Delhi Commission for Women
Following her grassroots activism,Maliwal was appointed as Chairperson of Delhi Commission for Women in July 2015. [11] She is the youngest person to lead a Women's Commission in India. [12] She resigned as Chairperson after a tenure of eight years,when she was appointed as a Member of the Rajya Sabha from Aam Admi Party in 2024.
During her tenure,DCW handled over 1.7 lakh cases of domestic violence,rape,acid attack and other crimes against women. [13] This is an exponential 700 per cent increase from the previous Chairperson's workload. [14]
Under Ms. Maliwal’s leadership,DCW launched flagship programs such as the 181 Women’s Helpline providing 24/7,on-site intervention to distressed women. The helpline has attended to 4 million calls over 8 years. [15]
Another novel initiative is the Mahila Panchayat program,operational at the grassroots level,it facilitates dispute resolution and educates women about their rights. Over 8 years,Mahila Panchayats have organised more than 50,000 community meetings. [16]
Hunger Strikes &Advocacy"
In 2018,she went on a 10-day hunger strike which started on 13 April. [17] [18] She had several demands,including the passage of an ordinance requiring the death penalty for individuals who rape children under age 12,recruiting police under United Nations standards and demanding accountability of the police. [17] Maliwal published an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. [19] Her strike took place during a series of protests surrounding two alleged rapes of girls ages 16 and 8. [18]
In 2019,following the gangrape of a Doctor in Hyderabad, [20] Ms. Maliwal sat on another hunger strike. This time she demanded expedited justice to survivors of rape,the correct utilisation of Nirbhaya Fund and additional police resources. [21] She ended her strike when the Andhra Pradesh government passed the 'Disha Bill', [22] echoing most of her demands.
Ms. Maliwal also played a pivotal role in the passage of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act,2015,when she sought a special session of the Hon’ble Supreme Court at 12 AM,the night before the release of a juvenile convict in the Nirbhaya,gang-rape case. Due to the absence of a law,the Court was unable to prevent his release. However,the public mobilisation sparked DCW's efforts,led to the immediate passage of the law,which allowed minors from the ages of 16-18 years,to be tried as adults in case of heinous crimes. [23]
Setting up of Special Task Force
The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) approached the Hon’ble Delhi High Court in December 2016. This led to the constitution of a 'Special Task Force on Women Safety in Delhi,chaired by the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of Delhi to discuss urgent women’s issues in the capital. [24]
Visit to Violence Hit Manipur &Intervention in other states
In the wake of unprecedented ethnic violence in Manipur,Ms. Swati Maliwal and DCW member Ms. Vandana Singh,visited the riot-torn state,in July 2023. [25]
They were triggered by a video that depicted an alleged brutal mob-sexual assault of two women there. [26] Going out of its jurisdiction,the Commission offered assistance to the Manipur Government,to curb violence against women. The State Government however refused help and even urged them to postpone their visit,due to “law and order”concerns. [27] Undeterred,Ms. Swati Maliwal and Ms. Vandana Singh went ahead with their visit,at great risk to their lives. Without any security,they reached the remote Churachandpur,the epicentre of the violence. Here,they visited relief camps,meeting various women displaced by the riots. She even met the families of the survivors from the video and noted down their demands. [28]
Subsequently,Ms. Swati Maliwal sent 24 interim recommendations to the President of India,urging immediate action. These recommendations included the imposition of President's rule,the establishment of a Special Investigation Team,a CBI enquiry,legal and counselling aid to survivors,among others. [29] She also reprimanded the Home Minister and Prime Minister,as they had failed to visit the state.
DCW has often gone beyond its jurisdiction and intervened in other states. In November 2020,the ex-Chief Minister of Jharkhand,Hemant Soren,commended DCW's work,in rescuing girls from traffickers in Jharkhand. He then ensured the return of 45 such survivors from the shelter homes of Delhi to Jharkhand and ensured their rehabilitation. [30]
Protests
Ms. Maliwal has also led several protests and campaigns to advocate for women’s rights and safety.
In 2019,she led thousands of women on a 13-day long march on foot,called Padyatra. The women contingent covered crime-prone areas of Delhi to raise awareness about gender-based violence among local communities,register grievances on the spot and highlight lacunae in the security of women in these interior areas. They covered a distance of more than 300 kms and were joined by women from all backgrounds. [31] [32] In West Delhi,several women brandished rolling pins or belans,in a show of strength against domestic violence. [33]
The Delhi Commission for Women also launched the Rape Roko(stop rape) movement in 2018,following the brutal rape of an eight-month-old girl in the capital. The campaign garnered remarkable global support,with over 5.5 lakh people writing to the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India within 30 days,advocating for time-bound stringent punishment for rapists of children. [34]
Another key movement was the Satyagraha undertaken by Ms. Maliwal in November 2017 and again in February 2018,to bring attention to increasing rapes of young girls in the capital. She lived in her office for 30 days and worked around-the-clock to assist survivors and conduct inspections at railway stations and bus stops at night. [35]
Police Reforms
When Ms. Maliwal had just joined as Chairperson of DCW,she had sought data from the Delhi police on the crimes against women in the capital. However,the police had repeatedly refused to share it with her. In a historic move,Ms. Maliwal summoned the Police Commissioner,forcing him to share the requisite information. [36]
Over the years,DCW has issued countless notices to the Delhi Police regarding registration of FIRs and conduction of proper investigation. In 2023,Swati Maliwal took suo motu cognisance in the Death of Anjali Singh. The 20-year old resident of Kanjhawla in Delhi,was hit by a car and thereafter dragged on the streets of Delhi for 12 km. Despite repeated calls to the police by an eyewitness,help allegedly did not show up. Ms. Maliwal wrote to the Union Home Secretary,calling for an urgent increase in police officers,fixing accountability of the police,the need for increased surveillance in the form of PCR vehicles and the setting up of a committee on women's safety involving various stakeholders. [37] Subsequently,11 police officers were suspended by the Union Home Ministry. [38]
DCW has time and again demanded for an increase in accountability of police officers. In 2016,based on a petition by the commission,the Hon'ble Delhi High Court directed all police stations in the city to install CCTV cameras on their premises. This directive was extended nationwide by Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in 2020,emphasising night vision and audio recording capabilities for enhanced transparency. [39] The Delhi Government subsequently established the 'State Level Oversight Committee' to supervise the installation process,with DCW Member Firdaus Khan serving as a committee member. [40]
Following recommendations by Ms. Maliwal,Delhi police officers also wear body cameras while on duty,to improve their accountability and reduce chances of misconduct. [41]
Fighting Trafficking and Rescue Operations
Swati Maliwal has advocated strongly against the commercial sexual exploitation of young girls. Since assuming office she has conducted numerous raids in Delhi's red-light district,Garstin Bastion Road,New Delhi,or GB road. She has issued summons to 125 brothel owners and has called for a complete closure of the area. [42] Her team has rescued over 2,500 women and children from the clutches of traffickers and illegal confinement. [43]
In a notable case,DCW rescued 39 Nepali girls from potential trafficking to Gulf countries from a hotel in Paharganj. [44] In an unfortunate case,DCW also rescued a 7-year-old girl from a brothel in GB road. [45]
In September 2019,DCW received complaints about sex rackets operating under the guise of spa and massage parlours. Taking swift action,Ms.Maliwal and members of DCW,conducted raids across spas in Delhi,rescuing numerous girls and busting sex rackets. [46]
At the behest of the Commission,several FIRs were filed against illegal spa owners and many were arrested. The Commission summoned senior police and MCD officers and sought their accountability in the matter. [47] The subsequent fact-finding report and recommendations,submitted to the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor,led to the constitution of a task force and guidelines for regulating spa and massage centres in Delhi. [48]
Empowering Sexual Assault Survivors
Ms. Maliwal set up the Crisis Intervention Centre (CIC) and Rape Crisis Cell (RCC) in DCW,to provide a holistic range of services to survivors,ranging from medical attention,to legal support and counselling. RCC lawyers have aided survivors in 1,97,479 hearings,across Delhi’s courts. [49]
Understanding the importance of victim compensation in empowering and rehabilitating survivors,in a rare move,Ms. Maliwal,accorded a 5-year-old rape survivor Rs. 25 lakh compensation. [50] DCW also played a pivotal role in revising the 'Delhi Victim Compensation Scheme' from Rs. 3 lakh to Rs. 5 lakh for sexual assault survivors. [51]
Apart from monetary support,Ms. Maliwal has visited countless survivors to provide them on-the-spot assistance. In 2018,when the sexual assault of a minor girl in Unnao by a member of the government shook the entire nation,Swati Maliwal and Member Vandana Singh travelled to Lucknow and stayed with her in the hospital for 4 days. They campaigned for justice and ensured that she was airlifted to Delhi for better healthcare. [52]
She has also partnered with various organisations to rehabilitate survivors by providing them admission in schools,gainful employment and vocational training.
Tackling Acid Violence
Ms. Maliwal has been at the forefront of assisting acid attack survivors and advocating for a complete ban on the retail sale of acid.
In 2016,DCW undertook surprise inspections in 30 shops to discover whether acid was easily available. Out of 30,23 shops were openly selling acid,in direct violation of the orders of the Hon’ble Supreme Court. DCW submitted recommendations regarding the same to the Hon’ble Lt. Governor of Delhi,calling for an immediate ban on acid sale. [53] Again,in September 2019,DCW conducted joint raids with local SDMs over a period of 10 days,collecting a whopping 1,000 litres of concentrated acid! [54]
During an inspection of a public toilet in Daryaganj,Ms. Maliwal and her team uncovered 50 litres of acid,lying there,being used to clean the bathroom. Ms. Maliwal promptly issued a notice to MCD,highlighting the dangers of freely available acid. Following this,MCD banned the use of acid to clean public toilets in Delhi. [55] DCW played a pivotal role in holding e-commerce platforms like Flipkart and Amazon accountable and banning them from selling acid. [56]
DCW has also gone above and beyond to rehabilitate acid attack survivors. Since 2015,the Commission has hired 15 survivors on a contractual basis,becoming the first government department to prioritise their employment. The Commission also helps in university admissions and skill training of survivors. [57]
Ms. Maliwal was instrumental in ensuring free treatment to acid attack survivors in Delhi Government hospitals. [58]
Combatting Cyber-Crime
The DCW,under Ms. Maliwal has been pro-active in tackling the increasing threats of cyber-crime and online harassment of women.
The Commission has taken swift action against the online trolling and abuse faced by Gurmehar Kaur,the daughter of a Kargil War martyr in 2017, [59] and rape threats to cricketer Virat Kohli's toddler in 2022, [60] leading to arrests in both cases.
In September 2022,Ms.Maliwal,took a strong stance against posts depicting child pornography and rape videos on the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter). Summoning the X India Policy Head and Delhi Police,she sought an FIR in the matter. [61] The Commission's swift actions prompted global companies to suspend campaigns on X,demonstrating its impact on a larger scale. [62]
