Minister for Health, Family Welfare and Social Justice K.K. Shylaja on Sunday laid the foundation for a She Lodge at Kunnumpuram near Kakkanad.
It will be the first She Lodge in the State, said sources in Kerala State Women’s Development Corporation (KSWDC), which is implementing the project.
The Minister said it was important to create awareness about the increasing incidents of violence against women and children, and that the government gave utmost importance to protection of women and children. KSWDC chairperson K.S. Saleekha presided over the function.
A women’s hostel too is being built on the one-acre campus at Kakkanad under the Vanitha Mithram programme.
The hostel will be an improved version of the present one which was closed down a year-and-a-half ago. The old building is being replaced by a new structure. The proposed hostel will have all latest facilities and will accommodate 60 persons. The total cost of the project, including the She Lodge, is around ₹13 crore, sources said.
Short stay
The She Lodge will be a short-stay facility, which will also have space to accommodate children who accompany women visiting the city. Though initially planned as a single-storey facility, there is provision for expanding it vertically at a later stage. The She Lodge will house 30 women at a time.
KSWDC plans similar facilities in all districts. A facility will come up soon at Perinthalmanna in Malappuram district, sources said.
The corporation feels that there is a pressing need for short-stay homes in cities as there has been a rise in the number of women who travel for various purposes. KSWDC’s Vanitha Mithra Kendra will address this particular need. The aim of the project is to offer safe and convenient accommodation to women at affordable rates, besides providing transitional stay even for victims of domestic violence.
