Hathras: Concerned At Continuing Cases Of Sexual Violence Against Women In India, Says UN

The United Nations in India has expressed concern at the continuing cases of sexual violence against women and girls in India.

In a statement issued in the wake of Hathras and Balrampur incidents, the UN said that these cases are reminders that women and girls from disadvantaged social groups are at greater risk of gender-based violence.

"The recent cases of alleged rape and murder in Hathras and Balarampur are another reminder that despite the impressive progress made on a number of social indicators, women and girls from disadvantaged social groups face additional vulnerabilities and are at greater risk of gender-based violence", the Resident Coordinator of UN in India said.

It urged that the authorities should ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice speedily, and that families be empowerd to seek timely justice, social support, counselling, healthcare and rehabilitation. 

"Entrenched social norms and behaviour of men and boys that lead to gender-based violence must be addressed", it stressed.

"The steps being taken by the Government of India to strengthen safety measures for women and girls are welcome and urgent. We support the Prime Minister's call for strict action against the culprits", it added.

The UN said that it stands committed to providing continued support to the Government and civil society to address violence against women.

"As we fight the challenge of COVID-19 with the determination to build back better India, building respectful relationships devoid of prejudices and gender biases is a top priority". it said in conclusion.

The Ministry of External Affairs did not appreciate the comments by the UN Resident Coordinator in India and termed them "unwarranted".

"Some unwarranted comments have been made by the UN Resident Coordinator regarding some cases of violence against women. UN Resident Coordinator in India should be aware that these cases have been taken extremely seriously by the government. Since the investigation process is underway, any unnecessary comments by an external agency are best avoided. The Constitution guarantees equality to all citizens of India. As a democracy, we have a time-tested record of providing justice to all sections of society", Anurag Srivastava, Official Spokesperson of the MEA, said.

As per news reports, on September 14, a 19-year-old Dalit woman was abducted and then gangraped by four upper-caste men who then subjected her to brutal torture by breaking her bones and cutting off her tongue. She passed away on Tuesday, the 29th of September. Her family complained that she was cremated by police officials in the middle of the night without their consent.

As public outrage was mounting over the police action, widely perceived as an act to erase evidence, the UP police issued public statements denying rape, contradicting the dying declaration given by the girl. Upper-caste groups have started a counter-movement claiming innocence of the accused persons.

On Monday, the UP Police registered an FIR against unknown persons for charges of sedition, promoting social disharmony etc., alleging that the protests were part of an "international conspiracy" to malign the state.

In Uttar Pradesh's Balrampur district, a 22-year-old Dalit woman died after allegedly being raped by two men. The victim's mother has alleged that that the rapists broke the legs and back of her daughter, a charge denied by the police.