Violence against women cuts across borders, social and economic status and education. To ensure that women from all parts of the country are given an equal opportunity to prove themselves and ensure that they are provided with the most fundamental human rights, it is imperative that violence of any kind against women be stopped. Passage of the Domestic Violence Bill has been one of the priority issues taken up by WPC during the Founding Convention. To purse this issue vigorously and consistently a committee was formulated.

As a result of intense lobbying with the Government of India the POWDVA 2005 came into operation on October 26,2006.As per this act, it would provide for more effective protection of the rights of women guaranteed under the Constitution who are victims of violence of any kind occurring within the family and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. The Act is of a certain value in the redressal of domestic violence but team and organizations that worked tirelessly lobbying for the passage of this Bill are now working for effective implementation of the Act.WPC is lobbying Central and State governments to allocate separate funds for putting infrastructure in place and appointing Protection Officers. In addition letters have also gone to the state conveners/members and prominent organizations to keep track of the new developments in their states and lobbying with respective governments so that adequate steps are taken effective implementation of the Act.

Besides this WPC has also been lobbying with the Government of India for inclusion of a new scheme in the 11th Pan for implementation of this law. We are also keeping track of recently delivered court judgements on the issue.In consultation with the committee and members of WPC, recommendations have been submitted to the Chief Ministers and the Chief Secretaries of all the states for filling in certain gaps in the provisions with regard to effective implementation of the implementation. A delegation of WPC also met Ms.Parul Debi Das, Joint secretary of Departrment of Women and Child Development on December 27, 2006 to press for adequate allocation of funds for implementation of this new law in the next year’s budget. She assured us that the Ministry has already taken steps to ensure this.

Dr.Ranjana Kumari, President WPC had several meetings with Ms.Renuka Chowdhury Minister of Women and Child Development, The nodal Ministry is urged to send a demand from the Ministry for allocation of adequate funds for implementation of DV Act in 2007-2008 Union Budgets, to the Planning Commission and Ministry of Finance. WPC delegates had met Mr.Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairperson of the Planning Commission to submit its recommendations on the implementation of the DV Act.