The Hindu : National : Women protection Bill introduced in Lok Sabha

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Tuesday, Aug 23, 2005

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Women protection Bill introduced in Lok Sabha

Special Correspondent

It also covers harassment for dowry

NEW DELHI: The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Bill, 2005, seeking to provide effective protection to women from physical, sexual, verbal, emotional or economic violence at home, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Monday. The term "domestic violence'' includes actual abuse or threat of violence.

Tabled in the Lok Sabha by Minister of State for Human Resource Development Kanti Singh, the Bill also covers harassment by way of unlawful demands for dowry to the women or her relative.

The Bill also covers those women who are or have been in a relationship with the `abuser' where both parties have lived together in a shared household and are related by consanguinity, marriage or through a relationship in the nature of marriage or adoption, according to the statement of objects and reasons of the proposed legislation. In addition, relationships with family members living together as a joint family are also included. Even those women who are sisters, widows, mothers, single women, or living with the abuser are entitled to legal protection under the proposed legislation.

But whereas the Bill enables the wife or the female living in a relationship in the nature of marriage to file a complaint under the proposed enactment against any relative of the husband or the male partner, it does not enable any female relative of the husband or the male partner to file a complaint against the wife or the female partner.

The Bill also gives right to secure housing to women and provides for the right to reside in her matrimonial home or shared household, whether or not she has any title or rights in such home or household.

The Vienna Accord of 1994, the Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) have recommended that State parties should act to protect women against violence of any kind especially that occurring within the family.

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