Rupin Sharma with social welfare department, NSLSA officials and participants of state level convergence meeting to address violence against women and children in Kohima on August 25. (Morung Photo)
Our Correspondent
Kohima | August 25
Mission Vatsalya and Mission Shakti, Department of Social Welfare, Nagaland in collaboration with Nagaland Police and Nagaland State Legal Services Authority (NSLSA) today conducted a state level convergence meeting to address violence against women and children at Capital Convention Centre, Kohima.
Sharing overview of services under Mission Vatsalya & Mission Shakti, Olemjungla Aier, Additional Secretary, Social Welfare department, said the convergence meeting was organized for the key functionaries and the frontline workers handling issues relating to violence against women and children.
She said that key stakeholders can establish a seamless institutional mechanism that ensures comprehensive protection for women and children.
She said that Mission Shakti is dedicated for the safety, security and empowerment of women. The women helpline 181 has set up in the state capital and is integrated with Shaki One-stop centers in all 17 districts of the state. Shakti Sadan, which is a long-term relief and rehabilitation shelter home for women in distress.
She said that the district hub for empowerment of women serve as project management units for all at the district level and they are responsible for creating awareness on the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme.
She encouraged all the stakeholders to tie up with the district hubs and work closely with the district administration and also the district program officer to create mass awareness in the community.
She said that Child Welfare Committee is functioning as a responsible authority to handle cases involving children in need for care and protection. There is Juvenile Justice Boards for ensuring justice care and rehabilitation for children in conflict with the law with a focus on reform rather than punishment.
“We also have the Child Care Institutions to provide immediate short-term and long-term shelter and institutional care. Child Helpline 1098 is a 24x7 emergency response helpline for children in distress.
Stating that protecting children and women demands seamless and daily coordination, she said “We cannot work in isolation. We need our stakeholders to actively contribute and work together as a team in order to protect our children and our women.”
She said that eradicating violence against women and children require a unified approach that moves to address root causes, provide support and reform systemic shortcomings.
“Let us try to build a unified collaborative support system to ensure seamless service delivery and bring about lasting results in addressing the issue of violence against women and children, she said.
Sanitary vending machines a for all schools
Tosheli Zhimomi, Director, Social Welfare, Nagaland said that during the last financial year 2025-26, under Mission Shakti, Department of Social Welfare, Sakhi-One Stop Centres (OSC) catered to 311 cases and 181- Women Helpline catered to 144 cases of gender based violence and information seeking calls on women related schemes and services.
Types of Cases include Domestic violence, Cybercrime, sexual assault, POCSO, Missing cases and other women in distress situations.
In the last financial year 2025-26, cases received includes under Mission Vatsalya, Department of Social Welfare, includes-Cases of Children in need of care and protection (CNCP) received by the Child Welfare Committee-640 cases, Cases of Children in conflict with law (CCL) received by the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB)- 56 cases and total Number of Children Living in Child Care Institutions (CCIs) -639 children.
In the last two and half years i.e., from 1st September 2023 to 25th March 2026, the Child Helpline 1098 has received 2632 cases.
She said that Mission Shakti, Mission Vatsalya and the Social Welfare Department are mandated by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India to work in close coordination and convergence with other initiatives like District Legal Services Authority and various specialised units under police.
“The complexity of cases we encounter makes it clear that no single department can address violence in isolation. The purpose of this convergence meeting, therefore, is to strengthen coordination among the various stakeholders, identify gaps in the existing response mechanism and develop a more integrated approach for effective intervention,” Zhimomi said.
We must ensure that a woman or child seeking help does not have to navigate multiple systems on their own, but is instead connected seamlessly to the appropriate services, she said.
“Violence against women and children is not merely a law-and-order issue; it is a social concern that requires a coordinated and sustained response from all stakeholders,” Zhimomi said.
She said that the Social Welfare Department under the Mission Shakti/ Beti Bachao Beti Padhao plans to provide sanitary vending machines and sheet boxes to all registered schools in the state.
Other speakers of the programme included; Neiko Akami, Member Secretary, NLSA, Dr. Tiamenla Phom, Addl. Superintendent of Police, Zunheboto, K. Ela, Director, Prodigals Home, Dimapur and Renchumi Imti, Program Manager, State Adoption Resource Agency Mission Vatsalya, Social Welfare department.
They spoke on “Role of NALSA & Compensation for Victims of Sexual Abuse,” “ Enforcement gaps in delivering justice to women and children,” “Community based intervention for safety and security of Women & Children” and Summary of the discussion respectively.
The programme was chaired by Gracy Ayee, State Mission Coordinator, SHEW, Mission Shakti while Imkongzenla, Joint Director, Social Welfare, Nagaland proposed vote of thanks.
