The Kerala Women’s Commission has submitted a few recommendations to the Government regarding weddings that will rein in extravagance as well as the possibility of dowry.
New Chairperson P.Sathidevi said there would be laws to ensure that ‘gifts’ given to the bride by her family were properly accounted for and recorded as the woman’s property. Also, there would be a cut off for the amount spent on a wedding.
Speaking at a Meet-the-Press programme of the Calicut Press Club on Saturday, she said several recommendations had been made to the Government to enhance the powers of the commission, for easy functioning.
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“There have been several instances in which the police had to be asked repeatedly to get something based on the commission’s recommendations. The legal framework of the commission will be altered in such a way that the police will be answerable to the commission,” she said.
To reach out to needy women in a better way, the commission would give an opportunity to local women’s organisations in each district to collaborate with it. The affiliated organisations would help the commission in collecting data on the condition of women at workplaces.
“There will be efforts to ensure that the internal complaints committee against workplace sexual harassment is in order in every establishment,” Ms.Sathidevi said.
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There would also be efforts to strengthen vigilance committees at the local body level. “We have found that the committees have not been effective at most places. Hence, they will be trained at the district level to equip them to pinpoint issues related to gender justice in rural areas,” she said.
As part of its silver jubilee, the commission is organising a media workshop in Thiruvananthapuram on October 25 to sensitise mediapersons to spread progressive ideas.
The commission would submit a set of directives to the Government concerning handling of gender issues in the media, which would be finalised at the workshop.
Her recent social media post highlighting the need for sex education in schools and colleges, had met with a backlash from conservative elements.However, Ms. Sathidevi brushed away the comments on the grounds that the country valued one’s freedom of speech.