Mahila Dakshata Samiti

Mahila Dakshata Samiti – Karnataka Chapter, is a premier NGO in the state of Karnataka, constituted in the year 1991 under the able guidance of Mrs Sa Read moreranya S Hegde as the president. Since its inception the Samiti has worked extensively in the field of social service through its maxim of Health care, education, empowerment and equality. Our family counselling centre provides free counselling, legal, medical and psychiatric help, and even police intervention to assist victims of abuse. Our Swadhar Greh is a temporary shelter home that addresses the critical needs of women and children in distress and also provides them with counselling, training for empowerment and rehabilitation. We run free health camps for the benefit of the poor and needy. We provide scholarships, distribute books, stationery, and sports equipment to students from government schools. Our ‘Creating Awareness’ programs in schools and colleges, seminars and workshops are designed to impact public opinion and bring about a change in society for the better. Our Samiti has won several awards for its exemplary contribution in the field of human service but we stay committed in our pursuit of creating an egalitarian society where women are treated as equals and given the respect and dignity they deserve.

As a change enabling NGO, we are committed to the establishment of a just and humane society, equality for all women in all walks of life, empowering them at their home or workplace improving the lot of women and children and according them their rightful dignity and honor.

Goals and objectives:

• Provide free counseling, legal aid, psychiatric aid and police assistance in cases of violence.
• Address the critical needs of the marginalized women who are without any social and economic support, and provide their primary need for shelter, food, and clothing.
• Promote rural healthcare.
• Women empowerment through training and skill upgradation programs.
• Encourage education, promote child welfare and nutrition.
• Create awareness in the general public through seminars and workshops to impact public opinion.

Dakshata Family Counseling Centre (FCC) – Set up in the year 2000
The Family counseling center is aided by the Central Social Welfare Board. The center provides counseling on a walk in basis wherein the client is seen in a private and confidential setting, and enable to explore a difficulty or distressful situation that they may be experiencing. Our counselors guide them to understand their issues, provide assistance in decision making. The main idea is to strengthen individuals, families and the community.

It provides a range of services, both remedial and support services in counseling to empower the distressed to cope with relationship conflicts, maladjustment, mental incompatibility, behavioral problems, parenting dilemmas, adolescent issues, domestic violence, marital conflict, sexual assault, harassment, alcohol and drug abuse etc. The FCC conducts joint counseling to help preserve family as a unit.
Awareness programs are conducted by the FCC with a view to enhancing people’s knowledge, changing their social perspectives and attitudes, combating common myths, biases and assumptions.
Several colleges across the city have been sending their students to us for orientation programs as well as field work placements.

Our members are nominated on various committees formed by Organizations such as Town and Country Planning, Karnataka Public service commission, Sports Authority of India, Subsidiary Training Unit (Border security force), Employment State Insurance Corporation, and Regional Training center DRDO to deal with sexual harassment at work place.
Today the center serves as a beacon of light to all those who turn to it for help and guidance. In recognition of its services, the Government has appointed it as a service Provider in the implementation of the Protection for Women against Domestic Violence Act 2005.
Free Legal cell was inaugurated on 24th June 2006
The main aim of the cell is to facilitate women from the economically weaker sections to fight for their rights. It is competently handled by adept lawyers who are available for consultation on Saturdays

Impact:
Set up in the year 2000 it has handled thousands of cases of domestic violence, marital discord, dowry harassment, sexual harassment at home and workplace, teenage problems etc.

Swadhar Greh: (temporary shelter home
MDS set up the Dakshata Short stay home in the year 2004 and in April 2017 it came under the SwadharGreh scheme launched by the Department of Women and Child Development, a scheme for women in difficult circumstances such as victims of domestic violence and abuse, women who leave home due to domestic discord without any means of subsistence who require institutional support.

Our Swadhar Greh is an abode of peace and a safe haven for victims of domestic violence, abuse and other atrocities. Set up in 2004, it is a crisis intervention Centre and temporary shelter home that addresses the critical needs of women and children in distress, and provides them a safe environment to bloom and grow.
We provide refuge to victims of domestic violence, sexual harassment, dowry harassment by in laws or ill treatment by family members, mental and physical abuse. We have worked extensively in this area to provide relief to such distressed victims.
We help them with counseling guidance, providing free food, shelter, medical and legal aid, helping in regaining their confidence, reestablish their status and mainstream them into society. Our aim is to reunite them with family, and if that is not possible, then rehabilitate them.
Skill based training and empowerment schemes are extended to them on the basis of their aptitude
Job placements are done to make them economically independent.
In house programs, celebrations of National Festivals
Empowerment Initiatives
We conduct several vocational training programs for the benefit of the Residents – Paper bags, embroidery, arts and crafts, soft toy making, paper garlands, tailoring, catering, diya painting, baking, Grihaudyog, Exhibitions.

Impact:
Since the inception of the Samiti, we have reached out to thousands of women and children in distress, reunited many with their families, empowered and rehabilitated those who could not be reconciled with family.