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Delhi govt tells district officers to file report on One Stop Centres
Delhi govt tells district officers to file report on One Stop Centres

Hindustan Times

time27-06-2025

  • Hindustan Times

Delhi govt tells district officers to file report on One Stop Centres

The Delhi government's women and child development (WCD) department has directed district officers to visit all one-stop centres (OSCs) across the city and file detailed reports on their current condition, officials aware of the matter said on Thursday. Delhi govt tells district officers to file report on One Stop Centres The order for the visit was issued on Wednesday – a day after HT reported on the poor state of most OSCs, which were found lacking in basic infrastructure and essential services. An official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that special director (WCD) Navlendra Kumar Singh issued the directive to all district officers, asking them to assess the availability and functionality of appliances like coolers and fans, and to document broader procedural issues at the centres. 'A district officer visited the OSC on Wednesday and asked us how many coolers, fans and other appliances are working here. And what other problems we are facing,' the official said. Another official said that they have also been informed that the district officer will visit their OSC for a report. A third official confirmed that district visits were underway and added that instructions had been given to submit a proper, comprehensive report, unlike the 'mechanical' surveys usually conducted. 'This time, the reports have to reflect ground reality,' the official said. Singh could not be reached for comment despite multiple attempts. OSCs were launched in 2019 to serve as single-window assistance centres for women facing domestic, sexual, or psychological abuse. However, as HT revealed on Tuesday, many centres are falling apart—plagued by budgetary neglect and official indifference. During visits to five OSCs, HT found women stuck in suffocating rooms with no water, no working fans or coolers, and no trained counsellors. Across multiple OSCs, core services such as police assistance and legal aid are inconsistently available, directly violating guidelines set by the ministry of women and child development. The ministry's guidelines mandate round-the-clock infrastructure, full-time legal and psychological support, and access to shelter and police help.

Locked doors and empty rooms: Delhi's one-stop centres are falling apart
Locked doors and empty rooms: Delhi's one-stop centres are falling apart

Hindustan Times

time24-06-2025

  • Politics
  • Hindustan Times

Locked doors and empty rooms: Delhi's one-stop centres are falling apart

At first glance, the gate on Jail Road near Central Jail No. 1 looks like any other—wide, a little worn, bearing a small blue board that reads 'Nirmal Chhaya Complex.' It's easily missed in the swirl of west Delhi's traffic unless you know exactly what to look for. But this nondescript entrance leads to one of the city's One Stop Centres (OSC)—facilities meant to be sanctuaries for women in distress, offering immediate access to legal aid, counselling, shelter, and support under one roof. The one stop centre at Lok Nayak Hospital is an exception as it boasts a clean, fully equipped shelter with AC rooms, on-site staff housing, and a dedicated vehicle. (Sanchit Khanna/HT photo) But finding it isn't easy. Entry to the Tihar Prison Complex, where this west district OSC is located, is tightly controlled. No one is allowed in without valid identification. For a woman fleeing a violent home, that single requirement can become a wall too high to scale. 'I couldn't find the place at all,' said a woman who eventually made it to the centre. 'I had to call 181 to get the exact location.' Launched in November 2019, OSCs were designed to assist women facing gender-based violence—whether domestic, sexual, or psychological—under a single roof. After Rekha Gupta took over as Delhi's chief minister in February, she repeatedly highlighted the mission of these centres and promised to set up 11 more, one in each district. But ground reports reveal a collapsing system plagued by apathy and lack of funding. In the sweltering heat, women who reach these supposed 'safe havens' are often met with stifling rooms lacking even the most basic amenities—no running water, no functioning fans or coolers, and most critically, no counsellors. Across multiple OSCs, core services such as police assistance and legal aid are inconsistently available, directly violating guidelines set by the ministry of women and child development. These guidelines mandate a full-time counsellor, police officer, legal aid provider, and round-the-clock infrastructure including temporary shelter, first aid, and a 24-hour helpline. On paper, these centres promise immediate, comprehensive assistance. In reality, they themselves are barely surviving. BJRM Hospital: Empty chairs, broken coolers The One Stop Centre at Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial (BJRM) Hospital paints a bleak picture. A rusting iron gate leads to a rundown facility where signs of neglect are hard to miss. On the left, two single beds and a few chairs sit beside a broken cooler. On the right, a helper logs visitor names in a register. The rooms marked 'Legal Aid' and 'Counsellor' are locked or unstaffed. The only occupied room is that of the centre administrator, who handles every case alone. There is no case worker—a key role for managing and following up on complaints. Officials said the post has been vacant for over five months. The police official designated there rarely visits, and a five-bed temporary shelter, once operational, was shut last year due to a lack of funds. 'The AC doesn't work, the computer is dead, and a vehicle for the centre was never provided,' said a staff member who requested anonymity. 'Even basic supplies like food, clothing, and hygiene kits are unavailable.' The Shahdara OSC, within the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences campus, has better staffing, but again chronic underfunding chokes services. (Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo) One letter dated June 12, 2023, sent to the district magistrate's office reads: 'The OSC is not receiving any supplies—no kitchen groceries, no water, no items for kids. How do we feed the victims?' The administrator, Kusum (last name withheld), now handles nearly every task. During a recent visit, HT witnessed Kusum and one multi-tasking staff member managing the entire centre. A 21-year-old woman had come seeking help after her husband and brother-in-law took away her one-month-old breastfed baby. With no police official present, Kusum had to call the police and the child welfare committee repeatedly for over 24 hours before the child was returned and legal proceedings initiated. Kusum declined to comment. But another staffer said: 'She manages most cases alone. But this is not how these centres are supposed to function.' Despite more than 50 letters sent over six years outlining these deficiencies, officials said little action has followed. Tihar: Better infrastructure, but glaring gaps The OSC inside the Tihar prison complex appears marginally better. It has two rooms for officials, a waiting area for victims, and a functional five-bed shelter. Unlike BJRM, most mandated staff are present. But even here, the absence of counsellors looms large. Since July last year, after the Delhi Commission for Women withdrew their services, not one OSC has had a dedicated counsellor on site. Officials said the absence of dedicated infrastructure continues to hamper daily operations. Calls to the 181 women's helpline, for example, are diverted to the personal mobile phones of OSC administrators—day and night. 'They're expected to answer calls round the clock without a dedicated control room. It's unsustainable,' said one official. While this centre has legal and police officers posted, officials said even the designated female cop struggles to coordinate with the local police station. 'She's always calling for updates, and they dodge her. They drop victims here and move on,' the official said. In one case, a girl brought to the OSC for five days - as mandated for the shelter home - but the police officer did not come to take her statement or follow her case for 10 days. Adding to the strain, three multi-tasking staff posts remain vacant. The security guard has taken over cooking duties. For over a year, the centre has operated without internet. MTNL and broadband bills have not been paid, forcing staff to use personal phone hotspots to send official emails. There's no printer either—not at this OSC, or BJRM. A letter to the SDM Patel Nagar dated October 15, 2023, noted: 'The internet has been disconnected for many days, causing major problems in running the centre.' Another dated December 30 highlighted the vacant staff posts due to resignation, absenteeism, or misconduct. 'Due to lack of sufficient staff, it is very difficult to provide efficient services to the victims,' it said. Shahdara: Adequate staff, no funds The Shahdara OSC, located within the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS), has better staffing, but again chronic underfunding chokes services. 'There is no AC in any room, not even the administrator's office,' said one official. 'No toys for kids, no TV for victims. Not even basic comfort.' Officials said bills remain unpaid for months, affecting food procurement, maintenance, and essentials for victims. Although staff salaries have become more regular, the centre still lacks a dedicated vehicle or residential quarters for administrators. Requests to the DM and SDM, officials said, have gone unanswered. Lok Nayak: A rare model In contrast, the OSC at Lok Nayak Hospital stands out as a rare exception. It has a clean, well-kept nine-bed shelter with air conditioning in all rooms, a dedicated vehicle, on-site administrator housing, and all required officials present. Legal aid, police assistance, case workers, and IT support were all active during HT's visit. A children's play area with toys, a television, and clean bedding gave the space a humane touch missing at most other centres. 'There is no major problem here except the absence of counsellors, which is common across Delhi,' said an official. 'This is how all centres should function. Everything is under one roof.' A government official, on condition of anonymity, said that they are aware of the shortcomings at the centres but said that the district magistrates are responsible for operations and upkeep of the OSCs. 'The Women and Child Development department releases the funds to the districts after which the DMs are expected to take care of the operations of the OSCs. We are examining the shortcomings,' he said. Yet, that roof is crumbling across most of the city. Despite official claims and public promises, Delhi's OSC network reveals a system of uneven delivery, where centres meant to be safe spaces for vulnerable women are often neither safe nor functional. In place of trained support staff, survivors find locked doors, empty rooms, and administrators left to fight systemic apathy on their own.

How legal reforms under Modi redefined women's safety
How legal reforms under Modi redefined women's safety

New Indian Express

time09-06-2025

  • Politics
  • New Indian Express

How legal reforms under Modi redefined women's safety

In 2012, the brutal Nirbhaya incident shocked the conscience of the nation. It also exposed the deep fissures in India's legal and administrative framework for women's safety. Inadequate policing, slow judicial response, outdated laws, and near-total absence of survivor support systems painted a bleak picture. By 2014, India stood at a crossroads. Public outrage was loud, but the legal machinery remained sluggish. Fast-track courts were a concept, not a reality. There were no one-stop solutions and centres, no national women's helplines, no forensic support to fast-track investigation, and no dedicated funds to support such measures. Women's issues were viewed as social concerns and national priorities. Modi Era: From Protection to Structural Empowerment Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Government of India has undertaken a paradigm shift—from a fragmented response to a mission-mode approach anchored in legal reform, institutional delivery, and dignity for every woman over the last 11 years of governance. Legal Safety as National Commitment The government initiated the establishment of Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) nationwide, and today, 745 such courts are operational, including 404 that exclusively deal with cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. In contrast to 2014, when One Stop Centres were non-existent, more than 820 districts now have fully functional OSCs providing legal assistance, police intervention, shelter, and counselling under one roof to any distressed women affected by violence.

Police stations in 8 districts to house trauma support centres for women
Police stations in 8 districts to house trauma support centres for women

Hindustan Times

time26-05-2025

  • Politics
  • Hindustan Times

Police stations in 8 districts to house trauma support centres for women

Mumbai: The state government has approved the establishment of temporary shelters-cum-counselling centres for women in 104 police stations spread across eight districts. These centres will provide immediate psychological support, legal aid, and short-term rehabilitation to women and children facing abuse. They will be funded by the state government and operated by non-governmental organisations (NGOs). The approval was granted at the State Level Steering Committee meeting dated February 20, which was chaired by the additional chief secretary (home department). The government resolution issued subsequently named nine NGOs to run the centres – one NGO each for Palghar, Satara, Ahmednagar, Nandurbar, Buldhana, Nagpur and Amravati districts, and two NGOs for Wardha. Police stations are usually the first point of contact for women and children who face abuse, and police personnel often provide informal counselling and escort survivors to shelter homes, said a senior official from the women and child development (WCD) department, which will be the controlling authority under the scheme. 'This new model will formalise the process by establishing dedicated units within police stations, allowing for decentralised, better-equipped support facilities,' the official said. Each shelter-cum-counselling centre will be located inside a police station and be overseen by district women and child development officers and superintendents of police. They will be staffed by counsellors with master's in social work (MSW) degrees, who will help survivors file police complaints, offer trauma-informed counselling, and assist in navigating medical and legal processes. Counsellors' honorariums will be transferred by the state government directly to their bank accounts, eliminating the need for payments via NGOs. The move follows widespread criticism of the 45 One-Stop Crisis Centres (OSCs) in the state, which are located inside hospital premises and offer support to rape and molestation victims. A 2023 review by the state commission for women revealed that most OSCs lacked trained personnel, round-the-clock services, and coordination with the police. In Mumbai, only one out of every 110 rape survivors was referred to an OSC. 'We had to start holding sensitisation sessions just to get the police to refer survivors to us,' said Swati Bandose from the Jogeshwari Trauma Centre OSC. 'Often, police don't involve us at all. Locating these services within police stations is the right step forward.' The new centres could have significant impact in districts like Nandurbar and Gadchiroli, where women still face resistance while trying to file basic complaints, said Seema Deshpande, president of Bhartiya Stree Shakti, which runs the Nagpur OSC. 'Having trained counsellors within police stations could finally open doors that have remained shut for too long,' she said. Sandhya Gokhale, a senior member of the Forum Against Oppression of Women (FAOW), welcomed the development, saying the new model placed support where it was needed the most. 'It's an institutional fix that could eliminate the trauma survivors face when they are forced to run between departments after experiencing violence,' said Gokhale. 'But it will only work if the state invests in proper oversight.' HT reached out to Dr Anup Kumar Yadav, secretary, state WCD department, but he did not respond to calls and messages.

What's your emergency?
What's your emergency?

Time of India

time26-04-2025

  • Time of India

What's your emergency?

Nirbhaya 181 Women Helpline women in distress toll-free helpline Child Helpline Dowry harassment Women in distress who require emotional or psychological support are referred to the One-Stop Centres for appropriate counseling — Women and Child Development department official . Launched in the aftermath of thegangrape case in 2012, thecontinues to serve as a vital support system for. Operated by the Department of Women and Child Development, thisfunctions 24/7, offering immediate assistance, emotional support, and links to essential April 2024 to April 2025, the helpline received a total of 1.67 lakh (1,67,000) calls. Out of these, 1.42 lakh calls were found to be irrelevant, while 25,319 were genuine and led to active intervention. The helpline works closely with other emergency networks to ensure comprehensive support.A total of 1,519 calls were forwarded to the 112 police emergency service, and 1,457 calls were redirected to the 1098Demonstrating inter-agency collaboration, 22 calls were received from the 1098 helpline, while four were routed from 112. Additionally, 367 cases requiring in-depth support were forwarded to One Stop Centres (OSC) for counseling and most frequent issue reported was physical violence, accounting for 54 closely with 43 calls, while verbal abuse and threats made up 40 cases. Online disputes emerged as a significant concern with 30 calls, and 29 women reported abuse or violence in public spaces or the most reported issues, the helpline addressed a broad spectrum of distress calls. Legal disputes and sexual violence each accounted for 16 calls, while 11 cases involved sexual harassment. Emotional and mental abuse, along with denial of shelter, were each cited in six calls. Family-related disputes, missing persons, and workplace issues had five cases each. Rape and runaway cases were recorded in four calls each, followed by two cases each of health issues and financial abuse. Isolated incidents such as human trafficking, kidnapping, substance abuse, property conflicts, displacement, and even honour killings were also reported, each with one the assisted calls, 367 were forwarded to One Stop Centres. Officials explained that OSCs provide comprehensive counseling, addressing concerns ranging from domestic disputes to mental health.'Women in distress who require emotional or psychological support are referred to the OSCs for appropriate counseling,' a department official told BM.

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