Date: 26 October
Original Story: http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/detailsnew.asp?id=oct2713/city06
Functional helpline for women need of the hour
STAFF Reporter
GUWAHATI, Oct 26 – Condemning the Azara incident, where bodies of two young women were recovered that triggered a mass-protest in the area, the North East Network (NEN) today questioned the role of State in ensuring the safety of women.
Taking serious note of the allegations of sexual violence against the women, the NGO said that a functional helpline for women is the urgent need of the hour to avert such incidents in future.
“Similar cases of violence against women have been reported from Darrang, Kokrajhar, Guwahati, Morigaon and other places of the State. While laws are in place, strict implementation should be there so that no perpetrators of such heinous crimes enjoy impunity,” a statement from NEN said.
The organisation has been demanding the State government to install functional help lines for women and recommended that existing mechanisms such as VDP, VCD, office of gaon burhas (village headmen), health centres and panchayats must be capacitated to check such crimes against women.
“Existing resources of the government like ‘dial 100’, thanas and 108 services need to be highly sensitized to respond to women’s emergency situation which often results into serious crime against women.
“Public information materials on government initiatives to prevent such crimes against women must also be publicized via billboards, hoardings, print and electronic media,” it suggested.
