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The Delhi government has plans for setting up 'gender help desks' during the Commonwealth Games, slated to take place next year, across Delhi. This decision has been adopted by the government to place more care on the security of women during the event.
"Women, who are integral to any event, in diverse capacities, have some special needs. These needs are to be addressed and redressed," Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said.
'Gender help desks', which will be monitored by the Delhi Commision for Women (DCW), will be set up at the airports, railway stations, interstate bus terminals, all sports stadiums as well as at the Commonwealth Games Village.
"Addressing gender is not only about providing support services, it is also about gender appropriate behaviour. We need to work with a large number of support agencies to ensure that everybody is aware of respecting the rights of women, their rights to privacy, their right not to be touched in an inappropriate manner," Dikshit added.
"Gender appropriate behaviour also includes ensuring the use of appropriate language in the presence of women," she said.
Dikshit mentioned that these help desks will be monitoring ‘appropriate’ conduct of all the stakeholders during the event.
The help desks will start functioning at all locations two weeks ahead of the event, with trained staff being operational 24X7 at check points and for 16 hours in the stadium. People will have access to emergency transport facilities, emergency shelters and medical care from the help desks.
"A toll-free number would also be available 24 hours for distress calls. These desks would work in collaboration with the hospitality service providers, police, embassies and the resident commissioners of other states," an official statement said.
