DECODE PUNJAB: Women Commission to set up district-level cells in state

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 11

The Punjab State Commission for Women will set up district-level cells across the state, so as to reach out to a wider range of women facing any kind of harassment.

Helping out women jail inmates

I was shocked at the condition of women, living in overcrowded jails. I wrote to the CM, the DGP and the jailors, asking them to improve their living conditions, especially of women prisoners with infant children. On my intervention, women inmates were shifted from the overcrowded Ropar jail to less crowded Nabha jail.— Raj Lali Gill, Chairperson of the Punjab state women commission

This was disclosed by Raj Lali Gill, Chairperson of the Punjab State Women Commission, during an exclusive interview with The Tribune, as part of its Decode Punjab digital series. “Social reformers, activists and legal advisers will be roped in at the district level, so that the aggrieved women can get help closer home. I will also be travelling to all districts,” she said.

A ground-level AAP worker since year 2013, Gill has risen through the ranks in the party. From heading the women wing of the party to being the party spokesperson, she said her new role was commensurate with her experience in dealing with public, especially women, over the past 11 years as AAP volunteer.

Upon assuming charge, one of the first things she did was to visit women’s barracks in jails. “I was shocked at the condition of women, living in overcrowded jails. I wrote to the CM, the DGP and the jailors, asking them to improve their living conditions, especially of women prisoners with infant children. On my intervention, women inmates were shifted from the overcrowded Ropar jail to less crowded Nasbha jail,” she said.

Asked about rampant drug abuse among women and the steps taken by the commission to stem this, she said those addicted to drugs were seeking treatment at deaddiction centres. “But the problem is of women involved in illicit drug trade, many of whom are lodged in jails. It’s pathetic that most of them have male family members addicted to drugs, and they find this business lucrative and easy to make money,” she said.

Gill said one of the most serious matters before the commission was the growing trend of live-in relationship. “When these relations go sour, women approach the commission for initiating legal action against partners. It is a myth that these relations are restricted to a particular socio-economic strata. These relationships are not restricted to urban areas, but are prevalent even in villages,” she said.

She said the maximum complaints coming to her related to domestic abuse, sexual harassment at workplace, sexual exploitation of girls by family members, desertion of elderly women by children after they had bequeathed the property to children.

Gill admitted that there was a huge backlog of cases, besides the 20-25 new cases being filed every day. “We will be seeking services of volunteers and interns to deal with such cases,” she added.