DU students bat for women

Fourteen-point memorandum to be distributed widely

The Delhi University Students’ Union has prepared a 14-point memorandum to be given to the Prime Minister, apart from other officials concerned.

DUSU members will distribute the memorandum in all DU colleges in North Campus on Monday to get suggestions from students. The move will be followed up with a signature campaign.

“We will take the campaign forward to other DU campuses during the week. As part of the campaign, students will wear black ribbons to express solidarity,” said a DUSU member.

The campaign is in the backdrop of the recent gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old woman, who died on December 29.

Apart from stringent laws to curb crime against women, fast track courts, women officials in public transports and increase in number of women police personnel, the 14 demands in the memorandum further stated: “People from the Northeastern states should be inducted in Delhi Police to redress concerns. Or cops should be brought in from these states on deputation”.

DU has a sizable amount of students from Northeastern states. Students complain of being harassed, eve-teased and molested. A couple of years back, two rape cases in moving vehicles were reported in the capital. The victims hailed from the Northeastern states.

Asking for better security measures for women students of DU, the memorandum said: “There should be patrolling by women in police control vans, availability of women cab drivers at night, 24-hour security control room in the university, and proper implementation of anti-sexual harassment college committees.”

Although DU has anti-sexual harassment cell at the department, college and university levels, students complained that biases exist at several levels, while giving any punishment further victimises the victim.

Apart from adequate surveillance cameras and tracking devices to be installed in public transport, the memorandum also stressed on a human rights cell in every police station to lessen harassment of victims in the hands of police.

“There should be a human rights cell in all police stations, headed by a human rights representative seeking complete implementation of the United Nations charter, and fundamental rights and duties provided by the Constitution,” it demands.

Gender sensitisation and self-defence classes in colleges and schools should be mandatory part of the curriculum. “A uniform women’s helpline number throughout the country should also come into existence now,” stated the memorandum.