Rekha Sharma (Indian politician)

Indian politician

Rekha Sharma

National Chairperson of the National Commission for Women

Incumbent

Assumed office
7 August 2018
Personal details
Nationality| Indian
Political party| Bharatiya Janata Party

Rekha Sharma is the former

Chairperson of the National Commission for Women in India.[1][2]

## Career

[edit]

Ms Rekha Sharma is currently the Chairperson of the National Commission for Women (NCW). As the Chairperson, her job is to advocate for gender equality, spearheading initiatives to further the cause of women's empowerment.

Empowering Law Enforcement: Changing Minds, Empowering Women

Ms. Sharma spearheaded an innovative collaboration between NCW and the Bureau of Police Research and Development.[citation needed] This collaboration aims to empower police personnel across the nation with empathetic responses to gender-based violence victims.

Fostering Economic Empowerment: Cultivating Entrepreneurs

Under Ms. Sharma's leadership, NCW launched a business course benefiting 5,000 aspiring women entrepreneurs.[3]

Navigating the Digital Landscape: Promoting Digital Literacy

NCW played a pivotal role in the "We Think Digital"[4] campaign. This digital literacy endeavour has touched the lives of 60,000 women,[5] equipping them with the skills to navigate the online realm safely and effectively.

## Criticism

[edit]

Under her leadership, NCW failed to respond to complaints from women rights associations over numerous serious rape crimes perpetrated against Kuki women in the state of Manipur, India. Ms. Sharma failed to respond to written complaints emailed directly to her office on June 12 2023 filed by a Manipur Tribal Association headquartered abroad. The complaints clearly state the crimes and abuses faced by women, such as being, "disrobed, paraded naked, beaten and then encircled by a marauding Meitei mob and raped in public”, committed on May 4th.[6] There were no replies or acknowledgement from NCW of the complaints until a video showing the alleged crime became viral on Twitter. Critics argue that under her leadership, India has seen little to no progress on the women safety front, and the country still ranks among the least safe nations in the world for women.[7] In March 2024, Sharma faced further criticism from journalists from India and abroad for her response to a complaint about women's safety in India. Many women noted that they were appalled at Sharma's words, recounting the horrors of their travels in India.[8][9]

## References

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1. ^ "Rekha Sharma appointed chairperson of NCW". India Today. PTI. 9 August 2018. Archived from the original on 26 November 2018. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
2. ^ "Rekha Sharma Is New National Commission for Women Chairperson". NDTV.com. Archived from the original on 12 October 2018. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
3. ^ "NCW Challenge". innovateindia.mygov.in. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
4. ^ "Uttar Pradesh has become the first state where Facebook Inc, in partnership with National Commission for Women (NCW) and Cyber Peace Foundation, has launched its 'We Think Digital' program to provide digital literacy to women". Archived from the original on 27 September 2023. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
5. ^ "NCW aims to provide digital literacy to girl students". The Times of India. 23 December 2021. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 19 February 2024. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
6. ^ "Manipur video: Questions raised over NCW's response to complaints". Hindustan Times. 22 July 2023. Archived from the original on 9 August 2023. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
7. ^ "Most Dangerous Countries for Women 2023". worldpopulationreview.com. Archived from the original on 16 January 2024. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
8. ^ "Jharkhand rape case: US journalist lashes out at Rekha Sharma for post; says Indians don't have respect for NCW". Business Today. 4 March 2024. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
9. ^ "Amidst Outrage Against Tourist's Gang-Rape, NCW Head's 'Defaming Country' Tweet Finds Little Resonance". The Wire. Retrieved 4 March 2024.