Women safety panel to partner with media

Informs scribes about government measures to ensure women’s safety

Hyderabad: The Telangana government is planning to partner with the print and the electronic media to spread awareness about effective implementation of legislations and regulations available for redressal of heinous crimes against teenage girls and women, according to an official announcement.

The Women Commission on Security (WCS) set up by the Telangana government headed by senior IAS officer Poonam Malakondaiah to look into the problems of security as well as safety faced by women at workplaces and elsewhere met senior working journalists at the Secretariat to inform them about initiatives taken up by the government. “The media’s role is significant to transform society and hence the approach to both the print and electronic media,” Poonam Malakondaiah said in her opening remarks at the meeting. Tuesday's meeting is a continuation of the series of meetings by the special committee with all sections of society like self-help groups, women NGOs, Women and Child Welfare Department, infotech sector, police and civil rights’ bodies, college girls, working women and housewives living in high rise apartments as well as women's associations.

The committee plans to meet women journalists, besides Transport and Health Department officials. During the interaction, media representatives suggested setting up of a data centre to provide easy access of crime data for quick response from the police, the Women and Child Department, as well as to enable constructive reporting and ‘analysis’ of crime against women.

General sensitisation on the issue of safety of women journalists in their work places was also discussed, setting up of a grievance cell and also a call centre linked directly to police stations were suggested.

The meeting also highlighted ‘ongoing negative portrayal’ of women in some sections of the electronic and print media. Strengthening facilities at women's rescue homes and ways to deal with women cases in police stations were also suggested. Poonam said the team would submit a report to the State government in 60 days recommending steps for providing better security to women employees.

Sunil Sharma, member of the committee, who went to Gujarat after the second meeting studied the 181 Women Helpline and the 'One Stop Crisis Centre' for women.

Soumya Mishra, Secretary to TS Home Department, Swati Lakra, IG Training, Charu Sinha, IGP, CID, Sailaja Ramaiyer, member of WCS, were also present on the occasion.