Guwahati: The Unau Tribal Women Forum (UTWF) from Delhi & NCR recently met with the Chairperson of the National Commission for Women (NCW), Rekha Sharma, to discuss pressing concerns related to the safety and dignity of women in the digital realm.
The meeting, held at the NCW headquarters, was aimed at addressing the growing issue of online hate speech and cyber harassment targeted at women.
The UTWF members presented a memorandum to Rekha Sharma, detailing their apprehensions and seeking immediate action against individuals involved in propagating offensive content against women through the internet. The UTWF emphasized the urgent need for stringent measures to counter such heinous acts and ensure the perpetrators face the full force of the law.
Rekha Sharma warmly welcomed the UTWF delegation and expressed her dedication to combating crimes against women. She assured the representatives of her unwavering support in dealing with those involved in such criminal activities. The Chairperson firmly asserted that the NCW would leave no stone unturned in pursuing justice for the victims and taking appropriate actions against the offenders.
During the meeting, the UTWF representatives highlighted the distressing trend of individuals using various online platforms to spread hate speech, offensive songs, or explicit images with the malicious intent of outraging the modesty of women.
“This rampant misuse of the internet to shame and defame women is not only morally reprehensible but also a gross violation of their fundamental rights and dignity,” they said.
In response to the UTWF’s concerns, Rekha Sharma said, “the Commission had already taken cognizance of a specific incident involving a video that surfaced on 19th July 2023. The matter was swiftly brought to the attention of the Director General of Police (DGP) in Manipur for a thorough investigation. Additionally, a show-cause notice had been issued to Twitter, as the video was uploaded on their platform, violating public media norms.”
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She reiterated the NCW’s commitment to ensure that social media platforms do not become breeding grounds for hatred and harassment against women. She further affirmed that the Commission would not hesitate to exercise its authority and issue summons against any individual or entity found guilty of abusing social media platforms to demean and harm women.
The Chairperson also conveyed her interest for the state of Manipur and expressed her determination to provide all necessary assistance to prevent, counter, and protect women against any form of torture or discrimination.
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