With challenges such as raising the legal age of marriage for women, combating malnutrition among women and children, and addressing women's safety issues, the new ministers face a formidable agenda.
"I believe in all of them. I believe in the pain and trauma behind every single complainant," Maneka Gandhi said.
Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani said that the government is committed to support and protect every vulnerable child who lost both parents to Covid.
A proposal of the Women and Child Development Ministry to give greater powers to the National Commission of Women has faced legal hurdles as the law ministry has raised queries on the move.
Right from the first week, Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi said, the BJP-led government showed "zero tolerance" towards brutalities against women. "I am confident that a time of gender equality would come. We ensured women gets the basic necessities of toilets, electricity and gas cylinders to make their lives easy."
Amid a raging debate over safety of women at workplace, a key legislation in this regard is stuck between Women and Child Development Ministry and law ministries and is yet to be enforced despite the President giving his assent over seven months ago.
Sushmita Dev said it would have been better if there were more women MPs in the panel.
The National Human Rights Commission on Monday sought reports from the Union women and child ministry and police commissioners of Ludhiana and Delhi in connection with reports of a baby being sold thrice through a deal struck on Facebook.
Reacting sharply to the Global Hunger Report 2021, the Women and Child Development Ministry said it is 'shocking' to find that it has lowered the rank of India on the basis of FAO estimate on proportion of undernourished population which is found to be 'devoid of ground reality and facts, and suffers from serious methodological issues'.
Government is mulling giving punitive powers to arrest, search and seize to National Commission for Women in matters of domestic violence, police apathy and sexual harassment at work place and plans to extend NCW's jurisdiction to Jammu and Kashmir.
The Centre's programmes of maternity benefit and Child Protection Services also got a major boost in the Budget.
It would be difficult to stick to the Budget numbers unless the departments are reined in their expenditure plans.
A proposal, which will empower the Juvenile Justice Board to decide whether a juvenile above 16 years involved in heinous crimes such as rape is to be sent to a observation home or tried in a regular court, is learnt have been cleared by the Union Cabinet on Wednesday.
Missionaries of Charity, the group started by Mother Teresa, may have to shut down its orphanages due to its non-compliance with adoption guidelines.
The Child Protection Services programme under the Integrated Child Development Services was increased to Rs 1,500 crore from Rs 925 crore.
The supplementary nutrition programme and the Poshan Abhiyaan under the Women and Child Development Ministry has been merged to launch Mission Poshan 2.0 to strengthen nutritional content, delivery, outreach, and outcome, according to the Union Budget announced on Monday.
At least 660 rape crisis centres will be established across the country and named as Nirbhaya centres, as a tribute to the victim of December 16, 2012, Delhi gang rape case.
The law ministry has red flagged a proposal to provide the National Commission of Women punitive powers to arrest and penalise people guilty of harassing women and ignoring summons.
Nabeel Ahmed Wani, the topper of the All India Examination for BSF Assistant Commandant (Works) last year, has written to the government alleging that terrorists are threatening him and his sister.
SHe-box deals with complaints from women employees in both public & private sectors.
The DDCA probe panel chief has informed the Centre that he was under "pressure" for naming some individuals, including a "VIP", in his report on the cricket body's affairs.
The Juvenile Justice Act that exempts minors from severe punishment could be changed to deliver tougher punishment to juveniles accused of heinous crimes like rape and murder, reports Anita Katyal
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