Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards gender-based violence, Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida said here Monday.
Parida was addressing a state-level workshop on ‘gender-based violence and trauma-informed care of survivors’ organised here by the Odisha State Commission for Women.
Gender-based violence undermines the health, dignity, safety and freedom of the victims, she said.
“Our society will be empowered when women are empowered and will lead the way to progress. Therefore, it should be everyone’s responsibility to prevent gender-based violence and raise awareness about it,” Parida said.
Parida, who is the minister for Women and Child Development, further said that the government is committed to the empowerment of women and it is working in this regard.
She suggested focusing on the skill development of the survivors residing in ‘Sakhi one-stop centres’ for women in distress to integrate them into mainstream society and revive their self-confidence and provide them with a way to survive.
She advised the police personnel to deal with gender-based violence-related cases sensitively.
On this occasion, Shubha Sharma, principal secretary, Women and Child Development Department said that all the departments of the state government will have to work in coordination to prevent gender-based violence.
The main objective of this workshop is not only to provide empathy but also to create a safe environment for the survivors, she said.
Attending the workshop, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Crimes Against Women and Children Wing, Shyni S said that there is a need for a change in the mindset of society.
Andrea M Wojnar, UNFPA India Representative and country director for Bhutan, emphasised the collective responsibility to eliminate gender-based violence.
