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Hans India

POSH Act must be enforced strongly

Tirupati: Member of the National Commission for Women (NCW) Archana Majumdar said that ensuring timely support for women through effective interdepartmental coordination can go a long way in preventing crimes against them. She participated in a Jansunwai (public hearing) held at district collectorate on Friday, along with district collector Dr S Venkateswar and SP V Harshavardhan Raju. Speaking on the occasion, Archana Majumdar stressed that addressing women's needs at the early stages by involving all relevant departments can significantly reduce the incidence of crimes. She underlined the need to establish Internal women's committees in all departments to monitor and address gender-based issues effectively. She also underlined the strict implementation of the 'POSH Act' (Prevention of Sexual Harassment at Workplace) across both government and private sectors. 'Crimes against women at workplaces can only be curbed if the POSH Act is enforced stringently,' she noted. Drawing attention to the rising number of early pregnancies due to child marriages in some states, she called for coordinated efforts between the women and child welfare department and the police department to tackle such issues. She urged officials to act proactively to prevent child marriages and their associated social challenges. District collector Dr Venkateswar assured that the district administration would implement the NCW's suggestions diligently and work in coordination with line departments to prevent crimes against women. 'Empowering women economically boosts their self-confidence,' he said. He also appreciated the role of ANMs, ASHA workers, Anganwadi staff, and women police personnel in the district's robust village and ward secretariat system. SP Harshavardhan Raju said the police department would focus on curbing crimes against women in line with the NCW's guidelines and ensure women's safety and empowerment in the district. The meeting was also attended by NCW member Rokhaya Begum, DSP (women police) Srilatha, joint director Krishna Kumari, district women and child welfare officer Vasantha Bhai, and other district officials.