Government is setting up Hub for Empowerment of Women (HEW) at National, State and District levels under ‘Samarthya’ sub-scheme of ‘Mission Shakti”
The Government has initiated a number of schematic and legislative interventions over the past few years for educational, social, economic and political empowerment of women. These have resulted in improving the status of women on many counts. However, recognising the need for a single window system for inter- sectoral convergence of schemes and programs meant for women, the Government is setting up Hub for Empowerment of Women (HEW) at National, State and District levels under ‘Samarthya’ sub-scheme of ‘Mission Shakti, an Umbrella Scheme for safety, security and empowerment of women. The Hubs aim to facilitate women’s access to various institutional and schematic set ups for information dissemination and availing services pertaining to healthcare, quality education, career and vocational counseling/ training, financial inclusion, entrepreneurship, backward and forward linkages, health and safety for workers, social security and digital literacy etc.
Under Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana- National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), a total 1411 Gender Resource Centers (GRC) have been formed in 13 States of the country till date. The GRCs are called by different names in many States such as 'Lok Adhikar Kendra in Madhya Pradesh', 'Sangini Kendra in Chhattisgarh' and 'Pragya Kendra in Odisha'. Based on the level of preparation and their respective gender operational strategies, different States have different plans and models of GRCs.
GRCs are run and managed by Cluster Level Federations (CLFs) or by Block Level Federations (BLFs), as per the local context. GRC is the apex institutional structure in the institutional mechanism to address gender issues under DAY-NRLM. The cases related to rights and entitlements and gender-based violence of Self Help Group (SHG) members are escalated to GRC by Self Help Groups (SHGs), Village Organizations (VOs) or Cluster Level Federation (CLF) based on the merit of cases. GRC refers the cases, if need be, to different public service points such as One Stop Centers, Police, District Legal Service Authorities etc.
This information was given by the Union Minister for Women & Child Development, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
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