Priyanka Chopra Instagram – The safety and security of women is an urgent need. We hear many stories from across India of violence and harassment against women and girls, everyday. There is a lot of work that needs to be done and that begins with the most basic… protection by law and order / police. I had the opportunity to visit the 1090 Woman Power Line (WPL)’, Uttar Pradesh’s 24/7 phone line for women to freely register complaints of any form of atrocities and sexual harassment. I met Ms. Neera Rawat (IPS, Additional Director General of Women and Child Security Organisation, UP Police) who is at the helm of Women and Child Security Organisation, UP Police in Lucknow under which this initiative is based. The WPL has 154 offices in UP with a 24 hour service. Through the 1090 helpline, the police, as the first responder to any violence, have designed interventions which are victim-centric and with an intent to prevent the violence. The WPL utilises technology to its fullest to be able to respond and protect with speed, ensuring there is accountability for every call. From eve-teasing and stalking to cases of sexual harassment and domestic violence etc, the teams are trained to respond keeping the callers protection at the forefront. In India, violence against women and children is widespread, yet too many women and children aren’t reporting it. Because of the fear of bias and corruption But hopefully with helplines like this they can and they should. There is a lot more that needs to be done for the protection of women but initiatives like these are a great start and if implemented effectively, can be the answer to curb and end violence and ensure safety. @unicef @unicefindia