The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW), on Tuesday, 4 January, wrote to Rajya Sabha Chair Venkaiah Naidu, seeking to reconstitute the Parliamentary Committee on Child Marriage Amendment Bill, 2021, as it had only one woman member among 31 members.
DCW chief Swati Maliwal, in the letter, said:
"I am shocked to learn that the Parliamentary Standing Committee consists of only one woman Parliamentarian against 30 male Parliamentarians. It is disheartening to note that not only does the Committee have negligible representation of women, but it is also chaired by a man. How can a matter, which has a direct impact on the life of crores of women and girls, be decided by a group of men?”Swati Maliwal, DCW Chief
Maliwal further sought the reconstitution of the committee with 50% woman members, and urged that the committee be chaired by a woman.
She highlighted how the Child Marriage Amendment Bill, which intended to increase the marriageable age of girls from 18 years to 21 years, had a significant and direct impact on the future of crores of women.
Furthermore, she also put forth how the agencies had failed to effectively implement the existing laws for the prevention of child marriage, and urged for further assessment and consultation in the matter.
“This is a sensitive matter and shall impact the lives of crores of women. Therefore, it must be decided through a comprehensive and consultative process led by women.”Swati Maliwal, DCW Chief
NCP MP Supriya Sule echoed her sentiments and said that the chairman still had the power to invite others' opinions. She hoped that more woman MPs would be consulted for inclusive discussions.
Maharashtra MP Priyanka Chaturvedi had also penned a letter to Naidu, pointing out the discrepancy in female representation in the panel, urging him to constitute a more inclusive panel.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)