Six of the 36 counselors who work with the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) helpline at Naraina have tested positive for coronavirus. They include two supervisors and four counselors.
All the infected employees have been placed in self-quarantine. The DCW has sanitized its office and the employees in the evening shifts are being allowed to “work from home”. During the day shift, special attention is being paid to sanitization and social-distancing norms.
The DCW has been running its helpline successfully. Through its helpline, women in Delhi are able to get help and support by just a call.
During the corona-induced lockdown, the Commission daily attended to thousands of calls from women in distress. The Commission also helped the callers if they were in need of rations or medical help.
The helpline operates 24×7. In the last five years, this helpline has emerged as a lifeline for the women in Delhi. Because of it, the DCW has initiated prompt action in thousands of cases related to domestic violence, sale of illicit liquor, sex racket, etc.
DCW President Swati Maliwal said, “The calls to our organization’s helpline have multiplied ever since I took charge of the DCW. This is because the women in Delhi have faith in the work done by our organisation and the credibility of our work among the people is extremely high”.
“In the last five years, we have attended to lakhs of calls through our helpline. Even during the corona-induced lockdown, our helpline was operational for 24 hours. Working round the clock, six employees from the 181 helplines have become corona-infected. Special attention is being given to sanitization and social distancing norms in the office and despite all the challenges we are working day and night to serve Delhiites,” Maliwal added.
