TC Web Desk
As a part of the week-long celebrations of International Women’s Day week from 1 to 8 March 2022, the Ministry of Women and Child Development, in collaboration with NIMHANS, has launched Stree Manoraksha project with an aim to improve the mental health of women in India.
The project would focus on capacity building of One-Stop Centre (OSC) functionaries on the tools and techniques as to how to handle the cases of women approaching these centres, particularly the women who have suffered violence and distress, with due sensitivity and care.
At present, more than 700 OSCs are being run in the country. The people working in these centres will also be trained to operate the Self Defense Shaheed Women Helpline properly and counsel women and assist in medical, legal, and crime-related matters. This advanced training programme will also be conducted in regional languages for women to understand easily. NIMHANS has also created a website on this training in psychosocial issues and mental health care to support women facing gender-based violence.
In the afternoon session of the event on the second day of the celebrations, a consultative conclave on capacity building of OSCs was organised in collaboration with National Legal Services Authority (NALSA). The event was attended by government officials, NIMHANS, NALSA and OSCs representatives from across the country. The overall aim of the event was to create an enabling environment for the safety, security and psychological well-being of women.
Welcoming the One-Stop Centre ‘Sakhis,’ Smriti Irani called them the sentinels who guard the rights of women and children in the country. “Today, the project, which we are discussing with NIMHANS, if we look at it as just a project, we will find ourselves limited to the administrative framework, but this project is intended to give life and dignity to women and break the cycle of violence.”
During the afternoon session organised in collaboration with NALSA, the Union Minister appreciated the efforts of lawyers across the country from NALSA and State Legal Services Authority (SLSA), who have gone a long way in helping women victims in OSCs. She announced that the ministry is looking forward for a pilot on Naari Adalat with the help of NALSA so that women victims can get speedy justice.
