BHUBANESWAR: Deputy chief minister Pravati Parida on Monday called for skill development of women who have been victims of gender-based violence, to mainstream them in the society.
Chairing a state-level workshop on gender-based violence and trauma informed care of survivors here, the deputy chief minister said the state government now has a zero tolerance policy towards gender-based violence.
“Focus should be on skill development of women victims who have taken shelter in government’s One Stop centres or Sakhi centres and other such facilities, to integrate them back into the society and boost their self-confidence,” Parida said, urging the police to deal with such cases sensitively and resolve them.
Speaking on the occasion, IGP (Crimes against Women and Children) Saini S said there is a need to change the mindset of people. Expressing concern over the rise in such cases, Saini said women mostly face violence from their own family members. Principal secretary of WCD department Shubha Sarma said all the departments of the state government will have to work in tandem to prevent gender-based violence in the state.
The violence includes rape, molestation, dowry-related violence, eve-teasing, acid attacks and domestic violence etc. NCRB data of 2022 states that conviction rate in women-related violence cases in Odisha was 9.3 pc, one of the lowest in the country.
UNFPA India representative and country director, Bhutan, Andreya M Vajanar and Padma Shri awardee Sunita Krishnan also spoke.