The State-level apex committee of the newly-launched ‘Nirbhaya' programme has recommended three fast-track courts — in Kochi, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram — to try cases involving crimes against women and children.
The recommendation is before the Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court for approval and the first of the special courts is likely to be operational in Kochi by the end of July, sources in the Department of Social Welfare said.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who inaugurated the State-wide launch of ‘Nirbhaya' programme on Sunday, said the government would meet the expenses towards setting up the special courts. The ‘Nirbhaya' programme aims to combat exploitation of and violence against women and children.
Fast-track courts have been recommended in cases involving violence against women and children considering the delay in settlements and the large number of cases pending before the courts.
Sources said 1,200 rape cases had been registered in the State over a period of one year and that around 5,000 complaints of harassment of women and children had been received.
The launch of the new programme will also see the strengthening of ‘Nirbhaya' police cells in all the districts. The State-level operations of the ‘Nirbhaya' cells will be overseen by an officer of the rank of Inspector General. Policemen and officers will be given special training in handling cases related to violence against women and children.
The Department of Social Welfare also plans to impart training to judicial officers in the State after the example of such an effort in Andhra Pradesh, sources said.
They said violence against women and children and their exploitation could be combated most effectively at the grassroots level. The Department of Social Welfare will utilise the network of Kudumbashree poverty eradication mission to impart training to the village-level cells ( jagrata samitis ), sources added.
Even though the training programme faces a possibility of shortage of funds, the department is determined to forge ahead to complete the training within a year.
Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare plans to use Vocational Training Centres under it to train women, who take refuge at the ‘Nirbhaya' homes, to be set up in different parts of the State.
