-Economic and Political Weekly The government’s response to the protests led by the youth against the gang rape incident in New Delhi, in the form of an ordinance has not met the aspirations of the many protestors and the woman rights’ organisations. It can in fact be accused of being vindictive, having ignored the thoroughgoing recommendations of the government appointed justice Verma committee's report. Albeena Shakil (albeenashakil@gmail.com) is a women rights’ activist...

-The Hindu Police can record complaint of such woman at her residence Considering the difficulties encountered by physically challenged women at each stage of the criminal-legal process, right from filing an FIR to testifying in court during trial, the Justice J.S. Verma Committee has recommended that they be exempted from coming to the police station and making repeated visits to courts for testimony. In its report, the committee said that when a physically...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: Rs 8 lakh crore for disabled welfare? The ministry of social justice and empowerment has asked government departments to earmark 3% of their budget on disabled-related interventions, raising the possibility of the huge sum over next five years that can bring the ignored social group to policy focus. The initiative flows from the 12th Plan document that has asked all government arms to earmark "reasonable amount"...

-Outlook Delhi may claim to be a world-class city but it lacks basic disabled-friendly infrastructure, a study has found. The study, conducted in some of the city's busiest places like Connaught Place, Lodhi Road, Sarai Kale Khan and Nehru Place during past one month by an NGO, found that street infrastructure was missing, making it difficult for disabled and elderly people to navigate. During the study, NGO Samarthyam sent a team of persons...

-Frontline There is growing violence against women and children in Haryana, aided by the apparent collusion between the State government and the upper-caste-dominated khap panchayats. THE road leading to Dabra village in Haryana’s Hisar district is not very difficult to locate. It was at Dabra, a mere 15 kilometres from the district headquarters, that a heinous crime was committed on September 9. It would have gone unnoticed had it not been accompanied...