Functions of the Commission

Functions of the Commission.—Subject to the provisions of this Act, the Commission shall perform all or any of the following functions, namely:—

1. (a) to investigate and examine all matters relating to the safeguards provided for women under the Constitution and other laws;
2. (b) to present to the Government, annually and at such other times as the Commission may deem fit, reports upon the working of those safeguards;
3. (c) to make in such reports recommendations for the effective implementation of those safeguards for improving the conditions of women by the Union or any State;
4. (d) to review, from time to time, the existing provisions of the Constitution and other laws affecting women and recommend amendments thereto so as to suggest remedial legislative measures to meet any lacunae, inadequacies or shortcomings in such legislation;
5. (e) to take up the cases of violation of the provisions of the Constitution and of other laws relating to women with the appropriate authorities;
6. (f) to look into complaints and take suo motu notice of matters relating to—
   • (i) deprivation of women's rights;
   • (ii) non-implementation of laws enacted to provide protection to women and also to achieve the objective of equality and development;
   • (iii) non-compliance of policy decisions, guidelines or instructions aimed at mitigating hardships and ensuring welfare and providing relief to women, and to take up the issues arising out of such matters with appropriate authorities;
7. (g) to call for special studies or investigations into specific problems or situations arising out of discrimination and atrocities against women and identify the constraints so as to recommend strategies for their removal;
8. (h) to undertake promotional and educational research so as to suggest ways of ensuring due representation of women in all spheres and identify factors responsible for impeding their advancement, such as, lack of access to housing and basic services, inadequate support services and technologies for reducing drudgery and occupational health hazards and for increasing their productivity;
   • (i) to participate and advise on the planning process of socio-economic development of women;
9. (j) to evaluate the progress of the development of women under the State;
10. (k) to inspect or cause to be inspected a jail, remand home, women's institution or other place of custody where women are kept as prisoners or otherwise, and take up with the concerned authorities for such action as may be needed;
11. (l) to fund litigation involving issues affecting a large body of women;
12. (m) to make periodical reports to the Government on any matter pertaining to women and in particular various difficulties under which women toil;
13. (n) to co-operate with the National Commission for Women and other State Commissions for women;
14. (o) to perform such other functions as the Government may, from time to time, assign to the Commission.