DCW to frame manifesto on gender issues for political parties

New Delhi, March 7 (IANS) Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has decided to frame a manifesto highlighting the issues faced by women by next week and send it to all the political parties for its inclusion in their agenda.

DCW Chairperson Swati Maliwal said at a press conference here on Thursday that there was a need to understand the extent to which women were suffering. Keeping that in view, the Commission will come up with a manifesto on women's issues, she said.

"I will try to meet the heads of all the political parties and urge them to include the manifesto in their agenda and work on the women's issues in case they get elected," Maliwal said.

Maliwal said she and other DCW members would meet experts who would help them in forming the manifesto.

Maliwal also advocated sending rape cases involving MPs and MLAs to fast-track courts.

"Such (rape) cases involving MPs and MLAs should be probed thoroughly and sent to fast-track courts. If they are proven guilty, the hardest punishment should be given to them," she said while reacting to the alleged involvement of some Aam Aadmi Party MLAs in rape cases.

Maliwal, who is currently on a 13-day Mahila Suraksha Padyatra, also expressed concern over the problem of widespread drug addiction in Delhi.

"During the yatra, not a single colony was found where rampant and open sale of alcohol and drugs was not found. We even saw six-year-old children addicted to drugs," she said.

"When we contact the police, they say this won't happen again but it always does," she said.

Expressing concern over the condition of transgenders, Maliwal said the DCW would open a transgender cell to aid them.