Hon'ble CM: Make Telangana Women's Commission Fully Functional soon #WomComMatters

The Issue

When Telangana became a separate state, it was my hope that there would be a renewed focus on its women’s rights and concerns. But as recently as July 2018, shocking facts have emerged that disappoint me and countless other concerned citizens of the state and the country.

  • Hyderabad tops the list of crimes against women in India (NCW, 2017)
  • 45% women in Telangana aged between 15 and 49 years have experienced physical or sexual violence during the survey. (NFHS).
  • 44% boys and parents in Telangana think a girl is harassed because she is 'asking for it' (WINGS 2018)

As a woman in Telangana, I feel scared, angry and discouraged - but, also as a citizen here, I know Telangana has been doing a great job with its Bharosa centers and SHE teams in empowering women.

So, where exactly are we going wrong? The problem is that Women's Rights issues are not considered community issues. But, why isn't our community equally invested? Who has the mandate to engage and empower our community?

On researching, I realized that the Andhra Pradesh State Commission for Women was constituted in 1998. And its sole purpose was to improve the status of women and to inquire into unfair practices affecting women. Exactly, the need of the hour, isn't it? A lot of us want to help achieve gender equality and volunteering with Telangana State Women's Commission would be a start. But, to my surprise, there is no website! No access to information! Nothing! Nada!

Sign my petition and together let us ask the Hon'ble Chief Minister, Minister for Women and Child Welfare and IT minister to

  • Appoint chairperson and make Telangana state commission for women fully-functional; and
  • Publish an online portal for the State Commission for Women, Telangana.

Telangana is the youngest state in India and has already received recognition for its progress, especially in the IT sector. Even trees and sheep have digital presence under Telangana schemes!! It is therefore shocking to see that we have no website for our State Commission for Women, despite receiving 100% funds from the Women and Child Welfare Department.

States like Karnataka and Kerala have their own fully-functional online portal with detailed information on their activities, volunteering opportunities, Annual reports, legal documents and other relevant data.

Let us help Telangana achieve the No.1 position for its commitment towards women's safety starting with increased visibility, transparency and accountability of the State Commission for Women.

Under Section 4(2) of The Right To Information Act, 2005 provision of a website also becomes a legal mandate.

Together, let us make a difference and help Telangana take another step forward for Women's wellbeing and safety. 

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Spurthi KolipakaPetition StarterEngineer turned Social Worker.
Media inquiries
Victory
This petition made change with 35,096 supporters!

The Issue

When Telangana became a separate state, it was my hope that there would be a renewed focus on its women’s rights and concerns. But as recently as July 2018, shocking facts have emerged that disappoint me and countless other concerned citizens of the state and the country.

  • Hyderabad tops the list of crimes against women in India (NCW, 2017)
  • 45% women in Telangana aged between 15 and 49 years have experienced physical or sexual violence during the survey. (NFHS).
  • 44% boys and parents in Telangana think a girl is harassed because she is 'asking for it' (WINGS 2018)

As a woman in Telangana, I feel scared, angry and discouraged - but, also as a citizen here, I know Telangana has been doing a great job with its Bharosa centers and SHE teams in empowering women.

So, where exactly are we going wrong? The problem is that Women's Rights issues are not considered community issues. But, why isn't our community equally invested? Who has the mandate to engage and empower our community?

On researching, I realized that the Andhra Pradesh State Commission for Women was constituted in 1998. And its sole purpose was to improve the status of women and to inquire into unfair practices affecting women. Exactly, the need of the hour, isn't it? A lot of us want to help achieve gender equality and volunteering with Telangana State Women's Commission would be a start. But, to my surprise, there is no website! No access to information! Nothing! Nada!

Sign my petition and together let us ask the Hon'ble Chief Minister, Minister for Women and Child Welfare and IT minister to

  • Appoint chairperson and make Telangana state commission for women fully-functional; and
  • Publish an online portal for the State Commission for Women, Telangana.

Telangana is the youngest state in India and has already received recognition for its progress, especially in the IT sector. Even trees and sheep have digital presence under Telangana schemes!! It is therefore shocking to see that we have no website for our State Commission for Women, despite receiving 100% funds from the Women and Child Welfare Department.

States like Karnataka and Kerala have their own fully-functional online portal with detailed information on their activities, volunteering opportunities, Annual reports, legal documents and other relevant data.

Let us help Telangana achieve the No.1 position for its commitment towards women's safety starting with increased visibility, transparency and accountability of the State Commission for Women.

Under Section 4(2) of The Right To Information Act, 2005 provision of a website also becomes a legal mandate.

Together, let us make a difference and help Telangana take another step forward for Women's wellbeing and safety. 

avatar of the starter
Spurthi KolipakaPetition StarterEngineer turned Social Worker.
Media inquiries

Victory

This petition made change with 35,096 supporters!

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The Decision Makers

Rekha Sharma
Rekha Sharma
Chairperson, National Commission for Women
Responded
“I wish to assure Ms. Kolipaka and her 20,000 supporters that the National Commission for Women is standing with you all. It is unfortunate that the Chairperson’s post in the Telangana Women’s Commission has been vacant for almost 2 years. As per norms, when the incumbent Chairperson’s tenure is ending, the next candidate must be nominated and assume office immediately so that the Commission remains active and accessible to the public. I have written to the Chief Minister’s Office and the Chief Secretary, urging them to take up this matter that Ms. Kolipaka has raised on a priority basis. State Commissions for Women have become all the more relevant in these times when crimes against women - be it acid attacks, rape or eve-teasing - are on the rise. Such incidents evoke fear in women, their families, and society. State Commissions can allay these fears in a big way by standing with survivors in their fight for justice. They also play a key role in spreading awareness and shaping a progressive mindset towards women’s rights. Towards this end, the National Commission for Women (NCW) will be organising a 'Power Walk' in the national capital on 1st March 2020, in which rape and acid attack survivors will take part to raise awareness about violence against women and their safety. Similar walks will be taking place in 14 other states, including Telangana. It is open to all men and women. Ms. Kolipaka and her supporters have been extended an invitation to the Power Walk. The purpose of the Power Walk is a drive to instill, with a belief that, the only way to make public spaces safe is to occupy in large numbers, and put out the message clearly, whether day or night, women have equal right to claim her spaces everywhere and anywhere. I congratulate Ms. Kolipaka for running her campaign and hope that our combined efforts will lead to a fully-functional Women’s Commission in Telangana in the coming days. I would like you to remain updated about the work the National Commission for Women is doing. Please follow us on Twitter @NCWIndia Thank you, Rekha Sharma Chairperson, National Commission for Women”
Sujatha Surepally
Sujatha Surepally
Head, Dept of Sociology, Satvahana University and Dalit Women’s Collective
Responded
“Dear Citizens, Dr. B.R Ambedkar had said that the progress of a community can be measured by the degree of progress its women have achieved. By that yardstick, the situation in Telangana is extremely distressing. As a proud Telanganaite and activist for the rights of women from marginalised communities, I want all political parties to see women as more than just a votebank. Our state has a long history of women taking part in various social and political movements, right from the days of armed struggle. Women writers and poets took part in all the socio-cultural movements which resulted in the creation of Telangana state. Yet there was not a single woman minister in the first state cabinet. That women are a forgotten entity in the state’s politics and governance is reflected in the fact that there is no functional commission for women in a state where crimes against women are rising day by day. The last chairperson of the state women’s commission, Tripurana Venkataratnam, demitted office in July 2018. It was because of Changemaker Spurthi Kolipaka and the reply she received to her RTI query that we the public got to know how many cases are pending, how many women are waiting for justice. A full-fledged Women’s Commission will not only investigate breach of rights but will also give concrete suggestions to the government in this respect. It will look into policy matters and set up guidelines as well. It will work on instituting constitutional safeguards and protection mechanisms. I express my full support to Spurthi and all 20,000 of you who are standing with her. I hope that once we have a fully-functional State Women’s Commission, we can fulfil our dream of having a separate SC/ST Women’s Commission or a Dalit Women’s Commission as the nature of atrocities on these women are different than others. Hence, we need to see them from different perspectives. Thank you, Sujatha Surepally Head, Dept of Sociology, Satvahana University and Dalit Women’s Collective”
Danasari Anasuya (Seethakka)
Danasari Anasuya (Seethakka)
Congress MLA, Mulugu and In-Charge, All-India Mahila Congress
Responded
“Dear Citizens, The twin issues of women’s safety and women’s empowerment are close to my heart. These are goals that I consciously strive for in my work as the elected representative (MLA) from Mulug in Telangana and as the Chhattisgarh Pradesh In-charge of the All-India Mahila Congress. I believe that the Telangana Women’s Commission is an important body that leads the fight for women's rights, women's empowerment, to prevent crimes against women and girls, and to stop violence against women. It is upsetting to note that the Women’s Commission in Telangana has been without a Chairperson for over two years now. It is because of Ms. Spurthi Kolipaka, her online petition and her RTI query that this pressing issue has been brought to the attention of the public. I want to congratulate her for doing so and assure her of my support. When Spurthi invited me to participate in Barabari Pe Charcha, her web series on challenging gender disparity, I had promised her that I would do my duty as an MLA by raising the issue in the Telangana State Legislative Assembly. On 8th October 2020, I raised the issue in the House. Here is what I said: “I congratulate GHMC on 50% reservations for women. But, before that, let me remind you that the women in our state do not have a functional Women’s Commission. This is a huge hurdle for gender justice. Therefore, I urge the government to take steps to constitute the Commission and appoint a Chairperson at the earliest. This will be a significant move along with the 50% reservation. Please look into this immediately.” I assure Spurthi, the 120 volunteers and all 20,000 people who signed her online petition that I fully support this campaign. I have been holding solidarity protests on the ground. I hope our collective efforts lead to a victory that will benefit every girl, every woman in Telangana. To remain updated on my work, please follow me on Twitter @seethakkaMLA Thank you, Danasari Anasuya (Seethakka) MLA, Mulug, Telangana In-Charge for Chhattisgarh Pradesh, All-India Mahila Congress”
Professor Jyothsna
Professor Jyothsna
National Spokesperson & Telangana Telugu Mahila President, Telugu Desam Party
Responded
“Dear Citizens, I am posting this statement to convey my support and that of the Telugu Desam Party’s Women’s Wing to this long-running campaign by Spurthi Kolipaka asking for a fully-functional State Women’s Commission in Telangana. There is an urgent need to activate the Women’s Commission in Telangana. And that begins with appointing a Chairperson immediately, particularly now during the pandemic when crimes against women have been rising. I had met the Chief Secretary of Telangana in mid-August and written to the Chief Minister’s Office to prioritise this matter. Three months have passed and there has been no movement in this matter. It is extremely irksome that we have to beg for our rights as women. Why is it that only the Women’s Commission is being treated this way? I wish to assure Spurthi and all 20,000+ citizens who have been campaigning online and on the ground of my full support. We must not give up until we get answers and see that the SWC gets a Chairperson. To remain updated on my work, please follow me on Twitter @jyothsna_tdp Thank you, Professor Jyothsna National Spokesperson & Telangana Telugu Mahila President Telugu Desam Party”
K. Chandrashekar Rao
K. Chandrashekar Rao
Chief Minister, Telangana
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Petition created on August 14, 2018