NCW demands action-taken report from authorities on escape of 13 girls from Bihar shelter home

Patna, Mar 26 (PTI) The National Commission for Women (NCW) on Wednesday took cognisance of the recent escape of 13 girls from a shelter home in Bihar’s Siwan district and sought a detailed action-taken report from the authorities concerned within three days.
    NCW chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar, who arrived here on Wednesday on a three-day visit to the state, wrote to the Director General of Police (DGP), with copies to the Chief Secretary and District Magistrate (DM) and Superintendent of Police (SP) concerned, directing immediate rehabilitation of the girls and strict action against those responsible for negligence.
    "A detailed action-taken report must be submitted within three days," the NCW said in a post.
    In a daring midnight escape, 13 girls had fled from a shelter home in Siwan district on March 19, allegedly scaling a 14-foot-high barbed-wire wall.
    The incident took place at Vrihad Ashray Grih in Bhaisakhall locality of Siwan, raising serious concerns over security lapses at the facility.
    While chairing a review meeting here, the NCW chairperson said, "It is the responsibility of everyone to instill confidence among women and provide a safe workplace environment to them."
    The NCW chairperson chaired a review meeting of the implementation of the 'Prevention of Sexual Harassment at Workplace Act’ (POSH Act) in the state.
    "Providing a safe workplace to women must be our priority. It is the responsibility of everyone to instill confidence among women and provide a safe workplace environment to them. There is a need to increase awareness, training and monitoring for effective implementation of the POSH Act," she said.
    The NCW chairperson directed all the departments concerned to take strict steps to prevent sexual harassment at the workplace and ensure timely action.
    She also told officials, "If a woman is a victim… you can help her and give her a new life and… if a false allegation has been made against a man, then you can get him justice by getting it investigated."
    According to a statement issued by the district administration, "The main objective of this review meeting was to discuss the effective implementation of the POSH Act, 2013 to prevent sexual harassment of women at the workplace, conduct fair investigation and provide justice to the affected women. In the meeting, the current status of POSH Act in the state, effectiveness of grievance redressal mechanism, and status of internal committees (IC) in institutions were reviewed."
    Officials were also told that it is important to keep in mind that the victim should first come to the internal committee or local committee with her complaint and not go to the police station or women’s commission or any other place.
    "We should create such an environment where the victim woman can put her point openly before the internal committee with confidence," the chairperson said.
    The NCW chairperson will visit Hajipur (Vaishali) on Thursday and attend the commission's public hearing programme—‘National Commission for Women – Aapke Dwar’ there.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)