Women’s Commission Chairperson welcomes Centre’s decision on increasing marriage age of girls to 21 years

Mysore/Mysuru: Stressing on the need for women to themselves decide on what real empowerment and protection means for them as it is crucial for bringing about changes in the society, City Police Commissioner Dr. Chandragupta said that it is time that men and women deliberate together on sorting  out issues concerning gender inequality.

He was speaking after inaugurating a day-long Divisional-Level Legal Awareness workshop organised by Karnataka State Women’s’ Commission at Vijnana Bhavan in Manasagangothri campus here this morning.

Noting that it is important to have a look at the success of such workshops earlier and evaluate the changes that may have taken place in respect of women issues, Dr. Chandragupta observed that we should think about doing something different, if no success or changes have evolved from earlier workshops.

Pointing out that women who don the roles of mother, daughter and wife, should question themselves on whether they are living with independently sans any outside threats, the Police Commissioner observed that practices and habits taught by parents would remain long in the life of an individual and as  such, the role of parents is crucial in building a law abiding and responsive society.

Maintaining that while women can perform almost all jobs that are done by men, he said that at the same time, it cannot be said that men can do all the works that women do. The workshop should focus more on the measures to be taken for ending gender bias, he added. Karnataka State Women’s Commission Chairperson Pramila Naidu, who presided, said that the Police Commissioner has expressed his thoughts on women empowerment.

Maintaining that there was gender equality in the first century, Pramila Naidu said that however, with the passage of time, societal evils such as child marriage, Sahagamana  or Sati, child labour, atrocities, violence etc., evolved. Welcoming the Centre’s decision to increase the marriage age of women from 18 years to 21 years, she said that the Women’s Commission is committed for protecting the constitutionally mandated rights for women.

“It is regretful to note that the Women’s Commission received a large number of complaints of atrocities, crimes and violence against women during the COVID pandemic. The outbreak of the pandemic also saw a spike in domestic disharmony and the Commission took necessary steps to address complaints. The Commission has the satisfaction of saving the lives of 22 patients by providing them blood during the pandemic last year,” she said.

Highlighting the problems of women working in the garments sector, she said that the Commission is doing its best to address the problems and is working out plans for empowering them .

Commission Secretary T.R. Shobha, Women and Child Welfare Department Deputy Director D. Basavaraj and others were present.

‘Only one woman at grievances meet’

Pramila Naidu held a grievances meet at Jaladarshini Guest House on Hunsur Road, which received lukewarm response, as only one woman turned up.

The woman who reportedly came up with a complaint of domestic disharmony, was  suitably counselled, it is learnt.

Speaking to presspersons after the grievances meet, Pramila Naidu said that women can think judiciously about leading a self-reliant life and taking independent decisions at 21 years of age and added that the Commission has received 210 complaints from women in Mysuru district in the past one year, regarding domestic disharmony and other such issues.

Expressing concern that the Commission has been receiving more and more complaints about love affairs of school going girls, she said that the Commission worked overtime in providing medical assistance to pregnant women during the COVID pandemic.