Rehab-cum-support centre for women soon in Dimapur

Our Correspondent
Kohima | July 19

A Rehabilitation-cum-Support Centre for women attached to the Integrated Development-cum-Resource Centre (IDRC), Dimapur, is being constructed for catering to the special needs of commercial sex workers, HIV/AIDS infected and affected women, deserted women, and victims of sexual exploitation and marital violence.

According to the Annual Administrative Report (2008-09) of the department of women development, the Centre will provide free legal aid, counselling and spiritual guidance. “The inmates would be encouraged to adopt lifestyle changes to bring them back into the mainstream of society,” the report states. To provide alternative employment and other income generating opportunities, the report said, the inmates would be referred to the IDRC. On the other hand, the report stated that the IDRC for women was initiated by the department during the previous year.

The IDRC will provide information on rights and opportunities for women, develop/enhance their skills and provide support services. Other services to be provided are leadership and capacity building. For demonstration as well as to augment the vocation training and other income generating activities, machineries such as processing equipment for common use will be installed, the report stated adding the Centre will also include a library with internet connection for easy access to information and data on women.

Other facilities like fax, printing, PCO, computer services, crèche services, recreational facilities, self defence classes, fine arts/music classes, etc., will also be provided. It has also been proposed to coordinate with other line departments and agencies for providing referral and technical services.

The IDRCs will specifically cater to women in difficult circumstances, school and college girl dropouts, women with disabilities, women entrepreneurs, women SHG leaders, grassroots women leaders and women in general. The construction works of the IDRC at Dimapur is likely to be completed during the current year, the report said. The report also stated that the IDRC will also be utilised as the final processing and packaging centre of semi-processed fruits and vegetables produced by the various women SHGs under Transformative Livelihood Intervention and Integrated Cluster Development Projects.