Womens Safety and Empowerment Top Priority: National Commission for Women

National Commission for Women (NCW) member Dr. Archana Majumdar has reaffirmed that ensuring the safety and empowerment of women and girls remains the Commission’s primary goal. She warned that any form of violence or injustice against women will attract strict legal consequences.

As part of her three-day state visit, Dr. Archana Majumdar visited Siddhartha Government Medical College and the Old Government Hospital in Vijayawada on Tuesday. During her visit, she emphasized that the NCW is available 24/7 to support victims and take swift action upon receiving complaints.

Dr. Majumdar urged that every institution or organization with more than ten employees must establish an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), particularly under the leadership of a senior woman employee. She stressed the importance of providing a safe working and learning environment for women and girls and recommended that such committees be functional in all educational institutions and workplaces.

She also inquired whether Siddhartha Government Medical College had established its ICC and instructed the administration to ensure its setup within a week. Further, she recommended the installation of display boards detailing women protection measures and helpline numbers across the college campus.

Dr. Majumdar appealed to students, staff, and faculty to address their grievances through the ICC in the first instance. She stated that if justice is not served through institutional ICCs, the matter should be escalated to the State or National Women’s Commission.

Supporting these views, Dr. Rayapati Shailaja, Chairperson of the Andhra Pradesh State Commission for Women, reiterated the Commission’s commitment to providing a safe working environment for all women. She warned that any form of abuse — be it dowry harassment, sexual harassment, or any other kind of mistreatment — will not go unpunished.

The event at Siddhartha Government Medical College was also attended by College Principal Dr. A. Edakondalu Rao, ICDS officials, teaching staff, and college personnel.