The Women Helpline-181 under the Directorate of Social Welfare has intensified its public outreach campaign across the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, conducting a series of awareness programmes during May and June 2026 to strengthen awareness on violence against women, legal rights and access to emergency support services.
The campaign focused on informing women and the public about the services provided through Women Helpline-181 and the Women and Child Development (WCD) Control Room, while promoting greater awareness of issues affecting the safety, security and well-being of women.
According to the Directorate of Social Welfare, the mass awareness programmes were organised at multiple locations, including SBI, Rural Self Employment Training Institute (RSETI), Mithakhari, Phoenix Bay, Bhatubasti, Calicut, Swaraj Dweep, Tushnabad, Mazar Pahad and Ograbraj.
During the sessions, participants were sensitized on key issues affecting women, including domestic violence, sexual harassment, dowry harassment, cyber crimes against women, personal safety measures and online fraud prevention. Information was also provided on Government welfare schemes, services offered through Women Helpline-181, emergency and non-emergency assistance, and information-related calls that can be accessed through the helpline.
The awareness programmes were conducted with the objective of increasing public knowledge about the functioning of Women Helpline-181 and encouraging women to seek timely assistance whenever required.
The sessions were facilitated by the Nodal Officer and Helpline Administrator of Women Helpline-181, while call operators of the helpline delivered awareness presentations and interacted with participants during the programmes.
A total of 251 participants attended the awareness sessions conducted during the two-month campaign across the identified locations.
According to the Directorate, the campaign received a positive response from female stakeholders and members of the general public, contributing to greater awareness about available support mechanisms for women facing violence or requiring assistance.
The Directorate further stated that the increase in awareness programmes has encouraged more women to access the services of Women Helpline-181, resulting in a significant year-on-year rise in both the number of calls received and the volume of cases registered through the helpline.
The awareness initiative forms part of the Directorate of Social Welfare’s ongoing efforts to strengthen access to support services for women by promoting awareness of legal rights, Government assistance programmes and the availability of Women Helpline-181 across the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
