NEW DELHI: The Union Rural Development Ministry has initiated awareness against gender-based violence faced by women in the country after launching a month-long campaign called “Nai Chetna-Pahal Badlav Ki”.As a part of the campaign, the government has set up 160 new gender resource centres (GRCs) in 13 states to support women who suffer from gender-based violence in their lives. The campaign is basically a community-led national initiative against gender-based discrimination.
Speaking about this, Union Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh said that any violence against women should not be seen or understood through the prism of religion. “Gender-based violence against women must be condemned and checked thoroughly in the society,” he said.
Quoting some data on crime against women, Singh said that 31,677 cases of rape were reported in 2021, which accounted for an average 86 rapes daily. “The number of rape cases in 2019 was 32,033 that decreased to 28, 046 in 2020. There is a need of mass awareness and public condemnation against such cases now,” he said, adding that the campaign is being conducted as ‘Jan-Andolan’ (People’s movement) in all the states and UTs from November 25 to December 23 as an annual campaign focussing on specific gender issues.
He also elaborated that as part of this campaign, there will be knowledge workshops, leadership training, seminars on sexual violence and redressal mechanism across the country. He also said that 160 new Gender Resource Centres in 13 states christened as “Nari Chetna Kendras” have also started working against gender -based violence. In total, there are 1,251 Gender Resource Centres that are functional in the country including newly opened 160.
“All these centres work as ‘One Stop Centres” under WCD Ministry to support women affected by violence. He also said that more than 8 crore SHGs are working in the country and a target is to form at least 10crore SHGs by 2024.
160 NEW GENDER RESOURCE CENTRES ESTABLISHED
As a part of the campaign, the government has set up 160 new gender resource centres (GRCs) in 13 states to support women who suffer from gender-based violence in their lives. The campaign called ‘Nai Chetna-Pahal Badlav Ki’ is basically a community-led national initiative against gender-based discrimination.