In its bid to bolster the safety and security of women across the country, the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development has launched multiple reforms and helplines in the recent times.

In a statement, the WCD Ministry stated that under the Nirbhaya Fund, financing safety projects, out of the allocated Rs 7712.85 crore for the current fiscal year, nearly 76 per cent has already been utilised to fund various projects and schemes such as One Stop Centres (OSCs), Emergency Response Support System (ERSS-112), Women Helpline (WHL-181), Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs), Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs), Women Help Desks (WHDs), Cyber Forensic cum Training Labs, Safe City Projects, Rail and Road Transport Safety Initiatives, and the Central Victim Compensation Fund (CVCF).

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The One Stop Centres (OSCs), which provides integrated support to women affected by violence, offers medical assistance, legal aid, psychological counselling, and temporary shelter, all under one roof, facilitating a coordinated response to various forms of violence against women.

As per the ministry at present there are 812 operational OSCs across the country which have provided assistance under various categories to more than 10.80 lakh women.

Furthermore, the latest initiative, Sexual Harassment Electronic Box (SHe-Box) is working as a single-window platform for women to register workplace sexual harassment complaints. It is accessible to all women, regardless of their work sector (organized/unorganized, public/private), the statement read.

The ministry is also working towards providing mental health care to the victims of various crimes and traumas under its Project Stree Manoraksha, launched in collaboration with the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS).

The mental health care centers are operational in One Stop Centres (OSCs) and are equipped with providing training to counsellors and staff, including caseworkers, administrators, paralegal and paramedical staff, and security personnel. This initiative ensures that women facing gender-based violence receive empathetic, evidence-based mental health care and counselling when they seek help at OSCs.