SHILLONG, Nov 29: The women’s helpline number 181 in
Meghalaya has received over 36,000 calls of which the majority
were for seeking protection from abuse and violence, state
social welfare minister Paul Lyngdoh said on Wednesday.
The women’s helpline number 181 was launched in Meghalaya
in February 2022.
“We have received 36,362 calls on the number 181 as of date
for which 477 cases have been registered, 158 cases are active
and 304 are closed,” Paul told PTI.
He said the response has been not bad considering that in a
state where we generally tend to hide things and don’t go
beyond the four walls of our house, women are making use of
the number 181.
“The fact that 36,000 calls were made since the service was
activated shows that the response has been high,” he added.
The minister said the state government has decided to
integrate the women’s helpline 181 and child helpline 1098 to
ensure round-the-clock service to attend to distress calls.
Social Welfare Director Camelia Doreen Lyngwa said the
government is also taking the help of self-help groups (SHGs) to
help families and taking them to the one-stop centre to help
women in distress get the proper support system available
under the department.
The social welfare minister said the state government has
constituted a working group for the formulation of a
transgender policy in the state.
As per census 2011, there are 627 transgender persons in
Meghalaya.
The minister said that the state/district transgender justice
board have constituted and an officer designated to deal with
complaints.
“A standing committee in all districts was also initiated to
promptly investigate reports of any abuse by the police against
a transgender person,” he said.
In 2018, the state cabinet had approved the amendment of the
Meghalaya Registration of Birth and Death Rules, 1999, to
facilitate the inclusion of transgender or third-gender option
against the sex column in birth or death certificates. (PTI)