Two-day training for Women Helpline and One Stop Centre functionaries conducted in Kohima

DIMAPUR — A two-day in-person training for the functionaries of 181-Women Helpline (WHL) Nagaland and Sakhi-One Stop Centres (OSCs) was organised on August 19 and 20 at the Mission Shakti Office, Kohima.

According to an update, it was jointly organised by Mission Shakti Nagaland, Savitribai Phule National Institute of Women and Child Development (SPNIWCD), Regional Centre Guwahati, the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, and the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC).

Dr. Swapan Shaw from SPNIWCD, Dr. Chethana Kishore, Afreenbanu A Khadirnavar, and Rugozevou Khate from NIMHANS, and Krishnendra Kumar Barooah from C-DAC were the resource persons.

The training was aimed at strengthening the capacity and service delivery of the functionaries of the two Mission Shakti centres in providing psychosocial support to women affected by gender-based violence and technical training for the smooth functioning of the centres.

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Tosheli Zhimomi, director, Social Welfare and Member Secretary, Mission Shakti, in her welcome note, thanked the resource persons for sharing their expertise with the WHL and OSC functionaries. She encouraged participants to make the best use of the training.

Bodeno S Colo, secretary, Social Welfare Department and Mission Director, Mission Shakti, delivered the way forward in which she acknowledged the service of the OSC and WHL, who have been relentlessly serving to help women affected by gender-based violence.

She further highlighted the case data where, from its inception (June 2016) till March 2025, WHL had catered to about 3,299 effective calls, and One Stop Centres have catered to 1,529 cases of gender-based violence.

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The 181-Women Helpline (WHL) provides 24-hour toll-free telecom services to women affected by violence and seeking support and information by connecting them with the 112-Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) for all emergency services like police/fire/ambulance services and with OSCs for non-emergency cases. WHL also provides information about women-related government schemes, programmes, services, legal support, and guidance.

Sakhi OSCs provide integrated support and assistance to women affected by violence and in distress, both in public and private spaces, under one roof, and facilitate immediate, emergency, and non-emergency access to a range of services, including medical, legal, temporary shelter, police assistance, psychological and counselling support.

181-WHL and 1098-Child Helpline (CHL) are integrated and comprise the Women and Child Development (WCD) Control Room. 181-WHL is integrated with 112-ERSS and Sakhi OSCs.

It was mentioned that women facing violence of any kind can call for help at the toll-free number 181 or 9485239098 or reach out to OSCs set up in 11 districts in the state.