Meghalaya Women's helpline number received over 36,000 calls: Minister

Shillong: 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.