Efforts

1. Efforts of Social Welfare Department towards active Implementation of the provisions of PWDV Act-2005Dr.LeelaKumari.PFaculty MemberSIRD.Kottarakkara.(9-05-2011)

2. Efforts • The Government of Kerala identified Social Welfare Department as the nodal agency for implementing PWDV Act in the state. • The Government of Kerala has ratified Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act through the Government Order G.O. (P)No.04/2007/SWD dated 22nd January 2007. • As a first step, Government of Kerala has appointed District Probation Officer Grade I of each district as Protection Officers to exercise the powers and perform duties conferred on him/her by or under Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act in the area of jurisdiction over the respective revenue districts

3. Posted Women Protection Officers in all districts. • Kerala is the first state which has taken initiative in appointing protection officers exclusively for implementing Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act. • It is an independent post and computers were provided to them for official purposes.

4. Another Government Order G.O. (P)No.20/2007/SWD dated 30th April 2007 was issued thereby notifying the following institutions as ‘Shelter Homes’ under the provisions of Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005:

5. As per Government Order G.O.(Rt)No.338/2007/SWD dated 29th June 2007, Government of Kerala has constituted a committee of selection of service providers under Section 10(1) of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence

6. Based on G.O.(P)No.46/2007/SWD Government of Kerala has notified institutions as Service Providers. The Service Providers are categorized into Helpline Centres and Family Counselling Centres

7. On 29th June 2007, the Government of Kerala has constituted Co-ordination and Monitoring committees at state level and district level towards implementation of Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act. The Director of Social Welfare has submitted proposal for the constitution of Co-ordination and Monitoring Committees at State Level and District Levels as envisaged under Section 11 of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005.

8. According to Clause (c) of the said Section, the State Government shall take all measures to ensure that effective co-ordination between the service provided by concerned department dealing with Law, Home affairs including law and order, health, human resources to address the issues of domestic violence shall be established and persistent reviews of the same shall be conducted.

9. Monitoring Mechanism • State Level Monitoring Committee • District Level Monitoring committee

10. State level Co-ordination and Monitoring Committee includes the following members: • Minister of Social Welfare – Chairman • Chairperson, Women's Commission – Member • Chairperson, Kerala State Women's Development Corporation – Member • Chairperson, Kerala State Social Welfare Board – Member • The Secretary, Law Department – Member • The Principal Secretary, Home Department – Member • The Principal Secretary, Local Self Government Department – Member • The Secretary, Health & Family Welfare Dept. – Member • The Executive Director, Kudumbasree – Member • The Secretary, Social Welfare Department – Convenor

11. Three representatives of women's organizations to be nominated by Government – Members • The Director, Public Relations Department – Member

12. District level Co-Ordination committee • District level Co-ordination and Monitoring Committee includes the following members: • District Collector – Chairman • District Police Superintendent – Member • District Medical Officer (Health) – Member • District Women's Welfare Officer – Member • Kudumbasree District Mission Co-ordinator – Member • District Social Welfare Officer – Member • Chairperson of the Jagratha Samithi at District Level – Member 

13. Superintendent of Shelter Home run by Govement – Member • Three representatives of women's organizations to be nominated by Government. – Member • District Probation Officer - Member & Convenor • District Panchayat President – Member • Mayor of Corporation – Member • Women MLAs from the District - Member

14. The State Level Co-ordination Committee shall meet once in three months and the District Level Co-ordination & Monitoring Committee shall meet once in a month to review the progress of the implementation of the 'Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005'.

15. Shelter Homes,Service Providing Centres,Counselling centres • As per GO number 30/2008/SWD dated 21-01-2008, the State Government have declared 15 welfare institutions including Mahilamandirams under SWD and 9 welfare institutions under Social Welfare Board as Shelter Homes for the purpose of providing protection for women under Domestic Violence Act. In addition to this, nine helplines and 36 family counseling centres are designated as service providers.

16. Family Counselling • With a view to provide honorarium for the additional counselors appointed in the 69 centres, a sum of Rs.24.15lakhs and another sum of Rs.7lakhs was sanctioned for the purpose of giving honorarium to clinical psychologists, allowances, medical service charges and also conveyance charges. (11th Plan)

17. Capacity Building/Training • As per GO 37/2008/SWD dated 22/01/08, as part of the implementation of the Gender Awareness Programme the Social Welfare Department has initiated various steps to orient the functionaries like Public prosecutors, Police, Protection Officers etc at State level. The department has initiated wide publicity on the implementation of protection of women from DV Act 2005 with the help of C-DIT and Kerala State Film Development Corporation.

18. It is a fact that domestic violence is prevalent in rural areas and large number of poor and illiterate women and children are the victims. In order to protect the interest of this category, it has been proposed to build a network at the grassroots level with the help of various agencies like Jagratha Samithis, Kudumbasree Network and Kerala Legal Services Authority

19. Legal Service/Awareness • As part of the implementation of the programme, the Member Secretary Kerala State Legal Services Authority has requested Government to undertake the printing of the book titled “Women and Law”(in Malayalam “Streeyum Niyamavum”) published by the Kerala State Legal Services Authority for the programme of legal literacy aimed at empowerment of women, especially those belonging to BPL families.

20. The book deals with the laws relevant to women and also incorporated the provisions of the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act and names of service providers. • It also covers the activities of Social Welfare Department in providing shelter in Mahila Mandirams. • The Director of Social Welfare obtained an invoice from the Kerala State Audio-Visual and Reprographic Centre, Thiruvananthapuram for printing the book including the Domestic Violence Act.

21. Special Flagship Programmes on Gender Awareness • As per GO No.45/2008/SWD Dated, Thiruvananthapuram, 25.01.2008, as part of the implementation of Flagship Programme on gender awareness. • Department of Social Welfare conducted a series of consultations with experts in various fields in order to chalk out the strategy for the effective implementation of the flagship programme and also for the implementation of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act with the help of Institute of Management inGovt.(IMG)

22. Information Dissemination • The website on women is formulated to evolve into a repository as well as a database on women of Kerala and primarily be a shared space for Kerala women anywhere. • Have tie-up with Dooradarshan to telecast short films on gender related issues and problems of women in various sectors.

23. First Co-ordination Committee meeting • The main objective of the meeting was to analyze the services provided by the existing service providers. The committee also discussed the flaws in implementing the act from the side of legal counsellors as well as service providers and they opined that legal counsellors should be socially responsible and should be assisting needy women. Also, they should serve an organization for a minimum period of one year. Permission has been granted to service providers towards appointing advocates who are not from Kerala Legal Services Authority. In case if they find it difficult to identify advocates directly, they can get the assistance of KELSA in identifying an advocate.

24. Legal Counselors for free legal assistance • Counsellors were appointed in 84 shelter homes Training was given to legal counsellors and Kerala is the first State to do such a thing. • Have tie-up with family counselling centres • Steps are taken for printing brochures for spreading awareness regarding various issues such as dowry, violence, atrocities etc.

25. Major Findings • Selection of Service Providing Agencies • Process and Services adopted to a domestic violence victim • Relationship with other Agencies • Duration for disposing a case • Occurrence of DV Cases • Assigning priority to DV Victim Cases

26. Approach to Clients • Address Victim’s Safety • Training • Assistance from legal counsellors • Performance of Legal Counsellors • Police • Protection officers • Shelter Homes

27. Victims’Responses • Lack of awareness regarding the provisions of the Act • Delay in the Process of getting a final verdict. • Vulnerability of shelter homes • Attitude, lack of social obligation , social commitment of officials towards the victims • Difficulty in getting witnesses.

28. THANK YOU