Media centre

March 10, 2006 : Bringing justice to the doorsteps of aggrieved women in Rajasthan

© UNICEF/India/2005

The main aim of the Rajasthan State Commission for Women is to listen to the grievances of women in distress and assist them in getting justice.

By Prof Pawan Surana
Ex Chairperson, State Women’s Commission, Rajasthan

Champa Bai from Sarla village was seeking protection from the village powerful as she had been declared a “dayan” (a witch) by them; Somli Bai of Jamun village had lost her twins due to the “negligence” of the medical officer and wanted action against him. In another village the local school had been locked for months yet the teacher had promoted all the students to the next class; somewhere else a group of girls wanted to continue their education but could not as the village school was up to the VIIIth Class only. Two Muslim girls wanted child support according to the law of the land and not by a Shariat decree. The sufferings were endless. The narrations punctuated with muffled sobs or complete breakdown. These were the voices of women heard at a Jan Sunwai or a Public Hearing – seeking justice before The Rajasthan State Commission for Women - a major empowering endeavour for disenfranchised women, as was evident at the sessions held in Jaipur and Udaipur in the state of Rajasthan.
The Rajasthan State Commission for Women is a major empowering endeavour for disenfranchised women

Set up by the Government of Rajasthan, the main aim of the Rajasthan State Commission for Women is to listen to the grievances of women in distress and assist them in getting justice. Having the status of a civil court, it has the power to investigate complaints and recommend the line of punishment to the government.
The Commission tries to have maximum possible intervention in a matter and give direction to the authority concerned for necessary action. The government is bound to look into the matter and inform the Commission within three months on the action taken.

The Commission has a daunting task ahead with Rajasthan being one of the most backward states coupled with rise in atrocities against women. In order to reach out to women of all the 32 districts, it holds three types of hearing: 1) ‘Jan Sunvai’ or public hearing at the district or block level, as most rural women find it difficult to travel to Jaipur, due to long distance and financial constraint, to register their complaint. The “open hearings” give women an opportunity to air their views, grievances and seek redress on the spot. 2) Personal hearing at the Commission’s office, if one does not want to narrate one’s suffering in public. 3) There’s also an option of sending a note by hand or through mail for seeking redressal of a particular problem.

© UNICEF/India/2005

'Jan Sunvai' is now getting a positive response from not only the women victims but society at large.

That ‘Jan Sunvai’ has become a force to reckon with is evident from the fact that it is now getting a positive response from not only the women victims but society at large. Watching the aggrieved getting immediate redressal of their problems, the others gain confidence that their voices too would be heard and that they too would get justice.

Once the day for a public hearing is announced in consultation with the local district collector, other local authorities like the SP, chief medical officer, district officers from the departments of education, social welfare, and women and child development are roped in, as they play an important role in a decision. A local NGO is assigned the task of identifying women in distress and encouraging them to come to hearings. Local media pitches in to publicise the date of ‘Jan Sunvai’ in that area. The Commission is empowered to call for official records to assist it in its inquiry.   
‘Jan Sunvai’ also acts as a platform where people are made aware of the rights of women and children, and also about government schemes and the process to access them. 
 
In the years since its inception, the Commission has seen gradual but consistent progress towards gaining public confidence in its functioning. The initial skepticism has given way to hope, as a large number of women attend these events with the expectation of getting justice.

In true spirit of taking governance to the doorsteps, ‘Jan Sunvai’ also acts as a platform where people are made aware of the rights of women and children, and also about government schemes and the process to access them.

Besides, different counters for healthcare, the disabled, and pensioners are set up at these events.  Issues like child marriage, community feast after the death of one’s husband, rape, dowry, and illiteracy are dealt with firmly and resolutely.

So far, these events have helped widows get their long-pending land mutation done, sorted out health and education-related problems, restrained child marriages, rehabilitated orphaned girl children under ‘Palanhar Yojna’ and arranged for education for the deprived under ‘Education For All’ scheme, disbursed loans to women of low-income group to start their own enterprise, and dealt with domestic violence firmly.

But all this could not have been possible without the support of the Rajasthan unit of UNICEF. With its financial backing, the event has truly become a voice of hundreds of aggrieved women suffering in silence. Undoubtedly, it is this support that has helped on-the-spot redressal of grievances leading to empowering of women who have been deprived of equal opportunities.