UNDP to set up skill development centre in Hyderabad

Aimed at empowering vulnerable and marginalised women by imparting skills training, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will soon set up a skill development centre at 'Bharosa,' an integrated support centre for distressed women and children here. "UNDP has proposed to set up a skill development centre exclusively for clients of Bharosa. Necessary arrangements for setting up the training centre are underway and it will start in the next two-three months," Additional Commissioner of Police (Crimes and SIT, Hyderabad Police) Shikha Goel told PTI.

Last year, the Hyderabad Police had signed an agreement with UNDP under the 'Disha' project to build capacities and skills of women affected by violence to help make them economically self-sufficient. The agreement extends support to enable these women to learn marketable skills and connect with income opportunities.

"We want to see that skill development should be associated with complete rehabilitation in terms of helping the individual (to skill women affected by violence) either for job connect or market linkage," Goel explained. There are plans to impart various skills in the field of entrepreneurship and it will also be in certain fields like desk jobs, he noted. 'Bharosa,' an initiative of Hyderabad City Police, is a state-of-the-art centre to support women and children who are victims of violence.

Since its inception in 2016, a total of 3,560 victims have approached 'Bharosa' centre with a range of problems. Of these over 2,600 sought aid with regard to domestic violence. She said a large number of victims who approach 'Bharosa' centre are from those strata who are not highly educated and added "for them skills trainings depending on their education qualification will be given."

"Besides how many skills trainings to be provided are being worked out. Consultations with other agencies (training providers) are underway and based on which kind of skill to be imparted the duration of training will vary." 'Bharosa' provides under one roof, 24X7 services related to police, medical, legal, prosecution, psycho-therapeutic counselling and relief and rehabilitation services in completely private counselling rooms to maintain confidentiality and privacy.

The centre is equipped with well-trained staff and modern gadgets, including facilities like video conferencing, so that the victims need not go to the court.