WOMEN AND CHILD RIGHTS: TRADE OF DIGNITY AND DREAMS

Abstract

Women rights are human rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaims the equality of the sexes. The Fourth World Conference on women held in Beijing in 1995, was an important step forward in terms of Human Rights for women .Promoting women rights has been an important area of focus for the whole world and the international agencies. Now there is global recognition to the women rights and thus these rights are considered as an integral and an inalienable part of universal Human Rights. This principle was earlier confirmed at the World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna in 1993, but the death of this angel whom we also call as better -half and half-sister is noticeable every now and then and thus according to Hon’ble Shree Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer , former Judge , Supreme Court of India , the poor women continues to suffer from womb to tomb. Still women are subjected to sexual offences like rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution and forced pregnancy besides being subject to gender bias in almost every walk of life. According to Article 51-A of Indian Constitution, provides that the state shall endeavor to foster respect for international law but despite all efforts, the situation continues to be grim and the violence against women has been attracting attention of judiciary, executive, NGOs and public at large in recent years. As regards exploitation of women and grant of equal rights to them, there are certain international standards to judge the same but there are certain other yardsticks that may be applied only in countries having peculiar values. Virginity, purity and chastity are the most valuable possessions of an Indian girl or woman and they will in no circumstances, part with such precious possessions unless forces to do. In Rafiq v State of U.P, the Supreme Court had held that no women of honour will accuse another of rape since she sacrifices what is thereby dearest to her and that rape for a woman is a deathless shame. In State of Maharashtra v. Chandraprakash Kewal Chand Jain , the Supreme Court has expressed the following view- "An Indian woman attaches maximum importance to her chastity and would not easily be a party to any move which would jeopardize her reputation and lower her in the esteem of others...." To an Indian woman, chastity is so dear that any other feeling, how much so ever violent it may be, cannot override it. In Pramod Mahto v. State of Bihar, the Supreme Court had expressed the following view that even if communal feelings run high, it is inconceivable that an unmarried girl and two married women would go to the extent of staking their reputation and future in order to falsely set up a case of rape on them for the sake of communal interest...."