Nirbhaya Fund

In response to the Nirbhaya Gang rape case, a special fund was established in 2013 with the goal of carrying out programmes to increase the security and protection of women in India. The name of the fund, “Nirbhaya Fund” comes from the gang-rape victim’s alias, “Nirbhaya,” which means “fearless.”

Background of the Nirbhaya Fund:

On the streets, in public transportation, and in other public places, violence and abuse against women and girls are common. Such incidents limit women’s freedom of movement, making it difficult for them to walk freely and move in public spaces of their choosing. This type of violence also restricts their access to essential services and has a negative impact on their health and well-being.

In this context, and in response to the December 2012 tragedy, the government established the Nirbhaya Fund, which can be used for projects aimed specifically at improving women’s safety and security. It is a non-lapsable corpus fund managed by the Ministry of Finance’s Department of Economic Affairs.

Features of the Nirbhaya Fund:

• Women’s identities and information must be kept private and confidential.
• Direct impact on women’s safety and security concerns
• All stakeholder’s roles have been defined.
• Optimal utilization of existing infrastructure and innovative application of technology
• There will be no duplication of existing government schemes/programs.
• Support of Women and Child Department / Social Welfare Department of states, State Home Department, and concerned central Ministry/Department.
• Make provision for real-time intervention.
• A precise estimate of the number of beneficiaries to be reached.
• Defined monitoring mechanism ranging from the lowest level to the MWCD

Three Schemes Established Under Nirbhaya Fund:

1. One Stop Centres for women:  have been established across the country. They are also known as Sakhi Centres. Since April 1, 2015, the Scheme has been implemented across the country to facilitate women affected by violence with access to an integrated range of services such as police, medical, legal, psychological support, and temporary shelter.
2. Universalisation of Women Help Line: Since April 1, 2015, Universalisation of Women Help Line has been used to provide 24-hour emergency and non-emergency response to women affected by violence through referral services linking with appropriate authorities such as police, One Stop Centre, hospital, and by providing information about women welfare schemes/programs across the country (181). So far, women’s helplines have been established in 33 states/territories. They have handled over 54.25 lakh calls.
3. Mahila Police Volunteer Scheme: The Ministry in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs has been implemented the Mahila Police Volunteer Scheme. Nirbhaya Fund is funding this scheme as a centrally sponsored scheme with the goal of creating and empowering MPVs. They are to serve as a liaison between the police and the community, as well as to assist women in distress. MPVs act as a public-police interface in the fight against crime against women and the reporting of incidents of violence against women such as domestic violence, child marriage, dowry harassment, and violence against women in public places.

The following are some of the programmes the Ministry of Home Affairs is implementing:

1. Emergency Response Support System
2. Central Victim Compensation Fund

The Ministry of Women and Child Development was questioned by a Parliamentary Standing Committee in 2016 on the slow implementation of programmes funded by the Nirbhaya fund. According to research by the Centre for Development and Human Rights (CDHR), the execution of Nirbhaya fund projects had been hampered by the time-consuming inter-ministerial cooperation required for project approval.

according to statistics made by the Home Ministry various programmes under various ministries have not even used half of the funds allotted to them. One such fund is the Nirbhaya Fund, whose under- or non-utilization has lately caught the attention of the Supreme Court. The states have been requested by the supreme court to disclose the amount they have received from the Nirbhaya Fund and to inform the court of the manner in which the funds have been distributed to victims of sexual assault.

Central Victim Compensation Fund:

• Under the Nirbhaya Fund’s framework, the Central Victim Compensation Fund (CVCF) has been funded to assist States and UTs with their victim compensation programmes.
• The CVCF is a one-time grant of additional funds given to the States/UTs in response to the Hon’ble Supreme Court’s directives.

Functioning of the Nirbhaya Fund:

• It is undeniable that the Government of India has been propelled into action, with the Nirbhaya Fund serving as the focal point for the national launch of projects aimed at enhancing women’s access to public spaces and mobility. Even yet, the project is still working on protection and mitigation. 
• Building infrastructure and one training programme alone are not the answer to systemic problems with gender sensitivity. 
• Due to COVID-19, women have the lowest geographic accessibility and the lowest workforce share compared to the prior ten years. 
• The Nirbhaya Fund is still barely being used to 50% of its potential. Women-specific budgets under the budget have increased 3.5 times in the years from 2018-19 to 2020-21.
• According to an Oxfam report Towards Violence Free Lives for Women, after very inadequate allocation and uptake in the preceding years.
• Women-specific budgets under the budget have increased 3.5 times in the years from 2018-19 to 2020-21, according to an Oxfam report Towards Violence Free Lives for Women, after very inadequate allocation and uptake in the preceding years.

Funding Pattern of the Nirbhaya Fund:

• 90:10 for States with difficult terrain
• 60:40 for States
• Few initiatives receive 100% funding
• 100% for UT’s

Evaluation and Monitoring of the Nirbhaya Fund:

MWCD is responsible for reviewing and keeping track of the advancement of approved projects and plans funded by the Nirbhaya Fund in collaboration with the relevant Central Ministries and Departments. The plan should include the monitoring and reporting procedures to be followed at the State Government/UT level and at the level of the relevant Central Government Ministry/Department. All proposals, including those that have already been evaluated by the EC and funds dispersed to the relevant Ministries/Departments or States/UTs, will be subject to strict monitoring.

Important Terms:

MWCD: The Government of India’s Ministry of Women and Child Development is the top agency for creating and enforcing legislation and regulations pertaining to women’s and children’s development in India.
Ministry of Home Affairs: The Home Ministry, sometimes known as the Ministry of Home Affairs, is a department of the Indian government. Its primary responsibilities are the maintenance of domestic policy and internal security.

Frequently Asked Questions on the Nirbhaya Fund:

Q1. Mention some of the features of Nirbhaya’s fund.

Answer: Features of the Nirbhaya Fund:

• Women’s identities and information must be kept private and confidential.
• Direct impact on women’s safety and security concerns
• All stakeholder’s roles have been defined.
• Optimal utilization of existing infrastructure and innovative application of technology
• There will be no duplication of existing government schemes/programs.
• Support of Women and Child Department / Social Welfare Department of states, State Home Department, and concerned central Ministry/Department.

Q2. Discuss the funding pattern of the Nirbhaya Fund?

Answer: The funding pattern of the Nirbhaya Fund is-

• 90:10 for States with difficult terrain
• 60:40 for States
• Few initiatives receive 100% funding
• 100% for UT’s

Q3. Explain the Central Victim Compensation Fund.

Answer:

• Under the Nirbhaya Fund’s framework, the Central Victim Compensation Fund (CVCF) has been funded to assist States and UTs with their victim compensation programmes.
• The CVCF is a one-time grant of additional funds given to the States/UTs in response to the Hon’ble Supreme Court’s directives.

Q4. Describe the functioning of the Nirbhaya Fund?

Answer:

• It is undeniable that the Government of India has been propelled into action, with the Nirbhaya Fund serving as the focal point for the national launch of projects aimed at enhancing women’s access to public spaces and mobility. Even yet, the project is still working on protection and mitigation. 
• Building infrastructure and one training programme alone are not the answer to systemic problems with gender sensitivity. 
• Due to COVID-19, women have the lowest geographic accessibility and the lowest workforce share compared to the prior ten years. 
• The Nirbhaya Fund is still barely being used to 50% of its potential. Women-specific budgets under the budget have increased 3.5 times in the years from 2018-19 to 2020-21,

Q5. What is the Nirbhaya Fund Scheme?

Answer: In response to the Nirbhaya Gang rape case, a special fund was established in 2013 with the goal of carrying out programmes to increase the security and protection of women in India. The name of the fund, “Nirbhaya Fund” comes from the gang-rape victim’s alias, “Nirbhaya” which means “fearless.”