the government was only keen on maintaining the status quo at the shrine. When a controversy erupted recently over Kannada actress Jayamala’s claim that she had entered the sanctum sanctorum of Sabarimala in 1987, the minister had criticised the actress and had said that the government had no plans to change the rules at Sabarimala. However, after an outcry from feminist groups and CPI(M) supporters, Mr Sudhakaran started thinking aloud about allowing women into the temple. The Supreme Court issued notices to the government after admitting a petition filed by women advocates of the Young Lawyers A ssociation praying for withdrawal of the rule barring women. In 1991, the Kerala high court had upheld the temple rules preventing women from entering the shrine. The Travancore Devaswom Board, which runs the temple, had firmly ruled out any changes in the rules after a recent emergency meeting. The chief priest of the shrine, Tantri Kantararu Maheswararu, also said that women should not be allowed into the temple……. Asian Age 19/8/06) Increase the MP seats for w omen's quota: Vaj payee (8) NEW DELHI: Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Saturday suggested that the long-pending issue of reservation for women in Parliament be tackled during the current Lok Sabha and in time for the next general elections in 2009. Releasing a souvenir of the Mahila Morcha (Bharatiya Janata Party's women's wing) here, Mr. Vajpayee took up the old suggestion that the contentious issue could be resolved if the strength of legislatures wa s increased and one-third seats re served for women candidates. Due to lack of consensus, the issue remained unresolved. Mr. Vajpayee said the British House of Commons had 650 seats compared to 545 in the Lok Sabha although India's population was several times that of Britain. Increasingly, MPs had started feeling the stress and tension of having to nurse very large and unwieldy constituencies even as the constituents expected much more from them. As for the question of seating a few hundred more MPs in the present Lok Sabha, he said the larger Central Hall could be converted into the Lok Sabha, and the present Lok Sabha into the Rajya Sabha. (The Hindu 20/8/06)

All-w omen police stations have no w omen sub-inspectors (8) Lalapania (Bokaro) : Call it gender insensitivity or inherent bias against women in Police Force, as far as Jharkhand is concerned, occupies a backseat. It has been seen that all women police station in the State are being manned by men. Leave aside the question of a woman, heading a general police station. Despite the false claims by the senior police officials in reality none of the women police station is being led by the woman police officers. It is clearly evident that the State Police is engrossed with gender discrimination with in itself. On June 27 2005, Jharkhand Government had notified, a women's police station, each in all twenty-two districts. As a re sult a woman cell was established in each district with the idea of woman manning them. It was a step taken to facilitate justice to the weaker sections of the society especially in handling rape and other such incidents. However it is unfortunate to discover that not a single one out of 22 police stations in the State, is headed by a woman Sub Inspector. Even provisions for a separate room for victims, toilets and treatment facilities never saw the light of the day. It is furthermore shocking to know that there is no dearth of women Sub Inspector in the State. There are, many of who are senior and experienced enough to lead a general police station. However they have not got the opportunity to do the same.Likewise, there are 16 women Assistant Sub Inspector of Jharkhand Police, who are said to be serving with unimportant charges. Feeling dissatisfied, inferiority complex, some of these Sub Inspectors have even raised the issue before their seniors but all went in vain, sources said. When The Pioneer contacted the ADGP General CID RC Kaitha, he said "it is true that no woman Sub Inspector is presently serving as the officer- in- charge. In fact we are going to discuss it with the DGP to instruct the SPs in districts to appoint senior woman SIs as officer-in-Charge. We will also recommend that woman SIs should be posted as officer-in-charge of woman's police station first in developed districts like Ranchi, Hazaribagh, Jamshedpur, Bokaro and Dhanbad". …… (Pioneer 21/8/06) ‘Marital abuse still high among educated’ (8) New Delhi, Aug. 20: A substantial proportion of married women have been abused by their husbands at some point in their lives, reveals the latest National Family Health Survey of India 2005-2006. The preliminary report of five states, namely Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Orissa and Punjab, released by the Union health ministry, shows a bleak picture of the Indian woman, with the survey recording that "spousal abuse even extends to women who have secondary or higher education". Women with no education are most likely to have suffered spousal violence, adds the report, highlighting spousal abuse as once of the failures in the attempt towards emancipation of women in the five states. However, results have indicated that knowledge of AIDS among women in these states has been increasing rapidly over time. Between 1998-99 and 2005-06, the percentage of ever married women who have heard of AIDS increased from 20 to 41 per cent in Chhattisgarh, 30 to 49 per cent in Gujarat, 39 to 62 per cent in Orissa, 55 to 70 per cent in Punjab, and from 61 to 79 per cent in Maharashtra. Interestingly, in all five states, men are much more likely than women to have heard of AIDS, says the report. Two-thirds of men in Chhattisgarh and more than 90 per cent of men in Maharashtra and Punjab have heard of AIDS, it says. Fertility has recorded a decline in all five states as a result of increased use of modern contraception and increase in the age of marriage. While use of modern contraception has continued to rise in all five states, only 55-75 per cent of women receive antenatal care at the recommended rate of at least three times during their pregnancies, reveals the report. Institutional births have been steadily increasing over time in all states except Chhattisgarh, where there has been only a slight increase in the last seven years, it says. (Asian Age 21/8/06) Female foetuses recovered (8) Aligarh: Less than two weeks after the discovery of about 50 female foetuses from a well in Patiala in Punjab, authorities here have found a dozen embryos dumped in a pond. Residents of the Nai Basti locality noticed stray dogs feeding on the female foetuses contained in plastic bags and informed the authorities. Following the discovery, the administration has ordered a crackdown on all private maternity nursing homes, a large number of which are suspected to be conducting illegal abortions. A delegation of local women doctors on Monday met State Minister Khwaja Haleem and alleged that the police were `harassing' them after this incident. Haleem later told PTI that all private maternity hospitals have been given a week's time to get registered. He added that the State Government was formulating a law to curb such illegal practices in the State in the wake of reports that the male-female ratio had skewered `alarmingly' in recent years due to female foeticide. On August 9 scores of female foetuses were unearthed from the backyard of a private district hospital in Patiala run by a retired Army personnel and his

wife. In the backdrop of the shocking discovery, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in his Indpendence Day address had said female foeticide must be stopped to eliminate gender disparities. (The Hindu 22/8/06) `Sati' by tribal w oman (8) BHOPAL: A tribal woman sat on the pyre of her husband and committed suicide at Tulsipur village in Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh on Monday. Official sources said it was a case of suicide and not forced `Sati.' A police spokesman said on Tuesday that Premnarain Gond, a tribal who was suffering from paralysis, died on Monday morning. After the funeral pyre was lit and the villagers left the spot for ritual bathing, Premnarain's wife, Janak Rani (45), reached the spot and sat on the pyre. The president of the Madhya Pradesh Mahila Congress, Shobha Oza, said: "It is a matter of deep concern that a woman committed Sati in Sagar district." "It is unfortunate that we continue to have a society where a woman decides to commit Sati even in this modern era." Ms. Oza said she would visit the village on Wednesday to assess the situation. (The Hindu 23/8/06) Probe sexual harassment charge against your minister: CPM to VS (8) KOCHI, AUGUST 22:The CPI(M) state secretariat today urged Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan to order a “comprehensive probe” into the allegation that a member of his Cabinet had pawed a woman copassenger on a Kingfisher flight from Chennai to Kochi. The Left Cabinet, meeting tomorrow, is expected to take a decision on the probe and also whether the accused minister, PJ Joseph, should be kept out of the ministry during the probe. As pressure built up, Joseph today said he might have “inadvertently” touched the woman’s body, but with no malicious intent. According to him, what happened was his “fingers came into contact with the woman’s body” while he was enjoying the scenery outside as the plane took off. “When the aircraft took off, I held on to the seat in front (where the woman sat) and peered out through the window. The woman’s body might have touched my fingers when I held on to her seat.” According to the minister, the charge that he got up and grabbed the woman in the front seat while the aircraft was taking off, was incredible. “It would obviously need superhuman strength to stand up and grab someone in the front seat when an aircraft is flying at a steep 45 degree angle while taking off,” he maintained. But with the issue snowballing into a political controversy and the Opposition clamouring for a full-fledged probe, a beleaguered Joseph called on VS early morning today and held hectic parleys with leaders of other Left Front constituents, before announcing that he has himself asked the CM to get the issue probed by a senior woman IPS officer. He claimed he would quit politics if the probe indicted him. “I would quit public life if found guilty. If not, those behind this frame up should be exposed,” he said. Joseph alleged that the whole issue was a desperate frame-up engineered by the Congress as well as those who had left his own party, the Kerala Congress (Jo seph). He said it was no coincidence that this scandal surfaced immediately after a multi-crore rupee corruption charge against him fell through. ……….. (Indian Express 23/8/06) For compensation, MP mothers-to-be are left to die’ (8) New Delhi, August 22:The National Commission for Women (NCW) has come across shocking cases of human greed where families let expectant mothers to die in childbirth than take them to hospital so that they get Rs 50,000 as compensation. The cases have surfaced in Madhya Pradesh — with a high Maternal Mortality Rate — where the government has announced a unique scheme of paying Rs 50,000 to the families of women who die in childbirth to take care of the upbringing of the newborn. “It’s a case of a well-meaning scheme having gone haywire because of human nature,’’ Girija Vyas said at the end of a day-long conference today of chairpersons of state women commissions. She claimed a number of such cases had come to the notice of the NCW and the state Commission in Madhya Pradesh. The Commission has already taken up this issue with the MP Government. “We have advised them to have mobile vans or ambulances available in rural areas so that women in labour can be taken to healthcare centres fast. The government should involve NGOs and panchayats in motivating families to go for safe childbirths.” Vyas said in the light of the Madhya Pradesh experience, she had written to all Members of Parliament to provide for one ambulance each year in their constituencies from their MPLAD (MP’s Local Area Development) Fund so that women and old people have easy access to healthcare. The women’s meet concluded that after female foeticide, the high MMR was the biggest challenge for women’s survival and steps needed to be taken to lower it. Vyas said the survival of the girl child in the “Hindi heartland’’ had become all the more challenging due to advent of new technology, which enables doctors to determine the sex of the unborn child by testing a few drops of mother’s blood. ‘’How are we going to cope with this when in the entire country we have only three convictions under the Pre-Natal Diagnostics Technique

(PNDT) Act?’’ she asked. (Indian Express 23/8/06) Not a case of sati, clarifies Chouhan (8) NEW DELHI, AUGUST 23:The Madhya Pradesh government today ruled out the possibility of Janakrani Gondit of Tulsipur in Sagar district having committed ‘sati’. Chief Minister Shiv Raj Chouhan today said the 50-year-old Janakrani, whose half-burnt body was found on the funeral pyre of her husband, belonged to a tribal community unfamiliar with the tradition of sati. Chouhan said Janakrani’s paralysed husband had been bed-ridden for the past five years and had died of natural causes. It seemed her husband’s body was consigned to flames at 12.30 pm. Janakrani and other women had taken baths in a nearby stream and gone home. Later, she is said to have gone out after informing her daughter-in-law. When she did not return till late, her family while searching for her discovered her body on the pyre, a good seven hours later. Chouhan said the government has ordered an inquiry into the circumstances leading to Janakrani’s death and asked the administration to ensure no activity which glorifies sati is permitted there. He said the government would take this opportunity to launch an anti-sati campaign in other parts of the state. Meanwhile, the National Commission for Women has asked the state to complete the inquiry within a week. (Indian Exp 24/8/06) Sexual harassment charge against minister: Achuthanandan orders probe (8) KOCHI:Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan has ordered a probe by a senior woman police official into the allegations that one of his ministers had sexually assaulted a woman co-passenger on board a domestic flight three weeks ago. Calling it a “serious issue,’’ VS said the decision to order a probe was his own, though he had discussed it with his Cabinet. VS also confessed to have vaguely heard about the incident long before it came up in the media, but claimed he did not have anything concrete to work on at that point. “Now that the details have come out and the woman’s husband has come out with a statement, this needs to be probed,” he said. VS said further decisions concerning Minister PJ Joseph will depend on the probe findings, but ruled out asking Joseph to stay away from office till the report came. The probe will be conducted by IG Police B Sandhya, who has been asked to report back to the Chief Minister. (Indian Exp 24/8/06) Man Stabs Wife to death (8) New Delhi, Aug. 23: A 22-year-old man brutally stabbed to death his wife on Wednesday night at a secluded place in Noida allegedly because he suspected her of illicit relationships with his father and brother. The accused, Dinesh Sharma, reportedly stabbed his wife Kavita (22) several times in all parts of her body at about 8.30 pm at a secluded place in Sector 32 in Noida, said a senior police officer. "The accused had taken her wife for a movie at Wave Multiplex during the day in his Maruti 800 car. There they watched the recently released Kabhi Alvida Na Kahna movie and also did some shopping," said a senior police officer. Later, he took her to a secluded place in sector 32 and dragged her out of the car and stabbed her over 20 times in different parts of her bodies with a kitchen knife, the police officer added. The family members of Kavita who live nearby somehow reached the place and rushed Kavita immediately to the Sumitra Hospital where she was declared brought dead. They also made a call to the police after which the accused was arrested. "When Deepak was arre sted, his entire body was soaked in blood," the police officer said. Deepak got married to Kavita last year on November 23. Deepak used to live with his family and wife in House No. 11A, Sector 41. He was involved in his family business of printing press they owned in Sector 3. Since his marriage, Deepak used to doubt that his wife had illicit relationship with his father. He then also started feeling that his brother too was in some kind of physical relationship with his wife, the police officer said. This prompted him to kill his wife, the police officer added. The police officer said that Deepak appears to be mentally unstable and therefore he stabbed his wife so many times. The police has claimed to have seized the Maruti car and the knife used in the murder. The police said that Deepak was less educated than Kavita and this seems to have caused jealousy in him. Though the family members of Kavita have not alleged dowry harassment, inquest proceeding has also been ordered in the case as the mandatory seven years period after marriage had not lapsed. Deepak has a younger brother and a sister. (Asian Age 24/8/06) New thrust to female foeticide by foundation (8) Kolkata, Aug. 24: In a breaking case, the serial number and model code printed on a television carton abandoned with a mutilated body inside, helped detective department (DD) sleuths to track down the murderer. In the case dating back to November 6, 2003, DD chief Gyanwant Singh said: "The body of a

man, later identified as that of Mitan Das (55), was found wrapped in a polythene bag, which in turn, was stashed inside a Samsung television carton and abandoned by the Beliaghata canal." The legs of the body, which were severed knee down, were missing. The thighs were fastened by wires. Officials of the DD homicide wing took the lead for investigations from the serial number and the model code printed on the exterior of the box. The trail of investigations led the DD sleuths right from Budge Budge in South 24 Parganas to Lake Town in North 24 Parganas, including the warehouse of the television company. Subsequently, the owner of the television set was traced and the murderer netted. The killers were identified as Nandalal Das (21) and his brother Binod Das (22), both residents of Jamui in Bihar. The duo was co-workers of the victim in a godown in Sealdah and the murder was a fallout of financial dispute among the trio. Following several attempts, Nandalal could be finally arrested on February 17, 2005. The hunt for Binod is still on. More than a year later, on Thursday, the accused was sentenced to life imprisonment by the second fast-track court, Sealdah. (Asian Age 25/8/06) Focus on gender justice in 11th Plan: women (8) NEW DELHI: Women groups on Monday asked the Planning Commission to articulate gender equality and gender justice as the central goal of the Eleventh Five-Year Plan. The ultimate goal in gender equality is to ensure that women and men have equitable access to, and benefit from society's resources, opportunities and rewards. And, as part of this, women need to have equal participation in defining what is valued and how this can be achieved, women's groups told the Planning Commission. The main aim of the recommendations presented to the Commission is to mainstream gender concerns into the design elements, implementation arrangement and monitoring mechanisms of various initiatives of the Government, Pam Rajput of the National Alliance of Women's Organisation (NAWO) told reporters after the meeting. The recommendations have been prepared in collaboration with the Ministry of Women and Child Development, UNIFEM and the United Nations Development Programme. A multi-pronged strategy with an integrated and inter-sector approach to address gender across its multi-faceted dimensions of caste, class, tribal status, poverty and other social exclusions must be adopted. Restricting the focus to a few issues defined as `women's issue' will yield limited results, Ms. Rajput said. An engendered Plan would include a gender dimension in all macro policies — fiscal, trade, agriculture, industry, infrastructure, labour and employment. This can be achieved by incorporating the specific needs of women and men in policy design, implementation, and impact of these policies on them. Recommending the strengthening of panchayats and local bodies in terms of power, funds and technology support with conditions to address clean water, sanitation and energy needs of women, the presentation also suggested generation of sex desegregation data at all levels and the mandate for gender budgeting be given to all departments at the Centre and State. (The Hindu 30/8/06) Women's Reservation Bill in next session of Parliament: Manmohan (8) NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday said the Government would bring forward a legislation to reserve seats for women in Parliament in the next session. Dr. Singh said such reservation at the gram panchayat level had demonstrated its efficacy in empowering women across the country. He added that those who were opposed to the legislation had been brought around. Speaking at a function organised here to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Lady Shri Ram College, Dr. Singh said a political consensus on the issue was being worked out for the past two years and it was an idea whose time had come. He listed out the initiatives taken by the Government for the emancipation and empowerment of women from introducing gender budgeting to amending the law to prohibit arrest of women after sunset and before sunrise. "These are all legislative and administrative initiatives to empower women. These are necessary and important, but surely not enough. What we need in our country is a fundamental change in the mindset. We need a new social reform movement for gender equality and empowerment of women," he added. The Prime Minister said cities had to be made safer for girls and women. "We have to make public places, public transport, our roads and parks, our offices and homes, safe for women," he stressed. Deeply distressed by the rising crime against women, Dr. Singh said: "What is most distressing is the casual approach that so many educated people take to the harassment of women. The Government cannot change social attitudes. People can and must."….. (The Hindu 1/9/06) ‘He forced abortion, told me to dump foetus in the well’ (8) PATRAN (PUNJAB), September 2:Almost four weeks after the arrest of a “quack” couple here following the discovery of aborted foetuses stuffed into wells behind their “clinic,” Patiala SSP Pramod Bhan says the case has not progressed because “we have not been able to identify even a single person who had an

abortion or delivery at Sahib Singh Hospital (the clinic)”. Barnala Jr remanded in one-day police custodyPunjab foeticide: Midwives brought clients for accusedFoeticide: Police to uncover second wellTop Punjab gangster killed in ‘g angwar’Saini case: ‘No valid reason to book financiers’The Sunday Express tracked down women who say they lost their unborn children or men who say they lost their wives after they were “treated” at the clinic run by Pritam Singh — formerly a sepoy in the Army — and his midwife spouse Amarjit Kaur. Currently in judicial custody, both the accused have denied any involvement in forced abortions and female foeticide. Jaswinder Kaur, 25, of Buhar village, 2 km from Patran, is now putting up with her parents in Mansa after the death of her husband Makhan Singh. Still in mourning, she say s, “About three years ago, I was pregnant for two months when I went to Dr Pritam for a check-up. He told me the baby was not growing well, and if I wanted to save my life, I should have an abortion. After the operation, he gave me some medicine and charged me Rs 2,000.” Already the mother of a five-year-old girl, Jaswinder claims she went back to Pritam Singh a year-and-a-half later when she began experiencing labour pains at seven months. “After a brief examination, he told me that if we moved out of the hospital, it would be fatal for both me and the child. I cried and told him that he must save my child, that the sex does not matter to me. But he aborted the foetus. He didn’t even let us see it.”…….. (Indian Express 3/9/06) Call for shift in focus against female foeticide (8) JAIPUR: A family planning and population expert here over the weekend called for a shift in the focus of the drive against female foeticide from the seizure of ultrasound machines and scanners in the clinics of doctors allegedly involved in sex determination tests to action against the medical professionals using these machines without having themselves registered or licensed under the law. R.K. Sahni, president of the Jaipur branch of the Family Planning Association of India (FPAI), told The Hindu ere that ultrasound machines, besides determining the sex of the foetus, were actually the life-saving gadgets detecting many internal diseases of the mother and the unborn child. "Instead of seizing the machines, action should be taken as per the Supreme Court's directive of 2002 against the unauthorised persons using them," he said. Prof. Sahni, who was honoured for his achievements in the Girl Child Project at the Independence Day function here this year, pointed out that the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1994, prohibited the use of a pre-natal diagnostic technique by a qualified person at any place other than that registered. "This provision automatically prohibits transportation of ultrasound machines from one clinic to another. This practice is in vogue and must come to a stop immediately," said Prof. Sahni. The professor has been associated with the campaign against female foeticide since 2001 under the Girl Child Project sponsored by the Central Government's Department of Family Welfare. (The Hindu 4/9/06) Woman set ablaze by husband (8) Bhopal: In a sensational incident, a woman died after her husband doused her with kerosene and set her ablaze in the Roshanbagh area under the Aishbagh police station on Sunday morning. The woman was allegedly being harassed by her husband and in-laws for dowry. The police have arrested the husband. According to Aishbagh police, Madhu Yadav (22) died while undergoing treatment at the Hamidia Hospital on Sunday evening. She had been admitted with 95 per cent burn injuries on Sunday morning. The police said that Madhu had been married to Jagdish Yadav in June this year. Jagdish and his parents had been asking Madhu to get Rs 50,000 and a two-wheeler for Jagdish as dowry. Madhu was unable to comply with the demands, which led her husband and in-laws to torture her mentally and physically. Last week, Madhu had gone to her parents and had been asked by her husband to get the money when she returned. Jagdish had warned her of dire consequences in case she failed to get the dowry. Madhu returned to Bhopal two days back and couldn't get the money with her. On Sunday morning, she had an altercation with her husband after which he doused her with kerosene and set her ablaze. She was admitted at the Hamidia Hospital and narrated what she had gone through to the police in her dying declaration. The police have registered a case under section 304 B and 498 of the IPC. (Pioneer 4/9/06) Crime Clock: Delhi unsafe for w omen, confirms NCRB (8) New Delhi, Sept. 3: The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) in its Crime Clock — 2005 said one crime was committed against women every three minutes, while there was one molestation case every 15 minutes. In every 29 minutes, one rape case was reported, even as one sexual harassment case was recorded every 53 minutes. And a crime is reported every 17 seconds. The national capital continued to maintain its dubious distinction of being unsafe for women recording highest rate of crime against the fair sex at 27.6 per cent as against the national average of 14.1 per cent.A total of 1,55,553 incidents of crime

against women, both under IPC and Special & Local Laws (SLL), were reported in the country during 2005, as compared to 1,54,333 during 2004. It showed a marginal increase of 0.8 per cent. About other crimes, while one murder case was reported every 16 minutes, one crime was committed against children every 35 minutes, it said. One burglary case was recorded every six minutes and one theft was done every two minutes. According to the report, released recently, as many as 50,26,337 cognisable crimes, comprising 18,22,602 IPC crimes and 32,03,735 SLL crimes, were reported in 2005, showing a decline of 16.6 per cent over 2004 figure of 60,28,781 cases. The alarming data, part of a report by NCRB, include crimes such as rape, dowry deaths, molestation and incest. New Delhi is followed by Andhra Pradesh, which reported 26.1 per cent of such crimes. Among the 35 mega cities in the country, those having more than 10 lakh of population and above, New Delhi alone reported 33.2 per cent (562) of the total 1,693 rape cases. The report further added that out of total number of 2,409 cases of kidnapping and abduction of women, New Delhi recorded 37.4 per cent or 900 cases. Delhi has also topped the list of crime against children with 6.5 per cent as compared to national average of 1.4 per cent, NCRB said. (Asian Age 4/9/06) MP arrests 4 for sati death (8) Bhopal, Sept. 21: The police on Thursday arrested the four sons of nonagenarian Karaiya Devi, who committed sati on Wednesday afternoon in the Baniyani village of Chhattarpur district in Madhya Pradesh. An FIR against them had been registered under Section 302 of the IPC and section 4 of the Prevention of Sati Act, 1987. The accused will be in judicial custody till the October 4. The victim’s husband, Siyaram Rajput, a Lodhi by caste, had died of a heart attack around 1 pm, after a four-month long illness. Locals claimed he was 100. A strong police contingent has been posted to prevent the glorification of the incident through the organisation of pujas or havans at the site. Chhattarpur SP Chanchal Shekhar admitted to this newspaper that — unlike the Sagar incident on August 22, in which a farmer’s widow had jumped unnoticed into the funeral pyre of her husband — this was a surefire case of sati. The act, however, was not committed under any duress or social pressure. Karaiya Devi’s four sons (all between 40-50) told the police that when their father had passed away during the day after a long illness, their mother had expressed a desired to also end her life by joining him in the pyre, and being burnt alive. Moved by Karaiya Devi’s emotional pleas, they did not have the heart to resist. Charged with having "murdered" their mother, they claimed being unaware that sati was a crime under the law. To them it was an act of honour, and fully in keeping with timeless tradition. Which is why, said the SP, Karaiya Devi was escorted to the pyre in full bridal attire. It was the youngest son who performed the ceremony since he was the only one who lived with the parents. The others, employed in Chhattarpur, had arrived a couple of days ago to see their sick father. (Asian Age 22/9/06) `Sati' site ploughed with tractor (8) Chhatarpur (M.P.) : The Sati site at Baniyani village in Chhatarpur district has been ploughed with a tractor to prevent glorification of the medieval ritual. Deployment of heavy police force and other measures were taken by the district administration to discourage people to come closer to the site where 95-year-old Karouyya Devi committed sati on the pyre of her 100-year-old husband Siyaraj Rajput, who died of prolonged illness on September 20. "The district administration had removed every symbol of the `sati' pyre and ploughed the area with a tractor," official sources said. Meanwhile, eyewitnesse s accounts pouring in nearly 48 hours after the incident said the woman had followed all rituals -- she had donned a red saree, completed her make up (shringar) and walked behind the funeral procession carrying coconut on both hands and chanting the name of `Rama'. Other women accompanied her and the villages prepared a round funeral pyre. The woman -- who could not walk properly without the support of a stick -slowly took seven rounds of the pyre before sitting on it, kept the head of her husband on her lap and indicated her younger son, Drigpal, to lit the pyre. There were sounds of `jaikara (hailing)' from all sides and people started throwing flowers, coins, coconuts and `prasad' as the flames leapt up in the sky. Everything was completed within one-and-half hour and whoever heard about the incident started running towards the spot. Police reached at the spot at 9 p.m.. By the time, everything was over. A villager, requesting anonymity, said it was all pre-planned and family members did not dissuade her for fear of some ill luck similar to that befallen on a family of nearby village after they prevented `sati' few years back. A magisterial inquiry had been ordered into the incident. State Women Commission member Saroj Rajput and cabinet minister Kusum Mehdele are slated to visit the village. Karouyya Devi's four sons had been arrested on murder charge and sent to jail. Police also registered cases against 25 villagers, including 10 women, in this regard. (The Hindu 23/9/06)

Women ordered to don burka (8) Jammu: In a move that will once again create a fear psychosis among womenfolk in Rajouri district, a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen area commander on Saturday threatened them to follow the Islamic dress code of wearing a burka and a veil while moving in public places and warned that they would be killed if they failed to comply, officials said. They said a poster of ultra Alamgeer Hafiz Gazali had come up in Chokiya village of Darhal tehsil in this regard. Giving them one week to comply, Gazali, said the throats of those defying the order would be slit. Women not wearing burkas were un-Islamic, he said in the poster. (The Hindu 24/9/06) Women-only varsity soon in Haryana (8) New Delhi, Sept. 24: The national Capital’s neighbouring state, Haryana, has embarked on a novel experiment of establishing an all-women’s university in order to give a boost to education of women in the state. Women will comprise all officials, non-teaching employees, teachers and students in this university. The university will be called the Bhagat Phool Singh Mahila Vishwavidyalaya and will be established at Khanpur Kalan in the state. The Haryana government had earlier declared 2006 as the "Year of the GirlChild." The Haryana government has already appointed senior lady-bureaucrat Promila Issar as the vicechancellor of the university. Ms Anita Yadav, additional deputy commissioner of Sonepat, will be the registrar of the university, sources said. The Haryana government has sanctioned Rs 14.70 crores as grant-in-aid during the current financial year for development of the infrastructure of the university. The university infrastructure will be built on about 200 acres of land. According to sources, the university will have 12 buildings for academic departments, eight hostels with a total capacity to house 3000 girls and 128 staff-members. A modern library with 50,000 books and more than 200 journals will be set up to benefit girl-students. According to sources, the government will lay special emphasis on areas such as information technology, medical sciences, bio-technology, environmental studies and management studies in the university. As many as 171 non-teaching posts and 70 teaching posts (for professors, readers and lecturers) have also been sanctioned which will again be filled by women. (Asian Age 25/9/06) Sexual harassment: Formal complaint against Joseph (8) CHENNAI, OCTOBER 3: Lakshmi Gopakumar, who accused former Kerala Public Works Minister P J Joseph of sexual harassment while on board an aircraft in last August, today filed a formal police complaint against him. Following the controversy, the minister had quit office in early September. While the law against sexual harassment of women in Tamil Nadu provides for a maximum prison term of three years and a minimum fine of Rs 10,000 for those who commit or participate in or abet harassment of women in any place, Section 354 of the IPC deals with assault or use of criminal force against a woman with “intent to outrage her modesty” and attracts a prison term of up to two years, or fine, or both. According to the police, Gopakumar had filed a detailed complaint about the August 3 incident. Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Minister, V S Achuthanandan had already ordered an inquiry into the incident. B Sandhya, Inspector General of Police from Kerala, who probed the complaint had submitted a report stating “there was no reason to disbelieve” Gopakumar’s complaint, recommending a investigation. Following this, Achuthanandan advised Joseph to resign. (Indian Exp 4/10/06) Rural w omen demand right to health (8) BHOPAL: A large number of women from villages across Madhya Pradesh have joined a signature (or thumb impression) campaign to press for their right to health and to call upon the Government to ensure that the dream of safe motherhood becomes a reality. Manoj Joshi of Voluntary Health Association, an NGO working for the cause of women's health, told The Hindu on Wednesday that the maternal mortality rates in rural areas across the country are among the highest in the world. It is estimated that pregnancyrelated deaths account for one-quarter of all fatalities among women aged between 15 and 29, with over two-thirds of them considered preventable. With maternal mortality ratio of 498 per one lakh live births, Madhya Pradesh ranks third in the country when it comes to maternal mortality, he said, adding that there are 13,000 maternal deaths in the State every year. For every maternal death in India, an estimated 20 more women suffer from impaired health, Mr. Joshi said raising the issue of safe delivery. He said that as part of a special drive to raise concern on this crucial issue, more than 20,000 women from different villages of the State are now in the process of signing (or placing their thumb impression) on a banner demanding the right to health and calling upon the State to ensure that the dream of safe motherhood becomes a reality. Mr. Joshi informed that a network of 60 NGOs, linked with the Madhya Pradesh

Voluntary Health Association and Madhya Pradesh Samaj Sewa Sanstha were involved in the signature campaign. The NGOs have been given two banners each to collect signatures/thumb impressions of women after they are adequately sensitised on the issue of maternal mortality and feel that some concrete action is needed to improve the situation. The women plan to present the banners with their signatures to the State Chief Minister ……. (The Hindu 5/10/06) Drunkards, gamblers face w omen’s fury (8) Lucknow, Oct. 4: In the backwaters of Uttar Pradesh, a silent revolution may be in the making. A group of uneducated women in Kanpur dehat district have taken up cudgels against drunkard males and habitual gamblers in their families. The women in about 12 villages on the outskirts of Kanpur have hit upon a novel way of "reforming" the men in their families. Whenever one of the men return home after consuming liquor or gambling, the woman in the house simply picks up a conch shell and blows it. In case, she does not have a conch shell, she picks up a thali and clangs it with a spoon. As soon as other women hear the sound, they come running out of their houses, armed with brooms, sticks and whatever they can lay their hands on. The gambler or the drunkard is then beaten up by the women and made to hold his ears and beg forgiveness. "The idea is to heap public humiliation on the men and make them give up gambling and drinking. As a rule, the woman, whose male relative is being beaten, usually stays away from the scene after informing other women in the village. This is done to ensure that the woman does not get victimised later," said Vinod, an ex-Army man, whose house in Madanpur village is now the epicentre of this movement. Vinod has even kept a conch shell and a huge bell in his yard. "This is for women who are afraid to blow the whistle from their own houses. They can come here and inform other women in the village who will then lead the brigade to the particular house," he explained. According to the women in the village, the idea to start a campaign to reform the male population began a few weeks ago, when a particular festival turned into a nuisance of sorts because the men drank heavily. "Ram Asrey Choudhury of this village beat up his wife while his son Deepu threw his wife on a crushing stone. Then the father and son fought between themselves over the issue. Choudhury’s uncle was injured when he intervened in the matter. The neighbours also supported the father-son duo and beat up their own wives who came forward to rescue the women in Choudhury’s family. That day we decided that drinking was turning into a major social problem and we must take up the issue with a vengeance," said Sharda Devi, who now leads the brigade…………. (Asian Age 5/10/06) Raj asthan walkout over female foeticide issue (8) JAIPUR: Opposition Congress members staged a walkout in the Rajasthan Assembly on Monday while accusing the State Government of failure to take stringent action against those involved in female foeticide despite strong evidence gathered against them by a television news channel in a series of sting operations. The House witnessed noisy scenes on the issue during question hour even as Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria and Medical and Health Minister Digambar Singh made an unsuccessful attempt to defend the Government and affirmed that investigations in the criminal cases registered this year were in progress. Congress MLA Chandrashekhar Baid and Pramod Jain (Independent), who raised the question, accused the BJP-led Government of laxity in the probe and pointed out that the doctors accused of misusing ultrasound machines for foetal sex determination tests were still continuing their medical practice. Both Mr. Kataria and Dr. Singh faced embarrassing moments when the Speaker, Sumitra Singh, pulled up the Government for making very little progress even four months after the cases were registered under the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Tests Act. Mr. Kataria admitted that the probe had made little headway with the statements of witnesse s yet to be recorded. Congress members, led by Leader of Opposition Ramnarain Chaudhary, created a din in the House holding the Government responsible for the high rate of murder of girl child in the womb, depicted by the recovery of aborted foetuses at several places, and warned that the sex ratio in the State would show serious imbalances in the near future. The Home Minister's remarks that FIRs had been registered in 18 cases and strict action would be taken against the guilty failed to convince the Congress MLAs, who staged a walkout at the end of question hour which was extended by ten minutes. Mr. Kataria said the TV channel had not given the unedited copy of compact disk containing shots of sting operations. (The Hindu 10.10.06) Hyderabad bride bazaar is global (8) Hyderabad, Oct. 11: Sleuths who raided the office of Qazi Waheed Qureshi were shocked to discover that Hyderabad’s "bride bazaar" had been catering to "clie-nts" from across the world, including the US, Somalia and Ethiopia. This is in addition to grooms who constantly sneak in from Yemen, Oman, Sudan,

Saudi Arabia and the UAE. They arrested the qazi for marrying off two young women from Hyderabad to a pair of Omani twins and hiding the fact that were epilepsy patients. The police arrested a total of three qazis and two brokers for marrying off the two young women. Sameena Begum, 23, and Nazia Begum, 20, are reportedly leading miserable lives at Alkhaboora, in Sohar town in Oman, and have informed their parents that they were being physically tortured by their husbands. The police swung into action after the parents informed them that they had received desperate calls from their daughters, who are virtually imprisoned in their husbands’ houses in Oman. It was discovered that Qureshi himself performed eight marriages in the past two years for grooms from a variety of the countries. "Earlier they used to conduct these marriages over the phone," said a police officer. "Now they are giving power of attorney through a representative and conducting the marriage in the presence of photographs." Qureshi was accused in a similar case in 2005 at Kalapattar police station, where he authorised the marriage of an Oman national to two girls together. "Without such marriages the parents of these girls will never be able to construct such big houses," said Qureshi, who is now in the custody of the Santoshnagar police. "The bridegrooms come from many countries across the globe."………… (Asian Age 12/10/06) Women's bill: Government to meet parties (8) NEW DELHI: In a move to bring about a consensus on the women's reservation bill and connected issues, the United Progressive Alliance Government will meet representatives of various political parties here on Friday. Though the Government has not linked the meeting with the bill, it has sent two sets of proposals to the parties to consider increasing the number of Lok Sabha seats from the current strength of 543 following increase in the population of women, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The proposals include adding one-third seats or doubling the number, sources in the Left parties said. The Left parties, at the last coordination committee meeting, opposed the move to link the bill and increasing the number of seats. They said the Government should table the bill in its original form that provides for reservation of one-third seats for women in Parliament and Legislatures. (The Hindu 13/10/06) No social j ustice for Imrana (8) Lucknow, Oct. 14: Imrana will continue to remain the "loser" in any case whether she wins or loses the case on October 19 when the Meerut court announces its verdict. This 29-year-old housewife, who was allegedly raped by her father-in-law last year and then declared "unfit" for her husband by the village panchayat, has now been informed by a Shariat court in Muzaffarnagar district that if the court finds her father-in-law guilty of raping her, she would then be treated as his wife and would not be able to live with her husband. Imrana, a young housewife and a mother of five, was allegedly raped by her father-in-law, Ali Mohammad, in their home in Charthawal village in Muzaffarnagar in June last year when her husband, Noor Ilahi, had gone out to work. When Imrana narrated the incident to her husband, he apparently took no action and remained silent. Imrana, however, insisted on bringing her father-in-law to book and a community panchayat was convened. The panchayat declared that since Imrana had been raped by her father-in-law, her marriage to Noor Ilahi stood nullified. The panchayat said that Imrana could live with her father-in-law as his wife and would be a "mother" to Noor Ilahi. Imrana refused to accept the panchayat diktat and lodged a complaint against her father-in-law with the police. The Darul-Uloom Deoband also supported the panchayat order and Imrana was almost completely isolated in her own community. Imrana’s story also led to a furious debate in the country on the acceptability of the panchayat order and the media had a field day analysing various aspects of the situation. Imarana, meanwhile, wilted under the mounting social and religious pressure s. As soon as she lodged a complaint against her father-in-law, she was asked to move out of her in-laws home. She went to live with her four brothers in Kukkada village while her husband spent his days on the footpaths of Muzaffarnagar. ………….. (Asian Age 15/10/06) ‘Sabarimala of w omen’ in Guinness (8) Thiruvananthapuram, Oct. 14: The famed Attukal Devi Temple, which is known as the Sabarimala of women, has entered the Guinness Book of World Records for hosting the biggest congregation of women during its annual Pongala festival. According to the temple trust authorities, more than 15 lakh women had taken part in the Pongala festival held here on February 23, 1997. This was an all-time record and had helped the temple located in the state capital find a mention in the latest edition of the Guinness Book. "In fact, the number of women coming for Pongala has only been increasing every year since then," said a member of the temple trust. "It is only that we had approached the Guinness authorities after the 1997 festival." Pongala is a women-only festival held in mid-February every year. Lakhs of women from various parts of the state and outside pitch camps in a three-km radius of the temple, build hearths using bricks,

and prepare a sweet dish called payasam. The festival usually takes place during the high note of summer and women devotees brave the searing heat of the sun and the smoke of thousands of makeshift hearths to prepare the naivedyam (offering) for the Devi. The presiding deity of the temple is Kannaki, who burnt Madurai to cinders with her chaste rage. Men (except priests and a few temple volunteers) are not allowed anywhere near the Attukal Temple on the Pongala day. This has earned the temple the sobriquet, "the Sabarimala of women".Interestingly, feminists who rage at Sabarimala Ayyappa temple’s custom of not allowing women into the shrine, shower encomiums on Pongala, terming it a celebration of sisterhood. In recent years, western scholars specialising on the "sacred feminine" have also veen reaching Thiruvanan (Asian Age 15/10/06) Jail for Imrana's father-in-law (8) MUZAFFARNAGAR: A local court on Thursday convicted 70-year-old Ali Mohammed of raping his daughter-in-law Imrana and sentenced him to 10-year imprisonment. After the June 6, 2005 incident, a Muslim panchayat directed Imrana to treat her husband as a son, sparking a nationwide furore. District and Sessions Judge R.D. Nimesh, in a courtroom packed with mediapersons, social activists and community members, pronounced Mohammed guilty of raping 29-year-old Imrana of Charthawal village in Uttar Pradesh. The judge directed Mohammed to pay a compensation of Rs. 8,000 to his daughter-in-law. On a separate charge of criminal intimidation, he was sentenced to three-year imprisonment and fined Rs. 3,000. Mohammed remained silent through out the proceedings, speaking only to say that he was incapable of committing such a crime. His counsel Subash Arora said an appeal would be filed in the Allahabad High Court. A week after she was raped, a Muslim community panchayat asked Imrana, a mother of five children, to treat her husband Nur Ilahi as her son and declared their marriage haraam or illegal. Imrana defied the ruling and continued living with her husband. Darul-uloom Deoband, a leading Islamic seminary, reportedly decreed that she could no longer live with her husband. But the seminary later denied it had issued any such fatwa. Nur Ilahi said: "We neither sought advice nor counsel from Deoband. We have not raised the issue before clerics." But he also said he was worried about his father, who had been in judicial custody for over a year. (The Hindu 20/10/06) ``Sexual harassment at w orkplace continues" (8) NEW DELHI: Notwithstanding the Vishaka judgment, sexual harassment continues to dog many women in the health sector, a study entitled "Sexual Harassment in the Workplace" and sponsored by the Population Council has said. What is required is an appropriate implementation mechanism that recognises the obstacles posed by power imbalances and gender norms in empowering women to make a formal complaint on the one hand and in receiving appropriate redress on the other, it said. The study explored women's perceptions and experiences of sexual harassment in the health sector in Kolkata. It confirmed the reluctance of women to invoke the complaints mechanism and the ineffectiveness of the existing system in punishing the perpetrator. While leading forms of harassment were verbal or psychological, a significant number reported unwanted touch, and sexual gestures and exhibitionism. Experiences reflected, by and large, power imbalances that make younger women and those in subordinate positions particularly vulnerable. Incidents of harassment were most often perpetrated by people in authority, such as senior or consultant doctors and even patients and their families, perceived to have the power to influence the women's job security in the institution. Few women, however, took formal action and complained to their supervisors or to the hospital management. Action taken in these cases was, by and large, indirect and rarely involved confronting the perpetrator or dismissing him. Most women were not aware of the Supreme Court guidelines and complaints mechanism/formal institutions of redress. Many others feared attitudes that would blame them for provoking an incident or feared the loss of their reputation as a result of complaining. (The Hindu 21/10/06) Imrana now faces a defamation suit from sister-in-law (8) Muzaffarnagar, October 23: In her continued legal battles, Imrana whose father-in-law was convicted of raping her is now facing a defamation suit filed by her sister-in-law. A local court has fixed November 6 for hearing the statement of Imrana’s sister-in-law Muhazra Begum, who claims Imrana had alleged all the daughters-in-law of Ali Mohammed were raped by him. Imrana could face two years in jail if the charges are proved. The District and Sessions court on October 19 convicted Mohammed of raping 29-year-old Imrana of Charthawal village in this district. He gave Mohammed, 70, a 10-year prison term and directed him to pay compensation besides sentencing him to three years in prison and imposing a fine. Muslim clerics have already said Nur Ilahi should immediately leave his wife Imrana. Imrana, however, has

continued to live with her husband and five children at her parents' house in Kukra village. (Indian Express 24/10/06) Domestic Violence Act takes effect today (8) NEW DELHI: The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2006 comes into effect from Thursday, according to a notification issued by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. Primarily meant to provide protection to the wife or a female live-in partner from violence at the hands of the husband or the male live-in partner or his relatives, the law also extends its protection to mother, sisters and widows. The Act covers abuse or threat of abuse, whether physical, sexual, verbal, emotional or economic. Harassment by way of unlawful dowry demands to a woman or her relatives also come under this definition. The Ministry simultaneously issued another notification, which lays down the rules for the implementation of the Act. They provide for, among other things, appointment of protection officers, service providers and counsellors. Action to be taken in the event of a respondent breaching the protection order passed by a magistrate in favour of the aggrieved woman is also prescribed under the rules. The Act seeks to cover those women who are or have been in a relationship with the abuser, where both parties have lived together in a shared household and are related by consanguinity, marriage or a relationship in the nature of marriage, or adoption, in addition relationship with family members living together as a joint family. An important feature is a woman's right to secure housing. It provides for her right to reside in the matrimonial or shared household, whether or not she has any title or rights in the household. This right is secured by a residence order, which is passed by a court. The other relief envisaged is that of the power of the court to pass protection orders that prevent the abuser from aiding or committing an act or domestic violence or any other specified act, entering a workplace or any other place frequented by the abused, attempting to communicate with the abused, isolating any assets used by both the parties and causing violence to the abused, her relatives and others who provide her assi stance from domestic violence. (The Hindu 26/10/06) Study sees no change in people's views about w omen (8) KOLKATA: Perceptions about women seem to be one of the few things constant in this fast changing world. Or so it appears from a study conducted by researchers at the School of Women's Studies (SWS), Jadavpur University, which analysed the representation of women in the media and how it is changing with time. "We looked at both the increasing visibility of women in the media and the terms of that visibility," said Samita Sen, Director, SWS. "We discovered that although there is an apparent change, the basic roles and presumptions about women's worlds remain the same," she said. The study, part of an international project to probe the role of women and the media in the era of globalisation, saw researchers interacting with different groups of people including students, housewives and non-governmental organisations. The media was categorised into print, including magazines and newspapers, and electronic, which would include television news, games and serials. "The depiction of women in television serials showed a distinct binary between the good woman and the vamp," said Prof Sen. "The regional channels and the Bengali serials, however, had greater diversity while the so called K soaps mainly concentrated on interiorised, Hindu upper caste women," she said. A narrowing down of diversity in women's representation was also noticed in some of the newspapers analysed during the survey. "While some of the newspapers had done away with pages devoted exclusively for women, there was an increasing preoccupation with celebrities and glamorous women," Prof. Sen said. (The Hindu 26/10/06) AIDWA hails Domestic Violence Act (8) NEW DELHI: T he All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) has welcomed the Domestic Violence Act that took effect from Thursday, saying the Act, for the first time, provides for civil remedies to women by way of protection orders, residence orders, and maintenance and thus is much wider in scope than the Section 498/A of the Indian Penal Code. ``Women in situations of violence are often thrown out of their matrimonial homes and the Act, for the first time, recognises the right of a woman to reside in her matrimonial home or shared household whether she has a right or title to the house or not,'' AIDWA general secretary Sudha Sundararaman told reporters here on Thursday. The Act provides for residence orders, which a woman could get to stop her husband or partner from dispossessing her. However, the respondent under the Act could only be a male though a wife could file a complaint against the husband and his relatives, she said. The AIDWA urged the Government give wide publicity to the Act and ensure its implementation in letter and spirit. The AIDWA has condemned the police action against protesters at Ghadsana in Rajasthan, who were seeking an assurance from the Government that they be provided with

sufficient irrigation water. The AIDWA team that visited Ghadsana on Wednesday demanded action against the Inspector General of Police, as well as the rest of the administration that was part of the police action. It demanded the transfer of the Superintendent of Police and the District Magistrate and adequate compensation for the injured in the police action. (The Hindu 27/10/06) Woman ``raped'' by father-in-law awaits j ustice (8) Purnea (Bihar): While Imrana received justice from court after she was raped by her father-in-law in a village in Uttar Pradesh, another such victim in Bihar is awaiting the court's verdict. Shahnaz Begum of Rahmatnagar village in Purnea district, was allegedly raped by her 60-year-old father-in-law Mohammad Asho. Her husband, Samruddin, without divorcing her, married another woman, her advocate Rajiv Sharan told PTI on Thursday. Ms. Shahnaz in her application, filed in the Purnea court before the Chief Judicial Magistrate J.D. Mandiwal against her father-in-law and her husband in July this year, alleged that her father-in-law, as part of a "sinister design" sent his son to Mumbai to earn a livelihood immediately after her marriage in December last year. In her husband's absence, her father-in-law made several attempts to molest her. She finally surrendered to escape regular beatings, her counsel alleged. When she informed her husband about this, he did not come to her rescue and therefore Ms. Shahnaz had to return to her father's home in a neighbouring village. Her father-in-law, however, exerted "pressure" on his son to compel her to return, he said. Her husband finally took up the matter with the panchayat, which failed to resolve it. He then approached a mufti who ruled that since Ms. Shahnaz had physical contact with her father-in-law she had lost the right to be Mr. Samruddin's wife. A fresh petition for early hearing of the case was filed in the same court in October. (The Hindu 27/10/06) Women's group against condom distribution via madams, pimps (8) New Delhi : Is the AIDS control method of condom distribution through madams and pimps unintentionally strengthening the very roots of organised crime? Women's group thinks so. Although the objective of AIDS control is good, the methodology to high-risk targeted intervention approach is yielding diminishing returns, they feel. Women activist under the aegis of Joint Action Front for Women met Home Minister Shivraj Patil on Tuesday to impress upon the need for a better strategy to deal with HIV/AIDS instead of the present one of targeting high-risk groups like sex workers. They feel that National AIDS Control Organisation's (NACO) strategy fails to secure the rights of women involved in prostitution or check the organised crime managed by pimps and madams. "Although the objectives of NACO are good, the methodology of condom distribution through madams and pimps is unintentionally strengthening the very root of organised crime that we want to uproot. Also, the success of NACO in containing HIV/AIDS by using the targeted intervention strategy for the high risk group is in question," said Ranjana Kumari of Joint Action Front for Women. The front has called for revisiting the AIDS prevention strategy. Sex workers form the core risk group of spread of HIV infection. NACO's strategy is to prevent further spread of the infection by making them aware and insisting on condom use by their clients. But women's groups feel that his targeted intervention approach is failing. There is evidence that HIV infection among sex workers is increasing despite the condom-use strategy. There is also an increase in numbers of those commercially, sexually exploited, they feel. "There is a need to broadbase the approach and include aspects like rescue, rehabilitation and reintegration of prostitutes. Policymakers need to revisit HIV/AIDS control strategy," Ranjana Kumari added. (Pioneer 27/10/06) Held for alleged domestic v iolence (8) Tirunelveli: The provisions of the Domestic Violence Act 2005, which came into effect on Thursday, were invoked for the first time on Saturday when the police arrested a person on a charge of injuring his wife. An employee of the Tamil Nadu Water and Drainage Board, 47-year-old J. Joseph was remanded on the basis of a complaint from his wife Benedict Mary (37), a teacher. According to the complaint, Mr. Joseph allegedly beat his wife with an umbrella on the night of October 25 when she refused to hand over money she got from leave surrender. Ms. Mary suffered injuries . Commissioner of Police, Tirunelveli city, G. Uma Ganapathi Sastry, told reporters that a head constable explained to Ms. Mary the provisions of the Act once she decided to file a complaint. "With her concurrence, we have filed a case against Mr. Joseph under Section 31 of the Domestic Violence Act 2005 and Section 324 of IPC (causing simple injury with a weapon)." Mr. Joseph and Ms. Mary, married for 15 years, were reunited recently by a woman police inspector after frequent quarrels had ended in their separation. (The Hindu 29/10/06) Law yer questions arrest (8)

New Delhi : As the first case of arrest under the new Domestic Violence Law came in from Tamil Nadu on Saturday, a lawyer questioned its legality saying police cannot act against any person under the statute without a court order. "This particular Act comes within the purview of a magistrate. So unless there is a court order, I don't see how they can arrest a person under this law," Geeta Ramaseshan, advocate, said. "...The purpose of this law is actually to introduce a lot of civil remedies within the realm of the magisterial court," she told NDTV. However, Tirunelveli Police Commissioner G. Umaganapathi Sastri said that the process of legal action would start the moment the police officer informed the aggrieved person of her rights. Under the Act, a person found guilty by a court might get imprisonment of up to a year and a fine of up to Rs. 20,000, Mr. Sastri said. (The Hindu 29/10/06) 200 w omen missing in Andhra (8) Visakhapatnam, Oct. 27: The police are yet to trace more than 200 women who have gone missing from various North Andhra districts in the last three years. In many cases, parents hesitate to report to the police when their daughters go missing for fear of infamy. In other instances, women elope with their lovers and don’t bother to inform the police when they return. But in quite a number of cases, the missing women end up as corpses. Relatives of the missing women accuse the police of not doing enough to trace their dear ones. Chamanthi, 23, went missing from her home in the railway quarters on April 19, 2005. Her father, B.J.R. Patnaik, a railway technician, suspected that she had eloped with her lover, Kumar Goswami, a neighbour. His su spicions got stronger after he noticed that Goswami was also missing. One week later, Chamanthi’s elder sister got a phone call saying that her little sister had been killed. The terrified family complained to the police. With no action forthcoming, they met home minister K. Jana Reddy. The police then swung into action and arrested Goswami. After much questioning, he admitted that he murdered Chamanthi at Sagardurga Beach. When she died, the young woman was 16 weeks pregnant. The police searched the area and found her bones on July 26, more than a year after she went missing. In a similar instance, L. Eswramma, 27, a practising lawyer from the city, disappeared from her home in Malkapuram on August 6 this year. The police later found out that she had a lover, CRPF constable Chinna Rao, who had ditched her. Investigators found the decomposed body of a woman last fortnight at Rushikonda Beach in the city. A DNA test is being conducted by forensic experts to find out whether it is the body of the missing lawyer. According to statistics available with the police, 64 women and 41 girls have gone missing from the city in the last two years. "The number of missing cases has been increasing at an alarming rate," said a police officer. (28/10/06) Cleric dismisses Shabana's statement (8) Lucknow: Even as the veil controversy in Britain refuses to die down, Muslim clerics here have sharply reacted to veteran Bollywood actor Shabana Azmi's statement that the Koran does not make it mandatory for a woman to cover her face. "It has become a fashion of sorts for some Indian Muslims to criticise the teachings of the Holy Koran and Hadees," Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangimahali, a senior All-India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) member and Imam of the historic Tilewali Masjid here, told PTI. "Some Muslims in the country think they will be considered modern only when they criticise the Koran and Hadees," he said referring to Ms. Azmi's statement. While in London to receive the Gandhi Foundation's International Peace Award, the actor-turned Rajya Sabha member had called for a debate on Muslim women wearing the veil, saying the Koran speaks about women wearing clothes to cover their modesty and that they need not cover their faces. "The Koran has clearly instructed that women should put on veils," Maulana Firangimahali said, adding that this did not mean that they should not go to college or work and remain confined to their homes. (The Hindu 30/10/06) UP maternal mortality rate highest (8) New Delhi, Oct. 31: The Centre on Tuesday announced incentives to encourage women to go for institutional delivery in six states, where an alarming number of mothers continue to die at child birth. "The maternal mortality rate (MMR) has declined to 301 in 2001-03 as against 398 in 1997-98 and 327 in 1999-01," outgoing health secretary P.K. Hota said, while announcing the findings of a survey conducted by the registrar-general of India. However, six states — Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Orissa — with MMR ranging between 517 and 358, still remain a cause of concern. Uttar Pradesh, at 517, has the highest MMR in the country, closely followed by Assam (490). In Rajasthan, 445 mothers per lakh die during child birth while the number is 379 in Madhya Pradesh. Bihar has a MMR of 371 and Orissa 358. Kerala has faired its MMR from 149 in 1991-01 to 110 in 2001-03, emerging at the top among states taking care of expectant women followed by Tamil Nadu (134) and Maharashtra (149).

"Expectant mothers opting for institutional delivery will be given Rs 2,000 each at the time of child birth," Mr Hota further said. He also said that money has to be given seven days before or seven days after the delivery of the child. The Centre has also enhanced the incentives given to men and women opting for sterilisation. "Rs 800 would be given to each of the men and women opting for tubectomy and vasectomy," Mr Hota said, adding that a part of the amount would go to the doctors to meet medicinal expenses for the patient. Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) in the country also dropped marginally to 58 per one lakh in 2004 as against 60 in 2003. Madhya Pradesh leads in the number of child deaths, with 79 out of one lakh infants dying soon after birth. It is followed by Orissa, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan that has infant mortality rate of 77, 72 and 67 respectively. Kerala has the lowest IMR of 12, followed by Maharashtra (36), Madhya Pradesh (40) and Tamil Nadu (41). (Asian Age 1/11/06) Rape v ictim preserv es dead child for test (8) Ranaghat (West Bengal), Nov. 5: A minor girl in Ranaghat-Habibpur, who delivered a dead male child on Wednesday, went to preserve the body for more than 48 hours for a DNA test to prove that she had been raped, allegedly at gun point. The 14-year-girl, who earlier failed to draw the attention of the police after the alleged rape, ultimately agreed to bury the baby at her courtyard on Saturday morning following the request of the local SDO. The misery of Mamata Roy (name may be changed) began early this year. According to her, Deepankar Hore, a dreaded anti-social, repeatedly raped her on gun point for about one month regularly in the mornings just after her parents used to leave home for work. De spite the threat on her life, she went to the Ranaghat police with her complaint. Later, the girl lodged a complaint before ACJM Ranaghat and recorded her statement under Section 164 of CrPC. The court directed the police to initiate inquiry but the accused was absconding. The girl expected that Deepankar would ultimately agree to marry her. However, Mamata delivered a premature baby on Wednesday at the Birnagar Primary Health Centre. But the baby soon died. The girl, however, refused to bury the baby. Since Thursday morning, she kept the body with her and demanded that a DNA test be done. The body, however, started decomposing. But that did not perturb the girl. She said: "Once buried, the only proof of his (Deepankar’s) crime will be extinguished for ever." Trinamul Congress leader and local Panchayet Pradhan Tapash Ghosh took her father Sambhu to SDO Seu Ram on Friday. He advised them to appeal before the court for the test. He also referred the matter to the Ranaghat police and assured that the DNA test could be possible even after it is buried. (Asian Age 6/11/06) Setting a skewed sex ratio right (8) HYDERABAD: Trafficking in women from Andhra Pradesh to red light areas in Delhi apart, many are now being sent to Haryana to boost the skewed male-female ratio there. "I was shocked to see 13 women from Andhra Pradesh in Haryana serving as paros, virtually `sexual brides.' The women-to-men ratio has fallen drastically to as low as 700 to 1000 in that State, especially in places like Soneput," Rishi Kant, a social activist from Delhi, told The Hindu . Mr. Kant, credited with rescuing many Andhra women from the flesh trade, narrated tales of how some Haryana men used these women to bear boys and "sold them to others" if they delivered female babies. The activist, who heads Shakti Vahini, a civil society group with a strength of over 10,000 volunteers in north India, said that despite taking efforts to curb the trend, women from Andhra Pradesh continued to top the list in the brothels of New Delhi's G.B. Road, followed by those from Nepal. "I am puzzled by the trend as Andhra Pradesh is counted as one among the well-developed States. There is something wrong and the Government, police and the community need to ponder," he said. The demand for women from Andhra Pradesh could be linked to the increase in migrant labour from Bihar and other northern States, Mr. Kant suggested. Mr. Kant, who is here to form a network of NGOs who could check trafficking in women and prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, said he was on the lookout for organisations and community workers who could motivate poor parents in rural areas to stop "donating" their daughters to the flesh trade. "We need to match the traffickers who are united in carrying out their nefarious activities, if we want to checkmate them." (The Hindu 4/11/06) No changes in domestic violence law for now : Renuka (8) NEW DELHI: Dismissing criticism that the new domestic violence law was too harsh on men, Minister for Women and Child Development Renuka Chowdhury has said women lived in dangerous situations and ruled out any immediate amendments to it. "Women live in dangerously self-embracing situations. Even if you see it as a ferocity in the Act or the ambit is too wide, please understand that women are burnt to death, beaten to insensitivity," Ms. Chowdhury told Karan Thapar in his Devil's Advocate interview for CNN-IBN. Asked whether she would consider amendments to the law in the light of the criticisms, she

said she was open to doing it but not at the moment. ``There's always need for corrections and amendments in any law as we progress, as a society develops and the needs ariseBut for what? Hypothetically, before we reach the bridge and cross it if you want me to make amendments, I won't," she said. To a question on whether men should suffer before the Act undergoes changes, she said in a lighter vein: "That's not a bad idea except I have such pity for men." (The Hindu 12/11/06) 6.4m girls in country fall prey to early marriages (8) Patna, Nov. 13: More than 58 per cent of married women in Bihar tie the nuptial knot before completing 18 years of age. With the country ready to observe another Children’s Day, there are high incidence of maternal mortality cases due to early marriage and early pregnancy in the future. A survey on early marriage reveals more than 6.4 million girls in India are married before they are 18 years. Going by the National Family Health Survey, 1998-99, around 65 per cent girls were married before 18 years. Smita Mitra, programme manager of the New Delhi-based Mamta Health Institute for Mother and Child said, "Early marriage compels the young girls into early initiation of sexual intercourse with their partner. This subject them to high-risk adolescent pregnancy. They stop going to school, hampering their right to education and are robbed of their childhood and burdened with family responsibilities." "In a backward society, early marriages deprive girl children of education," believes Nupur Priyadarshini, a women activist from Bihar. The Mamta Health Institute for Mother and Child claims, one out of every 15 girls, who drops out of school, is made to do so on account of her early marriage. The median age of girl at marriage (MAGM) in Madhya Pradesh is 14.7 years, while the same in Bihar is 14.9 years. With MAGM at 15.1 years, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh are other states where instances of early marriage are quite prominent. The National Family Health Survey (II) has found that nearly 11 per cent of all reported pregnancies — to girls between 15 years and 19 years in India — ends up in stillbirths and spontaneous abortions. Significantly, the infant mortality rate (IMR) in Uttar Pradesh is as high as 83 deaths per 1,000 live births. Rajasthan is the next to record 79 deaths under IMR. (Asian Age 14/11/06) Activ ists, academics slam clerics for remarks on Shabana (8) NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 1: A group of social activists and academics, belonging to the minority community, today expressed concern at the “tone and tenor” of Muslim clerics’ remarks on Shabana Azmi, recipient of Gandhi Peace Prize, who called for a debate on the issue of the veil. A joint statement issued by activists — Shabnam Hashmi, Dr Hanif Lakdawala, Sieba George and Sabeeha Bano, academics — Prof Imtiaz Ahmad, Dr Anwar Alam and Arshad Alam, and journalist Zafar Agha today said: “The Muslim clerics have exposed intolerance unbecoming of those learned in Islam and aspiring for legitimacy within the community.” The statement said, “While the clerics may have recieved Islamic education, this does not entitle them to exclusive monopoly of understanding and interpreting the scriptural sources... the Quran is not addressed to the ulema. It is addressed to all mankind and invites every man or woman to read and follow.” On Azmi’s call for a debate on the veil, the statement said, “Throughout Islamic history, debate and dispute over understanding of the scriptural texts, including that relating to the veil, have existed and Shabana Azmi is not the first to call for a debate.” It added, “There is nothing in the text that endorses that the clerical understanding is necessarily more authoritative than that of someone who has not had Islamic education. Muslim clerics are also...susceptible to making a mistake.” (Indian Express 2/11/06) Muslim w omen meet today for equal rights (8) Barcelona (Spain), Nov. 2: Muslim women from around the world gather in Barcelona on Friday to issue a call to a battle for equal footing in the Islamic world, one aimed at fighting against polygamy, domestic violence and a "macho" interpretation of Muslim Sharia laws. The three-day international Congress underscores a new reality: even as religious intensity is growing in parts of the Muslim world, "Islamic feminism," the name of the Barcelona meeting, is gaining a tenuous foothold. "We realised that a number of Muslim women’s groups have been created in recent years to fight against discrimination and defend (their rights) within an Islamic context, such as in Malaysia, Nigeria and Pakistan," said Abdennur Prado, a leading organiser of the Barcelona forum, first launched last year. The advocates, mostly well-educated, urban women versed in the Quran argue Islam must not be a pretext for cultural practices denigrating women, dictated by men with a monopoly on interpreting the Muslim holy book. The meeting must "contribute to consolidating Islamic feminism as a transnational movement by putting in place a network of grassroots organisations working on the question of women’s rights in Islam," Mr Prado said. Professors, Islamic experts, members of non-governmental organisations and Spanish feminists are among some 400

participants expected to attend the conference, organised by a local Muslim organisation, La Junta Islamica Catalana. (Asian Age 3/11/06) Fatwas not legally binding: Centre (8) New Delhi, Nov. 2: The government on Thursday told the Supreme Court that fatwas issued by Muslim clerics are opinions and cannot be imposed or enforced on anyone. This assumes significance in the backdrop of a controversy over Shariat courts allegedly posing a challenge to the country’s judicial sy stem. The government said the Dar-ul-Qaza and Nizam-ul-Qaza are a form of alternative dispute redressal fora that perform a conciliatory role without any power of enforcement. The Centre said the Dar-ul-Qaza and Nizam-ul-Qaza are not a parallel judicial system and did not prevent Muslims from reporting matters to the judicial machinery set up under the laws of the land. It contended that the case of Imrana, whose father-in-law was recently given a 10-year prison term for raping her, was not referred to any Dar-ul-Qaza or Nizam-ul-Qaza. Maintaining that fatwas issued by clerics are advisory in nature, the Union law ministry said, "The fatwas are not mandatory and do not compel any person to follow them and do not compel any person not to approach courts established by law for adjudication of their disputes." In an affidavit submitted to the top court, the Centre said, "The mufti has no authority or powers to impose his opinion and enforce his fatwas on anyone, either by imposing any penalty or a fine or send him to jail. Even the seeker of opinion is not bound to follow the opinion." Further, it said the terms Shariat court, qazi, naib qazi and mufti have not created any confusion in the minds of the alleged uneducated multitude of the Indian Muslim citizenry. "The Dar-ul-Qaza does not force or coerce any party before it to accept any of its verdict by invoking the terror of God’s wrath," the affidavit said. (Asian Age 3/11/06) Rape v ictim throw n out of v illage (8) Behrampore (West Bengal), Nov. 3: In a virtual repeat of the Imrana case, a mother of four has been driven out of her village in Murshidabad district by a Muslim panchayat after being allegedly raped by a local man over three months ago. The panchayat ruled her marriage stood annulled in the wake of the incident and neither could she live with her husband nor could she enter the predominantly Muslim village, about 200 km from Kolkata. The village council ruled the couple should pay Rs 50,000 if they wished to stay together, a pre-condition which the victim‘s husband, a daily wage labourer, failed to meet. The victim, who was raped on July 25 in Katabagan village, filed a case at the police station here on Friday following the intervention of superintendent of police Rahul Srivasatava. The local police had earlier refused to register a case. In her complaint, the woman accused Mansoor Ali, a local tough, of raping her in front of her four children. "I want to keep my wife as it is not her fault, but people are not allowing me to keep her. Who will look after our four children?" her husband told reporters. (Asian Age 4/11/06) Shia rules to make div orce easier to get for w omen (8) Lucknow, Nov. 5: The model "nikahnama" that will be formally adopted at the second annual session of the All-India Shia Personal Law Board, scheduled to be held in Mumbai from November 26, not only makes it easier for Shia women to obtain divorce but also enhances women’s rights in a marriage. "The model nikahnama has been approved by Shia clerics in India, religious and legal experts and also Ayatollah Ali Sistani, the Shia spiritual leader in Iraq. It will be formally adopted at the annual session later this month. In the new nikahnama, the board has gone beyond the ‘khula’ talaq sy stem and women can now opt for divorce with dignity," said Maulana Mirza Mohammed Athar, chairman of the All-India Shia Personal Law Board, at a press conference here on Sunday. Explaining the provisions of the model nikahnama, the maulana said that henceforth, the groom will be required to declare his income, his qualifications and his social status in the nikahnama, and if his declaration was found to be false after the marriage, the bride will have the right to divorce him. "This clause has been included because we find that a number of men dupe the girl’s families by making false claims about their income and qualifications," he said. Another provision in the model nikahnama relates to alimony. The new document makes it mandatory for the husband to continue paying alimony to his ex-wife till she becomes financially independent or remarries. Till now, husbands were asked to pay alimony only for three months, after which the divorced wife was left to fend for herself. The maulana said that the purpose of the model nikahnama was to enhance the rights of women and give them a life of dignity in event of divorce. (Asian Age 6/11/06) Gudiya’s tw o husbands wed after her death (8) Lucknow, Nov. 8: While she was alive, both of them fought over her on national media but barely 11

months after her death, they have opted for second marriages. Gudiya is dead, buried and forgotten by both men. Gudiya, the young woman who was caught between two husbands and became a subject of debate on TV channels, is back in the news. Her second husband Taufeeq got married three months ago and her first husband Arif — an Army sepoy who had gone missing during the Kargil war — got married in Mundali village of Muzaffarnagar district on Tuesday. Gudiya’s son from Taufeeq will now live under the care of her aged parents. Gudiya got married to Arif in 1998 and barely a year later, her husband was reported missing during the Kargil war. Since there was no news of his whereabouts, the Army declared him a deserter. Gudiya, meanwhile, was married to Taufeeq and pregnant with his child when Arif suddenly returned in August 2004. He said that he had been taken captive by the Pakistani Army and had been released along with other prisoners. Arif reclaimed Gudiya and this led to a huge debate on TV channels with religious leaders asking the young woman to return to her first husband because she had married Taufeeq without taking a divorce and hence her second marriage was null and void. Gudiya’s opinion and desire on the issue was neither sought nor heard. Arif, on his part, was keen to accept Gudiya but did not agree to take the responsibility of her yet-to-be-born child. Finally, Muslim clerics and village elders decided that Gudiya would have to return to Arif and her child would be brought up by her parents. The emotional turmoil that the young woman went through, apparently, took its toll and Gudiya died of multi-organ failure in January 2006. Talking to this correspondent on Wednesday, Arif said that he had suffered enough — first in Pakistan jail and then in the Gudiya episode — and wanted to buy peace for himself. (Asian Age 9/11/06) Assam w omen for peace, development: Brinda Karat (8) Guwahati : Communist Party of India (Marxist) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat on Friday urged the Assam women to build a strong and united movement to promote peace and development Addressing a women's rally at Rangiya in Kamrup district, Ms. Karat said women were the worst victims of insurgency in the State. She urged both Union Government and the United Liberation Front of Asom to hold an unconditional dialogue. The rally was organised by the Assam State committee of the All-India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) to observe completion of 25 years of the largest women's body of the country. State AIDWA president Madhuri Devi chaired it. Ms. Karat said the massive turnout at the rally was a clear signal to the Government and insurgent outfits that Assam women wanted peace and development and were against arms. The Centre and the State Government should pay special attention to the Assamese women for developing their skills, such as weaving and handicraft through self-help group initiatives. Ms. Karat, who is also AIDWA vice-president, expressed concern that the women of Assam and other northeast States too were affected by social evils such as dowry and atrocities against them. This needed to be strongly resisted by building up a united women's movement. She said women movement in India for emancipation should be centred on rights of poor women, against the culture of dependence and against the caste system. (The Hindu 18/11/06) Meghalaya w omen’s panel chief in spot over rape remark (8) Shillong, November 18: State Women Commission chairperson Biloris Lyngdem has landed in trouble after she said yesterday that a rapist should be made to marry the victim. State Home minister R G Lyngdoh said that if such a proposal is accepted then the society would face anarchy. Lyngdem had said since a rape victim had to face the social stigma throughout her life, it was realistic to coax the rapist to marry her. She said that in 70 percent of adult rape cases, the culprit and the victim are known to each other. Under such circumstances, it was more practical for the perpetrator and the victim to marry. Lyngdem made the proposal when some reporters had gone to her yesterday to get her opinion on the rising incident of rape on the backdrop of a 22 -year-old girl being dragged by one Hestar Wankhar from a crowded bus on the outskirt of the city and raped in the jungle recently. “The law is quite clear on rape cases, it talks of prosecution and sentence,” Lyngdoh said, adding “Lyngdem’s suggestion doesn’t have any place in the delivery of the justice system.” Meghalaya People Human Right Council secretary general Dino Dympep said the SWC chairperson’s suggestion was “very irresponsible” and would only encourage crimes against women. Several NGOs have taken serious umbrage at Lyngdem’s suggestion with Freedom Project members saying it smacks of a “Taliban mindset” and might be the root cause of violence against women. (Indian Express 19/11/06) Div orced woman entitled to minor child's custody ev en after her remarriage" (8) New Delhi: A divorced woman is entitled to the custody of a minor child even after remarriage, notwithstanding the fact that the father is the natural guardian under the Hindu law, the Supreme Court

has held. A Bench of Justices A.R. Lakshmanan and Altamas Kabir said: "The remarriage of the mother cannot be taken as a ground for not granting the custody of the child to the mother. The paramount consideration should be given to the welfare of the child. It also has to be seen whether in view of his other commitments, the father is in a position to give personal attention to the child's overall development." The Bench said: "According to the Hindu law, the natural guardian of a minor child [above the age of six] is the father. In the next place, the guardian of a child is the mother. The very principle of guardianship is that there is a presumption that parents will be able to exercise good care in the welfare of the children if they do not happen to be unsuitable as guardians." Rejecting the concept of the father being the natural guardian, the Bench said: "it has been the law for a very long time both in England and in this country and that what a court has to look to on applications under habeas corpus is the interest of the child as being paramount." Writing the judgment, Mr. Justice Lakshmanan said, "the father ought to be the guardian of the person and property of the minor under ordinary circumstances. The fact that the mother has married again after divorce is no ground for depriving her the parental right of custody. In cases like the present one, the mother may have shortcomings but that does not imply that she is not deserving of the solace and custody of her child." ……. (The Hindu 22/11/06) Mahajan case puts spotlight on domestic v iolence in upper class (8) The Rahul Mahajan-Shweta Singh controversy has once again raised eyebrows and the question whether domestic violence occurs in rich families too. Though women coming from various strata of society fall prey to domestic violence, it is the woes of women from well-connected and rich families that often go unnoticed. Though the problem of domestic violence is widely prevalent, it largely goes unreported. Studies conducted indicate that women from the upper class also face several forms of violence. However, because of their class, caste and status, they often do not come out and report it. It remains within the four walls of the house unlike in the cases of poor women where their being beaten up is known even to their neighbours. What society women fear the most is their social status and the family name. And even if anyone does dare to speak up, the system does not wholeheartedly support her. Indian administrative service officer Dr Niddhi Pandey had to actually go through an ordeal just to register a complaint against her husband Deepak Pande an Indian police service officer, who had brutally beaten her on several occasions. This despite of the fact that she herself was a high profile officer. It was only when a few senior women IAS officers got to know of Dr Niddhi’s plight, they met the director general of police and things started moving for her. Actress Zeenat Aman is another woman who had dared to speak up against her abusive husband. According to a recent UN report, urgent action needs to be taken to check the escalating problem of violence against women which is common and widespread throughout the developing and developed world with the fairer sex more at risk from their partners. "Domestic violence is prevalent in every class. But it is unfair that only certain cases get media attention, while there are so many Dalit and poor women being tortured, raped and paraded naked in our country and nobody is concerned about it,’’ laments advocate Kamayani Bali Mahabal. …………… (Asian Age 22/11/06) Panchayat to greedy groom: Pay Rs 1 lakh (8) Lucknow, Nov. 21: In a landmark decision, a village panchayat has asked a greedy groom’s family to pay compensation of Rs 1 lakh to the family of the bride. The wedding was called off after the groom’s father demanded a Maruti 800 before the nikaah. According to Zia-ul-Haq, head of the Ansari panchayat at Dola village in Baghpat district, Salma’s wedding was scheduled to take place on Sunday evening, but when the baraat arrived, the groom’s father demanded that they be given a Maruti 800 car before the wedding. An angry Salma immediately refused to marry the groom and said that she would prefer to remain single all her life than to marry into such a family. The community panchayat was convened on Monday afternoon and after hearing the arguments of both parties, it ordered the groom’s family to pay compensation of Rs 1 lakh to the girl’s family, which had spent a large sum of money in wedding preparations. Talking to this newspaper, Zia-ul-Haq said that if the groom’s family did not pay the compensation, the panchayat had decided to file a case in court. "It is time that such greedy persons were taught a lesson," he said. (Asian Age 22/11/06) Pass Women's Bill: AIDWA (8) NEW DELHI: The All-India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) on Tuesday demanded the introduction and passage of the Women's Reservation Bill in the winter session of Parliament. This resolution was moved by AIDWA president Subhashini Ali at a function held to mark the Silver Jubilee celebrations of the association here. It asked the Government to pay special attention to the educational

and health needs of Muslim women and make available civic amenities in the areas dominated by the community. There was a need for reform in some of the provisions of the Muslim Personal Law such as unilateral triple talaq in a single sitting, polygamy, and guardianship and custody of children, the resolution said. Other resolutions against violence and atrocities on Dalit women were also passed with an overwhelming endorsement by women. Addressing a rally, AIDWA vice-president Brinda Karat laid down a roadmap for the organisation and asked the women to be prepared to respond to the future challenges. General secretary Sudha Sundaraman reaffirmed its commitment to the women's movement for equality, democracy and emancipation. Among the dozens of women who related their experiences were Bijoylakshmi Sinha, Minister from Tripura, whose husband was murdered by terrorists, and Dayarung Roaja, who spoke of how women were combating terrorism in the State. Durga Swamy from Rajasthan described the Ganganagar struggle for water, in which she herself was lathicharged. Baby from Kerala narrated the experience of women in panchayats. A message from Susai Mary of Tamil Nadu said she was badly injured in a murderous attack for taking up the cause of a dowry victim. Aneesa spoke about the plight of Gujarat riot victims, who have got neither compensation nor justice. Kamla, a tribal from Madhya Pradesh, described the atrocities committed by upper caste men who cut off her arm because she dared to file a police complaint against them. (The Hindu 22/11/06) SC: Mother has custody rights ov er her kids ev en if she marries again (8) New Delhi : Deviating from the traditional Hindu law of recognising father as the natural guardian, the Supreme Court on Tuesday granted custody of an 11-year-old to his divorced mother. In doing so, the court ruled that if a woman re-marries after divorce, her custody rights over the child born from the wedlock would not be affected. Earlier in Kerala High Court, the mother was refused custody of son in the same ground. Thereby, the ruling of the apex court bears ample significance. Holding fault with the HC order, a Bench of Justices AR Lakshmanan and Altamas Kabir allowed the mother the custody after the child confided with the Bench that his mother loves him despite having married again. The child was aware of the changed circumstances as he stated to the court how his mother has had a child from the second marriage and that he will be looked after by his step-father. The Bench, said that though the mother married again, the "divorce of her first husband is no ground" for depriving her right of custody" and that "the mother may have shortcomings but that does not imply she is not deserving of the solace and custody of her child". While understanding the conflict in law, the court noted, "According to Hindu Law, the natural guardian of a minor child is the father. The very principle of guardianship is that there is a presumption that parents will be able to exercise good care in the welfare of their children of their children if they do not happen to be unsuitable as guardians." (Pioneer 22/11/06) Women's Bill to be introduced (8) NEW DELHI: The Women's Reservation Bill will be introduced in the ongoing Parliament session. The decision was taken at a meeting of the United Progressive Alliance and supporting Left parties at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's house here on Wedesday. The Bill provides for one-third reservation for women in Parliament and the State Legislatures. The Rashtriya Janata Dal, which was in the forefront of opposing the Bill in its present form, reportedly agreed to its introduction, sources in the Left parties said here. The Left parties and the UPA constituents also discussed how to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party-led opposition, which has been making an issue of clemency to Mohammad Afzal, accused in the Parliament attack case. The Opposition has also indicated that it will move a resolution declaring Arunachal Pradesh an integral part of India. This follows the remarks of the Chinese Ambassador on the subject. The Prime Minister later hosted dinner to the UPA allies and supporting parties. Among others, CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat, his CPI counterpart A.B. Bardhan and CPI secretary D. Raja attended it. Earlier speaking at a meeting on "State of the panchayats, 2006: mid-term review and appraisal" here, Dr. Singh said the success of women's re servation at the grass roots should encourage Parliament to follow suit. He said reservation for women, the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes in panchayats combined political and social empowerment. The share of women substantially exceeded the reserved quota, with around 50,000 women elected from general, unreserved wards. This was a remarkable success in bringing lakhs of women into the mainstream of governance. It was particularly worth underlining that a larger proportion of SC/ST women was getting elected over and above the quota. "I think it would be fair to say that there are now more women in India in positions of elective authority than in the rest of the world put together. I trust this will encourage Parliament to follow suit," Dr. Singh said. (The Hindu 23/11/06)

In Meghalaya village, a dress-code to ‘end sex abuse’ (8) Shillong: : Nongspung, a village 50 kilometres from the Meghalaya capital, is suddenly in limelight for its moral policing on women. The village council of Nongspung has issued a dress-code for women above 12 years and banned them from wearing pants. Village Council sordar (chief) W K Syiemiong justified the ban saying the council took the decision to protect “women’s self respect” and revive Khasi culture and tradition by wearing Jainsem (Khasi traditional dress). The council also requested women from Nongspung settled elsewhere to follow the code. State Women Commission (SWC) chairperson Biloris Lyngdem said, “It is difficult and tricky to comment on the issue unless I personally visit the village and find out the fact.” The village council also issued press notes to some vernacular dailies informing its decision. The village council has also prohibited drinking of alcohol within the village. Nongspung legislator J A Lyngdoh said he was aware of the decision through the council statement given to vernacular dailies and so refused to comment it. Indian Express 23/11/06) NCW to mov e against CRPF sexual harassment cases (8) NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 22: Chairperson of National Commission for Women Girija Vyas has decided to raise the issue of growing instances of sexual harassment being reported by women personnel of the Central Reserved Police Force, considered as the world’s largest paramilitary force. Vyas told The Indian Express that the cases received by the Commission from CRPF women were just the tip of the iceberg given the regimental nature of the force. “We realise that it’s only a few courageous women who have dared to speak up against all odds and they too are being victimised. We cannot allow this to continue.” The NCW chief was speaking after hearing a woman sub-inspector of CRPF, who is allegedly being victimised by her seniors for her audacity to become the first woman in the force to lodge a complaint of sexual harassment against an Inspector-General way back in 1993. Interestingly, the CRPF Committee on Sexual Harassment had indicted the I-G for misconduct in two cases and even recommended his dismissal. As the UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) sits over the sacking recommendation, the police officer has been elevated to the rank of Director-General. The S-I, who has sought anonymity, is currently posted in Srinagar. She told the NCW that “she was being kept under a virtual house arrest for the last six months and even her parents did not know where she was.” She said her two-day leave was sanctioned only after she had contacted the local police and complained of wrongful confinement. After hearing the S-I, Vyas said she would meet Home Minister Shivraj Patil to seek transfer of the woman from the Valley as an immediate relief. Vyas said that the Commission had already received four complaints of sexual harassment from the CRPF. “What is more shocking is the total apathy of senior officers to the continued harassment of these women and a retrograde culture of continued victimisation instead of grievance redressal.” She said the complainant had an impeccable record of service and her troubles appeared to have increased only after she lodged a complaint against the I-G (Indian Express 23/11/06) Women groups feel let dow n by UPA decision (8) New Delhi, Nov. 22: Women groups are shocked and feel let down by the UPA government for their decision to not table the Women’s Reservation Bill in the Parliament in the Winter Session, which began on Wednesday. Women’s groups comprising All India Women’s Conference, Bahal Office for the Advancement of Women, Centre for Social Research, Hind Mazdoor Sabha, Mahila Dakshata Samiti, Swasthya, WomenPowerConnect and students of different colleges of Delhi University, Jamia Millia and JNU said that women across India have been let down and felt betrayed by the government. Ranjana Kumari of the Centre for Social Research and president of WPC said here on Wednesday, "Just two weeks back, the UPA government had announced the tabling of the Women’s Reservation Bill in the Winter Session. But a day before the Winter Session was to begin, the government back tracked on their promise." "The government cannot take us for granted and keep being insensitive to women’s political rights. Actually, it seems the government is scared as they feel this will empower the women too much," she further said. Women groups also claimed, "Even our neighbouring country Pakistan has 20 per cent reservation and in the new agreement in Nepal, Maoist leader Prachanda has said there should be 40 per cent reservation for women so why is India lagging behind." To express their displeasure and to mount pressure on the government, various such organisations will take out a rally on Friday from Barakhambha to Jantar Mantar. Mr Kumari further said, "We have met UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi at least six-toseven times on this issue and Mrs Gandhi had always said that she wants the bill to be passed. Similarly, BJP has also said they want the bill to be passed. Then where is the problem?" ……….(Asian Age

23/11/06) Women take to the streets against delay in tabling Bill (8) NEW DELHI: Women activists took to the streets here on Friday to protest against the delay in the introduction of the Women's Reservation Bill in Parliament. Opposing the "dilly-dallying'' tactics being adopted by some members of Parliament, the women's groups demanded that the Bill be tabled at the earliest. "A handful of members cannot hold Parliament to ransom and not allow the Bill to be tabled,'' asserted Ranjana Kumari, president of Women Power Connect. Representatives of the All-India Women's Conference, the All-India Mahila Dakshata Samiti, the Joint Women's Programme, Vaastav and the Centre for Social Research among others marched from the Ranjit Singh flyover to Jantar Mantar. Women's representatives will now meet Speaker Somnath Chatterjee and Minister of Women and Child Development Renuka Chowdhury to express their concern over the issue. They alleged that some political parties, including the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Samajwadi Party, were trying to oppose the fresh move of the Government to resurrect the Bill. The president of the Mahila Dakshata Samiti, Suman Krishnakant, and the general secretary of the National Federation of Indian Women, Annie Raja, were among those who participated in the march. (The Hindu 25/11/06) Law board makes it official: Shia w omen get divorce rights (8) MUMBAI, NOVEMBER 26: The All-India Shia Personal Law Board (AISPLB) on Sunday unveiled a model marriage code putting on paper for the first time the right of women to seek divorce. The new nikahnama (marriage code), released during the second annual conference of the law board, has been approved by the supreme Shia leader Ayatollah Syed Hussain Sistani. “Marriage is a contract and people were unaware of such rights. Now, we have managed to set it down on paper,” said AISPLB secretary Moulana Zaheer Abbas Rizvi. Shia women had this privilege earlier too, but it was based only on trust. It was rarely put on the marriage contract, either owing to ignorance or deliberately. The new nikahnama is basically an agreement between the bride and groom. Both parties lay down terms and conditions, which, if violated, can be brought to the board for seeking redress. In its resolution, the board also sought reservation for Shias, but on the basis of economic criteria. “There are more than five crore Shias in India. So there should be some reservation, but not on the basis of caste or creed. It should be on economic status,” said Rizvi. The resolution calls for appropriate action to improve the status of Shias, whom it describes as a sub-minority within Muslims, and seeks a special quota in accordance with the settled norms of democracy. (Indian Express 27/11/06) DCW criticises rape probes (8) New Delhi, Nov. 27: The Delhi Commission for Women in its annual report on rape crisis cells has criticised shoddy investigations of rape cases by the Delhi police, resulting in the accused going scot-free. However, rape cases in the capital have shown a decline with 465 cases reported this year till November compared to more than 600 last year. In many incidents, cases were registered only after the DCW on behalf of rape victims. "The DCW had to intervene for registration of rape cases at the police stations in several cases after victims approached us. The police has also been found to be careless in preserving vaginal swabs at the necessary required temperature, which is vital to pin down the accused. Also, in some cases the police officers connive with accused to force victims to turn hostile by building up societal and financial pressure s," said professor Kiran Walia, chairperson, DCW. Though most of the cases are under judicial proceedings, conviction rates remain very low which, Prof. Walia explains, is due to police apathy and prolonged judicial proceedings. "Tardy pace of judicial proceedings have been making victims apathetic in pursuing the cases after building up the case. The accused has been exploiting the time gained to kill the cases," added Prof. Walia. The trend has led women activists to call for amendment in various sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC). "Our members along with many women lawyers have petitioned the Union home ministry to make necessary amendments so that victims do not turn hostile. The victims should not be allowed to contradict her first statement, which is happening in quite a large number of cases," said Prof. Walia. The DCW members also demanded that Fast Track Courts be put in place in to pursue rape cases along with provisions for separation of rape victims from their families if surroundings happen to be hostile. (Asian Age 28/11/06) AIDWA w elcomes model `nikahnama' (8) NEW DELHI: The All-India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) has welcomed the model `nikahnama' approved by the All-India Shia Personal Law Board. In a statement here on Monday, AIDWA

president Subhashini Ali said the `nikahnama' was a contract drawn up by two parties and justiciable. The AIDWA welcomed the delegated right of divorce given to women, and the extension of the grounds on which divorce could be applied for. According to reports, the signing of a marriage agreement was made mandatory, and details of property, income, marriage status and educational qualification were to be registered. If it was found that the groom had lied, this would be sufficient ground for the wife to seek divorce. This was a positive feature, the statement said. The recognition of the woman's right to maintenance was a vital change. It was significant that the procedure for `talaq' seemed to exclude the pronouncement in one sitting, it said. (The Hindu 28/11/06) Abuse of girls in orphanage (8) Ghaziabad: In a shocking revelation, many of the 65 girls living in an orphanage were found to have been sexually and physically abused by the man running the establishment here. The incident came to light in a joint operation carried out on Thursday by the National Commission for Women (NCW), along with NGOs Shakti Vahini and Stop and a private TV channel. "The TV channel approached the Commission, seeking our help in cracking down on the abuse of children in the orphanage . We have spoken to the girls and gathered evidence ," NCW Member Malini Bhattacharya said. The help of the CISF was taken in the operation, but the children could not be rescued due to administrative hurdles. Ms. Bhattacharya, however, said she has spoken to the Additional District Magistrate of the district, who assured her that he was posting officials at the ashram to ensure the safety of the girls through the night and that they would be taken to a safe place on Friday. She said the Commission has written to the Director-General of Police asking for immediate action. "A majority of the girls were five or six years old and some were in the 17-19 age group," Ms. Bhattacharya said. She said the NCW was investigating the matter and would prepare a report on it. The owner of the ashram was detained, SSP, Ghaziabad, Piyush Moria said. Six girls who were rescued by the police refused to leave the ashram and denied flesh trade in the ashram, the SSP said. (The Hindu 1/12/06) Campaign launched against female foeticide in Delhi (8) NEW DELHI: In memory of the one-crore female population that India lost owing to female foeticide over the past 20 years, students of Delhi University and social activists organised a candlelight vigil at India Gate here on Saturday and voiced their concern over the skewed male-female ratio in the country. A large number people participated in the vigil and pledged their support to put an end to the practice of sex-selective abortions. The students carried banners and posters depicting the alarming trend of fewer numbers of females compared with their male counterparts and exhorted society to join their movement. Students of Lady Irwin College enacted a street play on the mindset of rural and urban households and the dangers of distorting the natural sex ratio. "In 2001, the sex ratio in India stood at 927 girls per 1,000 boys. In Delhi, the situation was even more serious with only 868 girls per 1,000 boys. This ratio has dropped alarmingly since the last Census. Given such a sharp decrease in the past decade, the next generation of parents must be made a priority target in terms of sensitisation work," said the Centre for Social Research (CSR), which organised the event, in a statement. "As per our campaign `Meri Shakti Meri Beti', we have launched a movement to help combat the problem of sex-selective abortion by encouraging student activism. It is important to work with current university students to shake up the nation's youth population and ensure their participation against such gender discrimination," it said. (The Hindu 3/12/06) Man held for selling wife's kidney to meet liquor expenses (8) HYDERABAD: A man was arrested by the Amberpet police on Wednesday for allegedly harassing his wife for money and forcibly selling her kidney for Rs. 70,000 at Chennai to meet his liquor expenses. The accused person, Kulayappa (30), came to the city along with his family four years ago from Kurnool district and was residing at Amberpet. Unable to secure a job, the chronic alcoholic used to harass his 25-yearold wife for money. He also allegedly forced her into the flesh trade. Unable to bear his torture, she regularly used to sell blood at Osmania General Hospital with different names and give money to her husband. He then hatched a plan to sell his wife's kidney for more money. Kulayappa convinced her saying that he would not harass her if she consented. The unsuspecting woman accepted the proposal and the couple approached a private hospital where the authorities rejected their offer due to conflicting versions of both the husband and wife over donating the kidney, Amberpet Inspector K. Shivram Prasad said. He later took her to another hospital in Chennai last month where her kidney was sold for Rs.70,000, but was back to his old ways again. Vexed over her husband's behaviour, the woman lodged a complaint

with the police on Tuesday night. The couple have three children. The police registered a harassment case against Kulayappa and arrested him. He will be produced in court on Thursday. "We approached MRO for rehabilitation of the woman and her children. Some financial assistance would be provided to her after meeting the district Collector soon," the Inspector said. (The Hindu 7/12/06) Haryana to assist more than 12,000 w omen (8) Chandigarh: To generate employment opportunities for women, the Haryana Women Development Corporation will provide assistance to more than 12,000 women by distributing around Rs 6.50 crore as subsidy and margin money. Training will be provided to 500 women at the Apparel Training Design Centre, Gurgaon, in cutting, tailoring and designing of readymade garments, a spokesman of the Corporation said on Friday. Training would also be provided to 500 other women in Computer Applications. The subsidy amount was also being increased from Rs 5,000 to Rs 25,000 or 25 per cent of the total assitance, which ever was less. He said that financial assistance would be provided through various Non-Governmental Organisations. Under a special scheme, an amount of Rs 3.17 crore has been spent for providing training in various streams to needy women through 97 voluntary organisations. A proposal has also been submitted to the State Government for allocating a budget of Rs 3.70 crore. Through another scheme, ``Support to Training and Employment Programme for women'', financial aid is being disbursed by the Central Government for imparting training to poor and needy women. (The Hindu 9/12/06) Women seek greater role in decision-making bodies (8) BHUBANESWAR: Seeking a society that endorses gender equality, over 300 delegates from 30 districts of Orissa on Friday demanded for a better representation of women in decision-making bodies. The delegates, who call themselves `change makers', exchanged their experiences in changing the mindset of people towards violence against women. A two-day Change Makers' A ssembly is being organised by `We Can Orissa', a part of the campaign in the South Asian region to end violence against women. "When 147 legislators in the State Assembly are inadequate to stop harassment against women, we felt the need to create change makers," a tribal woman activist from Rayagada, Andhari Majhi, said. Ms. Majhi said less number of women in decision-making process wa s one of the reasons for the rise in the violence against women. Addressing the gathering, Assembly Speaker Maheswar Mohanty stressed on the need for creating awareness among all sections of society on the social evil. The organisers claimed the campaign had built a force of 40,000 change makers in the State who had not only generated awareness but also helped in changing mindsets of people around them towards the issue. In two years time, We Can Orissa, grew into alliance of 160 members, consisting of 52 non-government organisations, 40 individuals, 32 religious leaders, eight celebrities, 25 professionals and three corporate houses, they said. On Saturday, the delegates will hear experience from those who are working grass-root level. (The Hindu 9/12/06) ``Centre eroded NCW autonomy'' (8) NEW DELHI: A day before women's groups begin a debate on the functioning of the National Commission for Women (NCW), its former Chairperson, Poornima Advani, has accused the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government of interfering in its functioning by removing three members soon after it came to power. In a letter to the convener of the national debate on Monday, Ms. Advani said statutory safeguards were considered sufficient to ensure that the members were protected from ad hoc removals, and their tenures were not at the pleasure of the Government. However, by an executive notification, the terms became "three years from the date of assumption of charge of office or until further orders, whichever is earlier." The words "until further orders" negated the concept of security of tenure. Legislative intent had been defected by executive discretion. If it was "three years or until further orders, whichever is earlier," why lay down "three years, when the intention is to make it dependent entirely on the pleasure of the executive," she asked. Based on this clause, three serving members were removed in 2005, rupturing the autonomy of the Commission. "Firstly, no notification can override a statute. If challenged, the said notification can be struck down as being bad in law and therefore ultra vires the statute. Secondly, if that is the operative notification, what is the need for providing for disqualifications and reasonable opportunity for showing cause? By one short clause, the executive has short-changed the Commission, taking away its autonomy by nullifying the security of tenure and making the executive unaccountable for terminating the tenure of sitting members without citing any specific ground for disqualification. If the security of tenure of the serving members is not assured, they would hesitate to take any steps which displease the ruling party and this could destroy the raison d'etre of the Commission," the letter said. Ms. Advani wanted the status

of the Commission to be well-defined and suggested that the investigation cell be strengthened. (The Hindu 12/12/06) "Survival is her first challenge" (8) NEW DELHI: While a girl child in India has to face gender-based discrimination throughout her lifetime, survival is her first challenge, according to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) annual State of the World's Children report released on Tuesday. Lauding India's investment in women's leadership, the report "Women and Children: The Double Dividend of Gender Equality" said providing girls with an education was the first critical step on the road to empowerment. Women must also be given the opportunity to fully participate in decision-making regarding their own lives and the lives of their children. To do this, they must have equality and voice in the household, in the workplace and in the political sphere. The report cited the example of West Bengal where villages led by women have achieved twice the investment in drinking water, increased visits by health workers and a 13 per cent decrease in gender gap in school attendance compared to other villages. It said building the capacity of women panchayat leaders was a key strategy, as most women leaders were entering public spaces in a position of authority for the first time. The latest India data reflected the global scenario mapped out in the report and showed that despite great strides in positive policies, India still faced a declining girl to boy child sex ratio in 80 per cent of all districts, a high number of early marriages with nearly half of all girls marrying before the legal age of 18 years, and high infant and maternal mortality rates. These were all directly linked to attitudes towards women and their lack of access to basic services. The report laid out seven milestones to achieve parity including education, financing, legislation, legislative quotas, women empowering women, engaging men and boys and improved research and data. It said the way forward was empowering women, and there were three critical domains in which change was needed — gender equality in household decisionmaking for contributing to women's greater status within the home and community; gender equality in employment and bridging the wage gap between men and women who do the same work; gender equality in politics and government — whether at the local or national level — that can help advance legislation focussed on women, children and families. (The Hindu 13/12/06) Woman attempting sati may be treated as victim (8) NEW DELHI: A woman attempting sati could be treated as victim and not an offender and the entire community could be held responsible for the social crime with the government considering major changes in the anti-sati laws. The government is considering amendments in the Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act, 1987, which among others would treat the woman attempting sati as a victim being forced to commit suicide rather than as an offender, Minister of State for Woman and Child Development Renuka Chowdhury told the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Tuesday. (The Hindu 13/12/06) NCW team probing sexual exploitation at Judum camps (8) NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 13: The National Commission for Women (NCW) is investigating allegations of rape and sexual exploitation of women at Salwa Judum camps in Dantewara. Hundreds of tribals are lodged in these camps to counter the violence unleashed by Naxalites in southern Chhattisgarh. Sources said an NCW team, comprising Malini Bhattacharya and Manju Hembrum, recently visited Dantewara as well as some prisons in the state for investigations. Bhattacharya said the team spent two days at the largest anti-Naxal camp in Dantewara and spoke to the women inmates. “We verified the reports from several independent sources,” she said. However, Bhattacharya refused to elaborate, saying the final report would be out on December 19. The NCW had taken cognizance of reports prepared by several NGOs and women’s initiatives about the largescale exploitation and sexual subjugation of women in Salwa Judum camps. Sources said the reports had pointed out several cases of rape, disappearance and torture. The reports had blamed armed members of the Salwa Judum and army troops guarding the camps for raping women at gunpoint. Since the women were living in the camps under protection of these very forces they had no chance to speak out. The Salwa Judum was essentially launched as a peoples’ movement to counter Naxalite violence, bringing nearly 40,000 villagers to protected camps in Dantewara. Last year, one of these camps, located south of Bastar, had been attacked by Naxalites, who killed nearly 50 tribals. Sources said the NCW team also looked into the treatment of tribal women lodged in Jagdalpur for allegedly helping Naxalites. The Commission is likely to report on the conditions prevailing in the camps as well as recruitment of women as special police officers. (Indian Express 14/12/06) ‘Punish parents for female foeticide’ (8)

Chandigarh, Dec. 17: Chief Justice of India Y.K. Sabharwal has said that the killing of the girl child in the womb or female foeticide is akin to the crime of murder for which "punishment should be given to both parents".Addressing a seminar on the Eradication of Female Foeticide at Patiala’s celebrated Yadavindra Public School — the post-Partition Indian extension of Atchison College, Lahore — Mr Sabharwal said the problem was more a social disease than a legal problem. "This is not to say that the law can play no role. We must all work together to ensure that each and every baby girl is given her due," he said. "We need to truly rid ourselves of this ‘son obsession’ and understand that our lives would be just as fulfilling, if not more, if our children were to be girls," said the Chief Justice. "We must recognise that infanticide is a crime of murder and punishment should be given to both parents. There ought to be stricter control over clinics that offer to identify the sex of a foetus and stronger checks on abortions to ensure that they are not performed for the wrong reasons," he asserted. Justice Ashok Bhan, who accompanied the CJI from Delhi, said the judiciary was prepared to offer its complete support to the Punjab government in plugging legal loopholes so that the provisions of the Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994, could be enforced in its letter and spirit. (Asian Age 18/12/2006) Stov e-burst deaths unusually high,Gujarat cops say hands tied (8) AHMEDABAD, December 17 : The deaths of women from so-called stove explosions while cooking or making tea are so common in Gujarat that it hardly makes anyone sit up. The victims’ names and addresses differ. But the similarities are startling: most victims are young and recently married, and invariably the police treat the cases a s accidents, based on dying declarations. The figures speak for themselves: in 2005, 343 women across the state died in kerosene stove explosions; this year there have been 330 deaths so far. Also the fact that most homes now use wick stoves rather than primus stoves into which air was pumped to build pressure, making them more likely to explode. And unusually, by police figures, in 62 per cent of the cases, the stoves that burst are of ISI-approved brands. Burns specialists and forensic experts — and sometimes police officers — say they know most of these cases are suicides, often in the face of harassment by husbands or in-laws, or plain murders. But investigations are stonewalled by the dying declarations which, police officers say, could have come under pressure or coercion, or from the woman’s unstated fears for her children’s future and of bringing her family a bad name. The declarations are almost always similar: “The stove burst while cooking. My husband or in-laws have nothing to do with it.” This means that those responsible either for killing the woman or driving her to suicide go scot-free. Says H G Patel, a former superintendent of police who has investigated more than two dozen cases, “Eighty per cent are suicides, not accidents. Rest are suspicious cases. But going by dying declarations we have to call them accidental. And most victims are aged between 22 and 35 years. It’s not as if women above 35 or men don’t cook.” He says that many suicides are due to marital discord, wayward or jobless husbands, harassment from in-laws, and that in some cases it could be that the woman was burnt alive. “The details of every case is almost like reading the same police press release.” …… (Indian Express 18/12/06) Reservation bill: w omen court arrest (8) NEW DELHI: Activists of the Communist Party of India-backed National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW) on Monday courted arrest, close to Parliament House, to protest against the non-introduction of the Women's Reservation Bill. The bill seeks 33 per cent reservation for women in the State Assemblies and Parliament. The protesters assembled near the Rail Bhavan to march towards Parliament House and demand introduction of the bill, but they were rounded up by the police. The activists said women would not tolerate the delay any more and come out on the streets. Condemning the arrest and the "double standards" of the Government, NFIW general secretary Annie Raja demanded immediate introduction of the bill. She described as "highly objectionable" Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi's statement that the bill would be introduced before the term of the United Progressive Alliance Government ended. (The Hindu 19/12/06) ``Mobilise opinion against foeticide'' (8) NEW DELHI: Health and Family Welfare Minister Anbumani Ramadoss on Monday sought the help of parliamentarians in arresting the decline in the country's sex ratio. Pointing out that the Government alone could not address the problem, he said MPs should mobilise opinion in their constituencies against female foeticide. The Minister was re sponding to a calling attention motion in the Lok Sabha on the situation arising out of the "increasing incidence of foeticide leading to a decline in the ratio of female to male children." With the prime mover of the motion Gurudas Dasgupta (Communist Party of India) criticising the

Minister for his written reply — describing it as "a mediocre, intermediate class essay" -- Dr. Ramadoss reminded members that few of them turned up for a meeting he had convened earlier this year to discuss the issue. All women MPs and members representing the States with the most adverse sex ratio had been invited, but only one woman MP and 17 other MPs attended, he said, drawing a remark from Speaker Somnath Chatterjee on the need for members to do introspection. In his written reply, the Minister said a strong son preference and low estimation of girls, increasing dowry demands, difficulties in bringing up the girl child, and easy availability of ultrasound and abortion services at private clinics were the main reasons for the increase in female foeticide. Conceding that sex determination tests were being carried out despite the Pre-conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994, Dr. Ramadoss said the Government was considering more stringent penal provisions. For, "invariably the person who seeks the illegal service and the service provider are in agreement to defeat/circumvent the provisions of the law." Earlier, Mr. Dasgupta pointed out that it was the rich and the affluent who were the major defaulters and it was the "shining urbanity" which was re sponsible for the adverse sex ratio. "I appeal to the nation to rise in revolt against female foeticide," he said demanding financial incentives for the girl child. Supporting him, Vijay Kumar Malhotra (Bharatiya Janata Party) said the Government should work with religious leaders to remove in-built biases against women in various faiths including Hinduism in which every woman was encouraged to become a mother of sons. (The Hindu 19/12/06) Insurance cover for girl child proposed (8) NEW DELHI: The Union Women and Child Development Ministry has proposed an insurance cover of Rs. 1 lakh for each girl child as an incentive for its upbringing. Under the scheme the girl will receive a lump sum when she turns 18. Briefing members of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee about the various welfare measures taken up by the Government for the welfare of the girl child, Minister of State for Women and Child Development (Independent charge) Renuka Chowdhury said the Ministry has also proposed a Conditional Cash Transfer Scheme during the 11th Plan. Under the scheme, cash transfer would be provided to the family of the girl child, preferably to the mother on fulfilling certain conditions such as birth registration of the girl child, immunisation, enrolment and retention in school and delaying marriage beyond 18. This will be in addition to the various incentives being given by the Centre and the States. Expressing concern over the falling sex ratio of girls in some of the States due to female foeticide, Ms. Chowdhury said the Ministry was working on a multi-dimensional strategy which includes preventive, advocacy and programmatic measures. She stressed the need for setting up monitoring and inspection committees at the district level by the States for enforcement of the Pre-Natal Sex Determination Test Act. Female foeticide should be treated as a crime and not just a social evil, therefore, punitive action is required. The Ministry has taken up the matter of including gender sensitisation and right of the child in the school curriculum for creating a positive mindset from the very beginning, she said. (The Hindu 19/12/06) Uproar ov er let-dow n on w omen's bill (8) NEW DELHI: On the last day of the winter session, the Rajya Sabha saw women members from all parties raise the issue of legislation to reserve seats for women in Parliament, leading to noisy scenes and two adjournments in the morning. While question hour went off relatively smoothly, trouble started as soon as Deputy Chairman K. Rehman Khan asked Sushma Swaraj (Bharatiya Janata Party) to speak on the issue during zero hour. Women members including from the Congress stood up and began demanding a statement from the Government. With no response coming, Brinda Karat (Communist Party of IndiaMarxist), S. G. Indira (AIADMK) and V. Saroja (Telugu Desam Party) entered the well. Mabel Rebello, Prema Cariappa. Alka Balram, Prabha Thakur (all Congress), Ms. Swaraj, Najma Heptullah and Maya Singh of the BJP kept raising the demand from their benches. Ms. Karat called upon the BJP members also to enter the well but Ms. Swaraj said, "Why should we enter the well when we have been permitted to speak?'' Mr. Khan soon adjourned the House for 10 minutes. The uproar continued when it reassembled with each side making its own demands, leading Mr. Khan to observe, "there is no unanimity among ladies." Finally Ms. Swaraj was asked to make herself heard above the din. She said the women felt let down as far from the tabling of the Bill as promised by the Government, "we did not even get to see a copy of the resolution. I deplore the Government for this behaviour.'' (The Hindu 20/12/06) Muslim w oman allegedly raped by father-in-law (8) JAIPUR: In a case reminiscent of Imrana, a Muslim woman in Rajasthan's Sikar district has alleged that her father-in-law raped her and killed her newborn baby. A case has been registered in Sikar's Sadar police station in response to the 22-year-old woman's complaint that she was raped by her father-in-law at

her home in Kirdoli village on Sunday, the district's Superintendent of Police Alok Kumar Vashistha said on phone on Tuesday. The woman went to her in-laws' house in Kirdoli after her wedding five years ago and her husband moved to Dubai 16 months ago to work there. She alleged that he had molested her and killed her newborn baby. He also threatened her to keep mum or face dire consequences. Police said father-in-law has denied all the allegations made by the woman. No arrests have been made so far. Police have registered a case against him for rape and murder under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and called him for interrogation, Mr. Vashistha said. ``We are waiting for the report of the autopsy of the newly born baby to ascertain the cause of the death. Thereafter, we will decide on the arrest of the accused,'' Mr. Vasistha said. In the case of Imrana, her 70-year-old father-in-law Ali Mohammed was convicted of raping her by a court in Uttar Pradesh in October and sentenced to 10 years in prison.- (The Hindu 20/12/06) Bihar drunk says talaq, made to live his mistake (8) Patna : A divorce pronounced by a Muslim man in an inebriated condition has come to haunt him, as he has been forced to live away from his wife and children by villagers led by orthodox religious leaders. Mohammed Mokhtar was forcibly separated from his wife Sakina Khatoon and their children in Parbodhi village in Vaishali district, 35 km from here, by some villagers. Compelled to adhere to the interpretation of the Muslim law by a local religious group, Mokhtar was upset and frustrated for being separated. The man reportedly shouted talaq (divorce) thrice to her wife in a drunken state following a domestic quarrel few days ago. "I honestly admit that even if I pronounced divorce to my wife, it was in a drunken condition. I hardly recall that I did it," Mokhtar said. "I requested people to forgive me if I pronounced divorce in an inebriated condition but some village men forced us to live separately," he said. Sakina said she was willing to live with her husband but preferred to live separately due to the social pressure. Maulana Inamul Haque, a religious leader in the village said, "Alcohol is prohibited in Islam. If someone consumed it and then pronounced divorce, it will be accepted as divorce." Mokhtar's case has been referred to the Imarat Sharia, a religious body at Phulwarisharief near Patna. Orthodox religious dictates say that if Sakina wishes to re-unite with him, she could undergo the practice of halala, that is, marry another man and obtain a divorce from him in order to eventually re-unite with Mokhtar. "I will commit suicide if this happened. I am against her marriage with somebody else before re-uniting with me," Mokhtar said. While halala is a common practice in the Muslim community, a Muslim couple in Orissa - Najma Biwi and Sher Ali - were reunited this year without it after a court intervened. (Pioneer 22/12/06) NCW rejects proposal to punish w omen for adultery (8) New Delhi: A woman, even if she is involved in an illicit relationship, cannot be punished for adultery and is treated as a victim under law. The National Commission for Women (NCW) has shot down proposals for amending Section 497 of the Indian Penal Code, which provides expressly that the wife cannot be punished even as an abettor, based on the reasoning that the woman, who is involved in an illicit relationship with another man, is a victim and not the author of the crime. The commission, according to its sources, does not think that by merely prescribing punishment for women by amending Section 497, marriage can be protected or saved. In its recommendations forwarded to the Government, which asked it to review Section 497, the NCW has stated that considering the relatively socially unempowered position of women, no amendments have been suggested. The existing IPC provision is based on the mindset that the wife is a personal possession of the husband, who is solely aggrieved by adultery. The Commission has, however, recommended suitable amendments to Section 198(2) of the Criminal Procedure Code (Cr.PC), which disqualifies a woman from prosecuting her husband for his promiscuity. As already the woman can take action against her husband under various other legal provisions such as Section 498A of the IPC, there is no reason that she should be barred from initiating prosecution under Section 198 of the Cr.PC. The wife, in such cases, ought to be the person aggrieved and competent to file a complaint under Section 198. In another important recommendation, the Commission has said adultery should be treated as a civil wrong and not as criminal offence. There may be many instances in which the woman wants to save marriage and sees the adulterous relationship as an aberration. The issue of adultery should be viewed as a breach of trust and treated as a civil wrong rather than as a criminal offence. (The Hindu 26/12/06) Women complain against ANMs (8) Koraput: "We do not get the service from our ANM just because we belong to Dalits and she from a higher caste," a woman from Pottangi block lamented in front of Namita Panda, Chairman of State Women

Commission at Koraput on Thursday. The 9th Safe Motherhood Adalat by UNICEF, in association with the State Women Commission, was organised at Koraput and Namita Panda was listening to the problems of women from various parts of the district. She odered the DSW to enquire about the woman's complaint immediately. Ms. Panda, talking to the media later, said that a majority of the health welfare schemes of the government was not reaching the needy because of inefficient service extended by ANMs and other ground level workers. The State government should appoint more ANMs in the region and made them accountable for their service, she said. She preferred to appoint the trained birth attendants as ASHAS responsible for the safe delivery in the rural areas. Debjit Mittra from UNICEF also attended the workshop along with Biswakalyani Das from Bhubaneswar. The programme was arranged by the local NGO, SOVA. (The Hindu 26/12/06) FIR against IFS officer for dow ry (8) Darbhanga, Dec. 25: An FIR has been registered against an Indian Foreign Service officer for allegedly refusing to marry the girl he was engaged to after her family expressed inability to fork out dowry of Rs 1 crore. Rachna Kumari, fiancee of IFS officer Amit Kumar Mishra, registered an FIR with the Lehariasarai police station on Sunday. Police sources said on Monday that the FIR was registered after National Commission for Women chairperson Girija Vyas wrote letters dated December 18 to superintendent of police K.S. Anupam and Ms Kumari asking them to begin the process of prosecuting Mr Mishra. The FIR was lodged under various sections of IPC and Dowry Act against 10 persons, including Mr Mishra and his father Deochandra Mishra. The matter came to light in 2004 when Ms Kumari approached the NCW seeking action against Mr Mishra for refusing to marry her after engagement following her family’s failure to cough up a dowry of Rs 1 crore. Following the complaint, the Darbhanga superintendent of police investigated the matter and submitted a report to the NCW. (PTI) (Asian Age 26/12/06) Treat adultery as civil w rong: NCW (8) NEW DELHI: The National Com mission for Women (NCW) has sought consensus on treating adultery as a civil wrong and not as a criminal offence. Talking to reporters here on Wednesday, NCW chair person Girija Vyas said that a full-fledged debate and a na tional consensus were neces sary, as there were many instances where women viewed adultery as an aberra tion. The issue should be seen as a breach of trust. Recommending amend ments to Section 198 (2) of the Criminal Procedure Code (Cr.PC) that disqualified a woman from prosecuting her husband for adultery, Ms. Vyas said: "The Commission believes that a woman should also have a right to prosecute her husband for his promis cuity." The NCW had not made any suggestions to the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development on proposed amendments to Section 497, considering the relatively so cially un-empowered posi tion of women. The existing IPC provision was based on the mindset that the wife was a personal posse ssion of the husband, who was solely aggrieved by adultery. Section 497 provided that the wife could not be puni shed even as an abettor based on the reasoning that the woman, involved in an illicit relationship, was a victim and not the author of the crime. "This view has been upheld by the Supreme Court and several other judgments," she said. Men got divorce by charg ing women of adultery, which often left them high and dry with no scope for reconcilia tion. This needed to be changed. (The Hindu 28/12/06) Girl gang-raped by four in a mov ing j eep (8) NEW DELHI: A 17-year-old/girl was allegedly gang-raped by four young men in a moving jeep in West Delhi late on Tuesday night. All four accused -- Balwinder Singh, Kunal Kapoor, Varun Popli and Varun Sehgal — have been arrested and a case registered at the Jankapuri police station. According to the police, the girl, a resident of Hari Nagar, was returning home after attending tuition classes at an institute in Janakpuri when the young men dragged her into the vehicle near Bharati College. The men, all in their 20s, allegedly took turns to crimi nally assault her in the mov ing Scorpio jeep before dropping her at her house around midnight. One of the accused, Bal-winder, owns a scrap shop at Subhash Nagar, whereas the other three are enrolled as correspondence students in Delhi University. Deputy Commissioner of .Police (West) Robin Hibu said two of the accused, Bal-winder and Kunal, were known to the victim's family. "It is learnt that Balwinder was a good friend of the vic tim and Kunal was also known to her family. And the accused actually handed over the girl in an unconscious ness state to her mother after the incident. The mother took the girl to Been Dayal Upadhayaya Hos pital," said Mr. Hibu. "The hospital authorities called up the Janakpuri police station on Wednesday morn ing and reported the incident. A police team went to the spot and based on preliminary in vestigations arrested all the four accused. The vehicle used for committing the crime has been seized and a case of criminal assault has been

registered," said Mr. Hi bu. (The Hindu 28/12/06) SC order calls for change in 'shared household' definition (8) NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 28, : THE concept of shared household as defined in the Domestic Violence Act may have to be expanded in view of a recent ruling by the Supreme Court, which noted that it has been drafted in a "clumsy" manner. In a judgment on the recently notified Protec tion of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005,atwo-member Bench of the apex court ex pressed that Section 2(s) of the Act, which gives right of residence to a married woman in a shared household, is not "properly worded and appears to be the result of clumsy drafting." But at the same time, the Judges held," ...we have to give it an interpretation which is sensible and which does not lead to chaos in society." Significantly, the Bench of Justices SB Sinha and Markandeya Katju also said, "It is only the legislature which can create a law and not the court. The courts do not legislate and whatever maybe the personal view of a judge, he cannot create or amend any law and he must maintain judicial restraint." The court explained, "...as regards Section 17(1) of the Act, in our opinion the wife is only entitled to claim a right to residence in a shared household, and a shared household would only mean the house belonging to or taken on rent by the husband, or the house which belongs to the joint family of which the husband is a member." Aggrieved by an earlier order of the Delhi High Court on a petition by Taruna Batra, wife of Amit Batra, his parents—SR Batra and his wife — appealed in the Supreme Court. Elaborating on the shared household con cept, it further said, "The properly in the pre sent case neither belongs to Amit Batra nor was it taken on rent by him nor is it a joint family property of which he is a member. It is the ex clusive property of appellant number two, mother of Amit Batra. Hence it cannot be called a shared household." Amit Batra had filed a divorce petition against his wife and as a counter measure the wife filed a case under Sections 40.6 (criminal breach of trust), 498A (harassment for dowry), 506 (crim inal intimidation) and 34 (common intention) under Indian Penal Code. Followingwhich, her in-laws, husband Amit and her married sister-inlaw were arrested. ……… (Indian Express 29/12/06)