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The Hindu
INDIA - "RAPE LAW CHANGES
WELCOME, YET AN OPPORTUNITY LOST"
UN Special Rapporteur
Violence at End of Mission to India
The Hindu - UN
Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women Rashida Manjoo, addressing the
media in New Delh. Photo: S. Subramanium
By - May 2,
2013
The United Nations
Special Rapporteur on Violence Again Women, Rashida Manjoo, on Wednesday
regretted that the amendments made to the rape laws in
Addressing reporters
at the conclusion of her visit to
Hoping that India would bring in further legislative measures to address issues such as marital rape, age of consent and rights of transgender people and vulnerable groups, Ms. Manjoo said it was “unfortunate that the opportunity to establish a substantive and specific equality and non-discrimination rights legislative framework for women, to address de facto inequality and discrimination, and to prevent all forms of violence against women, was lost.’’
“Death penalty not
a deterrent”
She said the speedy
developments and also the adoption of a law and order approach to sexual
wrongs, now included the death penalty for certain crimes against women. “This
development foreclosed the opportunity to establish a holistic and remedial
framework. The new approach fails to address the structural and root causes and
consequences of violence against women, she added.
The Special Rapporteur
said there was no proof that death penalty was a deterrent. “One needs to look
at what purpose it [death penalty] would serve. The need is transformation of
society and empowerment of women.’’
Despite the numerous
positive developments, the unfortunate reality was that the rights of many
women in
Sexual violence and
harassment in
Armed Forces Act
On the issue of
conflict-related sexual violence, Ms. Manjoo said it was crucial to acknowledge
that these violations occurred at the hands of both state and non-state actors.
The Special
Rapporteur’s report would be officially submitted to the United Nation’s Human
Rights Council in June 2014.