KOZHIKODE: One-stop centres (OSCs), established under the Nirbhaya scheme to provide crucial assistance to women and children facing violence, have been compelled to trim their operations due to lack of funding from the Union government. Once a sanctuary for victims of domestic abuse, sexual violence, and other forms of exploitation, the cut in services at OSCs, which function in all 14 districts of the state, is putting the lives of many at risk.
For the past eight months, Kozhikode OSC’s 12 dedicated staff members have not received salaries. The situation is no different in the other districts. Despite constraints, the centres continued to provide essential support such as food, shelter, counselling, and legal aid to survivors, often drawing on the resources of staff members. The mounting financial burden, however, made their efforts unsustainable.
“Many of us have been using our personal savings to ensure the survivors receive what they need, but we can no longer manage to do so,” said a staff member at the Kozhikode centre.
The Kozhikode OSC operates out of Vellimadukunnu Social Justice Complex. Since its inception in August 2019, the centre has handled 1,677 cases, providing a wide range of services, including counselling (625 cases), legal aid (286 cases), accommodation (520 cases), police assistance (302 cases), and medical aid (71 cases).
The crisis is part of a broader issue affecting OSCs in Kerala, with reports of staff quitting due to delayed salaries and mental stress further straining the remaining employees. In Kozhikode alone, employees -- some of whom are widows and divorcees -- have been forced to grapple with mounting personal financial hardships, such as unpaid rents, education fees, and medical bills.
According to sources, although Rs 1.33 crore was allocated by the Union government for the 2024-25, only a portion of the funds has been utilised due to bureaucratic delays. Activists and local leaders have criticised the Union government for its apparent neglect of women’s safety issues.
Speaking to TNIE, Kozhikode MP M K Raghavan expressed his dismay. “This is a glaring example of negligence by the Union government on a matter as critical as women’s safety. While other states ensure higher salaries and better working conditions for OSC staff, Kerala’s workers remain underpaid and unpaid. I will take up this matter in the upcoming Parliament session.”
“Lack of timely financial support undermines the very purpose of the Nirbhaya scheme, which was meant to provide a safe haven for survivors,” said Rajalakshmi N, a local activist. “Unless urgent action is taken to address the funding shortfall, the survival of many victims who rely on OSCs for their safety and rehabilitation remains uncertain,” she said.
Activists are calling for immediate intervention by the Union and state governments to restore total operations. Without urgent action, the survival of countless victims who rely on OSCs for safety, rehabilitation, and justice remains uncertain, they stressed.
The project was implemented under the leadership of a task force headed by district collectors. OSCs operated 24 hours a day, providing free counselling, legal aid, health services, police assistance and accommodation to victims of violence. Temporary accommodation is provided to five people at a time for up to five days.
“OSCs, which operate in all districts of the country, are intended to provide support for survivors of violence, yet their staff often endure significant challenges themselves,” an employee said.
“In Kerala, approximately 150 employees worked across the various OSCs. However, many were forced to quit due to persistent delays in salary payments. This exodus resulted in increased workload for the remaining employees, exacerbating their struggles,” the employee added.