NCW chief seeks executive powers

National Commission for Women (NCW) should be changed to give executive powers to the NCW instead of the present recommendatory powers only, NCW chairperson Mamata Sharma said here today.

"Without executive powers, the commission cannot function strongly," Sharma told PTI at the sidelines of a regional conference on women empowerment here.

She said, "At present, with the recommendatory powers we can only take cognizance of cases, we seek Action Taken Reports, we set up inquiry committees and summon the accused."

Stating that the issue was referred to an expert committee of the Government, Sharma said, "We want changes in the Act to see that executive powers be given to the NCW."

The NCW was set up as a statutory body in January 1992 under the National Commission for Women Act, 1990 to review the Constitutional and Legal safeguards for women; recommend remedial legislative measures; facilitate redressal of grievances and advise the Government on all policy matters affecting women.

Sharma said political empowerment of women was necessary to make women empowerment more effective.

She said the Commission had petitioned the then President Pratibha Patil seeking reservation of women in parliament and state legislatures as part of political empowerment of women.

Regretting that trafficking of women is continuing despite having strong laws, Sharma said lots of girls are being trafficked inside India from Nepal. "I have seen this when I was in Sikkim, girls from Nepal were being trafficked to different places of India."

In the conference, Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said an economically independent woman can contribute to the socio