REPORT

 

OF THE

 

INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR

 

ON

 

GENDER VIOLENCE AND WITNESS PROTECTION

 

At

 

Mrs. Helena Kaushik Women’s College

 

ORGANIZED BY

 

Mrs. Helena Kaushik Women’s College

Malsisar, Jhunjhunu (Rajasthan) 331 028

www.helenakaushik.org

helenakaushikpgcollege@yahoo.com

(01595) 276593, 276818

 

And

 

Indian Institute of Public Administration, New delhi

 

Sponsored by

 

National Commission for Women, New delhi

 

On

 

August 12-14, 2006

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONTENTS

 

1. Executive Summary

2.    Recommendations

3.    Seminar Program

4.    Detailed Report

5.    Appendix

 A. Proposal

 B. List of Potential paper Presenters/Speakers

 C. Initial Tentative Programme

 D. Acknowledgements

 
 

1. Executive Summary

 

 


Gender violence is the widespread and pervasive form of violence. Like other countries, India also recognizes the importance of protecting women from domestic violence and of punishing the perpetrator of the crime. The question is whether criminalization of wife battering or criminal justice system is an appropriate response to the problem of domestic violence. As there is no civil legislation on the subject, the central government has recently introduced the protection from domestic violence Bill, 2002 in the Rajya Sabha.

 

         There is no doubt that India’s constitution is one of the best in the world. It respects equality for every person, class and creed. Many women organizations and activists have made great efforts and contributed a lot in enacting laws pertaining to women’s security and equality. But we have not achieved the result we had hoped for. If we think about the reason behind this, we find that it is because of the system responsible for the proper implementation of law. The actual dimension for the atrocities being committed against women are seen in the number of women who commit or attempt to commit suicide, the number of divorce suits filed in family courts, and the number of women who are either abandoned or separated from their husbands.

 

         Women activists and NGOs should concentrate on ensuring that there should be a better reporting of cases of atrocities against women and train women in legal procedures such as filing an F.I.R.

 

         Domestic violence is not only physical but also psychological, verbal, emotional, or sexual. It could be direct or in subtle forms like constant humiliation or ridicule, insult, torture or constant criticizing. It is an issue, which not only affects the victim - the battered women physically, mentally, and psychologically, but also other members of the family, especially the impressionable young children.

 

Action Plan:

Ř  Building up a public consensus against discrimination.

Ř  Issues to be highlighted to government for state action.

Ř  Need for policy on such atrocities.

Ř  Scope for people’s initiatives.

Ř  Women’s realization of responsibility.

 

2. Recommendations

 

1.       Chalo Gaon Ki Aur: Start a program in which lecturers and NSS student volunteers must go to the village. They will make villagers aware of education, health, hygiene, nutrition, diseases etc.

 

2.       Women’s Study Center: This institution (Mrs. Helena Kaushik Women’s P.G. College will work as a “Nodal study center” for Jhunjhunu district. The center should conduct research studies of women’s conditions in rural areas for the uplifting of women through education and domestic conditions.

 

3.       Vocational Courses: Establish a center in which women are taught to use advance technology for very traditional and general jobs like embroidery, weaving etc. so that they can be self-dependent through these economic and business enterprises.

 

4.       Finance for Students: Bank financial schemes should help students to take loan to continue their study as well as for starting their own cottage industry.

 

5.       Public Speaking Classes: These will help students to improve their public speaking and expressing themselves without hesitation.

 

6.       Internet: It will help students to know the options available for them and connect these rural students to world progress.

 

7.       Information Center: Library must be converted into “information- center” so the students can get information regarding each issue.

 

8.       Counseling: Will help the students to choose correct subject and profession according to their choice.

 

9.       Co-curricular Activities:  Organize different kind of programs like quiz, debate, rangoli, painting, mehandi, essay writing etc. will help to develop a versatile and dynamic personality of a student.

 

10.   Job Placement: After getting U.G. & P.G. degree and vocational training our students can be placed in multiple fields and suitable jobs.

 

11.   Personality Development: We provide facility in all fields so we can develop a dynamic and versatile personality of our students who also are self-reliant. 

 

12.   Steps to be taken for Women Protection:

 

a)   In every college, school and public places there must be a “complaint box”, which a woman can use for to complain. Complaints and confidential messages should be collected regularly and they should be responded to or the necessary corrective action taken following proper law and procedure as an effective problem solving step.

 

b)  Unpleasant and unwanted incidents should be noticed and recorded on a continuous basis in each institutional setting such as a school, college, government office, and other private and public places.

 

c)   Special departments should be established to prevent and  solve  issues related to gender violence in a serious and timely fashion

 

d)  The cases concerned with assaults on women must be solved on a priority basis.

 

e)   There must be some strong laws for protecting witnesses.    

 

3. Seminar Program

Saturday, 12 August 2006

19:30                 Opening Ceremony            

Founder & Chairmen: Dr. S. K. Kaushik

Founder and Chairman of Mrs. Helena Kaushik Women P.G. College.

 

Presiding:                  Prof. K.L.Kamal

                 Former Vice Chancellor,

University of Rajasthan, Jaipur.

 

Speakers of the Seminar:  

 

  1. Honorable Sandra Galef, Member, New York State Assembly, USA.

 

2.   Mrs. Barbara Lipton, Art Historian & Adjunct  Professor, New School University

 

  1. Mrs. Zia Durrani, New Jersey, USA

 

  1. Mrs. Judith Anderson, Virginia, USA

 

5.   Shri Vinod Prajapati, Sarpanch, Malsisar.

 

         Dr. Kaushik explained the reason of choosing this topic for the seminar and reasons behind opening this institution of higher learning in a rural area.       

Sunday, 13 August 2006

10:30 – 12:00   First technical session

Presiding: Dr. Surendra Kaushik, Founder and Chairman

Inaugural Address: The Honorable Sandra Galef, New York Assembly

Speakers:

1.   Dr. Donald Plunkett, Principal, United Group of Companies, Yonkers, New York. The first paper presented by Dr. Plunkett in which he covered the story and example of a Persian martyr, “Tahirih”, perhaps the first woman,  who fought for the right to express their views and to be treated equally with men. Dr. Plunkett’s full paper was circulated among the audience.

 

2.   Dr. K. L. Kamal, Former Vice Chancellor, University of Rajasthan, gave a glimpse of the culture of non-violence and emphasized that we can have a society free from all kinds of violence.

 

12:00 – 13:30   Second technical session

Presiding: Prof. Dr. Jai Narain Sharma, Professor Punjab University,

                 Chandigarh. Dedicated this session to “Gandhian prospective”

Speakers:-

1.   Dr. Anil Dutta Mishra, Deputy Director, National Gandhi Museum, Rajghat, New Delhi.  Dr. Mishra presented his paper on “Gender Justice”

 

2.   Dr. Ashu Pasricha, Lecturer. Department of Gandhian Studies, Punjab University, Chandigarh. Dr. Pasricha presented her paper on the topic “Problem of Working Women.”

 

Monday 14 August 2006

14:45 : 16:45    Third technical session

Presiding:  Dr. Anil Dutta Mishra, Deputy Director, National Gandhi Museum, Rajhgat, New Delhi.

Speakers:

1)  Mr. Ramauatar, Haryana, Department of Food and Civil Supplies, Mr. Ramauatar presented a very analytical paper on “Gender Discrimination.”

 

2)  Dr. Pradeep Srivastava, Head, Department of History, Chirawa P. G. College. In his paper Dr. Srivastava gave a historical survey on the educational, economical, and educational status of women.

 

3)  Mrs. Nidhi Yadav, Research officer, Dr. Ambedkar Chair in Social Justice, Indian institute of Public Administration, New Delhi. In her paper “Gender crime and law related issue: witness protection need of the hour.”  Mrs. Yadav gave a survey of the issue of gender violence.

 

4)  Dr. Prabhat Sharma, Head, Department of Business Administration, Seth G.D.S.B. Patwari College, Bagar presented his paper “Gender Violence and Indian Culture.”

 

5)  Dr. Devi Prakash Tripati, Head of the Department of History, Seth G.D.S.B. Patwari College, Bagar discussed  Property Right of Widows in his paper

 

6)  Dr. S. C. Agarwal, Head, Department of Economics, Seth G.D.S.B. Patwari College, Bagar presented diverse dimensions of gender violence and gave a cultural solution for it.

Monday, 14 August 2006

10:30 – 12:00   Fourth technical session

Presiding:         Prof. Sushma Yadav, Chair Professor, Dr. Ambedkar Chair in Social Justice, Indian Institute of Public Administration, New Delhi.

Speakers:

1.   Smt. Shashi Rao, Director, All India Women’s  Conference, Rewari. In her paper Mrs. Rao discussed various laws and real life cases of victims of gender violence as well as what can be done in such cases, the gaps in laws and procedures in cases against gender violence and the need to remove the gaps.

 

2.   Ms. Sarika Mohta, Lecturer in Psychology, Mrs. Helena Kaushik Women P.G. College, Malsisar. In her paper “Gender violence: what a women should Do” Ms. Mohta discussed many psychological issues regarding gender violence and gave a message of living with self-respect and self-dependence.

 

3.   Mrs. Chandan Bala Jain, Lecturer in Botany, Mrs. Helena Kaushik Women P.G. College, Malsisar. In her paper on “Gender Violence”, she emphasized on contemporary violence being faced by women’s.

 

12:00 To 13:00 Fifth and Valedictory Session

Presiding:         Dr. Surendra K. Kaushik, Founder, Mrs. Helena Kaushik Women P.G. college, Malsisar, and Professor of Finance, Lubin School of Business, Pace University, New York, USA

 

Chief Guest:      Dr. Girija Vyas, Chairperson, National Commission for Women, Government of India, New Delhi, delivered the keynote address.

 

Guest of Honour: 

 

The Honorable  Sandy Galef, New York Assembly, USA

 

Ms. Deepal Pandya, Rutgers University, and John Robert Powers   Agency, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

 

Mr. Shourav Kaushik, Brooklyn Law School, Brooklyn, New York, USA.

 

Ms. Shobha Kaushik, University of Rochester, New York, USA.

 

Mr. Jagdish Verma, Secretary, Mrs. Helena Kaushik Women’s   P.G. College, Malsisar.

Speakers:

 

1.   Professor Sushma Yadav, Dr. Ambedkar Chair in Social Justice, Indian Institute of Public Administration, presented her extensive research-based paper on Gender Violence and Gender Justice: Imperative Need of Witness Protection.

 

2.   Assemblywoman Sandra Galef of New York, USA shared her thoughts on similarity of gender violence issues in India and the United States and common approaches in the two countries to solve the problem.

 

3.   Dr. Girija Vyas, Chairperson, National Commission for Women addressed the issue of gender violence. She highlighted the number of legislative ideas presented to India’s Parliament for enacting laws for women;s protection and women’s empowerment. She emphasized unusual success of already three major legislative bills recommended by the National Commission for Women becoming laws approved by the Parliament.

 

In her fourth visit to the Mrs. Helena Kaushik Women;s College in six years (Dr. Vyas laid the cornerstone for the Ratni Devi Residence Hall in July 2000, as Chief Guest inaugurated a Seminar on Renewable Energy in January 2002, and was the Chief Guest at a Seminar on Women Leaders and Development in July 2005) Dr. Vyas exhorted students, faculty and administration of the College to implement the Chalo Gaun Ki Aur programme of the of the National Commission for Women as a nodal agency in this area of Rajasthan, to establish a Women’s Study Center, to establish training centers in vocational skills for students and women in the area, to establish an information center for a whole range of women’s issues for research and dissemination of information to all women, and to have technical and vocational degree and certificate programs for students including social work.

 

Dr. Vyas promised full financial and technical support from the National Commission for Women and government’s resources for women for implementation of her ideas and recommended programs at the College. She expressed appreciation of the new budgeting policy of the Government of India in which about half of the total budget would be for women. In underlining her action plan orientation to achieve positive results for women, Dr. Vyas challenged faculty and students not to just raise their hand and say they would do it but actually do it.

 

4. Detailed Report

 

         The two-day International Seminar of the National Commission for Women at Mrs. Helena Kaushik Women’s College, Malsisar, was inaugurated by Ms. Sandra Galef, Member, New York State Assembly and Prof. Surendra Kaushik, founding Chairman of the Women’s College, amidst distinguished gathering on August 12, 2006 at 7:30 p.m. 

 

         The theme of the Seminar was “Gender Violence and Witness Protection”. Near about forty to fifty delegates from various states and from abroad attended the Seminar and discussed the issues/problems regarding Gender Violence in their respective areas/ communities/ societies. 

 

         Twenty five research papers/ presentations were presented, classified under four technical sessions covering all objectives, besides Inaugural and Valedictory sessions. All the technical sessions were enriched by eminent scholars, academicians and practitioners in the field of Gender related issues. 

 

         The inaugural session was started on Saturday, 12 August at 7:30 pm in the Conference Hall of the College.  Dr. Surendra Kaushik, Chairman, Mrs. Helena Kaushik Women’s College, explained in a focused form the aim and objective behind organizing the seminar.  He also shared some experiences and his deep concern for women which led him to the establishment of the women’s college at Malsisar.  Mrs. Barbara Lipton, Art Historian, Adjunct Professor, New School University and Hon’ble Sandra Galef, Member, New York State Assembly also shared their deep humanitarian concerns and deep attachment with the college.  They both highlighted the importance of having such seminars at international levels, so that the world wide problem of gender atrocities may get a solution.

 

         On August 13, 2006, the opening session witnessed an impressive aggregate of academicians, educationists and activists from various Universities.  The first technical session was chaired by Prof. K.L. Kamal, Former Vice-Chancellor, University of Rajasthan.  Dr. Donald Plunkett, Principal, United Group of Companies, New York; Mr. Shorav Kaushik University of Rochester, Brooklyn; Ms. Sobha Kaushik, Brooklyn Law School, Prof. Jai Narain Sharma, Professor, Department of Gandhian Studies, Panjab University, Chandigarh made their presentations and threw light on the theoretical and conceptual aspects of Gender and Witness Protection Issues.  Prof. Sushma Yadav, Professor, Dr. Ambedkar Chair in Social Justice, Indian Institute of Public Administration, coordinated the whole programme and also proposed vote of thanks.  The Chair initiated a timely deliberation on issues of Gender Violence and rightly emphasized the need for Witness Protection. 

 

         The second technical session was chaired by Prof. Jai Narain Sharma. The session commenced with the presentation by Dr. Anil Dutta Mishra, Deputy Director, National Gandhi Museum, where he highlighted the Gandhian perspective.  This was followed by a well documented presentation by Dr. Ashu Pasricha, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Panjab University, Chandigarh.  While talking about the ‘Problems of Working Women’, she also put forth some examples in relation to the concerned issues.  Prof. K. L. Kamal also shared some of the rich experiences of his times and emphasized the need to have solutions emanating out of the rich Indian culture and ethos. 

 

         The third technical session, which was a post-lunch session, was chaired by Dr. Anil Dutta Mishra. This technical session with six speakers ran through a gamut of issues with socio-political, economic, cultural and legal dimensions and the session was commenced with suggestive measures. Mr. Ram Autar of Rohtak University made a very well researched and forceful presentation and focused on the traditional aspect of Gender Violence related issues.  This was followed by a very meaningful and suggestive paper of Mrs. Nidhi Yadav, Research Officer, Indian Institute of Public Administration.  Dr. Pradeep Srivastava, Head Department of History, Chirawa focused on the historical background of the Gender Issues in India and proposed the need to relook into the problem.  Dr. D.P. Tripathi, Dr. Prabhat Sharma, Head, Department of Buisness Administration, Seth G.D.S.B. Patwari College, Bagar, Rajasthan and Dr. S.C. Agarwal of the same Institution also made their presentations on the concept of a Widow’s share in her husband’s property according to Indian classical texts and their relevance and interpretation in the contemporary times.  This session was followed by local sight seeing and a colourful cultural evening where college students encouraged and groomed by Ms. Deepal Pandya participated actively.  The evening’s star attraction was Ms. Deepal Pandya who demonstrated the Indian Classical Dance with excellence.

 

         The fourth technical session started on August 14, 2006 at 10:00 a.m. Prof. Sushma Yadav, Professor, Dr. Ambedkar Chair, IIPA, chaired the session.  Smt. Shashi Rao, Director, All India Women Conference, Rewari, talked about the role of NGO’s as well as of the family and the state in ensuring protection of witnesses by citing and highlighting various examples which she had experienced herself as Director of All India Women Conference.  Alternative measures were also suggested to deal with the inequalities of women and a revision of the Constitutional provisions and Acts.   This was followed by Ms. Renu Gaur, Lecturer in English, Mrs. Helena Kaushik College and by Dr. Sarika Mohta, Lecturer in Science, Mrs. Helena Kaushik College. Both the lecturers meaningfully laid their respective opinions regarding Gender Violence.  The session concluded with the confirming to the idea that the onus of building an effective system of representation is essentially on the community besides the state.  While summing up, the Chair stressed upon the importance of redefining the role of the society rather than simply addressing the problem of Gender Violence through enactments. 

 

         The valedictory session started at 12:30 pm on August 14, 2006 with the arrival of Dr. Girija Vyas, Chairperson, National Commission for Women, as the Chief Guest.  Prof. Sushma Yadav, Professor, Dr. Ambedkar Chair, IIPA, steered the session by her elaborative computerized presentation on the theme of the seminar – GENDER VIOLENCE AND GENDER JUSTICE: NEED FOR WITNESS PROTECTION.  The speaker attributed the existing disparities in the society relating to Gender biases and gave theoretical insights on gender discrimination and its consequences. She stressed the imperative need of promoting corrective measures drawn from the past experiences and also of supplementing legal safeguards with positive affirmative action along with the need of the witness protection act.  She also focused on the need to sensitize government officials and enforcement agencies together with other societal actors in order to ensure greater compliance with existing women’s rights.  The presentation was appreciated by everyone presented there and Hon’ble Dr. Girija Vyas called it “Bible” of the seminar.  At the end, Dr. Girija Vyas highlighted the measures which were adopted by the NCW in her regime and assured that several recommendations of the Seminar will be adopted by the Commission.  She emphasized the need of searching for culture- specific solutions of the problem of violence in the Indian context and asked the college to conduct ‘awareness’ and ‘capacity building workshops’ for the college students for which National Commission for Women was ready to provide funds. Dr. Vyas also captured the hearts of the audience by remembering her association with the college since its inception and her roots in the soil of Rajasthan. She also informed the gathering that a number of recommendations made by the NCW since her chairing it, have been accepted by the government. Dr. Vyas was so happy with the inputs that she asked the organizers to bring out the papers in a published form and also kindly assured that the publication would be sponsored by the National Commission for Women (NCW).

 

Outcomes/Recommendations of the Seminar   

 

         Despite clear recommendations for action regarding violence in the governmental policies and in the constitution and evidence of gains in some areas, the trend across the region is that violence against women is increasing at alarming levels.  Compounding this problem is the lack of political will and absence of adequate resources to implement, support and sustain initiatives and mechanisms addressing violence.  However, there are some gains that have been achieved:

        

         Firstly, significant initiatives have been made at the national, regional and international levels condemning various forms of violence against women.  National action plans and regional and international mechanisms on violence are now in place in many regions.  Among the significant initiatives that have been developed are landmark legislations criminalizing domestic violence, trafficking in women, rape, sexual harassment as well as innovative approaches and strategies in prevention, prosecution, and protection. 

 

         Secondly, trafficking in women and children received considerable attention and consideration from governments, international organizations and NGOs.  These provided strategic focus for governments and for regional and international bodies in the Indian region. 

 

         Thirdly, an important development has been the significant increase in the awareness of human rights instruments as benchmarks for government accountability in fulfilling their obligations to protect women’s human rights. 

 

But with this, there are gaps:

 

         At the most, the commitments made by states to address violence against women have yet to be fully implemented.  State responsibility and due diligence remains a continuing challenge, even as governments have taken initial steps to address violence.  Access to justice remains inadequate particularly for marginalized, minority women and migrant women.  The gap between the laws addressing violence against women and their implementation need to be bridged through various ways: capability building of law enforcement authorities, greater efforts at awareness raising, monitoring of implementation, and research on the root causes of violence. 

 

         This is also to state that too often, the criminal justice system is not gender friendly.  Legal processes and procedures are tedious and put women at risk of reprisal in the process of pursuing justice.  Adequate and gender sensitive witness protection programs are areas that need to be developed.  Engendering the criminal justice system is important if women are to feel safe to seek legal redress for crimes committed against them.

 

Emerging Issues that need to be focused are:

 

  • Forced sterilization and forced abortion, female infanticide, prenatal sex selection and honour killings, which are often committed with impunity in the name of culture and religion in India, are being strengthened by conflicts generated by the interface of globalization, militarism, and fundamentalism at both national and community levels.

 

  • The context of privatized employment settings and the globalized markets for the movement of natural persons in the service sector (including domestic service) should be further examined as sites of violence against migrant women workers.

 

  • The rapid spread of HIV AIDS, abetted by tourism development and patriarchal culture, has made Indian women and girls particularly vulnerable.  Sexual violence against women in times of armed conflict, terrorism and counter-terrorism; violence in refugee camps as well as in institutional setting (e.g., hospitals and detention centers) have made women highly vulnerable to HIV infection.  Women trafficked for prostitution and other forms of sexual exploitation are also highly at risk of HIV infection which is a very discrete yet highly dangerous aspect of violence against women. 

 

  • The recent tsunami that hit India besides many other South Asian countries has rendered thousand of women and children homeless and in need of emergency assistance.  Their desperate situation is a matter of serious concern as evidence has increased of sexual assault and trafficking of women and children. 

 

No doubt, witness protection is the need of the hour and the bill should be passed immediately.  But before, this there is a time to check the government policies and also to have the feed back.  The measures as suggested in regard to this are:

 

The Government should seek that it may:

 

  • Fully implement commitments especially those relating to violence against women;
  • Develop, resource and support comprehensive national action plans to eliminate violence against women;
  • Ensure that the criminal justice system is engendered and sensitized to such issues so women can have a fair and just treatment from courts.  Ensure gender-sensitive training of frontline law enforcement agencies, the judiciary, and the criminal justice system; 
  • Implement strategies that address the root causes of violence against women in society as will as provide adequate resources for immediate concerns (e.g. shelters, counseling centers and livelihood programs for victims of violence);
  • Ensure that special programs are developed to assist women with special needs including the elderly, indigenous women, rural and migrant women; ethnic minorities; women with disabilities; adolescent women; women in situations of armed conflict; and women marginalized because of their sexuality, economic or cultural status; 
  • Ensure effective victims’ protection and health care program for women survivors of violence; 
  • Implement legislation and measures to penalize perpetrators of VAW including traffickers and pimps, agents of enterprises; 
  • Provide adequate relief and rehabilitation for women survivors of state violence; 
  • Ensure ratification of the Optional Protocol on Trafficking of Persons, especially women and children, and Optional Protocol Against the Smuggling of Migrants by land, air and sea, of the convention Against Transnational Organized Crime; 
  • Improve international information exchange in women and girls by establishing data-collection centres within Interpol, regional law enforcement agencies, and national police force;
  •  Ensure that punitive legal measures are taken against the perpetrators of honour killings and violence against women based on culture, religion or other identity based constructs; 
  • Include strategies to eliminate honour killing and violence against women based on culture, religion or other identity-based constructs in national action plans. 
  • Despite the many positive developments in securing women’s human rights, patriarchy continues to be embedded in the social system in many parts of India denying the majority of women the choice to decide how they live.  The over-riding importance of “community” in a patriarchal sense ensures that women rarely have an independent say in community issues. 
  • As in many parts of India, levels of violence and crime against women are extremely high (alarm at these high levels has led to recent calls for the imposition of the death penalty for crimes of rape).
  •  According to national crime Records Bureau (NCRB) figures for 1998 issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Uttar Pradesh ranked first and Rajasthan ranked fourth in the ratings of recorded crimes against women.  These include rape, kidnapping, dowry death, mental and physical “torture”, molestation, sexual harassment and trafficking.  According to Rajasthan government statistics, crimes against women in the year 1999 reported an increase of 6.7% over the year 1998.   
  • Women activists in India have played a crucial role in highlighting the problems faced by women.  They come together regularly in protest against incidents of violence and put pressure on the authorities to take action against the perpetrators.  Without such pressure, many victims would be left alone and without any means of obtaining justice.  Many of the positive initiatives of the state have been taken as a result of the forceful arguments of the women’s movement in the country. 
  • However, for women in India, the challenge in defending human rights is compounded by gender discrimination inherent within traditional societies as well as within state structures.  Women are often condemned by their own families as well as their community for speaking out against discrimination and abuse. 
  • This very problem is gigantic’, the time is hard and the road that leads to success is also very tough, but we have to move, all the way jointly, so that this may be removed. 

 

5. APPENDIX

 

A.  PROPOSAL

 

International Seminar on

Gender Violence and Witness Protection

12th to 14th August, 2006

At

Mrs. Helena Kaushik Women’s College, Malsisar 331 028

 

Organized By

 

Mrs. Helena Kaushik Women’s College

And

Indian Institute of Public Administration

 

Sponsored by

 

National Commission for Women, Delhi

 

 

Call for Papers

 

         Issues relating to women’s empowerment and acts of violence and crime have occupied central focus in recent years.  Gender disparities have been strongly related with issues of violence, as well as life expectancy, infant mortality, total fertility, nutritional and health status of members of the family, family planning and other aspects of health and well-being.  Further progress is considered to be critical in the individual life of women in their fight against oppression and in their empowerment. There is also need for effective tools to fight against several social ills such as female infanticide, child marriage and gender violence in general.  In spite of the recognition of the potential role of women in development, gender disparity in education, politics and society at large persist in a number of developing countries including India.

 

         Violence against women is an aggregate of complex phenomena both in terms of its occurrence and causation.  The genesis and manifestation of its diverse aspects varies with class, caste, cultural roots, values imbibed from the family – both immediate and extended as well as religion, urban/rural or even small town background of the individual involved.  Numerous agencies influence the perceptions of both the perpetrator and the victim - the family, the society, the state, the judiciary and the media. 

 

         It is significant to note that no statistics on crimes against women in India were collected separately by the Ministry of Home Affairs or the Police Research Bureau till 1988.  It was only in 1989 that such data began to be collected broadly relating to incidence of crimes committed, number of persons arrested, social background of the victims, and cases disposed of by the police and courts.

 

         To understand the phenomena of violence against women, one ought to look at both woman and man as the possible victims of social constructs.  It is too simplistic a correlation to say that patriarchy as a weapon of the male world leads to domesticity and renders women powerless and more vulnerable to violence.  The system of patriarchy can function only with the cooperation of women.  This cooperation may be secured through gender indoctrination, educational deprivations, and discrimination in accessing economic resources or political power, awarding of class privileges to conforming women or outright coercion.

 

         There are two broad aspects of the need for witness protection. The first is to ensure that evidence of witnesses that has already been collected at the stage of investigation is not allowed to be destroyed by witnesses shifting from their statements while deposing on oath before a court. This phenomenon of a witness turning `hostile’, on account of failure to `protect’ evidence, is one aspect of the problem. This in turn would entail special procedures to be introduced into the criminal law to balance the need for anonymity of witnesses on the one hand, and the rights of the accused, on the other, for an open public trial with a right to cross-examination of the witnesses, after knowing all details about witnesses.

 

         The other aspect is the physical and mental vulnerability of the witness and to the taking care of his or her welfare in various respects which call for physical protection of the witness, at all stages of the criminal justice process till the conclusion of the case, by the introduction of witness protection programmes.

 

         To discuss these and related issues in the context of Women’s Participation and Gender Empowerment, Mrs. Helena Kaushik Women’s College proposes to organize a National Seminar sponsored by the National Commission for Women and their theme on this subject in which, among others, the Indian Institute of Public Administration, Delhi will also participate at Mrs. Helena Kaushik Women’s College, P.O. Malsisar, Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan 331 028 from August 12 to 14, 2006.

 

Gender Violence and Witness Protection

 

         The themes and sub-themes proposed for discussion in the seminar include, but are not confined to, the following:

 

Themes and Sub-Themes

1.     Gender Asymmetry and Gender Violence in India

a.    Indian Constitution, Women’s Leadership and Empowerment

2.     Combating Gender Violence through Legal Empowerment

a.       Violence, Women’s Education and Labour Force        Participation

b.       Women’s Health, Nutrition and Violence

c.       Population, Politics, Fertility and Violence

d.       Risks for Women Entrepreneurs in Business

e.       Combating Gender violence: A Case for Witness Protection

 

3.     Witness Protection Act:  Issues and Challenges.

a.       The Need for the Act

b.       Cross-National Perspective

c.       National Agenda

 

 

B. List of Potential Paper Presenters/Speakers

 

1.      Dr. Girija Vyas, Chairperson, National Commission for Women, Government of India

 

2.      Dr. Surendra K. Kaushik, Founder and Chairman, Mrs. Helena Kaushik Women’s College and Professor of Finance, Pace University, USA.

 

3.       The Honorable Sandy Galef, Assemblywoman, New York Assembly, USA.

 

4.      Dr. Donald Plunkett, Adjunct Professor, Baruch College, City     University of New York, USA. 

 

5.       Mr. Shorav Kaushik, Brooklyn Law School, USA. 

 

6.       Ms. Deepal Pandya, Rutgers University, New Jersey, and Jon Robert   Powers Agency, Philadelphia, USA. 

 

7.       Ms. Shobha Kaushik, University of Rocheter, New York, USA. 

 

8.      Mrs. Barbara Lipton, Adjunct Professor, New School University, New York, USA. 

 

9.      Mrs. Judith Anderson, Virginia, USA. 

10.   Mrs. Zia Durrani, New Jersey, USA.

 

11.   Miss Kayla Plunkett, Cortlandt Manor, New York, USA.

 

12.   Mrs. Durga Kaushik, Briarcliff Manor, New York, USA. 

 

13.   Dr. Ghasi Ram Verma, Professor Emeritus, University of Rhode Island, USA. 

 

14.   Dr. K.L. Kamal, Former Vice Chancellor, University of Rajasthan,          Jaipur. 

 

15.   Prof. Sushma Yadav, Professor, Dr. Ambedkar Chair in Social Justice, Indian Institute of Public   Administration, New Delhi. 

 

16.   Prof. Jai Narain Sharma, Department of Gandhian Studies, Panjab University, Chandigarh. 

 

17.   Dr. Anil Dutta Mishra, Deputy Director, National Gandhi Museum, New Delhi. 

 

18.   Dr. Ashu Pasricha, Department of Gandhian Studies, Panjab University, Chandigarh. 

 

19.   Dr. Himanshu Borai, Associate Professor, H.N.B. University, Garhwal, Srinagar. 

 

20.   Smt. Shashi Rao, Director, All India Women Conference, Rewari, Haryana. 

 

21.   Ms.  Nidhi Yadav, Research Officer, Dr. Ambedkar Chair in Social Justice, Indian Institute of Public Administration, New Delhi. 

 

22.   Sh. Ram Autar, District Food supply Controller, Rohtak, Haryana. 

 

23.   Dr. Pradeep Srivastava, Head, Department of History, Chirawa P. G. College, Chirawa. 

 

24.   Dr. Prabhat Sharma, Head, Department of Business Administration, Seth G.D.S.B. Patwari College, Bagar, Rajasthan. 

 

25.   Dr. Devi Prakash Tripati, Head of the Department of History, Seth G.D.S.B. Patwari College, Bagar, Rajasthan. 

 

26.   Dr. S. C. Agarwal, Head, Department of Economics, Seth G.D.S.B. Patwari College, Bagar, Rajasthan. 

 

27.   Ms. Sarika Mohta, Lecturer in Psychology, Mrs. Helena Kaushik Women P.G. College, Malsisar, Rajasthan. 

 

28.   Mrs. Chandan Bala Jain, Lecturer in Botany, Mrs. Helena Kaushik Women P.G. College, Malsisar, Rajasthan. 

 

29.   Mrs. Santosh Ahlawat, An educator, and Vice President, BJP, Rajasthan. 

 

30.   Dr. Sahib Singh Verma, Former Chief Minister of Delhi and Former Minister of Labor, India

        

 

C.   Initial Tentative Programme

 

Mrs. Helena Kaushik Women’s College, Malsisar 331 028

 

         Seminar on Gender Violence and Witness Protection

 

Tentative Programme

 

Saturday, 12 August 2006

 

         18:00                 Opening Ceremony

         20:30                 Dinner

 

Sunday, 13 August 2006

 

         09:30-11:00       First Technical Session:

         11:00-11:30       Coffee/Tea

         11:30-13:00       Second Technical Session:

         13:00-14:30       Lunch

         14:30-16:00       Third Technical Session:

         16:30-19:00       Cultural Evening/Visit to nearby places

         19:30-21:30       Dinner

 

Monday, 14 August 2006

 

         09:30-11:00       Fourth Technical Session:

         11:00-11:30       Coffee/Tea

         11:30-13:30       Fifth and Closing Luncheon Session

         13:30-15:00       Departure of Guests

 

 

 

D. Acknowledgements

 

Report Supervisor: Professor Surendra K. Kaushik, Founder and Chairman, Mrs. Helena Kaushik Women’s P.G. College

 

Report Moderated and Finalized by: Professor Sushma Yadav, Chair Professor, Dr. Ambedkar Chair in Social Justice, Indian Institute of Public Administration New Delhi.

 

Report Prepared by:  Ms. Chandan Bala Jain, Lecturer in Botany, Mrs. Helena Kaushik Women’s P.G. College and Mrs. Nidhi Yadav, Research Officer, Dr. Ambedkar Chair in Social Justice, Indian Institute of Public Administration, New Delhi.

 

Report Submitted by: Ms. Sarika Mohta, Lecturer in Psychology, Mrs. Helena Kaushik Women’s P.G. College

 

Report Edited & Formatted by: Mr. Rupinder Sharma, Librarian, Mrs. Helena Kaushik Women’s P.G. College

 

General Supervision and Final Editing: Dr. Surendra K. Kaushik, Founder and Chairman, Mrs. Helena Kaushik Women’s P.G. College

 

skaushik@pace.edu, helenakaushikpgcollege@yahoo.com. www.helenakaushik.org

 

Thanks to faculty, students and staff of Mrs. Helena Kaushik Women’s P.G. College for their hospitality, seminar arrangements and a smooth running of the seminar as well as academic participation by students and faculty.

 

Thanks to the Steering Committee of the National Commission for Women for sponsoring this seminar. Thanks also to the staff of the National Commission for Women including but not limited to Mr. V.K. Asthana, Mr.      S.K. Nanda, and all others at NCW for their time and attention to the success of this programme.

 

Mrs. Helena Kaushik Women’s P.G. College is most thankful to Dr. Girija Vyas, Chairperson, National Commission for Women for her support of this programme by personal participation and for inspiring students and lecturers with her leadership in women’s progress and rural development.

 

Last but not least, thanks to the Indian Institute of Public Administration, its director Dr. P.L. Sanjeev Reddy and his PA Mr. G.K Arora who were most helpful, Professor Sushma Yadav,  Chair Professor, IIPA for helping in organizing the seminar since its inception and all from India and abroad who presented and participated in the seminar.