NCW calls for review of cyber laws to strengthen digital safety, privacy for women

New Delhi, Nov 4 (PTI) The National Commission for Women (NCW) has recommended a comprehensive review of India's cyber laws to ensure stronger digital rights, privacy protections, and accountability mechanisms for women in the online space.

The recommendations, detailed in its "Recommendatory Report for Law Review 2024-“25", have been submitted to the ministries of Law and Justice, Electronics and Information Technology, Women and Child Development, and Home Affairs.

The report marks the culmination of a year-long nationwide consultation aimed at reimagining India's cyber legal framework through a gender-sensitive lens.

As part of this exercise, eight regional consultations were held across Punjab, Haryana, West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, Gujarat, Karnataka, and Chhattisgarh, followed by two national consultations and the National Law University and Judicial Academy in Guwahati.

"The digital world has opened infinite doors for women -” of learning, enterprise, and expression -” but it has also given rise to new frontiers of threat and intimidation," NCW chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar said, adding that the commission envisions a digital ecosystem "where laws do not merely punish offenders, but protect dignity; where awareness replaces fear; and where every woman can step into the digital world confident, informed, and secure".

The final consultation, attended by Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, saw appreciation for NCW's efforts in driving reforms that safeguard women in digital spaces.

Over 200 actionable recommendations emerged from the process, incorporating insights from judges, senior advocates, technology experts, law enforcement officers, and civil society members.

The recommendations span multiple laws and frameworks, including the Information Technology Act, 2002, the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, and the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

Proposed measures include tougher penalties for online abuse, mandatory victim compensation funds, stronger privacy and consent norms, and rapid removal of non-consensual content.

Under the IT Act, the NCW has sought enhanced penalties under Sections 66, 66C, and 66D, along with provisions for threats to share private or obscene content.

The IT Rules, 2021, it said, should include AI-manipulated imagery, mandate longer data retention and victim anonymity, and enforce account verification for transparency.

The report also calls for extending the POSH Act, 2013 to cover digital harassment and remote workplaces, and for amendments to the Indecent Representation of Women Act, 1986 to address online and OTT content. For children, it recommends recognizing online grooming and digital manipulation as punishable offences under the POCSO Act, 2012.

The NCW further proposed procedural reforms under the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bhartiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, and Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, including the protection of complainant identity, faster digital forensic analysis, and timely victim redressal.

Described as one of NCW's most comprehensive national reviews, the report aims to strengthen digital rights and privacy protections for women, promote platform accountability, enhance law enforcement capacity, and foster digital literacy and preventive awareness through education and community engagement.

"Cyber safety is no longer a peripheral issue - it's a pillar of women's empowerment in the digital age," the NCW noted in its report, urging coordinated government action to make online spaces safer, transparent, and inclusive. PTI UZM ZMN