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Madhya Pradesh to be the first to have 3 One Stop Centres for women
Madhya Pradesh will soon have two more One Stop Centres for women who are victims of violence, making it the first state to have three such centres, an official said on Wednesday.
Madhya Pradesh will soon have two more One Stop Centres for women who are victims of violence, making it the first state to have three such centres, an official said on Wednesday.
The first one stop crisis centre in the country christened as Gauravi was set in Bhopal in June 2014 with the support of ActionAid, an NGO.
At the centres, victims can seek help by directly walking in or by calling a toll free number, said a senior official of the state women and child welfare department.
Victims of rape, dowry harassment and domestic violence will receive medical aid and also help in filing FIRs, legal advice and psychological counseling, said Kalpana Shrivastava, commissioner of the women empowerment directorate.
"We have sent a detailed plan to Union ministry of women and child development to establish One Stop Centre in Madhya Pradesh," she said.
"The centres will monitor …the number of cases and crime …on monthly basis…Video conferencing facility will also be provided for swift and hassle free police and court proceedings," she added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the International Women's Day on March 8 had reaffirmed that the government’s resolve to end discrimination and injustice against women while announcing the setting up of one stop centres.
In June 2014, the Union ministry of women and child development had through a concept note proposed to set up One Stop Centre to provide assistance to victims of crimes against women in all the 640 districts across the country.
A senior official in the state women and child welfare department, who did not want to be named, said a centre will be opened at Indore as the district has been witnessing a spurt in crime against women.
Another centre is going to be set up in Gwalior. The department has already taken up the initiative for the centre, the official added.
The regional manager of ActionAid and the in-charge of the Bhopal centre Sarika Sinha said the response so far has been overwhelming.
In the past nine months, the cnetre had received more than 10,000 calls from across the state and some from neighbouring states as well.
Though the pressure on the group will be tremendous, two additional centres will give victims swifter justice, she added.
