Shillong, July 02: Meghalaya Peoples Human Rights Council (MPHRC) will monitor the 58th Session of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, currently being held at the UN Headquarter in Geneva, Switzerland, where India will submit its Fourth and Fifth Periodic Report to the Committee for examination of its implementation based on its commitment and ratification to the UN Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
Key issues that will be scrutinize by the UN Committee includes issues on women as victims of violence and other indiscriminate attack, access to justice such as negative stereotypes and prejudices towards women victims of gender-based violence by law enforcement officials and the judiciary, in addition to rampant corruption, number of registered cases of violations of women’s rights and sentences imposed on perpetrators of such violations, measures taken to widen the definition of rape in the Penal Code, measures taken to prevent and protect women and girls from violence, including sexual violence, during military operations in what are termed “disturbed areas” and the repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (1958) the interpretation and implementation of which have resulted in impunity for human rights violations in North East India.
“We are confident that after the conclusion of the Session of the Committee, the outcome and the Recommendations to the above key issues on India and its relevance to Meghalaya will be also be followed up by Council to ensure that women rights issues are properly address in a right manner said Dino D.G. Dympep, Chairman MPHRC.(SP News)
