National Commission for Women

Last updated: January 15th, 2025

• Processes  the complaints received orally in writing or online via official website National Commission for Women.
• Deals with the complaints received from all over the country including those relating to deprivation of rights of women and involving injustice to women takes suo motu cognizance of incidents related to commission of heinous crimes against women U/S 10 of the National Commission Act, 1990

Scrutiny of Complaints

• The complaints received are  scrutinised as per Commission’s mandate and adopted procedure to handle complaints
• The complaints which falls within the Commission’s mandate and adopted procedure to handle complaints are registered under 19 identified categories
• The complaints of the following nature are  summarily dismissed:-
  1. Complaints which are illegible or vague, anonymous or pseudonymous;
  2. The issue raised relates to civil dispute between the parties;
  3. The issue raised relates to service matters;
  4. Matter is sub judice before a Court/Tribunal;
  5.  Complaints which are already pending before a State Commission or any other Commission
  6. Complaints only endorsed to the Commission
  7. Complaints involving no deprivation of women rights

Heads Under Which Complaints Are Registered

1. Abduction
2. Acid Attack
3. Causing Miscarriage
4. Criminal Intimidation/
5. Assault
6. Cybercrimes Against Women
7. Denial Of Maternity Benefits to Women
8. Domestic Violence
9. Dowry Harassment
10. Dowry Death
11. Gender Discrimination, Including Equal Right to Education & Work
12. Murder
13. Attempt To Murder
14. Outraging Modesty of Women/Molestation
15. Police Apathy Against Women
16. Polygamy/Bigamy
17. Triple Talaq
18. Rape
19. Request For Free Legal Aid to Women
20. Right To Exercise Choice in Marriage
21. Honor Killing
22. Sex Selective Abortion; Female Foeticide / Amniocentesis
23. Sexual Assault
24. Sexual Harassment
25. Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace
26. Stalking
27. Voyeurism
28. Trafficking
29. Forced Prostitution of Women
30. Dehumanizing And Stigmatization of Women

Processing of Complaints

To provide adequate relief to the complainant and ensure suitable redressal of her grievances. The complaints are acted upon in the following manner :

1. Investigations by the police are expedited and monitored.
2. Family disputes are resolved or compromised through counseling or hearing  before the Commission.. For serious crimes, the Commission constitutes an Inquiry Committee which makes spot enquiries, examines various witnesses, collects evidence and submits the report with recommendations. Such investigations help in providing immediate relief and justice to the victims of violence and atrocities. The implementation of the report is monitored by the NCW. There is a provision for having experts/lawyers on these committees.
3. A few complaints are also forwarded to the respective State Commissions for Women and other forums like the National Human Rights Commission, National Commission for Scheduled Caste / Scheduled Tribe, etc., for disposal of the complaints at their end.
4. In respect of complaints related to sexual harassment of women at their workplaces, the concerned organizations or departments are urged to constitute an Internal Complaints Committee(ICC) as per the mandatory provisions Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 in order  to enquire into such complaints. The Commission regularly monitored and takes up these complaints with the concerned organizations/departments to expedite the disposal of the complaints by following the statutory provisions.

Analysis of Complaints:-

1. The complaints received show the trend of crimes against women and suggests systemic changes needed for reduction in crimes.
2. The complaints are analyzed to understand the gaps in routine functioning of government in tackling violence against women and to suggest corrective measures.
3. The complaints are also used as case studies for sensitization programmes for the police, judiciary, prosecutors, forensic scientists, defence lawyers and other administrative functionaries.

Here’s what you will find in this section

• Statistical Overview of Complaints
• Enquiry Committees
• Success Stories
• Register your complaint now

Standard Operating Procedures for Handling

• Standard Operating Procedures for Handling Complaints in Complaint and Investigation Cell (C&I Cell)  (242.25 KB) 

VIOLENCE FREE HOME- A WOMEN’S RIGHT

• VIOLENCE FREE HOME- A WOMEN’S RIGHT A joint programme of the National Commission for Women (NCW), Delhi Police and TISS Mumbai (88.4 KB)