NEW DELHI: Concerned over the spurt in domestic violence against women, the Centre has decided to review the implementation of the Domestic Violence Act and the Dowry Prohibition Act.
As part of the review, the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development has convened a two-day conference of State Ministers for Women and Child Development, beginning on January 11, to take stock of the status of the implementation of the Domestic Violence and Dowry Prohibition Act.
The Centre would also discuss with the states, its proposal for bringing in amendments to the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, to give it more teeth and to prevent its misuse. Currently the government was examining certain amendments to the Dowry Prohibition Act, which were suggested by the National Commission for Women (NCW) to make the law more effective.
Minister for Women and Child Development Krishna Tirath had recently told Parliament that the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)had reported a marginal increase in the number of dowry-related deaths witnessed in the country during the 2008-2010 period.
She said the Centre had been advising the state governments from time to time regarding the steps that needed to be taken to afford a greater measure of protection to the women and, in particular, to prevent the incidence of crimes against them.