NCW Writes to Kerala Chief Secretary to Make the Hema Committee Findings Public

By: WE Staff | Tuesday, 3 May 2022

The National Commission for Women (NCW) has reminded Kerala Chief Secretary that the Justice Hema Committee's findings and recommendations, which looked at the issues women experience in the Malayalam film industry, should be made public. In early 2017, a woman actor was kidnapped and sexually assaulted, prompting the formation of the group.

Commission chairperson Rekha Sharma noted in a letter to Chief Secretary V P Joy that the commission informed the chief secretary on March 22, this year, of the public release of the Hema Committee's recommendations and observations without disclosing the victims' identities.

Even after a month, the commission's suggestion regarding the Hema committee report has not been followed, according to a letter dated May 2, 2022. “You are again reminded to share the recommendations and observations of the Justice Hema Committee report with the public at the earliest.”

The report cannot be made public, according to the state administration, since it contains personal experiences of women working in the industry.

The Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), a collection of female film industry professionals, has demanded that the study be made public without revealing the victims' identities. Parvathy Thiruvoth, a well-known actor and a crucial face of the WCC, has stated that if the Justice Hema Committee report is released, “several idols would be broken”.

“Let us wait for the election time, Parvathy responded. Suddenly, the report would come out. It is my prediction. Suddenly, it is going to be a women-friendly government. If the report comes out, several idols, who we are worshiping, would be broken,’’ she added, "apparently our lives are more dispensable than we thought. Their power, position and egos are more important”.