A new pocket book for women

Offering a pocket-book size ready reference material that gives you point-wise details on your rights as a woman and emergency helpline numbers, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has come up with an information booklet aimed specifically for college students and young women across the country.

NCW chairperson Mamta Sharma said: “Women today are confronted with plenty of challenges particularly in identifying and understanding their lives. Giving them access to information is one of the ways to protect themselves and this wallet booklet is aimed specifically at that. The booklet will be circulated among university students to start with and then it will be made available to all women across the country.”

Every information a woman needs

“This is a small booklet that can be kept in purse and is handy. It also gives information on offence and its reporting including (rape, murder, assault, molestation, kidnapping, abducting or demanding dowry),” said Ms. Sharma.

The booklet also contains information about the duty of the police, and what a person should do in case a police in-charge refuses to take in a complaint. Said a senior official at the Commission, “There is also information about sexual harassment at workplace, the definition of workplace and what is to be done in case of harassment. Girls are explained the meaning of dowry and also the fact that giving, taking, demanding or even advertising for dowry is an offence. We have also given information on cruelty and how to deal with it.”

The booklet also gives details about domestic violence and offers information on what women could do after being deserted by NRI husbands. Ms. Sharma said: “The Commission was nominated as the coordinating agency at the national level for dealing with issues and complaints pertaining to NRI marriages. It has a cell which now deals with complaints received from India and abroad resulting from cross country marriages. The booklet also offers its users step-wise advise of how to proceed in this case. The booklet is brought out as a ready reference material for any woman who is in distress,” Ms. Sharma said.