Maneka Gandhi inaugurates state’s first Sakhi ‘One-stop Centre’ in Udupi
Udupi: Union Women and Child Welfare Minister Maneka Gandhi today inaugurated the state’s first Sakhi ‘One-stop Centre’ for women who have been victims of various kinds of violence at Nittur here on Monday, March 5.
Addressing the gathering Union Women and Child Welfare Minister Maneka Gandhi said that the Centre will take care of the physical and psychological well-being of women who are victims of various kinds of violence. The victims can seek help by directly walking in or by calling a toll free number. The victims of rape, dowry harassment and domestic violence will get medical aid and also help in filing FIRs, legal advice and psychological counselling. It has an eight-bed hospital and the victims can stay there during their treatment and counselling, she added.
Union government has implemented 33 percent reservation for women in the police force to address the problem of crimes against women. Already seven states have implemented the reservation, the minister urged other states to follow suit. To provide better living conditions to a large number of widows at Vrindavan, the union government has started a special home for 1,000 widows at Vrindavan, The special home caters to the primary needs of shelter, food, clothing, medical treatment and care of women in distress who are without social and economic support. The Union government has also passed an order for the inclusion of wife’s name in the husband’s death certificate, she said.
Udupi- Chikkamagaluru MP Shobha Karandlaje said that Sakhi’ acts as a support system for women in distress. Women who are in distress can approach ‘Sakhi’, which will take care of all necessary requirements to ensure justice to the victim. It acts as the complaint registering authority, counselling centre, medical facility centre and also offers shelter to the victims. She said that it offers legal aid apart from solving physical and psychological problems. She added that each state receives one centre and the centre in Karnataka is set up in Udupi. The women helpline, 181 will provide 24-hour emergency response to all women affected by violence, through Sakhi ‘One-stop Centre’, she added.
Udupi district minister in-charge Pramod Madhwaraj presided over the function. Udupi ZP president Dinakar Babu, vice president Sheela K Shetty, CMC President Meenakshi Madhava Bannanje, DC Priyanka Mary Francis, District women and child welfare department director Gracy Gonsalves and others were present.