National Commission for Women (NCW)

The National Commission for Women was setup in 1992 as a statutory body under National Commission for Women Act, 1992.

Mandate of the Commission: Review the constitutional and legal safeguards for women.

• Recommend remedial legislative measures.
• Facilitate redressal of grievances.
• Advise the government on all policy matters affecting women.

Powers & Activities: It has the power of civil court, hence can summon anyone and enquire into allegations.

• It is involved in various activities like legal awareness programmes, Parivarik Mahila Lok Adalats and reviewed laws such as Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, PNDT Act 1994, Indian Penal Code 1860 and the National Commission for Women Act, 1990 to make them more stringent and effective.
• It has also organized workshops/consultations, constituted expert committees on economic empowerment of women, conducted workshops/seminars for gender awareness and took up publicity campaign against female foeticide, violence against women, etc. in order to generate awareness in the society against these social evils.