NLU Odisha: Regional Consultation On Law Review of Cyber Crimes Affecting Women In Collaboration With National Commission For Women
LIVELAW NEWS NETWORK
11 Nov 2024 2:26 PM IST
The Centre for Women and Law (CWL), National Law University Odisha in collaboration with the National Commission for Women (NCW) hosted the "Regional Consultation on Law Review of Cyber Crimes Affecting Women" on campus. The consultation brought together legal scholars, law enforcement officials, and judicial experts to address critical gaps in current cyber laws affecting women and discuss potential amendments for better protection against online threats. The event was coordinated by Dr Priyanka Anand, Director, CWL, along with co-directors, Dr Arjyalopa Mishra and Dr Rashmi Rekha Baug. From the National Commission for Women, Dr Shivani Dey, Deputy Secretry, NCW and Ms Bhavika Sharma, JTE (Legal) had also joined the event.
Dr Priyanka opened the session by acknowledging the dual role of digital technology as both a transformative and challenging force, especially for women. She highlighted recent cases of cyber harassment and defamation, underscoring the limitations of current laws in addressing gender-specific cyber threats. Justice B. P. Satpathy, High Court of Odisha, was the chief guest and delivered a powerful speech on the inadequacy of current laws to fully protect women from specific cyber crimes. He called for substantial amendments to the Information Technology (IT) Act to address gender-targeted cybercrimes such as revenge porn, morphing, and online blackmail. He also recommended specialized mechanisms for handling complaints from women and proposed stricter penalties, including limitations on bail for cybercrime perpetrators. Keynote speakers, Justice Tapen Sen of the Jharkhand High Court and Vinaytosh Mishra, ADGP CID emphasized the cross-border nature of cybercrimes and its profound impact on women, who are often targeted for their perceived vulnerability, referring cyber threats to a “nine-headed hydra” that requires collaborative international efforts and strengthened laws to counteract. Dr. Ved Kumari, Vice Chancellor of NLU Odisha, stressed the importance of a structured system that supports victims and provides timely resolution. She underscored the need for victim-centred approaches in cyber laws to reduce social stigma and trauma.
The inaugural session was followed by five technical sessions on different aspects of tackling cybercrime in the age of AI and set a dynamic tone for the consultation, with discussions on data protection laws, gender-specific amendments, and the need for greater public awareness of cyber safety. CWL and NCW aim to consolidate insights from this event to shape actionable recommendations for the government, advocating for a safer digital environment for women.
