Women will power

1. NADAR SARASWATHI
COLLEGE OF ARTS
AND SCIENCE,THENI.
DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE
HELP LINE NUMBER IN PROMOTING WOMEN
EMPOWERMENT
BY:
B.POORANI
II-MSC(CS)

2. WOMEN EMPOWERMENT
 The Scheme of Universalisation of Women Helpline was initiated by
the Government of India which is intended to give 24 hours immediate
and emergency response to women affected by the violence, both in
private and public spaces.
 Women Helpline (WHL) has been established in every State and Union
Territory to provide integrated support and assistance to women across
the country through a single uniform number. Let us look in detail
about the Universalisation of Women Helpline Scheme in this article.

3. OBJECTIVES OF THE SCHEME
 To provide with the toll-free 24-hours telecom service to any women
those who are affected by the violence seeking support and assistance.
 To facilitate the crisis and non-crisis intervention through referral to
the appropriate agencies like Police Authorities, Hospitals, Ambulance
services, District Legal Service Authority (DLSA), Protection Officer
(PO) and One Stop Centres (OSC).
 To provide details about the appropriate support services, government
schemes and programmes that are available to the woman affected by
violence, in a particular situation within the local area in which she
resides or is employed.

4. SERVICES PROVIDED UNDER WOMEN
HELPLINE
 Prevention of Violence Against Women (VAW): Any aggrieved woman (AG) or
somebody on her behalf upon contacting the WHL, her information will be attended
by the call responder appointed there. Based on the emergency and the
requirements that are explained by the caller, the responder will refer her to the
concerned support services like medical aid, police assistance or connect her to One
Stop Centre for the professional counselling, shelter, legal aid etc. If the woman
needs to be rescued from a violent situation or is in urgent need of medical
assistance then the Police Control Room (PCR) Van from the nearest police station
or ambulance from the nearby hospital or 108 services would be dispatched.
 Information on Women Empowerment Schemes and programmes: The WHL will
provide details about the Laws, existing Government Schemes and Government
Programs that are all related to the women empowerment and protection. Any
woman in need of such assistance or someone on her behalf would call WHL that
will provide these details or refer the woman to the relevant department to access
the same. The WHL will also provide assistance to the women about processes to be
adopted for accessing the benefits of these government schemes and programs.

5. Location of Helpline Centre
 The Women Helpline (WHL) will be universalised through
shortcode 181 toll-free number by using/augmenting the infrastructure
of the existing helplines that are working at the State/UT level. The
States & Union Territories will have the choice of locating the Helpline
Centre as per their requirement in the capital or in any other city.
However, while choosing the location of the WHL due care needs to be
taken by the States and UTs for its integration with the One-Stop
Centre (OSC).

6. MODALITIES OF THE SCHEME
 The Women Helpline (WHL) will be accessible for 24 hours a day and 7 days a
week to any girl or woman suffering from violence or in any distress in the
following manner:
 Telephone – landlines, mobile phones through calls, SMS/text messaging,
mobile apps and fax messages
 Internet – emails, web-posts, web-interface, social networking sites such as
web page, facebook, twitter, my gov, etc.
 The WHL will be very sensitive to the requirements of persons who are hearing
and speech impaired or people with disability. This will have provision to locate
or track the number from which a call has been received. In case woman/girl
has been interrupted during her call or is unable to give details on her problem
or her address due to being sick or disabled then the same would be tracked
and then within minutes the WHL will facilitate an emergency response
through the nearest police station, hospital or OSC.

7. WOMEN HELPLINE RESPONSE
 Case-Specific Calls: The immediately aggrieved caller should be provided with
details of primary support on its way through Ambulance/PCR Van etc.
pertaining to the rescue, medical or shelter requirement and within 2 minutes
the information will be sent to the relevant
SHO/DM/SP/DYSP/CMO/PO/DO/One Stop Centre (OSC). The case will be
followed up within 24 hours of time.
 Information Seeking Calls: The requested information will be provided
to the caller and the case will be closed.
 Guidance and Counselling Needing Calls: The responder will make a reference
call to the OSC for providing emotional counselling and the case will be closed.

8. OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES
 Harassment of women by Phone calls: The caller has to provide information to the
Women Helpline number. Then the Helpline will forward the information of the
number from which calls are being received to the police. Then the police will note
the details and call the number to ask him to refrain from calling and texting. The
Women Helpline will follow up with the complainant within 24 hours
 Harassment of women through Social Networking Sites: The caller has to provide
information to the Women Helpline number. The URL is requested through the
mail and will ask her whether she wants to take action against it.
 If she says yes, then the written complaint will be filed and the complaint will be
forwarded to the cybercrime cell for further investigation. In other cases, the URL
is sent to facebook, google and other social networking sites office with a request for
blocking the page, email etc. and finally the webpage will be blocked.
 Sexual Harassment of Women: The caller has to provide information to the Women
Helpline number. The Call Responder will initiate a Conference Call with
the Additional SP, Station House Officer (SHO), Mahila Thana, concerned P.S. and
any other dedicated number of police of the concerned location. Then they connect
to the woman through conference call directly with the specified police officials of
concerned location. Then the concerned officials will trace her location and within
10 minutes, the help will reach the women. The helpline call responder will call the
woman after 25 minutes to get her feedback regarding the complaint.

9. THANK YOU