Articles by "Maneka Gandhi"
New Delhi, Jul 28: A mediation cell has been opened on the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights's website to register complaints of Indians who have fled with their children from abroad to escape domestic violence or some other issue, Union minister Maneka Gandhi has said.
Addressing a national conference of the state women commissions, Gandhi yesterday said the cell, consisting of members of the Ministry of External Affairs and the NCPCR, would contact the embassies of the respective countries and try to reach a solution after consultations with them.
About why India should not become a signatory of the Hague Convention, she said if India was a signatory, then the child would have to be sent back and the woman apprehended.
"We refused that we would not send our women back so their child is snatched away from them," the Women and Child Development minister said.
She said her ministry was desperately looking for a solution for women who have fled from abroad with their child to escape domestic violence or for some other issue.
"We haven't come to a solution, but till a solution is reached this cell has been formed," Gandhi added.
The Hague Convention is a multi-national treaty that seeks to protect children wrongfully removed by one of the parents from the custody of the other parent.
She recommended members of the women commissions to follow three things -- release a book on the performance every year, identify single cases and try to solve them and hire lawyers for women who cannot afford it. (PTI)
New Delhi, Jul 17: Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi has ordered all the states to get the child-care homes run by the Mother Teresa-founded Missionaries of Charity (MoC) inspected immediately, after cases of alleged illegal adoptions carried out by the homes came to light recently.
Gandhi also directed the states to ensure that all the child-care institutions (CCIs) were registered and linked to the country's apex adoption body within a month.
According to the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, registration of CCIs and their linking with the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) is mandatory, but some orphanages have challenged the validity of the clause, an official in the Women and Child Development Ministry said.
Taking cognisance of the cases of alleged illegal adoptions carried out by the MoC in Jharkhand, Gandhi has ordered all the states to get the child-care homes run by the organisation inspected immediately, the ministry said in a statement.
A shelter home run by the MoC in Ranchi has allegedly been involved in "selling" three children and "giving away" another one.
Approximately 2,300 CCIs have been linked to CARA since December last year, while about 4,000 more are still pending for linkage.
Gandhi has expressed displeasure over the fact that the children in the 2,300 institutions linked to CARA are yet to be brought under an adoption system.
According to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), 2,32,937 children are currently under the care of CCIs -- both registered and unregistered -- in the country. (PTI)
New Delhi, Apr 13: Stating that she is 'deeply, deeply disturbed' by the recent Kathua gangrape incident involving a minor, Women and Child Development
Minister Maneka Gandhi on Friday expressed her resolve to bring in legislation awarding death penalty
for the rape of children below 12 years.
In a video released here, the Minister said she was 'deeply,
deeply disturbed by the rape case in Kathua, and all the recent rape cases. I and the ministry intend to
bring an amendment to the POCSO Act asking for the death penalty for the rape of children below 12 years of
age."
POCSO, which is the Protection of Children from Sexual
Offences Act, 2012, as it stands does not punish offenders of sexual crimes against children with death.
Her remarks assumes significance as she along with Minister
of state for Defence V K Singh were among the first in the Union Council of Ministers to react and condemn
the brutal gangrape and murder of an eight-year -old in Kathua, which is being sought to be given a communal
hue. UNI
New
Delhi, Nov 8: Marking the observation of Anti Black Money Day, Prime
Minister Narendra Modi, top BJP leaders and Union Ministers on Wednesday
launched an intense campaign in support of demonetisation on social networking
sites and listed out "achievements" and said the move had only given
positive trends to Indian economy.
Most Union Ministers including BJP chief Amit Shah tweeted making use of the
hashtag #AntiBlackMoneyDay. Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted a video on
Twitter and said, "Here are the benefits of demonetisation,
encapsulated in this short film. Have a look". "I bow to the people of India for steadfastly supporting the several
measures taken by the Government to eradicate corruption and black money,"
he wrote in another missive. BJP chief Amit Shah in the midst of election campaign in textile-hub Surat
joined party workers in a massive signature campaign and said the banning of
high value currency notes - old Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes - would go a long way
in achieving a "New India" - that is free from corruption and black
money.
"On #AntiBlackMoneyDay joined the nationwide Signature campaign supporting
PM @narendramodi's commitment for a #NewIndia free from corruption & black
money," Mr Shah tweeted. Among others, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Transport Minister Nitin
Gadkari, Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani, Women and Child
Welfare Minister Maneka Gandhi and Railway Minister Piyush Goyal also took to
the micro blogging site. Ms Sitharaman also kicked off a signature campaign in support of
#AntiBlackMoneyDay at Natesan Park, T Nagar, Chennai. "Grateful to the people of India for their trust and continued
support," said Ms Irani. In her posting, Maneka Gandhi said, number of Income Tax Returns filed
increased manifold thus "strengthening the economic structure" of the
country. Transport Minister and former BJP chief Nitin Gadkari said, "Under the
dynamic leadership of PM Modi, we will continue our crusade against the menace
of black money and evil of corruption".
Mr Goyal in his missive said, "Black money has been there for a long time.
Demonetisation has pushed India towards a transparent and formal
economy". BJP MP and party's youth wing chief Poonam Mahajan wrote: "Today will be marked in
history as a turning point." UNI
New
Delhi, Nov 7: Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi on
Tuesday launched a comprehensive online complaint system called #SHeBox,
dedicated to address harassment grievances faced by women in the workplace.
Her comments came at the launch function of the comprehensive online complaint
system called #SHeBox, where she assured that her ministry 'is committed to
combat violence and abuse of any form against women.' The initiative offered the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment
at the workplace to all women employees, including government and private, she
noted, pointing out that the ministry had developed 'an online complaint
management system to ensure effective implementation of the Sexual Harassment
at the Workplace Act. The idea behind the initiative was 'an effort to provide speedier remedy to
women facing sexual harassment at the workplace'. To ensure a safe working
environment for women, the Union Government has enacted the #SHeBox under the
Sexual Harassment at Workplace Act, 2013, she said. The #SHeBox is an interactive section where harassed women can voice
grievances, ask questions and give suggestions. To help the employee and
employers better deal with sexual harassment at the workplace, the facility provides
essential resources, informative videos and empanelled institutions. Complainants have been asked to speak up and flag the ministry if needed in the
event if their organisations had not constituted an Internal Complaints
Committee to redress these grievances. Users of the complaints box had the option of interacting with the WCD ministry
through the portal, with an assured time-bound response. It also facilitated
both the ministry as well as the complainant to monitor the progress of
inquiry. UNI
