Women Safety Issues – Marital Rape, Domestic Violence, Swadhar, Nirbhaya Fund, etc.

What is the Hema Commission Report?

DOMRPrelims Only | Governance | Mains Paper 1: Role Of Women & Women Organization
Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: Hema Commission Report on Women Safety

Why in the News?

  • A single bench of the Kerala High Court has stayed the release of the Justice Hema Commission report.
    • The report investigated women’s working conditions in the Malayalam film industry.

About the Assault that Exposed the Deep Gender Divide      

  • On February 17, 2017, a leading Malayalam film actress was abducted and sexually assaulted in her car while traveling from Thrissur to Kochi.
  • The incident caused shock and outrage across Kerala as disturbing details emerged, including a video purportedly intended for blackmail.
  • Six of the ten accused were arrested quickly, and popular actor Dileep was named an accused and remanded to judicial custody in July. He is currently out on bail, with the trial ongoing since 2020.

Formation of the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC)

  • The incident highlighted the discriminatory treatment faced by women in the film industry.
  • The Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) was formed in response, submitting a petition to the Chief Minister demanding an inquiry into gender issues in the industry.

The Hema Commission

  • In July 2017, five months after the incident, the state government formed a 3-member committee headed by retired Kerala High Court judge, Justice K Hema.
  • The committee’s objective was to investigate issues of sexual harassment and gender inequality in the Malayalam film industry.
  • In December 2019, a 300-page report was submitted to the CM Pinarayi Vijayan, including documents, audio, and video evidence.

Findings and Recommendations

  • The commission consulted multiple women professionals in the industry, recording detailed accounts of sexual harassment, wages earned, and possible blacklisting.
  • The report highlighted the existence of a casting couch, and the presence of alcohol and drugs on film sets.
  • The commission recommended forming a tribunal to investigate these allegations.
  • Other recommendations included making job contracts mandatory, ensuring wage parity across genders for the same job, banning drugs and liquor on shooting locations, and ensuring safe working conditions for women.

PYQ:

[2010] Two of the schemes launched by the Government of India for Women’s development are Swadhar and Swayam Siddha. As regards the difference between them, consider the following statements:

  1. Swayam Siddha is meant for those in difficult circumstances such as women survivors of natural disasters or terrorism, women prisoners released from jails, mentally challenged women etc., whereas Swadhar is meant for holistic empowerment of women through Self Help Groups.
  2. Swayam Siddha is implemented through Local Self-Government bodies or reputed Voluntary Organizations whereas Swadhar is implemented through the ICDS units set up in the states.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

 

[2014] We are witnessing increasing instances of sexual violence against women in the country. Despite existing legal provisions against it, the number of such incidences is on the rise. Suggest some innovative measures to tackle this menace.

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