Focusing on the much-neglected women's rights, a meeting covering women's issues and problems they had to face was organised by the Women Welfare Network Society, Leh, in collaboration with Nominated Councillor, Rinchen Lhamo, on November 7 at the Council Secretariat.

It highlighted the insensitivity towards women issues, and was attended by Deputy Commissioner, Prassana Ramaswami G, SSP Udaya Bhaskar, religious heads, lawyers, college students and women representatives.

“The problems faced by women in contemporary society needs to be highlighted so that they are viewed with a positive outlook and addressed,” said Rinchen Lhamo. She highlighted a multitude of issues related to women’s safety and security.

The representatives demanded a women’s cell, facilities of legal assistance to women, timely delivery of justice with the help of first track court.

Rinchen expressed her disappointment over not having any women theme under the district plan and Vision Document, 2025. On issues of insensitivity towards women needs, she raised the issue of absence of all- season toilet facilities for women in Leh town, a hostel for girl students and working women and street light facilities. She requested the DC and the SSP to look into these issues and find out solutions.

She emphasised the importance of ensuring women’s safety and also urged women to seek police help whenever necessary, rather than “suffer in silence”.

The women representatives also suggested having women drivers and police during night so that women could feel safer when returning from work late.

The DC assured of full support and said this kind of initiative was very much needed. He said, “Together we can restore the old Ladakh. We together as a team will find a solution to put the system in place”.

He committed to starting a women’s hostel facility soon, and also provide street lights.

The SSP asked the women to file written complaints whenever issues were there. He pointed out that unless a woman filed a formal complaint, nothing could be done. "If you don't have anything on paper," he said, "then it doesn't exist." He said that they could even lodge a complaint with anonymity.

The SSP assured the members that the police would take necessary action on the complaints and suggestions made by them.