The Chairperson of Karnataka State Commission for Women, R. Pramila Naidu, has said the Centre’s move to raise the legal age of marriage for women to 21 was a step in the right direction.
She told media persons here on Friday that at 21 years a woman can think independently and will be in a position to take a decision that is in her interest. She would have completed her education by 21, and will be economically independent all of which will stand her in good stead to face the vicissitudes of life whereas teenaged girls will be vulnerable and unable to think independently.
Ms. Naidu, who was in the city to receive grievances, said she received more than 200 cases from Mysuru this year and a majority pertained to domestic issues or to asking for protection. Across the State the number of complaints is in excess of 3,000, she added. But on Friday the response to the grievance redressal programme was muted.
Speaking on general issues she said owing to COVID-19 the concept of work from home was in vogue and during the first wave a majority of the complaints pertained to domestic or family atrocities while in the second wave there was a surge in appeals seeking medical assistance or counselling. She said 22 pregnant women who were afflicted by COVID-19 received timely assistance due to the intervention of the commission. Some of them have also written letters of appreciation to the commission..
The pressure of office work coupled with the imperatives of maintaining a balance in family life added to pressure on women who were working from home due to the pandemic. There were nearly 100 cases related to such instances, according to the chairperson.
In response to a question on whether the atrocities against women were on the rise Ms. Naidu said there was greater awareness among women and hence were coming out in the open or the cases were being reported.
