Team Herald
PANJIM: On March 8, the world celebrated the International Women’s Day. Right from the beginning of the 20th Century, various laws have been enacted to provide equality to fairer sex. Has the enactment of these various laws helped women to finally get their fair share of respect and equality of status in society?
Adv Lavinia D’Costa from Panjim said that March 8 is the day where women should be empowered. “We are becoming stronger and stronger day-by-day. I don’t think that there is still equality in the society in spite of enacting so many laws. So much of injustice is done to women. Women are struggling and they are being tortured, beaten up and dominated by men,” she said necessitating the need to make laws more stringent.
According to Adv D’Costa, most important thing to do is women have to remain strong. “We are fighting our battles and have fought our battles. But discrimination against women is still going on. Women should be independent now and maintain their own identity.”
Adv Caroline Collaco, said that though laws have been enacted for women’s empowerment right from the Constitution of India and special laws ostensibly for giving women fillip to ensure that she is safe at home and at workplace and freedom and equality. Laws can remain as strong if given the right boost and right back up by the government or these laws will just remain on statute book and will not serve the purpose for what it was enacted. Laws are there and meant to be acted enacted and upon and in the true spirit of what it was enacted. Unless there is specific policy by each company, that they will have workplace free from sexual harassment and genuinely believe that women should work in a free atmosphere then these laws are just passed and not effective for women.
Bailancho Saad convenor Sabina Martins said that though laws have been enacted for safety of women, implementation is failing. Women’s organisations had given their feedback after experience but nothing happened. Vishakha Committees have been formed and guidelines framed against sexual harassment at workplace but they are not functioning. Under Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, no designated protection officers are appointed and Block Development Officers (BDOs) are functioning as protection officers. Also no gender centres have been established in every taluka as required under the Act.
Goa Pradesh Mahila Congress (GPMC) president Beena Naik said that Protection of Women from Domestic Violence should be made effective and cases of domestic violence should be fast tracked. She said that women have to be independent and should command respect and equality of status in society. But it depends on individual and how strong tour are. She further said that as member of Goa State Commission for Women, they had visited all prisons across the State and had submitted a report to the government recommending setting up of Fast Track Courts. But the government did not show much interest in implementing the recommendations.
