WAD raises concern on rising crimes against women & child, demands immediate corrective actions
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 27 2020:
Women Action for Development (WAD) has drawn the attention of the State Government to the rising crimes against women and children in the State.
A statement issued by the secretary of WAD today conveyed that it is high time for all the political leaders in the House, irrespective of ruling or Opposition, to think deeply on how to protect/save the future generation of the State.
Mentioning that this issue is serious, WAD appealed to the Government to put the issue for discussion on the table of the House during the Budget Session.
There were a total of 871 crimes against women and children in Manipur since the last 3 years, out of which 127 are rape cases, 49 are murder cases, 45 are suspicious death cases, 3 are rape and murder, 151 are missing women cases, WAD alleged adding that many of these victims' families are not getting justice due to negligence on the part of the Government on one hand and the lack of necessary infrastructure on the other.
If the Government is sincere enough to protect or promote future motherhood then it would have certainly planned it with a clear long term vision, it said, adding that if so, then Beti Bachao Beti Padao will be more meaningful.
It then continued that, it along with various CSOs and NGOs want the Government and the MLAs to take up immediate action for establishing independent and imperial investigation committees consisting of retired Judges, police and representatives from NGOs working on crimes against women and children immediately.
It demanded the authorities to recruit 10 more Adhoc Judges specially women to expedite the trial with the target of 5/10 cases every month, to handover the cases of crimes committed to children under POCSO Act 2012 to CBI immediately for further investigation and punish the persons assigned for investigation who are unable to complete the investigation on time.
It urged the authorities to invite the Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women in Manipur again as a follow up process, and to stop the possible protection of rapists and murderer of girl child and women by political leaders, security forces and bureaucrats.
Lastly, WAD urged the Government to organise capacity building workshops for the army, paramilitary forces specially AR, police, Judges, lawyers, CSOs, on UN Convention on Prevention and Punishment of Crime of Genocide immediately.