Support Services To Counter Violence Against Women In Chhattisgarh

Support Services to Counter Violence Against Women in Chhattisgarh

A

RESOURCE

DIRECTORY

RUPANTAR A-26, Surya Apartments, Katora Talab, Civil Lines, Raipur, C.G. 492001, Chhattisgarh

In Collaboration

With

UNIFEM August,

2003

Resource

for

Women

A

Directory

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This directory is a direct response to the need for a comprehensive guide on the resources available for women in

The preparation of this directory owes a great deal to many individuals or organisations.

crisis situations in Chhattisgarh. We are grateful to the government and non-government agencies on

who shared their experiences, materials, data and contacts with us.

availability of support services such as councelling, legal aid,

A special thank you is also due to the individuals working on this

alternative shelters etc. in order to help them in a hostile

issue who have enriched this directory with the experience and in-

fashion. Although a large number of Organisations in Chhattisgarh

formation.

Organisations the

working

with

women

need

information

provide some or all of these support services. Most women and with women are not aware of their

It is also important to note that all the information of the direcotry are

informations on them has not been duly

based on the informations provided by the relevant organisations.

organisations working existance because

collected and disseminated. This resource directory has been compiled in order to fill this gap. The directory provides details of

Our special thanks to UNIFEM, New Delhi and ZONTA INTERNA-

over

TIONAL for financial support and encouragement for the resource

a

hundred

government,

semi-government

non-government organisation working with councelling,

legal

aid,

alternative

and

women in the area of shelters,

skill

directory.

training

,marketing and credit. Published simultaneously in Hindi as well

Within Rupantar, many people have contributed to the completion

as in English, it is hoped that the directory will be useful to

of this work. In particular I would like to thank Ms. Ambika Nair, Ms.

individual woman seeking help, activists, policy makers,

de-

Sandhya Khare, Shri Madan Yadav and Shri Chinta Ram Sahu .

groups

Thanks are also due to Shri Vijay Banthia who advised and helped

velopment

planners,

government

working in gender violence.

officials

as

well

as

us to complete this publication, for his dedicated effort.

Map

of

Contents

Chhattisgarh

Part I- Analytical Articles 1.

Violence an

Against overview

Women

in

Chhattisgarh,

.................................................1

2.

Tonhi Menace - A Blot On Humanity .........................12

3.

Darkness

before

coming

to

world......................

....16

(The business of sex pre-selection at Birth in Chhattisgarh) Part II - Statistics related to Violence against women 1.

Statistics

from period prior to state formation...............20

2.

Statistics

from period after state formation...................27

Part III - Supportive structures to combat Violence 1.

State Policy on Women’s Empowerment ......................49

2.

District

wise

listing

of

supportive

structures

About CHHATTISGARH

-

FACTS

&

FIGURES

Rupantar

RUPANTAR, A Registered Public Charitable Trust,

working in

the different parts of Chhattisgarh, began around 1992 with small deDistrict

Head Quarters

Population 2001

Sex

Dantewara

Dantewara

719065

Bastar

Jagdalpur

Kanker

Kanker

Dhamtari

velopmental and awareness raising activities.

Female Literacy (%)

Total Literacy (%)

1009

10.1

30.01

1302253

999

13.5

45.48

voluntary basis.

651333

1001

25

73.31

mental work in the social sector, the range and depth of our work has

Dhamtari

703569

1009

36

75.16

expanded. All of RUPANTAR’s work is carried out with communities of

Mahasamund

Mahasamund

860176

1015

25.9

67.64

Raipur

Raipur

3009042

983

31.6

68.06

Durg

Durg

2801757

982

42.8

75.84

Rajnandgaon

Rajnandgaon

1281811

1016

32

77.58

velopment that would be controlled by and based

Kawardha

Kawardha

584667

996

14.1

55.39

these communities. Over the years, RUPANTAR ‘s work has come to

Bilaspur

Bilaspur

1993042

973

28

63.68

be focussed on the thematic areas of Education, Health, Gender and

1316140

1007

27.6

66.26

Bio-Diversity Conservation.Since 1994, we have also been working to

1001

25.6

65.37

develop

Janjgir-Champa Janjgir

Nagar 7 3 9 7 8 0

Ratio

Jashpur

Jashpur

Korba

Korba

1012121

952

28.2

63.24

Raigarh

Raigarh

1265084

1000

2 7

70.50

Sarguja

Ambikapur

1970661

966

1 5

855.37

Koriya

Baikunthpur

585455

926

24.5

63.44

Chhattisgarh

Raipur

20795956

985

27.5

In the early years most of the activities were carried out on a With the gradual realization of the scope for funda-

people who have been marginalised in the process of development. RUPANTAR’s charter is to work towards alternative paradigms of deon the strength of

modules of chemical free organic agriculture. Areas of work proposed in the near future include watershed

management,

and

the

collection,

identification

and

marketing

of

medicinal plants and minor forest produce. RUPANTAR

welcomes moral, intellectual and practical support

from all those who wish to further the aims and objectives of the organisation.

PART - I Analytical

Articles

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN: THE CASE OF CHHATTISGARH ILINA

SEN ,

Violence against women takes many forms in Chhattisgarh. The exact nature of the problem, as well as the underlying causes, need to be analysed in some detail, before we can begin to strategise about possible ways of intervention to confront and overcome the problem. The

Like the neighboring state of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh is also a resource rich state. It consists of three natural regions that are rich in minerals, forest produce as well as fertile alluvial plains. Rice as well other millet based cereal crops are grown. The region is known as the rice bowl of India, and there is a rich heritage of seed germplasm of indigenous parentage that are adapted to the many micro eco systems that the region contains. Unfortunately, mainstream developmental policy has downplayed the contribution of these indigenous seeds as well as indigenous farm practices, and has pushed an aggressive policy of agricultural modernization that have given preference to mechanization and hybrid seeds.

Context

The context of the discussion, is provided by Chhattisgarh, but perhaps the arguments could be extended to other areas with a similar developmental history. The Chhattisgarh region is an area that is an ecologically, linguistically, and culturally distinctive region. Administratively it comprises of 16 districts, carved out of the original seven , viz., Raipur, Durg, Rajnandgaon,Bilaspur, Surguja, Raigarh and Bastar.The last three districts lie on the fringes of the region and are considerably influenced by the culture and ecology of the areas they border, Mirzapur, Ranchi, Gumla, Gadchiroli, and the Telengana districts of Andhra Pradesh.The Chhattisgarh region, has a large area under forest cover, rich mineral reserves (limestone,quartzite, iron ore, bauxite alexandrite), and a large tribal population.The river Mahanadi flows through the central part of the region, and the plains areas in the river valley are famous for rice cultivation, with input intensive HYVs having replaced traditional seeds in much of this region. Along the railway, that passes through the valley centre , there has sprung up over the last twenty years, an industrial belt with three large cement plants,steel rolling and re-rolling mills,and a large mixed industrial estate. The population is mixed around this industrial and urban belt. In the rural areas of the Mahanadi valley, OBCs like the Sahus and the Kurmis dominate agriculture, and the Satnamis constitute a major scheduled caste component. Chhattisgarh has approximately 34% Scheduled Tribe population, 12% Scheduled Caste population, and more than 50% Other Backward Classes. While the process of modernization seems to be apparent in the valley areas, the situation in the forest and hill areas on the periphery of the district is quite different. Although being affected more and more by invasive forest and mineral exploitation, traditional lifestyles and population compositions have survived to a far greater extent here. Some of these areas, dominated by the Gond, Halba and Kamar/Bhujia and Oraon tribes, have recently been covered under the Extension of Panchayati Raj to Scheduled Areas (PESA).

Chhattisgarh is extremely rich in mineral resources, and in forests. In 1994-95, the seven districts of Chhattisgarh contributed over 70% of the mineral royalties of the state of Madhya Pradesh, and over 40 % of the forest revenues. This rich resource base has been instrumental in ush- In Chhattisgarh, we have the ering in a period of rapid, heavy industrial- unique experiences of living centuries of ization along the railway main line that several traverses the Mahanadi valley en route from existence at the same time... Bombay to Calcutta.The industrialization began with the commissioning of the Bhilai Steel Plant in 1957, and today is concentrated in the mega project called Raipur Industrial Development Area (RIDA), with growth nodes at Jamul (Bhilai), Urla (Raipur), Tedesara (Rajnandgaon),Siltara (Raipur), Borai (Durg) and Sirgitti (Bilaspur).The state industrial policy of 1994 has , through a series of concessions and incentives, accelerated the growth of this industrial belt.This has led to massive inmigration into the urban industrial nodes; however, today, (1999), with the industrial recession, many of these units, and their employees are in deep crisis.Since the cities were not designed for this kind of immigration, there have been a host of other existential and social problems.The industrial climate is characterized by extreme insecurity of employment, vast extent of the contractual system,non payment of minimum wages and denial of basic statutory rights of workers, rampant discrimination among different categories of workers, and a strong resistance on the part of the employers to workers’ rights to organize themselves.The forest wealth of the region is similarly being rapidly exploited by commercial interests,and the traditional mixed forestry of the central Indian jungles is being replaced by monocultures. Violence

against

Women.

The violence that women face in today’s society in Chhattisgarh has to be seen against this backdrop.Although the various manifestations of

patriarchy are interconnected and ultimately traceable to patriarchal ideology, the exact forms that this violence takes depends upon the context in a number of ways. In Chhattisgarh, we against women. The

violence

of

can

identify

economic

the

following

major

kinds

of

violence

liberalization.

In the climate of economic liberalization that the country is going through today, a region like Chhattisgarh, without a strong Protest by Women preexisting industrial base and Under Chekri village (Ambikapur) area, lacking strong organizational beat-guards of forest department were inbase among industrial workers volved in illegal business of selling wood. is vulnerable in many ways. A When the people of Chekri village went to case study of the Urla Industhe forest for callecting dry wood available trial Area (UIA) near Raipur on the graund they were with an aim to conshows that in the post liberalstruct root top of houses, beat-guard started ization era, industrial employtroubling villagers. ment is characterized by extreme insecurity of employThe people protested on the ground that ment, non payment of minimum government does not prohibit collection of wages, rampant discrimination dry wood fallen an ground and beat-guard among different kinds of workwas terrorising them for the same cause. ers, and vast extent of the On being challenged beat-guard misbecontractual system. In this conhaved with women folk in village by using text women are particularly abusing language. The women informed vulnerable. Amulya Bai a member of Mahila Shakti Sangh about the incident to. Amulya Bai Women form about half the along with sixteen women approached the workforce at Urla. One might have beat-guard to convince him about the expected that they would be seen women’s case. The Beat-guard in return in the small-scale sector; only went to with village women with twelve pohowever, they are also visible in lice men from Van Parishad office. Policethe medium-scale Ferro alloy and men when overlooked by the women lodged other units. In the really largeFIR against them. For violating law. Many scale industries like Simplex, against whom FIR was lodged were false Khetawat and BEC, women worknames. One of the women whose name was ers are no longer found, although listed underwent delivery the day back many workers recall that during while another was old women eighty years the construction and expansion old handicapped woman. The court case phases of these units in the late against them still continues.

eighties and prior to 1991, women were employed as unskilled workers to do heavy load-lifting and cartage operations. Women in the UIA are predominantly employed through contractors. In the 14 units studied, there was no women company worker in any unit, although women worked as contractual workers in all of them. The 109 company workers in these units were thus all male, and of the 243 contract workers, 118 were women. When we disaggregate the data for regular, contractual and retrenched workers according to gender, we have the following picture:

Regular

workers

Contract Retrenched Total

workers workers

Male

Female

109

-

125

118

244

230

478

348

Among the discriminated sections, that is, contractual workers and retrenched workers, women are found in almost the same numbers as men, in fact more women are contractual workers or have been laid off in proportion to their total numbers than men. Women at Urla also appear to be the selective victims of modernization and reorganization in industry in response to economic liberalization. As an example, we quote the example of Usha Industries, a small unit functioning on the outskirts of Raipur town since 1980. The major product of Usha Industries used to be glucose bottles for intravenous injections, and the unit functioned from a small shed with 45 women workers and 3 men who were in a supervisory position. The women were paid a monthly wage of Rs. 500 and worked with fairly simple manual technology. The management periodically informed them that they (that is, the management) were putting money aside for them in a private provident fund. Since none of the women was educated, and because they trusted the management, no one enquired into the veracity of this claim. In 1993, Usha Industries secured a plot in UIA and decided to mechanize and increase its production. The employees were suddenly informed that the unit would be closing down as it was running at a loss. Upon enquiry about their “fund” , the women were told that the losses had in fact accumulated over several years, and that the management had used up the fund money to cover the losses. The women organized themselves and sat in Dharna outside the factory gate, and during

this period, they came to know the real reasons for the unit’s closure: Usha was planning to convert itself into a pharmaceutical unit. Although the agitation continued into 1995, the management finally managed to negotiate a peaceful end by paying each of the women Rs. 5,000. The case of BK Hygiene was very similar: 53 women workers in the glovemaking unit were laid off because a new conveyor belt was being introduced that would make their jobs redundant. The case of the women was taken up by the PESS, and at the time of writing, the case is sub- judice. Women workers in UIA have long working hours, and the women who were interviewed spoke without exception about having to work more than the stipulated eight hours at times when their company or contractor was under pressure to fulfill a production target. No overtime wages were paid on such occasions. Wage levels were also variable: the lowest wage recorded was that of Puni Bai, a worker in the ayurvedic medicine unit of Manish Plastics. Puni Bai reported that she was being paid a daily wage of Rs 16 after two years of service. She had begun work at the same daily wage. In her company the senior women workers were paid up to Rs. 20 daily, whereas the men were paid Rs. 25. With the basics of the employer-employee contract (hours and wages) at this level, it is no wonder that the Urla women do not have the basic facilities stipulated as their due under the Factories Act. Kamla from Bhalotia Plywood reported that there were not separate toilets for women in her workplace, and the common toilets were without water. Several of the women in Bhalotia said that the women were followed to the door of the common toilet by the male supervisor to make sure that they did not loiter there. This, they said, was done in order to humiliate them and keep them submissive. Maternity leave and benefits are given in some units and are not provided in some others. However, maternity leave is invariably without pay. The women of Classic Umbrellas and Monet Ferro Alloys reported that their companies did allow three months off to women employees at childbirth, but did not pay them wages for this absence, so basically they were on leave without pay during this period, although their right to return to work was protected. Some other companies like Gujarat Timber and Bhalotia Plywood did not even guarantee this and women worker who took time off at maternity had to negotiate her re-entry. In terms of jobs actually performed in a unit, women performed a wide range of tasks. They lifted heavy loads, filled in gaps in timber and wood, sorted finished products, ground and packaged medicines, organized scrap metal,

and worked on the assembly line. Yet they were penalized for minor lapses at work. Lachni from the ayurvedic factory told us of a time when she and two colleagues dropped a gunny bag full of medicine bottles and broke the contents. For this all three women were denied two day’s wages, that is, six women days of work were extracted and not paid for. The precise nature of violation of the legal rights of women workers can be seen in the case of Chandrasheela, a worker at the Gyan Rerolling Mills.

Chandrasheela’s experience, the law and the reality, are as follows:

Her

experience

The

legal

position

She has been working as a contract worker for the last three years.

The law labour if job is of perennial

forbids contract the a permanent or nature.

Although employed for civil work, she often has to carry heavy, hot iron chunks on her head.

The factories Act (1948) forbid work, which may be injurious to health.

No safety equipment is provided.

Violates

Factories

Act.

Wages are Rs. 14 per day.

Violates

Minimum

Wage

Night shifts are frequent. for women

Night shifts are forbidden

Working hours go up to a day. hours.

Statutory working day twelve hours should not exceed eight

No identity card or appoinis issued. appointment.

This is legally requiredment within three days of

Wages are not paid during maternity period.

Violates Maternity Benefits Act of 1961.

Common toilets for men and women.

Violates

Factories

Act.

Act.

letter

No creche for children any unit employing more

Statutory requirement in than twenty women.

The facts about women workers in the UIA speak for themselves. In conclusion we can only comment on the obvious trends. Economic liberalization in the context of UIA seems to be only for the investors, and only in terms of securing infrastructural assistance in a more liberal manner. The workers, and the women workers in particular, are not working in a liberated atmosphere in any sense of the term, and the constitutional guarantees and statutory rights that are supposed to protect them are flouted with impunity. The conditions of employment and wages are unstable, as is the availability of work. The instability affects women more than men, because in the UIA none of the women’s special requirements at work is met. While we must insist on women’s equal rights to participate in public production, we must also compensate them socially for the special responsibilities they undertake of bearing and rearing children. It has to be the responsibility of the state to insist on this, but today we see a retreat of the welfare state and a return of the laissez-faire economy in which structures of security and protection for workers built up painstakingly over a century are being abandoned. We have focused our attention in this paper on women as workers. It must be added that working class women who may not be directly in the production process are also affected by the insecurity and instability that mark the working environment of the UIA.

In the area of agriculture, women are similarly vulnerable today. While women played a major part in the traditional farming systems of the state, today’s developmental policies systematically marginalize them. Women are rapidly losing their productive role in agriculture, their role as the managers of post harvest storage and seed keeping managers, as well as their role as managers of household food security. Chhattisgarh today displays the clichéd but horrific picture of ‘packed godowns and starving people’ to an extent unknown ever before. In the year 2001, hunger deaths have been reported from Surguja, Bastar and Mahasamund. Distorted development policies have affected the food security of many of our forest communities; although we do not have quantitative data, one can argue that women are among the most adversely affected by this kind of phenomenon.

The violence of distorted development has many facets, and many of kinds of cultural violence that women face are connected with it.

The

violence

Chhattisgarh the national illusion that many parts to be only

of

the

tradition.

has a favourable gender ratio (w/mx10000).In India, it is above average, and second only to that of Kerala.This gives us an the situation of women in Chhattisgarh is better than that in of the country. However, on examination, we find this situation partially true.

While it is true that women here are engaged in public production and are free from the culture of seclusion,traditional social values and practices display a violence that is subtle. Customary laws in Chhattisgarh relating to marriage, divorce and child custody are heavily biased in favour of the male partner. While, men and women in Chhattisgarh (barring a few upper castes) are free according to customary law to terminate unsuccessful marriages and enter into other relationship in all cases where parents are separated, child custody rests traditionally with the father. Early and pre-pubertal marriages still take place frequently, and average age of commencement of childbirth is also low. Many of the practices connected with childbirth and pregnancy are also extremely determental to women’s health and well being. For example according to tradition, the mother is not given food or water for three days immediately after delivery on the misinformed logic that this will make her secretion of breast milk indigestible for the new born infant. In certain tribal communities, women are sent out to the forest to deliver their babies alone and unaided, and only allowed to return after a stipulated period of “uncleanliness” is over. Over large parts of Chhattisgarh, in tribal and non tribal populations, belief in female witchcraft leads to large numbers of women being persecuted as ‘tonhis’, (witches)and unlike Jharkhand, we do not have a special law to deal with violence against women in this form. Domestic

and

physical

violence

As in many other parts of the country, domestic violence is also common in Chhattisgarh.The belief system on which this is based is that of the authority of the patriarchal, patrilocal marriage system in which the authority of the husband and his family have precedence.This is of course a serious issue, but what is more serious is the fact that the breakdown of traditional social bonding and dysfunctional social change the people are experiencing has led to crimes against women on a scale never before

seen in our recent history. Rape, child rape, female molestation and other forms of violence against women are common occurrences in our cities today where they were once unknown. Raipur city ranked fourth in the matter of crimes against women in the year 2000-2001 among the cities of the country. Conclusion The position of women in Chhattisgarh is very different in many ways than the pattern prevailing over much of the rest of Madhya Pradesh. Unlike women in northern M.P.where the culture of exclusion and seclusion seems to prevail, women in Chhattisgarh are articulate, visible, and play a major role in public production. This is one of the few regions in the country, indeed the world, where women use the plough.They play a central role in rice cultivation, the major agricultural activity in the region, and are to be seen in most kinds of wage labour today.While derogatory practices like witch hunting (Tonhi pratha) exist, women enjoy certain freedoms and social behaviour. The image of the unfamiliar in Chhattisgarh.

Increasing

Crime

in

Society

Two Youths Sanju Mishra and Mohan Dubey are alleged to have misbehaved with Brinda Bai at Newai Dam near Bhilai (Durg) on March 18, 2003 (Holi Day) 10:00 a.m. when she had gone there far a bath. Brindabai from Newai Kundra para (Durg) was beaten up and paraded naked by the duo at the same time .When she reported the matter to police she was again attacked by the youths at her house in the night at about 8 :00 p.m. Brinda had been married in Mungeli (Bilaspur), but was staying with her mother in Nevai for the past several months.. According to Brindabai the purpose of the youths had been to dishonour her. Mohan Dubey’s brother Mahesh Dubey was often publicly disreptful towards her, and about three months back had even forcefully entered the house. Brindabai lodged a complaint against Mahesh under section 354 IPC, of misbehavior. The incident at the dam had been in revenge for this complaint. Sanju Mishra & Mohan Dubey were arrested but Sanju Mishra was released an bail an March 26, 2003. After his release he started to publicly threaten Brinda that he would kill her and her mother. The duo who were daily wage workers, stoped work out of fear. Denied police protection, they have been moving from place to place for shelter. spaces in terms of relationships and normative strong woman is not historically or sociologically

In Chhattisgarh, women do not wear purdah, and except among upper castes.Although the freedom to make and end marriages is socially accept-

able for both sexes, it is customary law with regard to custody of the children that acts as a control mechanism in women’s otherwise total freedom to end heterosexual relationships. For it considered that the father and his family have a primary claim to the custody of the children and the male children have a right to his property. In practice, all kinds of complex custodial arrangements are worked out, because the fact is that fathers are often unable and unwilling to care for the children but are keen to exercise their ‘rightful ‘ claim. Such cases are generally settled by arbitration through community elders. Although women in Chhattisgarh enjoy many freedoms denied to their sisters elsewhere in the country, this is not in any way to suggest that the ideology of female subservience does not exist here. On the contrary, even in this situation the male authority and dominance is quite clearly to be seen in social and cultural life. Wife beating is common. Women lack political representation and are not sufficiently integrated in the decision making mechanisms at community level.In Chhattisgarh, the popular consciousness is a mixture of gender equity and female subservience and it is upto us to highlight the positive aspects and downplay the negative ones. The recently adapted state policy on women makes an effort to take into account the specificities of the situation of women in the state. However, the mechanisms whereby the realities of multi faceted violence being faced by women in the state, the political and economic changes that are affecting the fabric of our society are to be mediated through instruments of state policy is not clearly spelt out.The role of civil society, women’s organizations and theoreticians in this context is extremely important, as is the role of larger political struggles. It is only through the concerted efforts of all sections of society that the situation for the large majority of the women in Chhattisgarh will change for the better. n

Tonhi Menace - A blot on humanity Dr. Dinesh Mishra, President , Andha Shradha Unmulan Samiti, as Interviewed by HITAVADA The State of Chhattisgarh may be fast moving towards a better tomorrow but there are still many practices that remind us of medieval era. The Tonhi (Witch) scourge is one such barbaric and inhuman practice, which is very common in Chhattisgarh villages. It is in fact one of the most commonly prevailing superstition in the State. The way a women is declared a Tonhi and subsequently subjected to some of the most inhuman tortures points to the fact that women’s liberation is a distant dream as far as rural Chhattisgarh is concerned. Cases of torture on women are reported mainly from villages and semi-urban settlements. It is a matter of shame for educated society that women fall prey to incidences of superstition. Any children falling ill in rural areas,

No Women is a Witch The concept of Tonhi (Witch) is one of the main superstition in the state of Chhattisgarh. A women is declared Tonhi and is accused of spreading disease and bringing disaster to the village by performing Jadu-Tona (Witch craft). These women are insulted and humiliated publicly. Often it is accompanied by physical torture and they are ostracised from the community. In many cases the torture is so severe that they suffer from the wounds for months. Within the village it is not possible to get treatment. The psychological wounds due to public insult and dishonor stay for life. The influence of the powerful groups in the village is so great that the news does not reach the cities and the women and her family live a hallish life. In some cases the women commit suicide. In witch hunting cases the village representatives and the government officials does not come forward. So the news does not reach outside the village and the rule of the socked Baigas (Witch Doctors) gets established. These Baigas declare all disasters in the village due to JaduTona. They charge any amount for catching a Tonhi, branding her and dringing the whole village under his protection ( Gaon Bandhava) . They also declare any poor innocent women Tonhi and leave her to suffer. These Baigas demand impossible tests from these women to prove that they are not Tonhi. When the whole village is against the Tonhi, it is impossible for her to prove herself innocent.

complains of stomach pain, loss of appetite, crying during night, sleeplessness, any problems with crop yield, animals falling ill or not giving milk, death of animals etc. are triggers for allegations of witchcraft. Usually, a male witch doctor (baiga)is called who identifies a village woman as a witch and the entire village is then united against her.Usually a tonhi (witch) is an adult woman, often issueless or a widow, and very often in property or custody dispute with individuals or Following the death of a women named families in the village.

Kumari Bai in Jaresar village under Dharsiwa Development Block in Raipur District,her husband Paramanand levelled allegations of Witchcraft on old village women named Laxmi Bai. Plunged in superstitous belief, Parmanand left the dead body of his wife at the house of Laxmi Bai and asked her to return Kumari Bai to life. The entire village kept torturing Laxmi Bai terming her Witch and she was turned out of the village.

Dr. Mishra feels that only a total change in social perspective can help in solving this problem. “Though we have entered the 21 st century, we still carry the beliefs and practices of 18 th century, said Dr. Mishra and added that it is imperative to develop villages and bring about an overall change in the thinking of the people. “ only then can we think about progress’’, said Dr. Mishra who is of firm opinion that without an open mind, education is a farce. Pointing at the dismal record of the state in this matter, Dr. Mishra said that in the last one year, Chhattisgarh has witnessed series of cases in which rural women were subjected to extreme humiliation time and again. “As long as people do not have an open mind and treat fellow humans with compassion, real development and progress would remain a distant dream’’ said Dr. Mishra. Blaming a women for any natural or mandate calamities that befell a village shows the ignorance and superstition of the people, said Dr. Mishra and added “It proves that people are still as uneducated and illiterates as they were hundreds of year ago. “ We have to fight against these beliefs and without the help of entire society, it is a daunting task, said the champion of women’s emancipation. According to Dr. Mishra the Tonhi menace is no longer restricted to a particular village or caste, but is social problem and hence, has to be addressed through collective efforts. Expressing outrage over the condition of women, Dr. Mishra said, women

are not only physically tortured to great extremes but are also publicly humiliated and ostracized from the society. Many women cannot get over the trauma for a long time and their social ostracism creates horde of problems for their future life, he said. Usually the perpetrators are either influential people of the village or are in majority due to which the remaining few can hardly protest against the atrocity, said Dr. In village Jamirra of Sukhapara Mishra. Due to this very few police complaints are registered by G r a m P a n c h a y a t n e a r the victim or any other person Dharamjaigarh, a seventy years old against the tortures. Many times widow Matibai committed suicide. the treatment meted out is so horThe villagers in trouble over natural rible that the victim is completely calamities consulted a witch doctor terrorized and loses all hope. The Samaru Ram. On whose advise some victims have no recourse but to end their lives in desperation, women in villagers were identified pointed Dr. Mishra.

as Witches. Witch doctor said that this women by their art of Witchcraft has spelled trouble on village people. Those innocent women were then subjected to torture. Under extreme pressure, beating and dishonor one of the three Jajobai jumped into the well to end her life.

Dr. Mishra was also very critical of the role of the administration in addressing this issue. Even the administrative officers as well as the public representatives turn a blind eye to the problem, feels Dr. Mishra. Due to this, 99 percent of the cases remain unsolved and the hapless victims fail to get justice.

Talking about the methodology of branding a women, Dr. Mishra said, it is the Baigas who dictate the rules and brand the victims as Tonhi. These people are also one of the most feared and influential people of the village. They first chose a certain women, then accuse her of being a tonhi. Later they lay certain conditions before the women to absolve her of the charge. But usually these conditions are impossible for her or any other women to meet and the whole village then brands her a Tonhi. The influence of the Baigas rises from the ignorance and illiteracy of the villagers, said Dr. Mishra. The villagers fail to see that these women are to weak too defend themselves and incapable to do any harm to the entire village. Dr. Mishra feels that it is necessary to provide education to the people to liberate them from such superstition and dogmatism, otherwise the overall development of the state would remain a distant dream. “To make it a reality, to entire state administration, Non Government Organisations, and societies of the state must work unitedly towards the goal,” said Dr. Mishra.

Darkness before coming to world .... The business of sex pre-selection at Birth in Chhattisgarh (adapted from Rajendra Soni)

The business of sex determination centres is running unchecked in the state capital of Chhattisgarh.Many Nursing Homes are operating sonography machines, which are used for illegal along with legal purposes. Some time back eleven nursing homes were closed down owing to misuse of sonography. Illegal termination of pregnancy and sex determination take place at the clinics of most of gynecologists. On entering a nursing home you can invariably find a board proclaiming “We donot under take sex determination “ The fact is however, that the board belies the truth.Many clinics still practice sex pre determination and pre selection ( a euphemism for the destruction of female foetus)Charges can vary between Rs. 200 to Rs. 2000. According to the State Director of Health services Dr. R. Rajmani, awareness compaign has been launched to prevent the killing of female foetus inside mother’s womb. The campaign has adopted a multi pronged approach from the fixing of big posters, advertisement hoardings and through showing street plays from cities to remote villages.All these measures however, have failed to ensure the success of campaign. During the last six months between twenty five and fifty thousand foetus death took place through abortion after sex determination test. According to state government, in order to prevent foetus deaths , the health department is setting up Control Rooms in every district. Social workers are proposed to be kept in the advisory committee of control rooms vigilence committees. State government under the new rule has been trying to create awareness against killing of foetus and an attempt has been made to check it. A provision has been kept for fine of one thousand rupees for doctors found to be involved in illegal practice along with three years of imprisonment. On being found involved for second time fine may rise to fifty thousand and five years jail, informed Dr. V. Jaiprakash In charge Officer PNDT after a meeting in this regard.

Part - II Statistics on Crimes Against Women : The Data from Chhattisgarh Section

1

Data before the formation of the state of Chhattisgarh

Section 2 Data after the creation of the State of Chhattisgarh

Section

Crimes Against Women (1995 to 1999)

1

The T a b l e s t h a t f o l l o w a r e b a s e d o n D a t a p r e s e n t e d by Centre for Women’s Development Studies in a publication on Crimes Against Women, 2002. Please note that the data refers to seven districts as against the present number of 16 districts.

In 2001 the seven districts existing up to that time in the area that later formed the state of Chhattisgarh, were broken up as follows: 1.

Raipur

-

R a i p u r, M a h a s a m u n d , Dhamtari

2.

Durg

-

Durg

3.

Rajnandgaon -

Rajnandgaon,

4.

Bastar

-

B a s t a r, D a n t e w a d a , K a n k e r

5.

Bilaspur

-

B i l a s p u r, C h a m p a - J a n j g i r, Korba

6.

Sarguja

-

Sarguja, Koriya

7.

Raigarh

-

Raigarh, Jashpur

S r. N o .

State/District

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Bastar Bilaspur Dantewada Durg Raigarh Raipur Rajnandgaon Sarguja

254 702 80 482 295 713 285 523

1 1 159 9 81 50 98 16 58

10 177 0 87 31 58 32 62

132 254 55 521 181 584 231 474

129 307 61 579 146 370 264 503

Total

Congnizable Crimes (1995 to 1999)

Kawardha

The later tables in this section follow the current division of districts.

S r. N o .

State/District

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Bastar Bilaspur Dantewada Durg Raigarh Raipur Rajnandgaon Sarguja

2877 8555 1210 5978 2607 9350 2763 4020

2613 8445 1116 6225 2903 7772 3019 3825

2448 9161 1138 7203 2545 7427 2916 4101

1987 4063 991 7040 2118 7143 2605 3392

1987 4060 923 6906 1619 5282 2508 3102

Rape (1995 to 1999)

Dowry Deaths (1995 to 1999)

S r. N o .

State/District

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

S r. N o .

State/District

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Bastar Bilaspur Dantewada Durg Raigarh Raipur Rajnandgaon Sarguja

74 120 28 118 74 177 69 147

61 129 35 165 80 173 72 148

67 138 29 155 59 161 105 131

50 65 20 166 50 171 64 170

47 58 22 129 35 101 80 146

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Bastar Bilaspur Dantewada Durg Raigarh Raipur Rajnandgaon Sarguja

3 17 0 1 1 2 7 1 1 1

0 17 0 17 5 5 6 4

1 24 0 7 6 7 0 2

0 16 0 0 3 0 0 5

1 15 0 12 10 0 3 3

Molestation (1995 to 1999)

Kidnapping and Abduction of Women and Girls (1995 to 1999)

S r. N o .

State/District

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

S r. N o .

State/District

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Bastar Bilaspur Dantewada Durg Raigarh Raipur Rajnandgaon Sarguja

120 306 35 246 163 228 147 247

81 201 26 206 161 242 122 256

100 362 18 287 175 268 113 293

62 89 27 231 81 254 99 213

54 133 28 260 70 151 110 249

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Bastar Bilaspur Dantewada Durg Raigarh Raipur Rajnandgaon Sarguja

29 31 15 17 23 30 19 44

27 31 6 24 37 20 15 36

23 24 14 26 25 40 16 35

9 9 6 20 1 1 34 26 32

8 10 6 26 12 37 13 38

Cruelty by Husband and His Relatives (1995 to 1999) S r. N o .

State/District

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Bastar Bilaspur Dantewada Durg Raigarh Raipur Rajnandgaon Sarguja

22 209 2 65 20 131 32 69

1 1 159 9 81 50 98 16 58

10 177 0 87 31 58 32 62

9 54 2 70 27 69 31 51

12 82 4 118 16 38 45 61

Section

2

This data refers to the Police Districts in the New State of Chhattisgarh. By and large the police districts conform to the revenue districts with exception

Sexual Harassment (1995 to 1999)

of

Balrampur

and

Bijapur

which

are

S r. N o .

State/District

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

only districts from the point of view of

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Bastar Bilaspur Dantewada Durg Raigarh Raipur Rajnandgaon Sarguja

6 19 0 25 13 140 7 15

9 21 0 27 12 80 20 7

7 14 1 33 3 85 3 7

2 21 0 34 9 56 1 1 3

7 9 1 34 3 43 13 6

police

administration.

Statistics on cases reported on Crimes against women in Mahasamund District

Statistics on cases reported on Crimes against women in Raipur District Sr. No.

Particular

1

Murder

2

Attempt to murder

3

Murder for Dowry by

Sr. No.

Particular

25

1

1 1

2000

2001

2002

19

34

9

10

burning and by other means

2001

2002

Murder

9

6

6

2

Attempt to murder

3

5

3

3

Murder for Dowry by -

-

-

23

35

28

5

6

8

burning and by other means

-

-

-

63

92

78

4

Hurt

21

31

26

5

Grievous

6

Molestation

84

7 1

70

7

Kidnapping

3

6

0

8

Rape

27

34

31

Total

154

163

146

4

Hurt

5

Grievous

6

Molestation

164

254

247

7

Kidnapping

18

21

45

8

Rape

112

104

148

Total

406

546

580

Hurt

2000

Hurt

Note : The columns with no figures indicate information not available.

Note : The columns with no figures indicate information not available.

Source: State Crimes Record Bureau.

Source: State Crimes Record Bureau.

These Crime figures (tentative ) are based on

MAC

These Crime figures (tentative ) are based on

MAC

Statistics on cases reported on Crimes against women in Dhamtari District Sr. No.

Particular

2000

2001

2002

1.

Murder

7

7

5

2.

Attempt to murder

0

2

2

3.

Murder for Dowry by -

-

-

7

9

15

3

7

3

burning and by other means 4.

Hurt

5.

Grievous

6.

Molestation

51

48

54

7.

Kidnapping

4

4

2

8.

Rape

20

27

21

Total

92

104

102

Hurt

Note : The columns with no figures indicate information not available. Source: State Crimes Record Bureau. These Crime figures (tentative ) are based on

Statistics on cases reported on Crimes against women in Durg District Sr. No.

Particular

2000

2001

2002

1.

Murder

1 1

23

19

2.

Attempt to murder

12

9

18

3.

Murder for Dowry by -

-

-

78

49

44

23

21

24

burning and by other means 4.

Hurt

5.

Grievous

6.

Molestation

261

306

294

7.

Kidnapping

28

31

3

8.

Rape

136

144

132

Total

549

583

534

Hurt

Note : The columns with no figures indicate information not available. Source: State Crimes Record Bureau.

MAC

These Crime figures (tentative ) are based on

MAC

Statistics on cases reported on Crimes against women in Rajnandgaon District Sr. No.

Particular

1.

Murder

2.

Attempt to murder

3.

Murder for Dowry by

2000

2001

2002

10

1 1

3

5

burning and by other means

Statistics on cases reported on Crimes against women in Bilaspur District Sr. No.

Particular

13

1.

Murder

1

2.

Attempt to murder

3.

Murder for Dowry by

-

-

-

26

16

16

4.

Hurt

2

1

5

5.

Grievous

2000

2001

2002

25

23

16

6

6

1 1

-

-

-

102

45

58

26

16

19

burning and by other means

4.

Hurt

5.

Grievous

6.

Molestation

110

103

109

6.

Molestation

209

180

199

7.

Kidnapping

7

2

0

7.

Kidnapping

21

19

14

8.

Rape

63

58

60

8.

Rape

54

69

72

Total

221

196

204

Total

443

358

389

Hurt

Hurt

Note : The columns with no figures indicate information not available.

Note : The columns with no figures indicate information not available.

Source: State Crimes Record Bureau.

Source: State Crimes Record Bureau.

These Crime figures (tentative ) are based on

MAC

These Crime figures (tentative ) are based on

MAC

Statistics on cases reported on Crimes against women in Kawardha District Sr. No.

Particular

1.

Murder

2.

Attempt to murder

3.

Murder for Dowry by

2000

2001

2002

10

6

9

4

0

1

Statistics on cases reported on Crimes against women in Janjgir District Sr. No.

Particular

1.

Murder

2.

Attempt to murder

3.

Murder for Dowry by

2000

2001

2002

16

14

1 1

2

3

2

-

-

-

26

42

54

12

8

5

burning and by other means burning and by other means

-

-

-

13

34

26

3

9

1

4.

Hurt

5.

Grievous

6.

Molestation

66

48

49

7.

Kidnapping

0

0

0

8.

Rape

29

32

20

Total

125

129

106

Hurt

4.

Hurt

5.

Grievous

6.

Molestation

94

112

105

7.

Kidnapping

8

5

7

8.

Rape

53

29

42

Total

211

213

226

Hurt

Note : The columns with no figures indicate information not available. Note : The columns with no figures indicate information not available. Source: State Crimes Record Bureau. These Crime figures (tentative ) are based on

Source: State Crimes Record Bureau. These Crime figures (tentative ) are based on

MAC

MAC

Statistics on cases reported on Crimes against women in Korba District Sr. No.

Particular

1.

Murder

2.

Attempt to murder

3.

Murder for Dowry by

2000

2001

2002

14

15

2

1

burning and by other means

Statistics on cases reported on Crimes against women in Sarguja District Sr. No.

Particular

2000

2001

2002

14

1.

Murder

31

49

45

3

2.

Attempt to murder

10

7

4

3.

Murder for Dowry by burning and by other means

-

-

-

9

14

18

6

16

15

-

-

-

38

31

27

4.

Hurt

8

12

5

5.

Grievous

4.

Hurt

5.

Grievous

6.

Molestation

80

85

106

6.

Molestation

261

223

202

7.

Kidnapping

5

6

0

7.

Kidnapping

31

12

0

8.

Rape

37

41

40

8.

Rape

131

145

142

Total

184

191

195

Total

409

466

426

Hurt

Hurt

Note : The columns with no figures indicate information not available.

Note : The columns with no figures indicate information not available.

Source: State Crimes Record Bureau.

Source: State Crimes Record Bureau.

These Crime figures (tentative ) are based on

MAC

These Crime figures (tentative ) are based on

MAC

Statistics on cases reported on Crimes against women in Jashpur District

Statistics on cases reported on Crimes against women in Raigarh District Sr. No. 1. 2. 3.

Particular

2000

Murder

18

Attempt to murder

4

2001 18 3

Sr. No.

Particular

1.

Murder

2.

Attempt to murder

3.

Murder for Dowry by

2000

2001

2002

14

14

23

2

5

6

-

-

-

15

13

7

9

12

12

2002 10 3

Murder for Dowry by burning and by other means burning and by other means

4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Hurt Grievous

18

Hurt

Molestation Kidnapping Rape Total

6 83 6 50 185

27 16 85 8 46 203

4.

Hurt

5.

Grievous

6.

Molestation

43

44

43

7.

Kidnapping

9

2

0

8.

Rape

42

35

35

Total

134

125

126

14 Hurt

10 127 12 30 206

Note : The columns with no figures indicate information not available. Note : The columns with no figures indicate information not available.

Source: State Crimes Record Bureau. These Crime figures (tentative ) are based on

MAC

Source: State Crimes Record Bureau. These Crime figures (tentative ) are based on

MAC

Statistics on cases reported on Crimes against women in Koriya District Sr. No.

Particular

2000

2001

2002

1.

Murder

9

12

2.

Attempt to murder

4

7

3.

Murder for Dowry by burning and by other means

Statistics on cases reported on Crimes against women in Kanker District Sr. No.

Particular

6

1.

Murder

1

2.

Attempt to murder

3.

Murder for Dowry by

-

-

-

27

26

35

4.

Hurt

12

15

16

5.

Grievous

2000

2001

2002

1 1

9

5

1

2

2

-

-

-

16

4

3

4

0

5

burning and by other means

4.

Hurt

5.

Grievous

6.

Molestation

105

91

88

6.

Molestation

4

36

34

7.

Kidnapping

7

8

10

7.

Kidnapping

2

1

0

8.

Rape

38

32

52

8.

Rape

23

39

35

Total

202

191

208

Total

61

91

84

Hurt

Hurt

Note : The columns with no figures indicate information not available.

Note : The columns with no figures indicate information not available.

Source: State Crimes Record Bureau.

Source: State Crimes Record Bureau.

These Crime figures (tentative ) are based on

MAC

These Crime figures (tentative ) are based on

MAC

Statistics on cases reported on Crimes against women in Jagdalpur District Sr. No.

Particular

1.

Murder

2.

Attempt to murder

3.

Murder for Dowry by

2000

2001

2002

1 7

1 7

6

2

burning and by other means

Statistics on cases reported on Crimes against women in Dantewara District Sr. No.

Particular

1 1

1.

Murder

3

2.

Attempt to murder

3.

Murder for Dowry by

-

-

-

32

35

20

4.

Hurt

7

4

3

5.

Grievous

2000

2001

2002

23

15

7

3

3

0

-

-

-

10

4

4

2

5

2

burning and by other means

4.

Hurt

5.

Grievous

6.

Molestation

60

51

57

6.

Molestation

21

18

19

7.

Kidnapping

14

4

0

7.

Kidnapping

2

7

1

8.

Rape

66

59

46

8.

Rape

15

19

9

Total

202

172

140

Total

76

7 1

42

Hurt

Note : The columns with no figures indicate information not available.

Note : The columns with no figures indicate information not available. Source: State Crimes Record Bureau.

Source: State Crimes Record Bureau. These Crime figures (tentative ) are based on

Hurt

MAC

These Crime figures (tentative ) are based on

MAC

Statistics on cases reported on Crimes against women in GRP Raipur Sr. No.

Particular

2000

2001

2002

1.

Murder

1

0

2.

Attempt to murder

0

0

3.

Murder for Dowry by burning and by other means

4.

Hurt

5.

Grievous

6.

5

Hurt

0

Statistics on cases reported on Crimes against women in Balrampur Sr. No.

Particular

2000

2001

2002

1

1.

Murder

-

7

7

1

2.

Attempt to murder

-

0

1

3.

Murder for Dowry by burning and by other means

-

-

-

4.

Hurt

-

5

6

5.

Grievous

-

2

1

6.

Molestation

-

20

36

7.

Kidnapping

-

0

0

8.

Rape

-

12

32

Total

-

46

83

1

0

0

0

Molestation

8

4

3

7.

Kidnapping

1

0

0

8.

Rape

0

0

5

Total

15

4

1 1

Hurt

Note : The columns with no figures indicate information not available. Note : The columns with no figures indicate information not available.

Source: State Crimes Record Bureau.

Source: State Crimes Record Bureau.

These Crime figures (tentative ) are based on

These Crime figures (tentative ) are based on

MAC

MAC

Statistics on cases reported on Crimes against women in Bijapur Sr. No.

Particular

2000

2001

2002

1.

Murder

-

0

1

2.

Attempt to murder

-

0

0

3.

Murder for Dowry by burning and by other means

-

-

-

4.

Hurt

-

1

7

5.

Grievous

-

0

1

6.

Molestation

-

0

4

7.

Kidnapping

-

0

0

8.

Rape

-

3

8

Total

-

4

21

Hurt

Note : The columns with no figures indicate information not available. Source: State Crimes Record Bureau. These Crime figures (tentative ) are based on

MAC

Part - III Supportive Structures to Combat Violence

Chhattisgarh State Policy for Support Services to Counter Women Empowerment 1.

Section- I State Policy on Women’s Empowerment

Strategic

Intent

and

Approach

Women in Chhattisgarh are visible in every walk of life, be it in agriculture, collection and processing of the State’s rich forest wealth or in construction/wage work in urban areas. Contrary to the situation in many parts of the country, Chhattisgarh enjoys a comparatively favourable position in terms of women’s population reflected in the sex ratio i.e. 990 per 1000 males. However, the sustenance of this women’s proportion is a challenge. The State recognises the need for increased participation of women for achieving rapid social, economic and cultural development of the state, which is one of the stated agenda of Vision 2010. The effective integration and participation of women in the process of development would be guided by political will and commitment. In order to achieve this the State would have to address a number of issues including gender based occupational stereotyping, male selective in-migration in the context of industrialisation, female illiteracy, impeding cultural practices and attitudes, dominance of women in marginal employment, lack of access to basic facilities, discrimination against the girl child etc. The Constitution of India not only grants equality to women but also empowers the State to adopt measures and frame policies of positive discrimination in favour of women. Therefore, this policy aims to create an environment, which enables women to effectively contribute in the process of economic and social transformation and not be merely a passive beneficiary. Accordingly, the objectives of this policy are to :

n n

n n

To

n n n

Facilitate a conducive environment to enable women to realise their full potential and promote self reliance. Achieve equality in access to economic resources including forests, common property, land and other means of production. Ensure participation of women in social, political and economic life of the state. Encourage NGOs and Women Groups to effectively participate in the developmental process. meet these objectives, the initiatives, which include.

State

has

identified

Creating a responsive statutory and institutional mechanism. Integrating Gender perspective in Economic Development. Creating an enabling environment for Social Development of women .

Implementation Outline - Creating & Institutional Mechanism

a

Responsive

Legal

n

Adopt, enact, review and revise wherever necessary laws to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women.

n

Extend land rights to women and encourage co-ownership of property by women to other productive assets like house, shop, factory, etc.

n

Effective enforcement of all relevant legal provisions including Equal Remuneration Act, Minimum Wages Act, Child Marriage Restraint Act, etc.

n

Enforcement of Dowry Prevention Act and effective legal action against domestic violence and harassment of women at place of work.

n

Public advocacy and swift legal redressal shall be ensured in cases where women are deprived of rights that are already secured under law.

n

Create mass consciousness and provide legal awareness about women’s rights.

n

Implement laws regarding prenatal sex selection, practices of female infanticide, child marriage, etc., to eliminate all forms of discrimination against the girl child.

n

Consider providing concessions in court fees for poor and landless women litigants.

n

Deployment of women police personnel stations to the extent possible.

specific

The State will set up Committee for policy review and implementation to be headed by Minister-in-charge with representatives from the Department of Women and Child Development, State Women Commission, NGOs, community based organisations, other Government departments, etc. This committee would work in coordination with various departments to draw up detailed action plan for every sector in line with the initiatives outlined in this policy. 2.

2.1

Legal

In order to create a non-discriminatory as well as gender sensitive legal environment and strengthen the institutional mechanism to elevate the status of women, the State would take the following measures:

Measures

in

rural

police

Institutional

n

Earmark at least 10% of social sector spending supporting women’s income generating activities.

n

Encourage access to low cost credit to women groups through Financial Institutions. Special mechanism/cell/ Kosh could be set up under the Department of Women and Child Development to facilitate access to such credit. The State would also make special efforts to enhance the outreach of credit to women especially those below the poverty line.

n

n

n

Capacity

Police Stations, Family Courts, Legal Aid Centres, ling Centres, etc.

2.2

Building

for

Encourage participation of women at all levels especially in government local bodies, advisory boards, trusts, etc. The government would consider reserving one third of the membership in such bodies for women. Women would also be involved in review of various policies of the state and their implementation. Set up a resource centre for women within the existing administrative structure for collection, collation and dissemination of information, conducting surveys, as well as evaluation and tracking progress of women empowerment through measurable goals in line with Vision 2010. Encourage formation of Mahila Mandals and facilitate their registration at minimum possible fees. The Self Help Groups would be encouraged to act as effective forums to promote women interests especially at grassroot levels.

n

Undertake gender sensitisation of police force.

n

Set-up and strengthen existing systems of Women Cells in

Counsel-

n

Ensure independent and effective working of the State Commission for Women.

n

The State would ensure participation of women in schemes and programmes of every department in co-ordination of the Department of Women and Child Development with other departments viz. Health, Education, Industry, Forest, etc.

n

Provision of at least one women member in the interview Boards.

3.

Implementation Outline - Integrating tive in Economic Development

Gender

Perspec-

In view of the important role of women in the labour force and their contribution to the economic development of the State, the State will make concentrated efforts to ensure incorporation of the women’s development dimension in to the various sectors. Accordingly, the State would take the following measures :3.1

Agriculture

&

Allied

Sectors

n

Encouragement and recognition of women as farmers. Research and technical innovations will be encouraged to reorient the administrative machinery of agriculture to cater to the needs of women.

n

Encourage women farmers to practice mixed farming including cereals, pulses, oil seeds, roots, tubers, etc., and their preservation to enhance the role of women in food security. The State would also encourage women in villages to take up organic farming.

n

Promote the development of dairy, sericulture, fisheries, horticulture and floriculture under the management of active women’s groups. To enable the women to work effectively in these areas, training programmes for women and women’s groups will be organised in the processing, value addition and marketing aspects of these activities.

n

Encourage the use of common lands in rural areas by women groups to cater to the fuel and fodder needs of the villages.

n

Encourage women to pursue higher studies in agriculture and agricultural management.

n

Facilitate special training programmes for modern and developed farming techniques.

in

3.2

Water

n

Provision of potable water to all villages would be the immediate priority of the state in line with the Vision 2010 thereby reducing the burden on women in terms of carrying heavy headloads of water.

n

n

&

women

authorities for their timely disposal. The State would encourage women groups to come forward to claim responsibility for management of sanitation units. The State shall also make efforts to encourage sanitation programmes in rural and urban areas. n

In view of the existence and multiple uses of ponds in the village of Chhattisgarh, the State shall make efforts to provide separate ghats for women and proper facilities for changing of clothes.

n

Encourage training in coordination with reputed NGOs and other organisations on watershed and water conservation activities .

3.3

Industry

n

Provide training to women to promote skills generating activities like handloom weaving, Chhattisgarh arts, handicrafts, terracotta, sale collection of waste, use of sewing machines as cus on information Technology, Biotechnology.

n

Encourage development of cottage and handicraft industries where an increased role is envisaged for women.

n

Encourage part time jobs with flexible timings for increased women participation. The state will encourage corporates, government bodies to draw up women friendly personnel policies and provision of social security benefits, support services for women i.e. creches at work places, security, welfare programmes, transportation, etc.

n

Facilitate rural women’s access to capital, technology know-how and other productive resources for increased work opportunities.

Sanitation

Facilitate the access to safe drinking water resources by facilitating access to hand-pumps, etc., within accessible reach of households especially in rural areas and urban slums. Women groups will be encouraged to take up the management and maintenance of hand pumps. Generate awareness among women groups in rural areas regarding the problems of waste disposal especially in rural areas. The State will make provision for waste disposal separately for bio-degradable and non bio-degradable wastes in co-ordination with civic

for income traditional of compost, well as foetc.

the State. To address their issues the state would : n

Provide additional incentives equivalent to 10% of the capital investment or Rs. 0.2 million (Rs. 2 Lakhs) per annum, whichever is less, for a period of 5 years to medium and large scale industries where women constitute more than 30% of the workforce in line with the industrial policy of the state.

n

Encourage development of managerial and entrepreneurial skills to encourage self employment.

n

To promote women’s participation in the use of solar energy, biogas, smokeless chulahs, etc. which help in conservation of environment.

n

Take suitable measures to enable women work till late or in night shift in organisations accompanied by support services such as security, transportation, etc.

n

Provide necessary mechanisms produced by women.

for

marketing

of

n

Technical assistance for enhancing the skills of women engaged in traditional work and availability of raw material at reasonable prices.

n

Promote participation of women and women group’s in extraction of mineral resources.

n

Facilitate the formation of women groups and their training for collection, value added processing, preservation, storage and trade of non timber forest produce, which is poised to be a major source of revenue for the State.

n

Encourage marketing medicinal

n

Encourage formation of Mahila Mandals/Self Help Groups with a focus on Joint Forest Management activities.

n

Give special emphasis to development of women of the primitive tribes of the state.

n

Ensure access to safe drinking water and foodstock, health services on a priority basis for tribal women. The Public Distribution System (PDS) will be strengthened and increased participation of women in the PDS vigilance mechanism will be ensured.

4.

Implementation Environment

goods

n

Encourage setting up of “Mahila Sahakari Nagrik Banks” in the state.

3.4

Forest

With 44% area of the State under forest, the tribal women in the forest areas constitute a large population of the women in

For

Social

women for plantation, of commercial forest plants.

Outline

-

management and species specially

Creating

an

Enabling

Development

The State recognises that attempts at bringing about changes in the status of women through legislation or economic development is not sustainable without a simultaneous movement to change the underlying social values, trends and attitudes. In view of this interlinkage adequate emphasis would be given to provide the much needed impetus to the social development of women. Accordingly, the State would take the following measures :-

related to sexually transmitted diseases (like AIDS etc.). 4.1

Health

n

Ensure women have access to affordable and health care, information and related services.

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

Care

and

Nutrition

n

Promote establishing separate hospitals/cells for mentally handicapped women.

n

Initiate necessary action hospital in the state.

n

Promotion of mid-wife training programmes to encourage institutional deliveries.

4.2

Education

n

Promote societal awareness to gender issues and women’s rights as part of course curriculum.

n

Formulate special measures retention rate of girls.

n

Reduce fees/promote free education for girls belonging to SC,ST, backward communities specially below the poverty line.

n

Encourage women/girls to get trained in self defence.

n

Organise vocational and job oriented couselling and training exclusively for women to enable them to opt for courses relevant to their talents and interests.

n

Make efforts to promote functional literacy with special emphasis on viable economic skills, etc.

n

To promote skill development training programmes for women with the help of polytechincs and technical institutes in the private sector.

proper

Increased investment in women’s education and health which have direct impact in reducing fertility and mortality rates and increased social returns. Ensure implementation of laws regarding registration of marriages, births and deaths to effectively meet the problems of early marriage and infant and maternal mortality. Provide health training (Particularly in reproductive and child health) to women. The State would undertake special efforts to meet the nutrient needs especially amongst pregnant and lactating women through education and encouraging participation of women in the planning and delivery of the system. Expand and intensify access to safe, effective and affordable methods of Family Planning especially in the rural and tribal area. Increase women’s knowledge related to her power to exercise choice with respect to conception or abortion of child. Encourage local women organisations/Self Help Groups to participate in primary health care activities including traditional medicine and measures to promote self care and increased community care. Undertake gender sensitive initiatives that address issues

to

establish

to

increase

separate

women

enrolment

and

n

Facilitate provisions of assistance/loan through various agencies for professional courses to needy women.

n

Special Action Plan to provide education and health care for adolescent girls. Provision for spread of the network of Ashrams and hostels for girls as per requirement.

n

n

support. n

Suitable measures for setting up of “Kishori Balika Griha” in Chhattisgarh.

n

Encourage setting up of safe accommodation for working and single women.

4.4

Social

n

Discourage the role of media and advertising, which affect consumer ideology adversely and contribute to the growth of culture of violence against women. The media would be encouraged to develop codes of conduct, guidelines to combat negative images of women, portray successful women as role models and act as a catalyst to promote the human dignity of women. The State would encourage enrolment of women in journalism and mass communication.

Necessary efforts will be made to encourage women in Sports. Incorporate moral education (value based) in the course curriculum of the educational institutions.

Welfare

&

Cultural

Aspects

n

Inclusion of course curriculum related with legendary women of Chhattisgarh and related cultural and historical aspects.

n

Encourage girls for technical and scientific education.

4.3

Housing

n

Encourage inclusion of women’s prespectives in planning of housing and provision of shelter in rural and urban areas so as to ensure that the benefits of housing, essential services and community facilities are directed to women in general.

n

Examine the customary practices and belief systems and take steps to mitigate the negative and unacceptable elements that degrade women through education, penal action, etc. Efforts would be made to make the customary laws more rational and logical through education.

n

Preferential allotment of plots and houses to women by public agencies.

n

Evolve special programmes for women victims of systematic cultural and social violence such as for women persecuted as “Tonhis”

n

Set up homes and rehabilitation centres and orphanages with provision for medical, psychological and economic rehabilitation for women victims of marital violence, societal callousness, etc. The government will encourage NGOs across the State in setting up and running these centres and provide other financial and infrastructural

n

Discourage awareness offence.

n

Effective implementation of “Nashabandi Karyakram” to

&

Shelter

domestic violence campaigns and make

through media and it a legally culpable

discourage alcoholism among males, which bears a large share of responsibility for the domestic violence perpetrated on women. Rights for closure of the sale outlet would vest with the Gram Sabha as per the State Excise Policy. n

Strict enforcement of rules to deal with trafficking in women.

n

Formulate special protective measures including social security for vulnerable sections of women including widows, handicapped women, women in distress and particularly below the poverty line, etc. This will include effective implementation of schemes like Indira Sahara Yojana.

n

Introduce measures to encourage widow remarriage.

n

Undertake if necessary with help of NGOs interstate tie-ups to ensure legal and social security for migrant women. Steps would be taken to increase employment and effective potential of labour absorption in rural areas as well.

n

Jathas to debunk the superstitions associated with instances of systematic violence shall be linked up to People’s Science networks and educational programmes.

n

Special measures for the rehabilitation prisons and their dependent children.

of

women

in

n

Supportive Structures for Women Including Women Distress and Victims of Violence in the State

in

MAHASAMUND DISTRICT Family

Section - II District wise listing of supportive structures and services offered by State Agencies, Non Government Organisations, Trade Unions and Mass Organisations

Name Address President Member Member Member

-

Member Member Member

-

Counselling

Centres

Pariwar Paramarshdatri Mahasamund , C.G. Collector Shri Arun Shukla Smt. Anita Rawte Phone- 222453 Smt. Alka Khatti, (Social Worker) Phone222539 Mira Das (Social Worker ) Ph. 222288 Smt. Sarita Tiwari, Phone- 222467 Smt. Pramila Shukla, Phone- 222266 N G O s

Name Address Director Phone

-

Rural Life Programme Mahasamund Chhattisgarh Smt. Anita Rawte 222453, 223790

Name

-

Address

-

Kasturba Smarak Nidhi Swasthya Kendra Belsonda, Distt. Mahasamund, Chhattisgarh

Name Address

-

Phone

-

Jan Jagriti Kendra Ranisagar Para, Pithora, Mahasamund (07707) 271107

District

Name Address

-

Phone

-

Chhattisgarh Mahila Jagriti Sangathan Mission Compound, Tumgaon Road, Mahasamund (07723) 222503, 223874

DHAMTARI DISTRICT

Govt.

Structure

Name

-

Address Phone President

-

Dahej Pratishedh Salahkar Board Department of Women and Child Development Near Nehru Gardan, Dhamtari C.G. (07722) 232353 Smt. Shashi Gaur

Name Address Phone Councellor Councellor Member Member

-

Mahila Utpidan Nivaran Civil Court, Dhamtari, (07722) 240153 Smt. Priti Shrivastava Sabhiya Raza Smt. Manjulata Sahu Smt. Janki Tiwari Dham

Prakosth

tari District

Family Name Address Phone Fax President Counsellor Member Meeting

-

Counselling

Centres

Jila Pariwarik Paramarsh Kendra Arjuni Police Station, Distt. Dhamtari (07722) 235144, 238265, 238265 (07722) 38390 S P Mrs. Parwati Vadhvani Mrs. Shashi Gaur (Social Worker) First Sunday of every month

KANKER DISTRICT

N G O s Name Address Phone President Vice President Secretary Joint Secretary

Role

of

-

Adarsh Mahila Samaj Near Gurudwara, Distt. Dhamtari (07722) 237278 (O) 237599 (R) Smt. Jamaben Smt. Anna Begum Smt. Neela Kapadia Smt. Pragya Rawat

Family

Consultation

Centre

Resident of village Amdi in Dhamtari District

Mr. Vijay

Kumar Sahu was married to Bhuneshwari of the same village. The couple enjoyed a happy married life till an accident made Mr Sahu handicapped and he lost one of his legs to be disturbed both mentally and economically. In between his wife left her. Mr. Sahu applied family consultation centre

for

assistance.

On

discussion

with

centre

Bhuneshwari realised her mistake and finally came back to leave at her in-laws place.

NGOs. Name Address

-

Phone Secretary Advisor Dispalcement Officer Doctor

-

Bhartiya Adimjati Sevak Sangh Short Stay Homes, Liti para, Kanker, Pin - 494669 (07868) 241113 Shri Laxmikant Chichankar, Ku. Sumitra Moon

-

Ku. Sunita Dr. Ishwar

Name Address District Phone

-

Disha Samaj Sevi Sanstha, Jaisakarra, Charama, Kanker, Chhattisgarh (07868) 263638

Name Address

-

Phone

-

Parivartan Bardi Bhatha, Kanker Bastar, Chhattisgarh (07868) 223134

Ambore Ramani

SARGUJA DISTRICT

Govt.

Name Address

-

Project Officer

-

Name Address

-

Family Name Address

-

Phone President Doctor Counsellor Advisor Advisor

-

NGOs. Name

-

Address

-

Phone President Vice President Secretary

-

Member Member

-

Name Address

-

Phone Fax President Member Member Member Member Member

-

Name

-

Structure

Mahila Bal Vikas Lundra Block Ambikapur , Sarguja, Sister Lusi Parera

C.G.

Mahila Utpidan Nivaran Samiti Department of Distt. Women and Child Development Ambikapur, Sarguja

counselling

centres

Pariwar Paramarsh Kendra, Holy Cross Girls College, Ambikapur ,Sarguja, (07774) 230690 Collector Sister Jyoti Sharma Smt. Mira Gupta (Advocate ) Ku. Punna Jharna Toppo Shri Rajesh Keshari

Address

-

Phone Fax

-

Manav Sansadhan Sanskriti Vikas Parishad Purani Post Office Road, Darripara, Ambikapur District Sarguja, Pin - 497001 (07774) 235361 Smt. Meera Shukla Dr. Sushma Sinha Shri Manoj Bharti Mobile-9826142836 Smt. Snehlata Khare, Dr. Fazul H. Doshi

Mahila Shakti Sangh Post office Udaipur (Patrapara) Distt. Sarguja (07832) 5 1 2 2 4 (07832) 220099 Shri Anil Singh Smt. Rambai Smt. Budh Kunwar Bai Smt. Deelkunwar Bai Smt. Amulya Bai Gendibai Prabhas (Gramin Vikash Praksikshan Shodh Sansthan) Bhaskar Bhavan, Kedarpur, Ambikapur , Sarguja, C.G. (07774) 220625 220099

Evam

Name Address

-

Phone President

-

Samta Mahila Gyan Vigyan Samiti Pratappur Road, Behind Collector’s Residence, Ambikapur, Sarguja (07774) 222848 Ms. Vandana Dutta

Name Address District Phone

-

Ghandhi Seva Ashram Deviganj Road, Ambikapur, Sarguja, Chhattisgarh Pin - 497001 (0774) 225302

RAJNANDGAON DISTRICT Govt. Name

-

Address

-

Family Name Address

-

Phone President

-

Counsellor

-

Member

-

Doctor Member Member Member

-

Structure

Department of Women and Child Development Ambedkar National Social Science Sanstha Dongargarh, District Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh Counselling

Centres

Pariwar Paramarsh Kendra Mahila Prakosth, Behind Kotwali, Rajnandgaon,Chhattisgarh (07744) 227243, Smt. Usha Markam, TI, Mobile-98271-14260 Smt. Sharda Tiwari (Advocate) Phone227086 Smt. Sheela Kothari (Social Worker) Phone-226277 Dr. Ratna Oswal Phone- 226507 Smt. Alka Mudliyar Smt. Pragya Kannoje Dr. Hemlata More, Phone- 226546 N G O s

Name Address

-

Phone Director

-

Abhivyakti Kalyan Samiti Chikli, Khairagarh Road, Rajnandgaon, C.G. (07744) 228298, S.N. Mishra, Mobile- 98271- 59662

Trade Name Address

-

Phone Director Member Member Member Member

-

Name Address

-

Email Member

-

Member Member Member Member

-

Sankalp Sanskritik Samiti Chikli, Near Police Station, Rajnandgaon Chhattisgarh. (07744) 222069, Mobile- 98271Chunnilal Sharma D.C. Sindhi Pankaj Solanki Ajay (Social Worker) Smt. Sangeeta (Nurse)

76727

Shrijan Samajik Sanstha C/o Shri B.K. Thakur, Ward No. 39, Kerin Bhata, Rajnandgaon , Chhattisgarh [email protected] Sharad Kumar Shrivastava, Mobile-98271-73727 Atul Raj Pushan Sahu Sahbaz Khan Manisha Hostel

Name Address

-

Phone President Member Member Member

-

Kasturba Vasati Griha Near Veterinary Hospital, Old Rest House Road, Rajnandgaon (07744) 226698, 224735 Smt. Sarasvati Maheshwari Dr. Hemlata More, Phone- 226546 Smt. Pushpa Anjali Jaiswal

Name Address Phone

Unions -

and

Mass

Organisations

Rajnandgaon Kapda Mazdoor Sangh Motipur, Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh (7744) 227008

BASTAR DISTRICT Govt.

Structure

Name Address Phone President

-

Swadhar Yojna Nagar Nigam Jagdalpur Pin - 494001 (07782) 222377 Commissionar, Nagar Nigam

Name Address

-

Phone President Incharge Counsellor Doctor Member

-

Mahila Prakosth SP Office, Jagdalpur, District Bastar Pin - 494001 (07782) 222170 C S P Ms. Rajkumari Panday Kumari Uma Panday Dr. Hina Ahmed Ms. Naaz Khan (Social Worker )

Family Name

-

Address

-

Counseling

Centres

Pariwar Paramarsh Kendra (Mahatma Gandhi Mahila Evam Bal Kalyan Sansthan ) Hikmi Para, Dalpat Shah Ward, Anupama Chowk, Jagdalpur, Bastar, Pin - 494001 N G O s

Name

-

Address

-

Phone Email

-

Bastar Sewak Mandal Social Welfare Centre Catholic Church, Lalbag Jagdalpur, Pin - 494669 (07782) 264726, 264727 [email protected]

Director President Secretary

-

Fr. Thomas Fr. Kurian Sister Lisa

Name

-

Address

-

Phone President Secretary Member

-

Mahatma Gandhi Mahila evam Bal Kalyan Sansthan Chhalpat Shah Ward, Hikmipara, Anupama Chowk,Jagdalpur, Pin - 494001 (07782) 223015 Smt. Naaz Khan Smt. K.M. Naidu Shri Sukrant Vishwakarma

Name Address

-

Contact

-

Name Address

-

Continuous

Maichal

Mata Rukmani Kanya Ashram Post Dimrapal, District Bastar, Chhattisgarh Dharampal Saini Vishwas C/o Ramkrishna MissionNarayanpur, District Bastar, Chhattisgarh

Quest

for

Rehabilitation

Kavita lost her mother at the age of three and after her death Kavita’s father remarried again. When Kavita turned seventeen, she was married to a Bengali youth by her father. Kavita’s husband Mr. Narayan Mandal was a truck driver and a drank heavily . Kavita when tried to make her husband free from bad habits was daily beaten up by him. In the meantime she became pregnant but even then her husband continued to harass. Few months later Kavita gave birth to a girl child which made her hope that her husband might change now. However there was no change . As her daughter approached the age of seven Kavita lost all hopes of patching up as she continuously faced same miseries of life. So she left her husband and along with daughter returned back to father’s residence Jagdalpur. Meanwhile she took shelter for three years in Mahila Alpavas Griha, Kanker and took training of stitching, weaving etc. Today Kavita’s daughter is sixteen and studying in class tenth. She dreams now of giving her child a good education to make her stand on her own feet.

BILASPUR DISTRICT Govt.

Name Address

-

Phone President Member Doctor Doctor Counsellor Member

Family

Name Address

-

Phone President Incharge Member

-

Structures

Mahila Utpidan Prakoshth Department of Women & Child Development Bilaspur Pin - 495001 (07752) 230359 Collector S P B M O Dr. Meena Gupta Smt. Sonali Bose (Advocate) Satyabhama Awasthi Counselling

Centres

Pariwar Pramarsh Kendra Women Police Station, Bilaspur, Pin - 495001 (07752) 236128 S P Ku. Mamta Sharma Sub Inspactor Satyabhama Awasthi (Social Worker)

Name

-

Address

-

Phone Director Member Member

-

Name Address

-

Phone Fax Email Director

-

Name Address

-

Tribal Development Society Laxmi Niwas, Ware House Road, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh Pin - 495001

Name Address

-

Bal Sakha Rajkishor Nagar, Near Housing O f f i c e , B i l a s p u r, Chhattisgarh, Pin-495001

Trade N G O s

Name Address

-

Phone Director

-

Gramvikas Mandi (Association Bada Bazar, Mungeli, Bilaspur, Pin- 495334 (07752) 51273 Hafiz Mohammad

Trust)

Name Address Contact

Mahila Shiksha Kalyan Prashikshan Parishad Abhishek Bhawan, Ware house Bilaspur Pin - 495001 (07752) 223855, 503681 Smt. Hemlata Sahu Ms. Ashalata Sahu Ms. Anita Sahu

Road,

Vasudha Manch 14- Senior MIG, Nehrunagar Bilaspur Pin - 495001 (07752) 225057, Mobile - 94252 - 27650 (07752) 252430 [email protected] Satyabhama Awasthi

Unions -

and

and

Mass

Board

Organisations

Bhartiya Mahila Federation Devri- khurd, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh Neetu Singh Netam

JASHPUR DISTRICT

Govt. Name-

-

Address

-

Phone President Secretary

-

Family Name Address Phone

-

President Counselar Member

-

Structure

Chhattisgarh Bahuuddeshiya Samajsevi Samiti C/o Anganbadi Prashikshan Kendra, Jurgum Bhandar Sanna Road, Distt. Jashpur, Pin - 496336 (07763) 220282 Ms. Chandra Mudliyar Ms. Kumud Mehar

Counselling

Centres

Pariwar Paramarsh Kendra SP office, District Jashpur (07763) 223240, 223322, 223801, 223802 S P Shri Krishna Roy (Advocate) Dr. Prem Prakash Sharma

N G O s Name Address

-

Phone President Vice President Secretary

-

Mahila Jagriti Sangathan, Village/Post Golengh, Distt. Pin- 496386 (07763) 223217 (PP) Smt. Domnik Bada Salina Minj Ms. Nil Kusum Kujur

Jashpur,

Name Address

-

Contact

-

Name Address

-

Name

-

Address

-

Jashpur Samaj Seva Samiti Badupara, Post- Musgutary, District Jashpur, Chhattisgarh Monika Toppo Jivan Vikas Sadhnalaya, Pathalgaon, Chhattisgarh,

District

Raigarh Ambikapur Health Association (RAHA) Pathalgaon, District Jashpur Chhattisgarh

Jashpur,

KORBA DISTRICT N G O S Govt. Name Address

-

Phone President Secretary Member Counsellor Member Member

-

Name

-

Address Presidant Member Member

-

Family Name Address Telefax President Member Meeting

-

Structure

Mahila Utpidan Nivaran Prakosth Department of W & C Develpment, Rampur, Distt. Korba, Pin - 495450 (07759) 226618 (O) 226133 (R) S D M Project Officer Womens Doctor Adovcate 2 Social Worker Peoples Activist Dahej Pratisedh Salahkar Board Department of W & C Development, Korba, Pin - 495450 Smt. Nilam Saloman Smt. Rama Chourasiya Smt. Anju Baghel

Counselling

Centres

Pariwar Pramarsh Kendra SP Office, Rampur, District Korba (07759) 224500 S P Mrs. Asha Verma, Dr. S. Mahto Every Sunday

Name

-

Address

-

Phone Director

-

Name Address

-

Shodh (Social Revival Groups of Urban Rural & Tribal ) H - 25, Irrigation Colony, Darri, Jamnipali, Post Korba, Pin - 495450 (07759) 234045 Advocate Dixon Masih

Samta Gyan Vigyan Samiti C/o Lal Babu Thakur, Mohlain Bhata,Katghora, District Korba, Chhattisgarh

N G O s

RAIGARH DISTRICT Govt. Name Address

-

Phone President Secretary Warden

Family

Structure

Indira Gandhi Mahila Vasti Grih Chakradhar Bal Sadan Raigarh Pin - 496001 (07762) 231420 Mr. Krishna Kumar Gupta Shri Gajendra Chidipal Smt. Nisha Shukla Counselling

Name Address Phone Director Vice President Member

-

Disha Darshan Fuljharia Para, Sarangarh, Distt. Raigarh, (07762) 240498 Mr. Shyama Dubey Shri Rajesh Gupta Shri Daya Ram Sahu, Shri Shyam Sundar

Name Address

-

Raigarh Sahyog Samiti First Floor, Transport Complex, Near Agroha Bhavan, Mandir Raigarh Pin - 496001

Centres

Name Address Phone Fax President Incharge Counsellor Meeting Other Activities

-

Jila Pariwarik Salahkar Kendra SP Office, District Rigarh,Pin - 496001 (07762) 224581, 223333 (07762) 224863 District SP Sandhya Rani Koka Gitanjali Patel (Social Worker) every Sunday Affair Cases and Marriage Bureau

Name Address

-

Missionaries of Charity Rambhatha, Raigarh, Chhattisgarh, Pin - 496001

Name Address

-

Lok Shakti Samiti Raigarh, Chhattisgarh, Pin - 496001

Role

of

Family

Consultation

Chowk,

Centre

Tribal girl Rambati, daughter of Chanak Ram Kanwar and resident of village Kaya under Gharghora came for justice before the Superintendent of Police Raigarh. She had a physical relationship with Dhaneshwar, son of Sukhsingh Kanwar of village Kaya and was now a mother of new born child. Mean while Dhaneshwar refused to keep both mother and son with him and Rambati lodged a case of rape against Dhaneshwar. Looking at the seriousness of incident family Counselling centre immediately swung into action and called both the sides for a mutual settlement. On being questioned Dhaneshwar accepted his illicit relationship with Rambati . The counselling centre arranged their marriage to which Dhaneshwar’s family members gave their mod and both tied nuptial-knot once and for all. Their child was the guest of honour at the wedding.

RAIPUR DISTRICT State Name

-

Address

-

Chair

-

person

Level

Name Address

-

-

Structure

Chhattisgarh Mahila Ayog (Women’s Commission) Civil Lines, Raipur, Chhattisgarh Pin - 492001 Ms. Hemvant Porte

Govt.

Counsellor Member Meeting

Smt. Chhaya Roy Smt. Mamta Verma (Social Worker) First and Second Sunday of every month Short

Name Address

-

Phone Incharge

-

Name

-

Address

-

Stay

Homes

Missionaries of Charity Rajendra Nagar, Ravigram, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, Pin - 492001 (0771) 2424115 Sr. Carolyne

Structure

Mahila and Bal Vikas Vibhag, Women and Child Development Directorate Old Nurses Hostel, G.E. Road, Raipur, Chhattisgarh

Pt. Ravishankar Shukla Govt. Nari Niketan (Organise by Distt. Women & Child Development Khamardih,Shankar Nagar, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, Pin - 492001 N G O s

Name Address

-

Family

Name Address Phone President Incharge

-

Dahej Virodhi Salahkar Samiti C/o District Women and Child Development Officer Collectorate Premises, Raipur, Chhattisgarh

Counselling

Name Address

-

Kasturba Trust Sanstha Village - Saragaon, Kharora Road, District Raipur C.G.,

Name Address

-

Phone

-

Rupantar A- 26, Surya Apartments, Katora Talab, Raipur, C.G., Pin - 492001 (0771) 2424669

Name Address

-

Phone

-

Centres

Pariwar Paramarsh Kendra Mahila Thana Raipur, C.G. (0771) 2423499 S P Smt. Sandhya Dviwedi

Bhartiya Mahila Federation Jairam Building, Sharda Chowk, Raipur, Chhattisgarh Pin- 492001 (0771) 5032176

Name Address

-

Phone

-

Name

-

Address

-

Name

-

Address

-

Phone

-

Name

-

Address

-

Name Address

Name Address

Name Address

Name Address Phone

-

Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samiti 255, Sundar Nagar, Raipur, Chhattisgarh (0771) 2241223

Name

-

Address

-

Chhattisgarh,

Phone

-

National Association for the Blind “PRERNA” Slice No. 3, Housing Board Colony, Veer Sarvarkar Nagar, Hirapur, Tatibandh, Raipur, Pin - 492099 (0771) 2573122

Chhattisgarh Voluntary Health Association - AIDS Helpline D- 83, Sector 4, Devendra Nagar, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, Pin - 492001 (0771) 5058700

Name

-

Address

-

Dalit Adivasi Evam Pichada Varg Mahila Kalyan Sangh D-24, Tagore Nagar, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, Pin - 492001

Name Address

-

Akanksha Lions Den, Telibandha, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, Pin - 492001

-

Ekta Mahila Samiti Basinpara, Sarswati Chowk, Raipur, Chhattisgarh - 492001

Name Address

-

Andha Shradha Nirmulan C/o Dr. Dinesh Mishra, Phool Chowk, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, Pin - 492001

-

Gramin Vikas Pratisthan Sasaholi, Tilda Nevra, District Raipur, Chhattisgarh

-

Chetna Manch Village - Bhurvadih (Khurd) Post - Mohrenga (Kharora) Block - Tilda, District - Raipur, Chhattisgarh Pin - 493225 (0771) 223681 Chhattisgarh Parishad Mana Camp,

Bal

Evam

Raipur,

Vridh

Kalyan

Mahila Kalyan Evam Vikas Samiti Behind Mahavir School, Gudiyari Raipur, Chhattisgarh, Pin - 492001

Viklang Balika Grih Rehabilitiation Centre for Orthopaedically Handicapped Girls Maharashtra Mandal, Samta Colony, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, Pin - 492001

Girls Name Address

-

Phone Warden

-

Samiti

Hostel

Panchvati Mahila Hostel (RDA Raipur) Behind Collector Office, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, Pin - 492001 (0771) 2511433 Parvati Chandrakar

Name Address Phone Secretary

Trade

Unions

Name

-

Address

-

Phone

-

Name

-

Address

-

Name

-

Address

-

Name

-

Address

-

KAWARDHA DISTRICT

Bhawna Mahila Samiti EAC Colony, Raipur C.G., Pin - 492001 (0771) 5017225 Smt. Meena Verma and

Mass

Organisations

Chattisgarh Chemical Mazdoor Sangh (CMM) Shaheed Nagar, Birgaon, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, (0771) 562488 Pragatisheel Engineering Shramik Sangh Shaheed Nagar, Birgaon, Raipur, Chhattisgarh

Govt. Name

-

Address Phone President Block President Member Director Project Officer

-

Family

Quest

All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) Kalibadi Premises, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, Pin - 492001 All India Insurance Employees Association LIC Building, Pandri, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, Pin - 492001

for

Rehabilitation

Sunita Minni (22) , Lodhipara lodged a complaint of dowry torture against her husband Mr. Dharmendra Minni. Working as middleman in railway and resident of Ahmedabad Sunita’s husband continuously demanded money by sending Sunita back to her parents. Initially the case was taken up by family counselling centre and after pursuance by centre Sunita’s in-laws agreed not to trouble her for dowry. Receiving assurance, Sunita then went back to her marital home. But few days later when again Sunita was tortured by her father-in-law, mother-in-law and husband for dowry she was forced to lodge a case of dowry menace against the trio.

Name Address President Phone Member Member Counsellor Member Member

-

Structures

Mahila Utpidan Nivaran Samiti Department of Distt. Women and Child Development Kawardha, Chhattisgarh (07741) 232886 Collector S D O Health Workers & Advocates P. Salam Distt. W.C.D. Smt. Indu Thakur, Phone- (07741) 233169

Counselling

Centres

Pariwarik Paramarsh Kendra Mahila Prakost Distt. Kawardha, C.G. Ku. Manjulata Rathore (07741) 233127 (R) 232203 (O) Smt. Rajarani Mishra (Constable) Smt. Disha Pathak (Constable) Shri Chandranath Jha (Advocate ) Smt. Snehlata Jain (Social Worker) Smt. Manju Shrivastava (Social Worker)

DISTRICT JANJGIR

DANTEWADA DISTRICT Family Name Address Phone President Counsellor Doctor Member

-

Counseling

Family

Centers

Mahila Pariwar Paramarsh SP Office, Dantewada - Pin (07856) 252340 DSP Smt. Sweta Rajmani Smt. Shah Mrs. V.P. Tirki Gayatri Sinha, ASI

Kendra 494113

Name Address Phone President Counsellor Incharg Meeting

-

N G O s Name Address

-

Adivasi Harijan Kalyan Samiti Post - Chhindgarh, District Dantewara, Chhattisgarh

Hostel Name

-

Address

-

President Incharge Member

-

Nari Niketan (Department of W & C Development ) Tripathi Colony, Dantewada, Pin - 494113 Smt. Saroj Thakur W & C development Officer Smt. Sunita Jain

Counselling

centres

Pariwar Paramarsh Kendra SP Office, Janjgir, (07759) 22093, 22223 S P Mrs. Vijiya Soni Ku. Seeta Sahu ( Head Constable) Every Saturday N G O s

Name Address

-

Chhattisgarh Mahila Jagriti Sangathan Village - Chhotasipat, Malkharoda, District- Champa - Janjgir, Chhattisgarh

N G O s

DURG DISTRICT Govt. Name Address Phone Counsellor Member Member Name Address

Family

Name Address

Structure

Jila Saksharta Paramarsh Kendra Jila Saksharta Kendra, Durg (0788) 2211821 Ms. Saroj Singh Dr. Shail Verma Smt. Shantilata Verma (Social Worker) Jila Saksharta Samiti Padmanabhpur, Durg, Chhattisgarh Counselling

Centres

Name Address President Member Member Meeting

-

Mahila Pariwarik Paramarsh Kendra Mahila Police Station Durg, Additional SP Smt. Anjana Shrivastva, Gayatri Tamrakar (Social Worker) Every Wednesday

Name Address

-

Teacher

-

Member

-

Member

-

Doctor Counsellor

-

Mahila Paramarsh Kendra, Mahila Police Station, Old Bus Durg, Chhattisgarh Dr. Vibha Sinha, Phone - (0788) 2321862, Smt. Jyoti Sharma Phone - (0788) 2225632 Smt. Kamani Tiwari Phone - (0788) 2359697 Dr. Shail Verma Ku. Saroj Singh (Advocate ) Phone - (0788) 2353704

Stand,

Contact

Person -

Mini Mata Mahila Samiti 123/H, Risali Sector, Bhilai, Durg, Chhattisgarh, Pin- 490006 Riti Deshlahara

All Eyes were Moist Suman Bai of Dalli Rajahara was married to Gautam Mandavi. As Suman Bai became pregnant doctor declared her case to be complicated. Her parents brought their daughter with them for delivery where she gave birth to a girl child through Surgery. On hearing the news Gautam Mandavi went to see his daughter and wife but Suman Bai’s parents did not allow Gautam to meet both the mother and child. This went on for about three months and finally Gautam filed a report at police station. Both the sides were called upon to discuss the case. Suman’s mother said that her daughter may be tortured by in-laws as she has given birth to a girl. Both the sides entered into a mutual agreement that this would not happen after counselling was done. The process of counselling went on for three months and the father could see the face of his daughter when she was six months. When Gautam took the child in his lap, members of family counselling centre felt their eyes getting moist .

Trade

Unions

Name Address

-

Phone

-

Name

-

Address

-

Name Address

-

Phone

-

and

Mass

Organisations

Chhattisgarh Shramik Sangh C/o CMM, Office, Labour Camp, Jamul, Bhilai, District Durg, Chhattisgarh (0788) 228550 Chhattisgarh Mines Shramik Sangh, (TU) Dalli Rajhara, District Durg, Chhattisgarh Mahila Mukti Morcha (C.M.M.) Labour Camp, Jamul, Bhilai District Durg, Chhattisgarh (0788) 228550

Telephone Numbers of Police Administration Police Station Bilaspur Police Station/Designation IG SP(BSP) SP(KBA) SP(JGR) SP(RGH)

Office

Residence

07752-223636 07752-223330 07759-224500 07817-222153 07762-223333

Police Station Durg SP ASP (Gramin) ASP(City) CSP Kotwali Police Station Mohan Nagar Police Station Pulgaon Police Station Mahila Police Station ST/SC Police Station Police Line Police Station District Jail

0788-2322071 0788-2323626 0788-2355476 0788-2219393 0788-2210055 0788-2210570 0788-2323452 0788-2211337 0788-2211337 0788-2211660 0788-2322964

2322003 2242704

Police Station Bastar IG SP Kotwali Police Station Bodhghat Police Station Parpa

07782-222752 07782-222336 07782-222350 07782-222448 07782-222237

222753 222303 228899

Nagarnar Lohandimud Kondagaon SDOP Kondagaon Keshkal

07782-265232 07782-288240 07782-242239 07782-242310

SP (KRA) SP (BLR) 242309

Police Station Kawardha SP Pipriya Police Station Lohara Police Station Bodia Police Station Chilphi Police Station Pandariya Police Station Kawardha Police Station

07741-232375 07741-262652 07741-261552 07741-53432 07741-254214 07741-254134 07741-232203

232487

Police Station Dantewara SP Police Station Dantewara IG Naxlite ASP Dantewara Police Control Room SP Bijapur ASP Bijapur DSP Bijapur Thana

07856-252224 07856-252204 07856-252286 07856-252340 07856-252407 07856-220392

07856-220224

Police Station Sarguja IG SP (SJA) SP (JSP)

07774-240158 07774-220604 07763-223240

252225

220246 220393 220248

07836-232223 07831-273800

Police Station Raipur Police Control Room DIG Raipur SP Raipur ASP (Additional)(Gramin) ASP (City) SP Vigilence Regional Supritendant CSP Civil Lines Amanaka Police Station Azad Chowk Police Station City Kotwali Police Station Civil Lines Police Station GRP Ganjpara Police Station Vishesh Thana (SC/ST) Khamtarai Police Station Mahila Police Station Gole Bazar Police Station Purani Basti Police Station Pt. RSU, Police Station Traffic Police Station Tikrapara Police Station Mudhapara Police Station Mova Police Station

2422401 0771-2423654 0771-2426540 0771-2427316 0771-2423616 0771-2424418 0771-2423670 0771-2424405 0771-2323413 0771-2229128 0771-2538301 0771-2424406 0771-2524116 0771-2525519 0771-2524179 0771-2562157 0771-2422401 0771-2227929 0771-2227929 0771-2254496 0771-2229784 0771-2272831 0771-2534179 0771-2282499

Rape Cases on The Upswing Twenty two months since the formation of Chhattisgarh state one thousand seven hundred and tirty six rape cases has been reported so far. A total number of one 1982 alleged in said cases have been arrested and sixty five left own are still absconding of the figures five hundred and two cases have been registered within a period of six months in between March 1, 2002 and August 31, 2002 .

Women

Our Rights

Rights related

to

Police

Rights During Interrogation You have the right · ·

To refuse to be taken to the police station or anywhere else for interrogation To be questioned only at your residence and in the presence of your family members

Rights at the Time of arrest You have the right

PART - IV

· · · ·

Women’s Rights : The Legal Framework

To ask for the reasons for your arrest Not be handcuffed at the time of your arrest To demand that you be produced before magistrate within 24 hours of your arrest To take along you’re relative or friend to the police station.

Rights in the police Station You have the right · ·

To demand that you should be placed in a female lockup To ask a magistrate for your medical examination if you are beaten, abused or tortured by the police.

Rights at the time of search You have the right · ·

To demand that your bodily search be carried out only by another female in a decent manner To search any police women before she searches you

Rights at the time of filling first information report (FIR) You have the right · To · To · To · To · To

demand that your F.I.R. be registered take along any friend or relative at the time of filling the F.I.R. read the F.I.R. or have someone else read it to you before you sign it receive a free copy of the F.I.R. approach senior police officers or your area magistrate if the police refuses to register your F.I.R.

LAWS

PERTAINING

TO

VIOLENCE

AGAINST

WOMEN

This chapter deals with the most commonly associated legislations in relation to cases of violence against women. An attempt has been made to explain these laws in a lay person’s language, so that it can be easily understood. It is also to inform people and more particularly, women about the protective legislations that are in place to seek redress, when subjected to physical and mental torture. DOMESTIC

VIOLENCE

There is no specific law to deal with domestic violence. n

However the existing criminal law provisions can be used to initiate proceedings against the husband or his relatives in the Magistrate Court where the incident took place.

n

A complaint can be filed under section 498-A explanation (a) for any physical or mental harassment/torture/abuse, etc.,

n

If the abuse/harassment/torture/ill-treatment is not linked with dowry demands, do not mention dowry demands or file the complaint under section 498-A Explanation (b). However if any monetary/financial demands have been made and the women is subjected to cruelty then file the complaint under both the provisions. i.e., for harassment and also dowry demands.

n

The complaint has be filed as early as possible in the jurisdiction police station.

n

the complaint must contain all the facts and brief narration of the events-both the past and the immediate cause just before filling of the complaint.

n

These events must be of such a nature that it causes grave injury or danger to the life or health of the women or drives a women to commit suicide.

n

Offences under sec. 498-A are cognizable i.e., the police officer

can arrest without a warrant and non-bailable i.e., the police themselves cannot grant bail, and the same has to be obtained in the Court.

n

n

THE

INDIAN

PENAL

CODE

RELATING

TO

VIOLENCE

Punishment

302

Murder

Death or imprisonment for life and f i n e

323

Voluntarily causing hurt-if a man has beaten or threatened to beat

Imprisonment for 1 years, fine of Rs. 1000 or both.

324

Voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous Imprisonment for 3 years or weapons or means fine or both.

That the spouse or/and his relatives are restrained from ousting the women and her children from the marital home/Matrimonial home.

325

Voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means

Imprisonment for 7 year and fine

That exclusive possession of the matrimonial home should be granted to the women and her children.

326

Voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means

Imprisonment for life or for 10 years and fine.

That the spouse or/and his relatives may be restrained from entering the premises or any part of it which is in the women’s occupation.

327

Voluntarily causing hurt to extort property or a valuable securing or to constrain to do anything which is illegal or which may facilitate the commission of an offence.

Imprisonment up to 10 years and fine.

329

Voluntarily causing grievous hurt to Imprisonment for life or up to extort property or a valuable security 10 years and fine. or do anything which is illegal or which may facilitate the commission of an offence.

336

Doing any act which endangers human life or the personal safety of others

Imprisonment for three months/fine/Rs. 250/both.

337

Causing hurt by an act which endangers human life etc.

Imprisonment for 6 months or fine of Rs. 500/0 or both.

CIVIL

n

IN

Section Offence (Torture both mental and physical come under Sec. 498-A IPC)

n

SECTIONS

REMEDY

Women can file suit under order VII Rule 1 of the Code of Civil Procedure in the Family Court, where there is no Family Court in a Civil Court against the husband or relatives who are harassing the women to seek any of the following orders:-

n

T h a t t h e p e r s o n a l p r o p e r t y o f t h e w o m e n b e r e s t o r e d t o h e r.

n

That the spouse or/and his relatives be restrained from alienating/transferring the matrimonial home by way of sale, gift, rent or inducting any third party in to the matrimonial home.

n

That the spouse or/and his relatives be restrained from further abusing/molesting the women or her children.

n

In case of Hindu women, she can seek for separate residence under Section 18 of the Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act.

338

Causing grievous hurt by an act which endangers human life etc.

Imprisonment for 2 years or fine of Rs. 1000/- or both.

n

If any person other than the women has actually received dowry, the Act requires that person should transfer it to the women within 3 months from the date of marriage or the date of its receipt of the dowry.

341

Wrongfully restraining any persons

Simple imprisonment for 1 month or fine or Rs. 500/- or both.

n

Till such transfers are made the man holds the property as a trustee for the benefit of the women. Failure to transfer within 3 months in punishable.

342

Wrongfully confining any person

Imprisonment for 1 year or fine of Rs. 1000/- or both.

n

343

Wrongfully confining for 3 or 4 days

Imprisonment for 2 years or fine or both.

The property received by a women at the time of marriage is her “Stridhan” and belongs exclusively to her and the same is to be retained by her notwithstanding from whom she got the property or valuables.

n

344

Wrongfully confining for 10 or more and fine

Imprisonment for 3 years days

The offences under this Act are cognizable, non-bailable and noncompoundable.

347

Wrongful confinement for the purpose of extorting property or constraining to do an illegal act, etc.

Imprisonment for 3 years and fine.

n

Complaint for dowry harassment may be lodged by the aggrieved party, her parents, or by any recognized welfare institution or by the court on its own knowledge (suo motto)

n

355

Assault or use of criminal force with Imprisonment for 2 year or an intent to dishonor a person fine of Rs. 1000/- or both otherwise than on a grave provocation.

The presumption of guilt is fastened on the person persecuted unless he proves otherwise.

n

Section 304-B of IPC :- If a women dies within 7 years of her marriage and she had been subjected just before her death to cruelty or harassment by her husband or his relative, that such cruelty or harassment was in connection with any demand for dowry and that the death is caused by burns, bodily injuries, or accurred otherwise than under normal circumstance, then the husband or relative shall be deemed to have caused the death and is punishable with imprisonment of not less than 7 years which may extend for life.

n

If a complaint is being filed under Section 304-B, care should be taken to narrate the events that took place immediately before her death.

n

Section 498-A of IPC :- If the husband or the relative of the husband a women subjects her to harassment with a view to coerce/force her or any other person related to her to meet unlawful demands for any property or money etc., then the husband or the relative shall be punishable with imprisonment that may extend up to three years and fine.

357

Assault or use of criminal force for wrongful confinement THE

DOWRY

PROHIBITION

Imprisonment for 1 year or fine of Rs. 1000/- or both. ACT,

1961

n

Any property agreed to be given in connection with marriage before or after the marriage amounts to Dowry.

n

Demanding property in connection with marriage is a crime and punishable.

n

Giving and taking dowry is prohibited and is punishable.

n

Advertising offering property or money as consideration for the marriage is punishable.

n

Giving persent to the bride or bridegroom is not considered dowry provided they are entered in a list to be maintained by both the parties.

SEXUAL

HARASSMENT

IN

WORK

PLACE

l

Notify, publish and circulate-acts prohibited.

l

Provide congenial atmosphere - work-leisure & health hygiene. No women employee should have grounds to believe that she is having disadvantage in connection with her work

No specific law regarding sexual harassment. Supreme Court has laid down guidelines in Vishaka’s case (AIR 1997 Supreme Court 3011) n

Any unwelcome sexually determined behaviour - direct or implicit viz.

l

Provide optional transfer, if the victim feels necessary.

n

Physical

l

Incorporate sexual harassment in conduct rules.

n

Demand or request

l

Incorporate in the Industrial Standing Order.

n

Sexually

l

Initiate

n

Showing

Any other unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of sexual nature.

l

Initiate criminal proceedings under IPC.

n

l

Ensure prevention of victimization and discrimination of victims and witnesses.

l

Facilitate

l

Create awareness among women about sexual harassment.

II

Duty to Provide Procedure headed by women.

III

Duties of the committee :- provide counselling, medical aid, legal aid, maintain Confidentiality and time bound inquiry.

contact

coloured

advances

for sexual favours remarks

Acts

committed

amounts

to

sexual

harassment:

When the victim has a reasonable apprehension -That such conduct is humiliating -Constitutes health and safety problem.

n

When the victim has a reasonable ground to believe that her objections to such acts would disadvantage, would prejudice her in connection with work, recruitment, promotion, creates an hostile work atmosphere.

n

When non-consent/objections to such acts entails adverse consequences.

DUTIES I.

disciplinary

proceeding.

pornography

Such n

and

AND

OBLIGATIONS

AS

PER

discussions

in

employee-employer

for

meetings.

Resolution

Complaint

Mechanism

RAPE l

Rape is an offence not against the individual but like all crimes in the Indian Penal Code it is a crime against the State

l

Once the incident occurs, it has to be reported immediately without any delay to the jurisdiction police station. As far as possible the complaint must be given in writing containing all relevant facts in order to avoid manipulation. Then the police will investigate the matter and file charge sheet.

l

The information, i.e., the person filling the complaint is entitled to a copy of the First Information Report (FIR).

l

The victim must undergo medical examination

JUDGEMENT

Duty to Prevent Commission Acts of Sexual Harassment

l

Identify the acts that constitute sexual harassment

l

Prohibit acts

l

Penalize commission of acts of sexual harassment.

l

Abetment to be defined to include non action of the official concerned.

of sexual harassment - workplace/precincts/residence.

II Persons may be charged with the following sections in a rape case l

l

The trial is conducted in a court of sessions and not a magistrate court, by the public prosecutor. Like all criminal matters the victim cannot have an independent lawyer, unless she makes an application for appointing a special prosecutor. Any advocate with 10 years of practice can be appointed as a Special Public P r o s e c u t o r. PROVISIONS

RELATING TO SEXUAL IN THE INDIAN PENAL CODE

Section Offence I Rape 375 Sexual intercourse by a man with a women & against her will without her consent or Consent obtained fraudulently. 376

Minimum imprisonment for 7 years up to life imprisonment and fine

Intercourse by a man with his wife during separation

Imprisonment for 2 years and fine.

376 B

Intercourse by a public servant with women In his custody.

Imprisonment and fine.

376 C

Intercourse by Superintendent of Jail, Imprisonment for 5 years remand Home and fine

377

Intercourse by members of management, or staff of a hospital with any women in the hospital

Imprisonment for life or imprisonment half the period meant for rape

109

Aiding and abetting rape

Imprisonment for life & fine.

34

Common intention (gang rape)

Imprisonment for life or fine or both.

201

Suppressing information

evidence/false Imprisonment for 7 yearsand fine.

Punishment

Imprisonment for 2 years.

376 D

Attempt to commit rape

OFFENCES

Intercourse with his wife who is below 12 years of age.

376 A

511

for

5

years

Imprisonment for 5 years and fine.

Unnatural offence : Voluntary carnal Imprisonment for 10 years intercourse against the order of nature and fine. with any women i.e., oral or and sex, man or animal.

342

Wrongful

confinement

363

Kidnapping

417

Cheating fine/both

458

House trespass or house breaking by night after preparation for causing hurt

Imprisonment for 1 year/ fine/both. Imprisonment for 7 years and fine Imprisonment for 1 year/

14 years and fine

354

Assault or criminal force to women with an intention to outrage her modesty.

Imprisonment for 2 years or fine or both

509

Outraging the modesty of women Simple Imprisonment p h y s i c a l l y / v e r b a l l y / g e s t u r e s / e x h i b i t s . year or fine or both

499

Defamation

Imprisonment for Upto 2 years with fine or both

366

Kidnapping, Abducting: with intention compel the women to marry against her will. In order that she may be forced or seduced to Illicit Intercourse. Or knowing that she is likely to be

Imprisonment for 10 years to and fine.

for

1

compelled into marriage or forced into illicit intercourse or seduction. 366 A

366 B

367

372

373

Procuring a girl below 18 years with intention of or knowledge of the intention to force or seduce to illicit intercourse.

Imprisonment for 10 Years and fine.

Importation of girls below 21 years with intention or knowledge of the intention to force or seduce to illicit intercourse

Imprisonment and fine.

Kidnapping or abducting with intention of or knowledge of the intention to subject a person to grievous hurt, slavery or to the unnatural lust of any person.

Imprisonment for 10 years and fine.

for

Selling a minor person below 18 Imprisonment years for purpose of prostitution or and fine. for illicit intercourse or for any unlawful and immoral purpose or knowledge of such intention.

for

Buying a minor person below 10 Imprisonment years for prostitution or for illicit and fine. intercourse or for any unlawful and immoral purpose or knowledge of such intention.

for

IMMORAL

TRAFFIC

(PREVENTION)

ACT,

10

10

years

years

l

Prevention of sexual exploitation of persons for commercial purposes.

l

Soliciting and/or seduction in public places is a crime (Sec. 7 & 8)

l

Offences

l

Does not address the health concerns of the persons trafficked.

l

Provides for Rescue and Regabilitation of the prostituted women (Sec. 10 - A, 16 & 17, 21)

l.

Voluntary rehabilitation (Sec. 19)

l

years

1956

children/minor-stringent

punishment.

Removal of Prostitutes from any place - on complaint (Sec. 20)

l

Special

l

This does not focus on persons who are voluntarily in this field.

l

Provides for mandatory testing for STD (Sec. 15 (5-A).

OFFENCES

10

involving

enforcement

mechanism.

(Sec-13-15).

:-

X

Keeping brothel or allowing the premises to be kept as a brothel.

X

Leasing/using a premises for brothel. (landlord/tenant, lessor/lessee)

X

Living on the earnings of prostitution (Sec. 4)

X

Procuring, inducing, taking a person for the sake of prostitution.

X

Detaining persons in the brothel/premises where prostitution is carried on, with an intention to have sexual intercourse with a person who is not a spouse.

X

Enhanced

l

In India prostitution is tolerated and regulated.

l

Prostitution is per se not a crime. Prostitution is not abolished/prohibited/banned

X l

The Act intends to criminalize and penalize the Institutions/Industry (brothel, brothel keepers, procurers, pimps, touts, middleman, landlords etc. ). But actually ends up criminalising and penalizing women.

Stringent punishment for the above said offence where the person involved is a child/minor.

X

Special Courts are to be set up for trial of cases under this act.

Trafficking of persons- male/female is prohibited.

X

An offence under this Act is cognizable i.e., a police officer can arrest

l

punishment

for

subsequent

offence.

with out a warrant. X

X

contraventions of the Act.

Special police officer (SPO), not below the rank of Inspector to be specified by the State Govt. to deal with matters under this Act. Trafficking police officers to be appointed by Central Govt. to deal with interstate trafficking. Non-official advisory body consisting of not less than 5 leading social welfare workers of that area, including women social welfare workers to advice on questions of general importance regarding working of the Act. THE

INDECENT REPRESENTATION OF (PROHIBITION) ACT, 1986

WOMEN

X

The act prohibits depiction in any manner the figure of women, body or any part thereof, in such a way that has the effect of being indecent or derogatory to or denigrating women.

X

It intends to prevent women being depicted as sex objects in the media for commercial gain or prevent the commodification of women.

X

The Indian penal code penalises obscenity. PROVISIONS

IN

1.

Section

292

2.

Section

292-A

3.

Section

293

4.

Section

294

THE

INDIAN

PENAL

CODE

REGARDING

OBSCENITY

Sale of Obscene Books

COMMISSION

Imprisonment for 2 years with fine Printing of gross indecent Imprisonment for sor scurrilous matter 2 years/fine/both or matter intended for blackmail Sale of obscene Imprisonment 3 years objects to for young with fine person Obscene Songs Imprisonment for 3 months OF

SATI

PREVENTION

ACT,

1987

X

This Act intends to prevent commission of Sati by any one.

X

This Act intends to prohibit indecent representations of women in writings, paintings, figures or in any manner that is likely to deprave, corrupt or injure the public morality or morals.

X

Any person who commits Sati or does any act towards such commission is punishable with imprisonment that may extend to one year or fine or with both.

X

It penalizes persons who publishes or aranges or takes part in the publication or exhibition of any advertisement which contain indecent representation of women in any form.

X

Person abets the commission of such Sati, either directly or indirectly, shall be punishable with life imprisonment and fine .

X

Abetment

X

It penalises pesons who sell, hire, distribute, circulate or send by posts any books, pamphlet paper, slide, film, writings, drawings, paintings, photograph figures or representation which contains indecent representation of women in any form.

X

Inducing a woman to commit Sati;

X

Making the woman believe that the commission of Sati would result in some spiritual benefit to her or to the deceased husband’s family;

The punishment is imprisonment for a term which may extend to 2 years with fine up to Rs. 2000/-

X

Encouraging a woman to remain fixed in her resolve to commit Sati and thus instigating her to commit Sati.

However certain exceptions are made in favour of religion, art, learning and ancient monuments.

X

Being present at the place where Sati is committed.

X

Preventing or obstructing a woman from saving herself from being burnt or buried alive.

X X X

The Act empowers Gazetted officers authorised by the State Government to enter and search premises, seize articles and examine records or materials which he has reasons to believe to be in the nature of

includes:

X

Obstructing or interfering with the police in discharge of their duties of taking steps to prevent the commission of Sati.

X

Glorification of Sati is punishable with imprisonment for not less than one year which may extend up to 7 years and fine of Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 30,000/-.

X

l

Termination of pregnancy shall be made only in the hospital established or maintained by the government or such other places as approved by the government. THE (REGULATION

PRE-NATAL DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES AND PREVENTION OF MISUSE) ACT,

1994

The Government has power to remove the temple or any other structure which has been in existence for not less than 20 years, where any form of worship or the performance of any ceremony is carried on with a view to perpetuate the honour or preserve the memory of the person in respect of who such Sati has been committed.

l

The Act prohibits misuse of pre-natal diagnostic techniques for determination of sex of foetus leading to female foeticide.

l

It prohibits advertisement of pre-natal diagnostic techniques for detection of sex of the child.

The Collector or the District Magistrate has powers to seize properties or funds that has been acquired or collected for the purpose of glorification of the commission of Sati.

l

The Act permits and regulates use of pre-natal diagnostic techniques for the purpose of detection of specific genetic abnormalities or disorders.

l

The Act permits use of pre-natal diagnostic techniques only under certain conditions by registered institutions.

l

The conditions are :- The age of pregnant woman is above thirty five years - The pregnant woman has undergone 2 or more spontaneous abortions or foetal loss. - The pregnant woman has a family history of mental retardation or physical deformities such as spasticity or any other genetic disorder. - The pregnant woman must consent in writing to undergo such procedure. - The pregnant woman must be explained all known side effects of such procedure.

l

the medical practitioner who offers such services and the person who seeks such persons are liable for punishment of imprisonment up to 3 years and fine which may extend up to ten thousand. In addition action can be taken by the Medical Council of India to remove the name of such doctors who has been convicted for such an offence for a period of 2 years.

l

It provides for a Central Supervisory Board consisting of Minister of Family Welfare, as the Chairperson, Secretary to Government of India is charge of Department of Family Welfare, as its Vice Chairperson, and others to advice the government on policy matters relating to use of pre-natal diagnostic techniques, to review implementation of the Act, to creat public

THE

MEDICAL

TERMINATION

OF

PREGNANCY

ACT,

1971

l

Abortion in India

l

The medical practitioners under the following circumstances could perform abortion up to 20 weeks of gestation.

l

If the doctor is of the opinion that continuance of the pregnancy would involve a risk to the life of the pregnant woman or would cause grave injury to her physical or mental health.

l

If the continuation of pregnancy causes substantial risk that if the child were born in would suffer such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped.

has been legalized since the year 1971.

l

If the pregnancy caused by rape and the anguish caused by such pregnancy is presumed to constitute a grave injury to the mental health of the pregnant woman.

l

If the pregnancy occurs as a result of failure of family planning device, the anguish caused by such unwanted pregnancy may be presumed to constitute a grave injury to the mental health of the pregnant woman.

l

No pregnancy shall be terminated without the consent of the pregnant woman.

awareness against the practice of pre-natal determination of sex and female foeticide, to lay down code of conduct to be observed by persons working in Genetic Counselling centres, laboratories and clinics. l

l

The Act empowers the central governments to appointment appropriate authorities for the union territories and state government to appoint appropriate committees to enforce standards prescribed for the genetic counselling laboratories, counselling centers and clinic, monitor registration for such centers, to investigate complaints of breach of the provisions of the Act, etc., Since this law was not implemented, a Public Interest Litigation has been filed in the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court has issued certain guidelines for effective implementation of the Act, Viz., Centre for enqiry into Health & Allied Themes (CEHA) and others (2001) 5 Supreme Court Cases 577.

X

Which has the effect of causing or generating a sense of shame or embarrassment so as to adversely affect the physique or psyche or a fresher or junior student. DUTIES

OF THE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AS THE SUPREME COURT JUDGEMENT

PER

X

The prospectus issued at the time of admission must mention clearly that ragging is banned in the institution and that any one who indulges in raging is likely to be punished.

X

The punishment may be expulsion from such institution, suspension from the institution or class for a limited period or fine or public apology, withholdings of scholarship, debarring from representation in events, withholdings results, suspension or expulsion from hostel, mess etc.

X

The application form shall have printed undertaking to be filled up and signed by the student and the parents/guardians.

RAGGING X

There is no central enactment to deal with ragging.

X

X

Some States have enacted special law to deal with the menace of ragging, which is crime. However they have not been effective in curbing the menace of ragging.

Students who are already studying in the institution and their parents/ guardian shall also give such an undertaking before the commencement of the next educational year/session.

X

The management, the principal, the teaching staff should interact with freshers and take them in confidence by appraising them of their rights as well as obligations to fight against ragging and to generate confidence in their mind that they should report any incidence of ragging.

X

The institutions should constitute proctorial committee to keep a watch and vigil over ragging so as to prevent its occurrence and recurrence.

X X

The students must be made aware of the dehumanizing effect of ragging. Migration certificate issued by the institutions should have an entry whether the student had participated in ragging and the punishment.

X

If individual committing or abetting ragging is not identified, then collective punishment could be resorted to act as deterrent punishment and to ensure collective pressure on the potential reggers.

X

Failure to prevent ragging shall be construed as an act of negligence in maintaining discipline in the institutions on the part of the management, the principal and the hostel wardens/ superintendents. If the institution fails to curb ragging, UGC/Funding agency may consider stoppage of financial assistance to such an institution.

X

Therefore the Supreme Court has laid down certain guidelines in Vishwa Jagriti Mission-vs-Central Government {(2001) 6 Supreme Court Cases page 577} wherein the educational institution in which the student is studying is empowered to be the disciplinary authority and that the police action should not be resorted unless it is unavoidable.

Ragging is defined as:Any disorderly conduct by words spoken or written or by an act X That has the effect of teasing, treating or handling with rudeness any other student Indulging in rowdy or undisciplined activities X Which causes or is likely to cause annoyance, hardship, or psychological harm or to aise fear or apprehension in fresher of a junior student; Asking the students to do any act or perform something which such student will not do in the ordinary course

X

Crimes

Against

Women

(A Select Bibliography) Reference Sources n

National Crime Records Bureau. Crime in India . New Delhi : Ministry of Home Affairs. 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998,1999.

PART - V n

References n

Manikandan, M. Women and Violence : A bibliography . Bombay : SNDT Women’s University n.d. Mitra, Nishi. Combating domestic violence : an Annotated bibliography. Mumbai : Tata Institute of Social Sciences. n.d.

Crimes Against Women n

n

n

n

Advani, Poornima. “Report of the regional workshop on gender and law enforcement’’. Organised by National Commission for Women at Chandigarh on February 23-24, 2001. All India Democratic Women’s Association, et al. Women Speak : United Voices Against Globalisation, Poverty and Violence in India. D e l h i : P r o g r e s s i v e P u b l i s h e r s . 2 0 0 0 . Agnes, Flavia. “Review of a decade of legislation, 1980-1989 : protecting women against violence ?” Economic and Political Weekly. 2 7 ( 1 7 ) ; 1 9 - 2 5 A p r i l , 1 9 9 2 . Amnesty International. The impact of violence against women. London : Amnesty. 2001.

n

Bhatt, Ranbir S. “The Measurement of family violence”. The Indian Journal of Social Work . 62 (3); July 2001.

Foeticide n

n

Commission on Human Rights. Integration of the Human Rights of Women and the Gender Perspective : Violence Against Women. 2000. n

n

n

Dreze, J and Reetika Khera. “Crime, gender and society in India : insights from homicide data” Population and Development Review. 26 (2); June 2000. Mukherjee, Chandan, Preet Rustagi and N. Krishnaji. “Crimes against women in India : analysis of official statistics’’. Economic and Political Weekly . 36(43); 27 October- 2 November, 2 0 0 1 .

Domestic Violence n

n

“Agenda for National Conference on Analysis of Institutional records on domestic violence” . O r g a n i s e d b y I C R W a t B a n g a l o r e on February 2, 2000. Nigam, Shalu. “Women’s rights and violence in marriage”. Legal News and Views. 15 (1) ; January 2001.

Dowry n

n

AIDS Awareness Group. Are the dowry related laws effective? a report. New Delhi : The Group 2001. Mazumdar, Kalindi. “Dowry-related violence : an overview”. The Indian Journal of Social Work. 62 (3) ; July 2001.

Bose, Ashish, “Fighting female foeticide : growing greed and shrinking child sex ratio”. Economic and Political Weekly. 36 (36) ; 8 - 1 4 S e p t e m b e r, 2 0 0 1 Bose, Ashish. “Without my daughter- Killing fields of the mind”. Times of India . 26 April, 2001.

Rape n

India. Law Commission . O n e h u n d r e d a n d s e v e n t y s e c o n d r e p o r t on review of rape laws. New Delhi : The Commission. 2000.

Sexual Harassment n

Nigam, Shalu. “Does law really prevent sexual harassment at work place” . Women’s Link. 6 (4) ; October-December 2000.