Jayati Godhawat
JWB Blogger
Here’s Why Delhi’s 181 Women Helpline Services May Shut Down
- JWB Post
- November 3, 2016
It’s unfortunate that the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has decided to close down its 181 women helpline services, including its rape crisis cell and mobile helpline, and the reason for this shut down is even more saddening.
The reason given by the DCW is non-payment of salaries to its staff for two months.
DCW Chairperson, Swati Maliwal, stated that “the newly appointed member secretary Alka Diwan refused to release two months’ salary to the contractual staff,” on Friday.
The DCW Chairperson also Alka Diwan’s appointment to the post as Member Secretary is illegal.
She reportedly said, “Diwan’s appointment to the commission is absolutely illegal for there has been no notification from the government about the same and has simply been appointed through an office order.”
The workforce of DCW includes acid attack survivors, dowry harassment survivors, orphans, and most of them are paid less than Rs. 25000 a month.
The commission also reported that in the last six months, it has dealt with 11,696 complaints and handled 2.16 lakh calls through its 181 women’s helpline.
Swati said, “5,733 cases have been dealt with the rape crisis cell lawyers in courts since the expansion of the cell, 1,869 sexual assault cases were dealt by crisis intervention center counselors and the Commission has undertaken over 7,500 visits since its revamp.”
She further informed that the commission 55 recommendations for recruitment to the government in the past year are still pending for approval.
“It [DCW] even ensured that all staffers work on Saturdays to aid the distressed women of Delhi,” Maliwal’s statement further read.
It’s unfortunate that the helpline which is serving distressed women so efficiently will be shut down. JWB hopes that the Government in Delhi will look into this matter and will try to resolve the payment issues.
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