• The National Commission for Women (NCW) has launched the fourth phase of the Digital Shakti campaign, a pan-India project to empower and skill women in cyberspace.

• NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma said Digital Shakti has been accelerating the digital participation of women and girls by training them on how to use technology to their advantage and to keep themselves safe online.

• Digital Shakti started in June 2018 to help women across the nation to raise the awareness level on the digital front, to build resilience, and fight cybercrime in the most effective ways. 

• Through this project, over 3 lakh women across India have been made aware of cyber safety tips and tricks, reporting and redressal mechanisms, data privacy and usage of technology for their benefit.

• The third phase of the programme was started in March 2021 and a resource centre was developed under the project to provide information on all the avenues of reporting in case a woman faces any cybercrime. 

National Commission for Women (NCW) 

• The National Commission for Women (NCW) was constituted on January 31, 1992, as a statutory body in pursuance of the National Commission for Women Act, 1990, to safeguard and promote the rights and interests of women.

Mandate of NCW:

The Commission has the mandate to:

• Investigate and examine the legal safeguards provided to women under the Constitution and other laws, and recommend to the government whenever necessary, on the measures for effective implementation of laws. 

• Review existing provisions of the Constitution and other laws affecting women, and to recommend amendments to meet any lacunae, inadequacies or shortcomings in such laws. 

Constitution of NCW

• The Commission comprises a chairperson, five members and a member secretary.

• The members are nominated by the central government from amongst persons of ability, integrity and standing who have had experience in law or legislation, trade unionism, management of an industry potential of women, women’s voluntary organisations (including women activist), administration, economic development, health, education or social welfare. 

• At least one member each shall be from amongst persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes respectively.

• The maximum tenure of the chairperson and the members of the Commission is three years. 

The Commission also:

i) Looks into complaints/cases to redress them effectively.

ii) Takes suo-moto notice on matters relating to deprivation of women’s rights.

iii) Takes up issues with appropriate authorities.

iv) Conducts research studies on issues of relevance to women.

v) Provides training in gender sensitisation and legal awareness training to young girls and women across India. 

• The Commission participates and advises in the planning process for socio-economic development of women and evaluates socio-economic progress, inspects jails, and remand homes where women are kept under custody and seek remedial action wherever necessary. 

• The Commission has the responsibility of addressing the concerns of women and help in designing, implementing and monitoring activities, implementation of laws, policies and programmes for empowerment of women.

The Commission is responsible for:

i) Studying and monitoring all matters relating to constitutional and legal safeguards provided for women.

ii) Reviewing the existing legislations and suggesting amendments, wherever necessary.

iii) Looking into complaints and taking suo motu notice of cases involving deprivation of the rights of women in order to provide support, legal or otherwise to helpless women.

iv) Monitoring proper implementation of all legislations enacted to protect the rights of women to enable them to achieve equality in all spheres of life and equal participation in the development of the nation.

v) Undertaking promotional and educational research and participating in and advising in the planning process of socio-economic development of women.

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