New Delhi: Jailed women have to often face ‘graver prejudices, stigma and discrimination’ and India being a welfare state is obligated to provide them with the programmes and services to ensure their reintegration into the society is like their male counterparts, Chief Justice N.V. Ramana said on Wednesday.
The CJI, who is also the patron-in-chief of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) was speaking at the 32nd Central Authority Meeting of NALSA in which newly-appointed members actively take part.
“Often incarcerated women have to face graver prejudices, stigma and discrimination, which makes their rehabilitation a tough challenge,” the CJI said, while adding further, “as a welfare state, we are obligated to provide women prisoners with programs and services that enable them to effectively reintegrate into the society, on an equal basis with men.”
Justice Ramana declared that certain measures for the reintegration of women prisoners into society such as, ‘non-discriminatory access to education and vocational training and dignified and remunerated work’ is needed.
“As a welfare state, we are obligated to provide women prisoners with programs and services that enable them to effectively reintegrate into the society, on an equal basis with men,” the CJI said.
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Justice U.U. Lalit, the senior-most judge and executive chairman of NALSA, introduced all members of the newly-appointed central authority and lauded the historic achievements made in the National Lok Adalat on September 11.
In a significant achievement towards easing pressure on the judicial system, over 15 lakh of more than 33 lakh pending and pre-litigation cases were settled, and a whopping Rs 2,281 crore was awarded on Saturday in National Lok Adalats held in 33 states and union territories by NALSA.
Justice Lalit pointed out that due to the pandemic restrictions, the schools are shut down and the children living in juvenile, observational, and children homes are in an unimaginable situation. Having only one video monitor is not sufficient to impart basic education to children of different age groups.
Justice Lalit also stressed upon utilising the talent and services of law students, who can bridge the gap and can reach the grassroots level of the society by adopting three or four ‘talukas’ of each district across the country.
He asked all the authority members to significantly contribute towards the legal services so that all the ideas can be galvanised into action.
