The one-stop centre ‘Sakhi’ on the Raipur district hospital premises is helpful in uniting the dispersed families and bringing back smiles on their faces.
The centre which was established on July 16, 2015 to provide justice to women is proving a boon to them. It had held together the homes, which earlier were on a verge of separation. About 150 cases had been resolved out of 200 cases registered so far at the ‘Sakhi’ Centre, officials stated.
In most of the cases (193) the aggrieved party went personally to the one-stop centre and registered complaints and in some cases registered on phone. The cases are registered on ‘Auto system software’. Audio-recording is done and no changes are allowed in due course of time. The District Hospital premises is located at Kalibadi and the One-Stop Centre has five beds. A person can stay up to a maximum period of five days at the Centre. Boarding and lodging facilities are provided.
The ‘Sakhi’ Centre provides counselling initially to both the warring parties. A police official is also present along with the Sakhi In-charge. Women and girl children have reunited with their families in most of the cases. About 42 women have availed of the facilities till now.
The Centre is under the supervision on the Union Women and Child Development Ministry and with the co-operation of the State Government is providing rehabilitation of oppressed women.
Women from all sections of the society are counselled, helped, provided guidance and protection. All types of cases like physical exploitation, dowry harassment, domestic violence, property dispute, personal dispute, molestation, pension row, witchcraft, mental harassment due to wrong numbers, cheating and stalking are registered here. The officials provide instant help to the hapless women and children. Medical help, legal assistance, psychological counselling are provided. 108 Helpline, National Health Mission, P.C.R. van are the other amenities available at the Centre.
The women are instilled with confidence and encouraged to raise their voice against injustice. Video-counselling facility is provided with the police officers at the Centre itself. Workshops are held at regular intervals to provide updates to the women on legal and other matters of general concern to them.
A case in point is as - 26-year-old Geeta Singh (name changed) a resident of Koriya district came to the Centre with a complaint regarding family pension to the One-Stop Centre on July 27, 2015. They are four sisters and two brothers. One brother is deaf and other brother is physically weak.
As both the sisters are of marriageable age the nominee for the family pension of ` 9,000 is third sister.
But after the marriage of third sister, the family is not getting the pension. There are disputes in the family in the matter. The Centre held a counselling session and brought a compromise among all the family members. The name of nominee has been changed.