Women's rights activists urge CM Omar Abdullah to protect special cells for women

New Delhi: A group of over 600 women’s rights activists, intellectuals, and professionals have appealed to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to intervene to prevent the proposed closure of special cells for women in the Union Territory due to discontinuation of funding by the National Commission for Women (NCW).

In a letter addressed to Abdullah dated March 26, prominent activists Shabnam Hashmi and Dr Syeda Hameed underscored the role the special cells have played in providing psycho-social-legal support to women facing violence.

Established in November 2021 under the Violence-Free Home – A Woman's Right Initiative, it has assisted nearly 9,800 survivors across all 20 districts of Jammu and Kashmir.

“These services have been a beacon of hope for women in distress, offering them legal assistance, crisis intervention, and rehabilitation,” the letter said.

It further said that the abrupt withdrawal of funding would leave thousands of women without essential support, disrupting ongoing cases and weakening efforts to combat gender-based violence.

Implemented by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) in collaboration with the Jammu and Kashmir Home and Social Welfare Departments, the special cells have functioned within police stations to bridge the gap between survivors and the justice system.

NCW sources said the Jammu and Kashmir government had to take over this project, but they did not do so.

According to NCW sources, the MoU was set to end on March 31. However, the J-K government "took no action", and the MoU remains valid only until March 31, 2025. The plan was for us to start the project and provide hand-holding support to the J-K government, but they allegedly did not take responsibility, the NCW sources said.

Activists also said that their presence has not only made police stations more accessible for women but has also sensitised law enforcement personnel to gender-related issues.

The activists have urged Abdullah to press the Jammu and Kashmir administration to explore interim funding options through the Social Welfare and Home Department while institutionalising the special cells under the Union Territory's management.

They also called for an urgent meeting with key stakeholders, including NCW and TISS, to strategise a sustainable transition plan.

“If funding is the issue, even corporate social responsibility (CSR) contributions should be considered. It is hard to believe that Rs 2 crore annually is too much for any government to spend on such a crucial service,” the letter said.

The signatories warned that the closure of these cells would "undo years of progress" in protecting women’s rights in the region.

"Only a government that considers women unimportant would allow such a critical initiative to quietly die down," the letter said.

The letter has also been sent to the chairperson of NCW and the Union Minister of Women and Child Development. PTI UZM UZM MNK MNK MNK