Woman today and Legal Services

Name: P.R.S. Harika
Mobile No: 9491906707
Sri Shirdi Sai Law College, Anakapalli
Mail ID: [email protected]

INTRODUCTION

Traditionally, Indian women had four fold status role sequences. They were role as daughter, wife, housewife and mother. The women in modern times is entering into a certain new fields that are unknown to women’s sphere of role sets they are activating participating in social, economic, and political activities.
Status of women in India
• Declining Sex Ratio
• Low literacy rates
• Low levels of women’s workforce participation
• Increasing violence against women
IMPORTANCE OF WOMEN EMPOWERMENT:
Empowerment of women is essentially the process of upliftment of economic, Social, and political status of women, traditionally underprivileged ones, in the society. It involves the building up of a society where in women can breathe without the fear of oppression, exploitation, apprehension, discrimination and the gender feeling of persecution which goes with being a women in a traditionally male dominated structure.
PRINCIPLES OF WOMEN EMPOWERMENT
• Establish high level corporate leadership for gender equality.
• Treat all women and men fairly at work – respect and support human rights and non discrimination
• Ensure the health, safety and well being of all women and men workers.
• Promote education, training and professional development for women.
NOW DAYS HOW FAR WE CAN OBSERVE THE WOMEN EMPOWERMENT IN REALTY
• In modern India, women have held high offices including that of the President, Prime minister, Actor, Sports person, Governor etc.,
WOMEN PROTECTING LAWS IN INDIA
• Protection of women and Domestic violence Act 2005,
• Indecent Representation of women [Prohibition Act 1986],
• Sexual harassment of workmen at workplace [Prevention, prohibition and Redressal Act 2013],
• Dowry Prohibition Act 1961,
• Medical termination of Pregnancy Act 1971,
• Equal Remuneration Act 1946, Indian Penal code,
• National Commisson for women Act 1990. Etc,.
OFFENCES AGAINST WOMEN
 Even after huge level improvement in the women status in India, they are still exploited and abused in many ways like Rape, Sex discrimination, Domestic violence, Traffing, Honor killings, Female Infanticide, sex selective abortion, Dowry, Child marriage, Acid throwing.etc,.
Recent cases:
IN Visakhapatnam:
• Crime against women has gone up by 7.09% as compared to previous year. 95 Rape cases, 997 cases of assault against women were registered
• In a spine chilling incident, a 40 year old woman was raped by a drunken man, aged 21 a truck driver in broad day light on a foot path along a busy road in Vizag. Shockingly, the horrific crime was captured on a camera, as onlookers decided to vediograph rather than helping the victim. But, no one has tried to help the victim by obstructing or attacking the accused.
• In a free ,fast progressing , technically, strong country like India, it is an unfortunate scenario that the female citizens, be it an adult or a small child, continue to be consistently victimize by lecherous and sexually pervert male folk ,found in abundant in public places, specially crowded markets, pubic transport like buses, metros and recreation joints like movie halls etc,.
• NEW DELHI: The court said a women’s body is her own and it is she who has an exclusive right over it and all others are prohibited to touch her body, without her consent, for any purpose whatsoever. It is said in Ram case and awarded 5 year jail term for sexually assaulting a 9 year old girl.
• Daswant, aged 23 years raped a seven years girl. Mahila court awards death sentence to Daswant as per the sections 302,366,354 under I.P.C
 Regarding Women Safety and reduce crime against women , government of India has passed another juvenile justice[ care and protection of children] bill,. This ACT is passed after Nirbhaya case when a accused juvenile was released, accordingly juvenile age has been from 16 years to 18 years in case of heinous offences.

Legal Services:
The legal services day is celebrated every year of 9th November in all the State authorities.
AIM
• The AIM of celebrating the legal service day is to offer the free of charge, proficient and legal services to the people of weaker sections of society.
• It also organizes the Lok Adalats to make safe the legal system operations and encourages the righteousness of people on the equality basis
Main Concept:
• The main concept of providing free legal aid to the needy people is “Justice Should not be Denied on Economic Basis”. Every human being irrespective of its economic condition is having legal right to legal aid
CONSTITUTION PROVISIONS:
• The Indian constitution under Article 14 states every person is Equal before Law.
• The aforementioned Article imply free legal Aid to citizens of India but Article39 A explicitly requires the state promote justice by providing to equal opportunities to all.
THE LEGAL SERVICES AUTHORITIES ACT 1987
• Bodies constituted by the Act to ensure free legal aid { NALSA}. This will provide a panel of lawyers who will provide advice from the state capitals to the applicants in the csc through vedio conferencing.
The Legal AID CLINICS:
• Legal services clinic in law colleges, non-governmental organizations…
• Centre for Equality and inclusion is a non- governmental organization based in India that works towards female, empowerment and women’s rights.
GOVERNMENT LAUNCHES TELE – LAW SCHEME IN BIHAR
• TELE LAW INITIATIVE would help people to seek legal advice from lawyers with the help of Vedio conferencing facility available at the common service centers
• Apart from that the lawyers, law school citizens, District legal services Authorities, non- governmental organization working on legal aid and empowerment can also be connected the CSC’S
• Around 1000 women Para-legal volunteers will also be trained under this initiative to provide legal aid services through CSC. This is expected to promote Entrepreneurship and Empowerment.

Women’s LOW RATE OF RESORT TO COURT:
When women goes to the police station without being accompanied by a lawyer she is either quoted wrong, ignored or humiliated for her statements
This is one on of the reason as to why a woman would postpone going to the police to lodge a complaint.
CONCLUSION
Even though free legal aid is provided to needy people under legal services authority Act unless and until women gets the public exposure and dare to report to the concern authorities nothing can be achieved. At present majority are in the presumption that who approaches the court will by degraded by the people living in the locality as sinners. This point of view must be transformed and women must be in the position to understand the reality and necessity to go to the courts and police station to enforce their Rights.
SUGGESTIONS:
• Lack of well planned educational, economic and social programmes root level is high level responsible for such acute and pitiable scenario of the women in the country
• We need communities and individuals to be a part of this change in mindsets, attitudes and beliefs.
• Create healthy environment for women and girls everywhere by supporting end violence against them, and create awareness everywhere about women to end exploitation against women and girl through the education and strong ,social, moral and cultural values and make strong laws to punish victims immediately in present Indian society