Pre-marital counselling mandatory: women’s panel

Suggestion made after observing number of women approaching panel with pleas of domestic violence

Pre-marital counselling needs to be made mandatory, Kerala Women’s Commission (KSWC) chairperson P. Sathidevi has recommended.

She made the suggestion at the adalat held at Asramam here on Friday after observing the number of women who approached the commission with complaints of domestic violence immediately after marriage. “The bride and groom must attend pre-marital counselling at an approved centre before registering their marriage,” said Ms. Sathidevi.

At the adalat, the commission also came across several complaints about children neglecting their elderly parents. The members pointed out the reluctance of children to ensure the care of their ageing parents as a matter of major concern. The observation was made while considering the complaint of an 85-year-old mother abandoned by her five children.

The chairperson added that the work of ward-level vigilance committees should be made more efficient to address the problems of the elderly. A special monitoring system would be arranged with the help of the District Legal Services Authority to ensure compliance of settlement terms, she said.

The commission considered 100 complaints, among which 22 were settled. Reports were sought in four complaints while 74 were rescheduled for the next adalat.

Commission members Shahida Kamal, E.M. Radha, M.S. Tara, sub-inspector Anita Rani, and counsellor Sr Sangeetha, were also present. The adalat was followed by a workshop to frame guidelines for ensuring gender sensitivity in media.