Women children make up two –thirds of our population. No country or culture can make real progress unless it upholds the rights of women and children, and gives them an equal place in society. Empowerment and protection are equally important and intrinsically linked. One cannot be achieved without the other. Only if women in India, feel safe and secure will they be able to completely participate in public life and contribute to economic growth. Similarly, children will not be able to grow positively if they are not assured violence free environment.

Listed below are a few initiatives of the government:

Changing Mindsets:

A change in mindset will help in bringing about a safe and positive environment.

• Bati Bachao Beti Padhao programme has been extended to all the districts of the country. Districts of initial intervention are showing an improvement in Sex Ratio at Birth.
• Gender Champions is being implemented through educational institutions to help students build an understanding of gender and prevent them from acting in ways detrimental to women and children.

Encouraging Reporting and Supporting Survivors:

• A nationwide network of 182 One Stop Centres (OSCs) under the Nirbhaya Fund has been set-up. OSCs offer a single window to services for women facing violence such as police, medical, legal and psychological assistance along with a secure place to stay for a few days.
• 181 women helpline is a universal toll – free number providing emergency and non- emergency response to women in distress.
• 1098 Child Line is a nationwide number for children in distress situations.
• 33 per cent reservation for women in the police force is likely to encourage especially women and children to approach the police and report crimes.
• An online portal ‘POCSO e-BOX ‘, has been set up to make reporting of traumatic and sensitive experience easier for children,.

Building a Strong Legal Framework:

• Ministry has recently drafted the Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill about the bill 2018.
• It proposes to tackle trafficking by creating a strong legal, economic and social environment for victims by establishing dedicated institutions at District, State and National level.
• Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006.
• The Ministry is pursuing the proper implementation of closely monitoring the implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.
• Online portal ‘She-BOX’ has been launched for online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace for all women in the country.
• Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (PWDVA), 2005 is being pushed across the country.
• Implementation of the Dowry Prohibition Act is being pursued vigorously. The Act defines dowry and penalizes the giving and taking of dowry.
• A media campaign on these laws has been formulated and is being rolled out over television, radio and online mediums.

Funding Innovative Projects:

• The Nirbhaya Fund is funding the roll-out of comprehensive plans to make 8 major cities in the county safer for women by attacking different aspects such as street lighting, improved policing etc. These cities will serve as models for others to follow.
• Enhancement of forensic capabilities of labs is also being taken up.

Leveraging IT for Protection:

• A Central Reporting Mechanism is being created to work as a hotline for anyone to report cyber-crime and easier processes are being put in place to remove Child Pornography, Rape and Gang rape imagery etc.
• ‘Khoya Paya’ – Information on missing or sighted children is posted to help identify them and reunite children with their families.

Rehabilitating Survivors of Violence:

• Central Victim Compensation Scheme under the Nirbhaya Fund provides additional assistance to State Governments to compensate women who have faced violence.
• Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 has included acid attack as a kind of disability which allows acid attack victims to avail disability benefits.

Covering the Last Mile:

• To ensure that the government’s protective mechanisms also reach rural women, the Mahila Shakti Kendra Scheme has been recently launched.