The One Stop Centre under the National Mission for Empowerment of Women will start functioning in Kozhikode district in a couple of months. Formulated and funded by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development, the centre, popularly known as Sakhi, will come up at the Social Justice Centre at Vellimadukunnu.
The main objective of the centre is to provide integrated support and assistance, in a phased manner, to women affected by violence in private and public spaces. The violence could be from within the family, community or at the workplace. Women facing physical, sexual, emotional, psychological and economic abuse will be given support.
They will be provided temporary shelter, medical care, legal aid, police protection and counselling at the centre. The centre will also have video conferencing facility.
The victims could stay at the centre for five days, after which they will be shifted to other establishments if required. The victims may approach the centre directly or through voluntary organisations.
Though the facility is basically for women, children will also benefit from the scheme.
The District Child Protection Officer will be in charge of cases in which children are involved, while the District Women Protection Officer will be in charge of cases involving women.
District Women Protection Officer A.K. Linsy said the services of Sakhi will be available by contacting Mitra toll free number 181 in the initial phase. A separate toll free number for Sakhi will be set up later.
The Sakhi scheme is being implemented across the country from April 2015.