ACTIVIES UNDERTAKEN BY DSLSA DURING LOCKDOWN

FOR ASSISTING WOMEN

The COVID-19 crisis exacerbated inequalities and injustices around the globe.
The unprecedented lockdown caused the greatest deal of misery to the poor
and underprivileged female strata of society. From basic survival
necessities to domestic violence, women were the worst-hit-out of all.

Delhi State Legal Services Authority under the aegis of National Legal
Services Authority and vision of Hon’ble High Court of Delhi formulated a
holistic and inclusive strategy for ensuring the functioning of the “Access to
Justice System” and equal access to all legal services. DSLSA, in this situation of
grave urgency, responded to address the concerns of women. As soon as the
lockdown was announced, immediate provisions were made by DSLSA for
accessing legal information and rights awareness through digital means, legal
assistance were provided by strengthened networks and support system was
envisaged to help women access social and economic benefits.

To ensure access to legal and other necessary services is unrestricted for

women, following initiatives were undertaken by DSLSA:

 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE : REPORTING & HELPLINE

To ensure that domestic violence victims have access to legal services,

following initiatives were undertaken:
  Launched Vidhik Sewa Mobile Application in collaboration with
Yatra.com, in Hindi & English language, to provide legal services and
necessary services like food, shelter, medicines, etc. just by submitting
an application online through Mobile Phones
 Collaborated with Mother Dairy Booths, Pharmacists, Chemists
Anganwadi and ASHA workers throughout the National Capital for
disseminating information pertaining to DSLSA Helpline, Complaint and
Redressal Mechanism of Domestic Violence Incidents. The idea behind
involving Mother Dairy booths and chemists was to reach out to women
from the economic weaker sections that are unable to access online
platforms and provide legal assistance to them.
 In addition to 1516 Helpline, DSLSA set up a designated helpline
number +91 9667992802 for victims of Domestic Violence. The
victims by giving a missed call or WhatsApp message could avail the
immediate legal assistance along with legal aid and advice. Wide
publicity to the helpline number was provided through Radio jingles,
newspaper advertisements, Mother Dairy booths, pharmacists and
chemists.
 With the endeavor to provide “Access to Therapeutic Justice” for
Domestic Violence Victims, DSLSA provided Tele-counselling through
24*7 toll free helpline number 1516.

Legal Assistance was extended to more than  7032 domestic violence

victims and 824 matrimonial disputes were settled during the
lockdowns imposed in 2020 and 2021.
  LEGAL AID

Through a pool of DLSAs, Legal Aid Counsels, Para-Legal Volunteers, and with
the help of local administrations, Delhi State Legal Service Authority provided
Legal Aid through Legal Services Camps and Helpdesks. DSLSA organized
209 Camps. In these camps, apart from legal awareness, services like medical
checkup, Labour registration with Construction Boards, Aadhar Card
preparation/updation/ RTPCR Tests etc. were also provided. Project Last
Mile Connectivity was launched to reach to the last standing women in the
line who seeks access to justice.

 DIGITAL LEGAL LITERACY & AWARENESS

Webinars and Training Workshops were organized for Mahila

Panchayats, Asha Workers, Angadwadi Workers, Mahila
Helpline/Women Helpline Counselors of Delhi Commission for
Women and Protection Officers to apprise them about laws relating to
women and special initiatives undertaken by DSLSA. Remarkably, one of
the webinars conducted by Delhi State Legal Service Authority
(DSLSA) with Hon’ble Ms. Justice Hima Kolhi, then the Judge, High
Court of Delhi and Executive Chairperson, DSLSA as the
Distinguished Panelist also got mentioned in the suo moto petition
of increasing domestic violence cases against women during COVID-19
lockdown before Hon’ble High Courts of Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir.

 HELP DESKS
 DSLSA set up Legal and other Necessary Services Help Desks in Schools,
Police Stations, Parks and other Community Areas to disseminate
information about COVID-19 protocols, functioning of DSLSA/DLSAs
and providing legal assistance to women through Panel Advocates while
following the social distancing norms. Further, on occasion of Widow
Day (23.06.2020), Help Desk was set up by DLSA, North West for
filling up online application forms for Widow Pension. Help Desk
was set up at Sultanpuri in which approximately 10 widows approached
and 02 Widows got online registered.

 RATION DISTRIBUTION

DSLSA distributed Dry Ration, Atta, Rice, Dal, Haldi, Salt, Cooking oil,
Packed food, Medicines, Soap, Milk and Cooked food packets to more
than 3,30,197 persons including Migrants, Sex Workers and others.
Help Desks were set up in Jhuggi Clusters to provide E-Coupons to help
people residing in slums in availing scheme of Delhi Government to
support and provide ration. In coordination with DLSAs of other States,
persons, especially women (college students/working) from Manipur &
Nagaland or North West region were also reached telephonically to
enquire about the difficulties faced by them and were also supplied dry
ration and other essentials.

 ORPHANED MINOR GIRLS

 During the lockdown imposed in April-May 2021, DSLSA in coordination
with the Child Care Institutions helped COVID-19 orphaned children,
including minor girls to register on Bal Swaraj Portal and ensured safe
and hassle-free transfer to Nirmal Chhaya and Children Homes.

 SANTITARY PAD DISTRIBUITION

Due to movement restrictions and lack of income, women did not have
access to sanitary pads. Hence, DSLSA conducted various Sanitary
Distribution Drives to distribute Sanitary Pads to women and girls in
urban as well as rural areas so that access to health care and hygiene
is not compromised.

 MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS & COUNSELLING

DSLSA conducted Virtual Mental Health Awareness sessions with

experts for female college students and working professionals, who
were facing tremendous psychological issues due to COVID-19. On
10.12.2020, Shahdara DLSA also opened a Legal Aid Clinic at
Karkardooma Industrial Area, Shahdara, Delhi for providing legal
aid and assistance to women especially those affected by Domestic
Violence.

 REGISTRATION OF CONSTRUCTION WORKERS –

 Migrant labours, including women were left without home, without
work and without food. Hence, in order to ease out the pain of
construction workers, all the District Legal Services Authorities set up
Help Desks for their registration with Delhi Government at various
places in Delhi in order to facilitate them with benefits announced by
Delhi Government. Awareness about legal services provided by Delhi
State Legal Services Authority was also spread at these Help Desks.
DSLSA helped 9945 labourers to get registered with Construction
Board.

DSLSA’s initiatives adopted an inclusive system wherein all 11 DLSAs

formed an inter-connected justice chain to assist, make aware and
empower women.