CHITRADURGA: Aimed at sensitising women and protecting them from crimes, ‘Nirbhaya Groups’ are being set up by a local NGO in association with the zilla panchayat and other departments, as a pilot project, in Hosadurga taluk from next week.
After reviewing the success of the pilot programme in Hosadurga taluk, it will be extended to the rest of the district in a phased manner. The women in the Nirbhaya Groups will be educated on their rights and duties, whom they should contact in case of emergencies, and other skills, so that crimes against women are stopped.
“Even though these types of groups are working at the school level, they are not functioning up to the mark as they are just limited to highlighting statistics. However, the NGO Golden Voice has taken up the initiative to empower women,” said Golden Voice secretary R Raghavendra Achar.
The Nirbhaya Groups will coordinate with the police, Legal Services Authority, Women and Child Welfare Department and other government departments, to prevent crimes against women. The newly-formed groups will meet once in a month, discuss about various issues and find solutions to all problems faced by women.
Each Nirbhaya Group will have 10 women representatives headed by an elected gram panchayat member.
It wil also have a vice-president. The general secretary of the group will be from the Golden Voice NGO, the protection officer from the Department of Women and Child Welfare, a woman advocate, a woman police constable and four other members, Achar added.
Achar told Express: “These groups are being organised at the gram panchayat level on a trial basis. A study will be conducted on its effectiveness, based on which it will be extended to the entire district.”
“The aim of the group is to bridge the gap between the public and government departments in resolving problems faced by women and creating awareness on how women can protect themselves,” he added.
Chitradurga ZP CEO N Manjushree said, “Nirbhaya Groups formed by the NGO will sensitise women on their rights and duties and the steps they can take during emergency situations.”
“As this project is not part of any of the government schemes, the NGO which is initiating the programme on a pilot basis has been asked to prepare a report on the outcome. The project report can be forwarded to the government for funding such programmes in the future,” she said.