New Delhi, July 23 - Minister of State for Women and Child Welfare Krishna Tirath Thursday called for setting up fast-track courts to provide speedier justice to rape victims.

'There should be fast-track courts to conduct trial of rape cases. Only then, the rape victim would get speedy justice,' Tirath said in the Lok Sabha during a discussion on the demand of grants for her ministry.

She rued that rape victims have to run from pillar to post for 10-20 years to get justice.

She also appealed for social initiatives to end the tradition of dowry. 'Those who demand and give dowry should be boycotted,' she said.

Stating that the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government is committed to the welfare of women and children, Tirath appealed to the states to provide more opportunities to women and to 'take some definitive measures in this regard'.