Bhubaneswar, March 3: Ahead of International Women's Day on March 8, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken a pivotal step toward strengthening legal protections for women in the digital sphere.
The NCW hosted its two-day Final Review Consultation on Cyber Laws for Women at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, with distinguished guests such as Hon'ble Minister Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal and NCW Chairperson Smt. Vijaya Rahatkar in attendance.
As part of this initiative, eight Regional Consultations were conducted across the country, engaging over 150 experts and yielding more than 300 recommendations. NCW's Legal experts meticulously reviewed these, and 205 key recommendations were finalized for discussion, it added.
The deliberations focused on strengthening legal frameworks, including the Information Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act), Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), Bhartiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), the POSH Act, and the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act.
Recognizing the urgent need for legal awareness, NCW also launched 'Cyber Saheli', a booklet aimed at educating women about their rights, redressal mechanisms, and digital safety measures. The NCW has consolidated these recommendations and will now be forwarding them to the Ministry of Law & Justice for necessary legal reforms. NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar reaffirmed the Commission's commitment to ensuring women's safety in cyberspace and advocating for stronger cyber laws.
She emphasised that NCW will actively monitor and push for the swift implementation of these recommendations, ensuring India's legal framework evolves to provide robust protection for women in the digital age, as per release.
Dr. Satyajit Naik, DIG, Eastern Range, Balasore, from Odisha, was invited as a special guest to participate in this national-level discussion, contributing his insights on enhancing legal and constitutional safeguards for women's empowerment. The event brought together experts, policymakers, and other stakeholders to discuss ways to strengthen cyber laws in India.
The NCW’s efforts reflect its ongoing commitment to advancing women's rights and safety to create a safer and more inclusive digital environment for women across the country.
