The Kerala Women's Commission is an autonomous statutory body that came into being under the provisions of Section 5 of the Kerala Women's Commission Act 1995 (September 15) primarily for the protection and well-being of women in the state of Kerala.
Basic Facts
- Established on – March 14, 1996.
- Headquarters – Pattom, Thiruvananthapuram.
- Total Members – 5 (Chairman & 4 members).
- First Chairperson of KWC – Sugathakumari.
- Current Chairperson of KWC – P. Sathidevi (7th).
- Other Members – Shiji Sivaji, Thara M.S., E.M. Radha & Shahida Kamal.
- Current Member Secretary of KWC – Sonia Washington.
- Newsletter published by KCW – Sthree Shakti (സ്ത്രീ ശക്തി).
History
The initial effort for setting up Kerala Vanitha Commission was made in 1990 when the Kerala Women's Commission Bill was drafted by then Minister for Social Welfare, K. R. Gouri Amma with the help of Justice V. R. Krishna Iyer and Justice Subramanian Potti (legal aids).
This bill was sent for the consent of the President but it remained pending for five more years. On September 15, 1995, the President signed the bill and finally, Kerala Women's Commission Act was passed.
Six months after the Act was passed during the tenure of Chief Minister A.K. Anthony, the Kerala Women's came into existence on March 14, 1996.
Structure of KWC
The Kerala Women's Commission is comprised of 5 members. Out of which one is chairperson, a member secretary and the other are 4 full-time members.
All the members of the Commission are nominated by the State Govt. of Kerala.
- Appointed by – State Govt. of Kerala.
- Term – 5 years.
- Removed by – State Govt. of Kerala.
Powers & Functions of Kerala Vanitha Commission
It has similar powers and functions of the National Commission for Women. Some of them are as follows:
- Investigate complaints of unfair practices and take decisions.
- Second, it will recommend to the government what measures must be taken in that regard.
- The investigations on the question of women are conducted by the head of the investment wing, director of KWC.
- The Commission is also tasked with improving the social situation for women.
- The Commission guarantees equality of opportunity for women in the public service of the State and public enterprises of the State in terms of promotion and recruitment.
- If required for the above-mentioned circumstances, Commission can make recommendations for the Government actions.
List of Kerala Women's Commission Chairpersons
| Sl No. | Chairperson | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sugatha Kumari | 14-3-1996 | 13-3-2001 |
| 2 | Justice D. Sreedevi | 21-3-2001 | 12-5-2002 |
| 3 | M. Kamalam | 14-5-2002 | 24-1-2007 |
| 4 | Justice D. Sreedevi | 02-03-2007 | 01-03-2012 |
| 5 | K. C. Rosakutty | 03-04-2012 | 03-04-2017 |
| 6. | M. C. Josephine | 25-05-2017 | 25-06-2021 |
| 7 | P. Sathidevi | 1-10-2021 | Incumbent |
Jagratha Samithi
These are voluntary committees set up at the local government level and act as the eyes and ears of the Kerala Women's Commission.
They aim to bridge the gap between women in villages and services provided by various government agencies and they work as a quasi-judicial mechanism at the panchayat level.
1min Youtube Video Link with Main Points:
📝 Read More:
📝SideNotes:
- National Women's Day – February 13 (Birthday of Sarojini Naidu, first Governor of an Indian State).
- Leader of Save Silent Valley Movement (1978) – Sugathakumari.
- Sugathakumari passed away on – December 23, 2020.
- Famous Works of Sugathakumari –
- Manalezhuthu (Saraswati Samman 2013; P. Kunhiraman Nair Award 2017),
- Ratrimazha (Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award 1978),
- Muthuchippi,
- Ambalamani (Odakkuzhal Award 1982; Vayalar Award 1984),
- Pathirapookkal (Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Poetry 1968).
Thanks for reading!!!