Dr. Charu WaliKhanna, Member, NCW, was Chief Guest at ‘Training for IPS Trainees’ at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy, Hyderabad. The programme was organized with technical support from Centre for Advocacy and Research on 23.10.2013.

Dr. Charu WaliKhanna, Member, delivering the key note address said this was the right stage to sensitize IPS Probationers on the laws, rights and approaches to policing of marginalized communities. She motivated the probationers to engage with communities and develop participatory policing approaches in place of “authority- centered policing”. All too often community members are subjected to summary arrests, unlawful detention, torture and public humiliation because the police, that is socially prejudiced and biased against these communities.

Welcome address was given by Ms. Anita Punj, Dy. Director, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy. Other dignitaries who delivered address were Mr. Robinson D’Souza, Advocate & Consultant, Former Secretary, Dept of Law, Justice & Human Rights, Govt of Karnataka & Former Principal Secretary, Karnataka Legislature, Dr. S T Ramesh, IPS, DG & IGP, Karnataka (Retd), Dr. Rashmi Karandikar Chavan IPS, Dr. Ravi Narayana, Addl. SP, Davangere and Ms. Sarasu Thomas, Asst Prof. National Law School of India, Bangalore.

Dr. Charu WaliKhanna, Member said it was necessary to remove preconceived notions and for this probationers need to understand the interlink between the concepts of discrimination, oppression and gender. Deconstructing the concept of gender she said roles and responsibilities confer power, status, opportunities, and privileges, differently to men and women, creating stereotypes and therefore influencing attitudes and biases. Unfortunately, lessons learnt from childhood remain deeply entrenched, and formal education / professional qualifications are more influenced by the early stages of socialisation than vice versa.

She emphasized the conflation of trafficking and sex work was dangerous. As a result of which sex workers are frequently harassed by police who ask them for free sex, rape, beat them, demand bribes to drop cases etc. Everyday violation and exploitation faced by sex workers is overlooked, ignored and accepted resulting in discrimination by state and non-state actors. Magistrates routinely remand sex workers to custody without giving them access to due process of law and opportunity to be heard.

Member said it is important to keep in mind that women despite having option to legally enter the formal economy of domestic work, yet still sometimes choose to enter the informal illegal space of sex work. They may prefer sex work to the highly exploitative working conditions and the absence of labor rights they face as domestic workers. The Member also stressed that in an attempt to eradicate sex work, policymakers, law enforcement officials and others often overlook the basic human rights of sex workers. The rights to life, safety, free speech, political action, access to information, basic health and education services are as important to sex workers as to anyone else. Reducing stigma and discrimination against sex workers will make it easier for those who may wish to leave this work to do so.

Dr. Charu WaliKhanna, further spoke about the efforts of NCW in this direction i.e. on 6th November 2012 the National Commission for Women communicated its views on Review of ITPA, 1956 to the Ministry of WCD. The National Commission for Women is gravely concerned about the human rights violations of women in these matters and hence recommended the repeal of the present Act ITPA 1956 on grounds of being limited and circumscribing the scope of the problem and recommended a new legislation titled “Prevention of Human Trafficking, Act” since the present law (ITPA) emphasises on the issue of morality (specially in the title) rather than ‘trafficking’. The term trafficking cannot be seen solely from sexual exploitation angle as women and children are trafficked for various other purposes. Therefore, NCW recommended a fresh legislation focusing on all aspects of human trafficking with stringent penalties for traffickers acting as deterrent.

She ended by saying every person deserves the right to live a life free from violence.

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