State women’s commission to start helpline soon

Nagpur: With a view to properly redress grievances of distressed women, the Maharashtra State Commission for Women (MSCW) would be soon launching a helpline to counsel and guide the complainants. It would also take a proper follow-up from all the departments and even summon the authorities like police and government employees if they fail to help the victims.
“On an average we receive over 5,000 complaints per month through letters, e-mails, on also through landline calls. Through the helpline, our trained counsellors would listen to the problems of women and counsel them on how to cope with them. They would also guide the victims on next course of action,” MSCW chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar told TOI.

Rahatkar was speaking during her recent visit to the city regarding an awareness programme organized by NGO Prakriti for farm widows. The MSCW chief spoke on various issues on which the commission was working and how it was spreading its wings with the help of NGOs and self-help groups (SHGs).

“From domestic abuse to sexual harassment to molestation and extra-marital affairs, we receive all kinds of complaints. In fact, we have also received complaints of child marriages. The women also complaint against the police for not taking registering their complaints. In such cases, we seek explanation from the police station concerned and also summon the cops,” she said.

Explaining the motive behind starting the helpline, Rahatkar said the victims go into depression after facing abuse. “Many a time, the victim commits suicide in absence of timely counselling. Such women can now share their plight with our trained counsellors. The new initiative would provide them a ray of hope. If they want, their complaint could be registered after talking to the counsellor. They just need to e-mail or write a simple letter. We’ve already launched an app named ‘Tejaswini’ where women could lodge complaints,” she said.

The MSCW has also tied up with universities and has so far conducted over 200 programmes at places like Gadchiroli. Over 3,000 tribal women participated in a programme in Bhandara. Looking at the massive response, the divisional commissioner sanctioned Rs30 lakh for the training.

“We’ve tied up with about 394 zilla parishads and panchayat samiti offices across the state and are spreading awareness among women in those areas. Maharashtra is perhaps the first state to do so. Additionally, we’re providing training to internal sexual harassment committees at colleges and government offices on how to thwart such attempt and lodge complaints,” she said.

Applauding the government’s efforts, the MSCW chairperson added that it had started many innovative schemes like Manodharya for rehabilitation of victims, but at same time, it needs to be sensitive towards their needs. She admitted that their Mumbai office was facing staff shortage, but it has now started hiring people on contract basis.

Last year, the MSCW took up the cause of acid attack victims under the drive named ‘Sakshama’ where it managed to rehabilitate about 16 of them with the help of CSR funds. “To get back to their normal shape, the victims need to undergo at least four surgeries which are quite expensive. Most of these victims are poor and illiterate. We not only help them but also make efforts to find them jobs,” she said.