5th Monitoring committee meeting of special cells for women held in Srinagar

The meeting was held at the Banquet Hall near MA Road in Srinagar, under the chairpersonship of NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma.

This meeting was supported by the National Commission for Women (NCW) and implemented by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai.

This committee was constituted under the "Violence Free Home - A Woman's Right" project, demonstrating 22 pilot Special Cells for Women across Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

Dr Balwant Singh, Coordinator, RCI-VAW, TISS, presented the work progress of the Special Cells for Women in both Union Territories from January 1 to June 30, 2024. During this period, the Special Cells reached out to 2,192 women survivors of violence, providing essential psycho-social support.

Chairperson Rekha Sharma commended the efforts of the Special Cells in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh and invited representatives from each department to share their progress and challenges in combating violence against women. She emphasized the need to increase the outreach of the Special Cells to assist more survivors of violence.

Additionally, the proposal for the institutionalization of Special Cells for Women in J&K was discussed with Sheetal Nanda, Commissioner Secretary, Social Welfare, J&K, who assured that the institutionalization would commence in the next financial year. Committee members also suggested the need for further sensitization of the police and other departments on gender-related issues.

The meeting was attended by members of the Monitoring Committee, including Rajiv Omprakash Pande, DIG, Central Kashmir Range; Harvinder Kaur, Mission Director, Mission Shakti, Social Welfare, J&K; Farhan J. Naqash, representative of ADGP-Ladakh; Qazi Qayoom, Joint Director Prosecution; Dr. Shazia Manzoor, HoD, Department of Social Work, University of Kashmir; Dr. Vinay Kumar, Department of Social Work, Central University, Jammu; Ananya Singh, Counsellor, (Legal) Suo-Moto Cell, NCW; Sameena Mir, Gender Specialist, Social Welfare, J&K; Saima Shah, Coordinator, Special Cells, Kashmir Division; and Priksha Sharma, Coordinator, Jammu Division.

Additionally, Sheetal Nanda, Commissioner Secretary, Social Welfare Department, J&K; Tashi Dolma, Director, Social & Tribal Welfare; Vishal Manhas, representative of ADGP-Jammu Division; Dr. Yangchan Dolma, Assistant Professor, University College, Leh, Ladakh participated via video conference.

DySP-HQs (Nodal Officer of Special Cells at district level), In-charge of Women Police Station/Cell, DLSA officials, OSC Centre Administrators, Department of Health, and Mission Poshan representatives were also part of the meeting, both in-person and online, sharing their experiences and suggestions to strengthen the coordination in responding to violence against women. (ANI)