Snehitha Gender Help Desk got the approval of Government of Kerala as a 24 hour working institution to provide care and support to women and children who are in distress. It is as per the Government order- G.O (M.S) No.56/2019/LSGD dt. 31/05/2019 that Snehitha Gender Help Desk has got Government approval. Snehitha had been making remarkable interventions and had been supporting women and children in distress and was also extending legal aid, emotional and social support as well. It is as per the request of the Executive Director of Kudumbashree Mission that Snehitha Gender Help Desk has now got Government approval.
Snehitha is a 24 hours working gender help desk. It is a district level centre set up to support and guide the women who are in need or distress. Snehitha provides short stay and counseling facilities to the needy as well. Kudumbashree Mission established three Snehitha Gender Help Desks in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Malappuram districts of Kerala during September 2013. Snehitha gender help desks were started in all the 14 districts of Kerala since October 2017. As the name implies, Snehitha is being a ‘Female Friend’ to as many women and children who are in distress. Snehitha provides immediate help, shelter, counseling, motivation and legal assistance to the victims of violence. Snehitha provide short term shelter, with a view to protect and rehabilitate those women and children who are facing social, economic, and emotional problems due to family problems, mental strains, social exclusion, exploitation or other causes or are being forced into prostitution, widows, persecuted women and destitute women who had thrown out of from their families. It works to avail support and help to the shield less women in society.
The main aim of the center is to provide help and support to those women and children who are in distress and provide voice for their issues and concerns, also to prevent, protect and prevail over domestic violence through advocacy, empowerment and social change. Snehitha are providing shelter to many women and children who have no one to protect and are living in insecure circumstances and who were rescued from the verge of committing suicide. The Help Desk is working on the principle of convergence, which is followed by a close interface and collaboration with different government, non- governmental organizations working in the relevant and related field. Snehitha also looks to enhance the socio-economic status of young, underprivileged women by empowering them with self-confidence and the required skills to enable them to become independent and contribute to family and society. Snehitha helps its beneficiaries in getting livelihood support and assistance for opportunities. Snehitha also coordinates various outreach activities in schools and other institutions.
Kudumbashree Mission, with its strong networking structure can ensure the proper and timely implementation of the law and can protect the interest of the affected by working in collaboration with the service providers. Snehitha consist 11 staffs and all of them are women. There are two counselors, five service providers, one office assistant, two securities and one care taker in every Snehitha Gender Help Desk. As of now, 18,145 cases were reported in Snehitha out of which 9842 cases were reported over phone. Legal aid was extended to them with the assistance of Kerala Legal Services Society. Short stay service had been extended ti 3778 women and children so far.
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