Over the years in India, the legal framework has been strengthened through women specific legislations most recent being the ‘Nirbhaya Act’, as it is called. In spite of these enabling, protective and empowering legal provisions, incidences of violence, harassment, torture, directed at women remain rampant in our society.

The country has been witnessing an alarming wave of sexual assaults and crimes against women and minor children.  Several horrific instances of gang rapes and other forms of brutal acts of violence on women have rocked the country, prompting widespread outrage and public demonstrations of anger.   However, there are no signs of abatement, even as the brutality of sexual assaults and trafficking continue to rattle the conscience of citizens across the country. At the same time, the Telangana State Police and the Hyderabad City Police have implemented a slew of proactive and effective schemes that have earned attention and appreciation from across the country.  

Telangana Police has been striving to protect and empower women through its various initiatives such as “SHE TEAMS” in 2014 and “Bharosa – Support Center for Women & Children” in 2016. Bharosa is first of its kind support centre which is working towards establishing best practices in combating violence against Women (VAW) and providing support services for women and children. 

Nationwide Consultations on Safety of Women and Children

The Indian Police Foundation has been holding a nation-wide series of stakeholder consultations, in quest of a deeper understanding of the ground level issues being faced by the police across the country, to look at our existing policies and practices rigorously and honestly, identify the strengths and weaknesses in the system, flag the main issues and to help evolve an effective and efficient policy framework to support policy makers and field police officers.  This is a collaborative process of stakeholder engagement, involving the police leadership at the State levels, field police officers, Government Departments, Prosecutors, Criminologists, NGOs working for the rights of women, adolescents & children, those representing women workers both in the organised and the unorganised sector, academic scholars, lawyers, teachers, students etc.

The outcome document that will be prepared at the end of the nation-wide series of consultations to be held in about 20 cities across the country, will aim at constructing a credible draft policy framework and suggest an effective action plan for better safety and security of women in the country.  The project also aims to identify areas for further research and documentation as well as a roadmap for training, sensitization, capacity building and empowering of field police personnel. 

The project was first launched at a strategy session held in Mumbai on 10th March, 2017.  This was followed by the Stakeholder Consultation event in Bengaluru on 28th March, 2017.

Indian Police Foundation

The Indian Police Foundation and Institute is a multi-disciplinary think tank that brings together the police and the citizen stakeholders, to collectively work for building a professionally efficient and socially sensitive police. The Foundation believes that transformative changes in the Indian Police are possible through reforms that are both bold and practical, a well-calibrated series of collective action by the Police, the Central and State governments and the citizen stakeholders, to drive a nation-wide campaign for change. Considering the inherent complexities, the Foundation believes that simplistic, linear and quick-fix solutions cannot bring about  sustainable and transformative changes in the system.

The Indian Police Foundation and Institute was inaugurated at New Delhi by Shri Rajnath Singh, Union Home Minister on 21st October, 2015.

The Telangana Police and Hyderabad Chapter of the Indian Police Foundation are jointly hosting “Stakeholder Consultation On Safety of Women and Children in the State of Telangana” at Samagamam Hall, Plaza Hotel, ParyatakBhavan. Begumpet, Hyderabad on 30th June 2017 from 10.30 AM to 5.00 PM.

Objectives of the Consultation:

1. To discuss challenges and barriers faced in combating violence against women and children.

2. To discuss best practices and approaches in India (Telangana) and formulate a “Group Action Plan” to combat violence against women in Hyderabad/Telangana.

3. To evolve an effective and efficient policy framework to support policy makers and State Police Organisations.

Agenda:

10.00 am : Registration

10.30 –10.35 am : Welcome Address by Smt. Swati Lakra I.P.S.

10.35 -10.40 am : Introductory remarks by Shri N.RamachandranRetd DGP, 

  President, Indian Police Foundation

10.40 – 10.50 am : Shri M. Mahendar Reddy I.P.S. Commissioner of           

                              Police, Hyderabad.

10.50 – 11.00 am : Shri Prakash Singh Retd DGP; Chairman, Indian Police Foundation

11.00 – 11.10 am :  Shri Anurag Sharma I.P.S. DGP,TS.

11.10 – 11.20 am :  Key Note Speech by Dr.TripuranaVenkataRatnam,

                               Hon’ble Chair Person, TS Women Commission, Hyderabad. 

11.20 – 11.35 am    :  Address by Chief Guest Shri Nayini Narasimha Reddy, Hon’ble Minister for Home.

11.35 – 11:40 am :  Closing remarks and announcements

11.40 - 12:00 pm : Tea Break  

12.00 -   2.00 pm :  Break out sessions 

2.00 – 2.30 pm : Lunch

2.30 – 3.30 pm : Presentations by Facilitators  of break-out groups 

3.30 – 5.30 pm : Interactions with the audience and Concluding remarks.

Other Dignitaries Include:

1. Smt. Aruna Bahuguna Director General Retd

2. Shri.Rajeev Kapoor Retd Spl Director Int Bureau 

3. Shri.Durga Prasad Former DG CRPF

4. Shri.Kamal Kumar former Director SVPNPA

5. Smt Abilasha Bisth IPS IGP TSSP, Hyderabad

 NGOs, Representatives of WPS, CID, Cyber Crimes ,Cyber Security Council and students are attending this consultation. 

 

SWATI LAKRA I.P.S

Addl.Commissioner of Police,

Crimes and SIT, Hyderabad City