Online Portal to Quickly Resolve Women’s Grievances in AP

Vijayawada: AP State Women’s Commission chairperson Rayapati Shailaja announced that an online portal will soon be launched to ensure the speedy resolution of women-related grievances across Andhra Pradesh. Speaking at a Spotlight Session jointly organised by the UGC Women’s Study Centre and the AP Women’s Commission at KBN College in Vijayawada on Friday, she emphasised that the commission is committed to taking immediate action wherever crimes against women or girls occur, posting of objectionable content on them in social media. Shailaja pointed out that the commission had taken suo motu cognisance of the Kurupam incident and she had personally visited the area to assess the situation. “We will not tolerate any form of harassment or exploitation against women and girls,” she underlined. The commission chairperson said awareness meetings are vital to bring about real social change, rather than limiting celebrations to International Girl Child Day on October 11 alone. She explained that the upcoming online grievance portal will provide for registering cases without visiting the commission’s office. The complainants will be able to track the status of their complaints online, ensuring transparency and confidentiality. Shailaja disclosed that most complaints that the commission receives stem from mistakes made at a young age due to lack of awareness. In this regard, she underscored the need for state-wide legal literacy campaigns. She revealed that efforts are underway to introduce awareness of women’s laws as part of the educational curricula. Marpu Trust chairperson R. Suyaj held an interactive session with Shailaja, who responded to questions on harassment of women, online abuse and preventive measures.