New Delhi, Sept. 11 -- With cyber harassment, sexual offences and other forms of violence increasingly affecting women and girls, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday asked the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) to make its complaint mechanism simpler and more responsive, while taking its awareness efforts beyond offices and into schools and colleges.
At a meeting with the DCW at Janseva Sadan, Gupta stressed that laws alone cannot ensure the safety of women and girls and called for greater awareness of their rights and available safeguards.
"The safety of women and girls cannot be ensured merely by making laws. It is also necessary to make them aware of their rights and the measures available for their protection," Gupta said.
She directed the Commission to conduct awareness campaigns in colleges on cybercrimes, including online harassment, misuse of social media and cyber fraud. Students should also be informed about where and how to lodge complaints in case of an incident.
The CM also called for greater awareness among school and college students about the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the legal safeguards available against sexual exploitation and harassment.
"Girls must be made aware of their rights and the legal provisions available to protect them from sexual offences," she said, asking the Commission to strengthen its outreach in educational institutions.
Gupta further emphasised the need to ensure that eligible adolescent girls, particularly those from disadvantaged sections, receive information about and access to free HPV vaccination for cervical cancer prevention.
On grievance redressal, she said the online complaint system should allow women to easily register complaints and track their disposal. "The mechanism for registering and disposing of complaints should be simple, accessible, reliable and time-bound," she said.
The CM also directed the Commission to review facilities at One Stop Centres (Sakhi) and women's shelter and care institutions, stressing the need for medical care, counselling, legal assistance, rehabilitation and a safe environment.
She said the Commission's role should extend beyond post-complaint action to "awareness, prevention, assistance and grievance redressal".
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.