Family Counseling Centers in 5 UNFPA supported IPD Districts of Madhya Pradesh by Mr.Manish Shanker Sharma AIG (AJK), PHQ Bhopal

Objective Rationale Features Strategies adopted by FCCs Case flow, case management and follow up Data – by crime / problem, total cases and status Monitoring and reporting lessons Learned Challenges Contents

Objective  Provide constructive social intervention through professional counseling,  Create awareness about gender equality.

RATIONALE  Victims, mainly women, come to police with a complaint of torture against husband and in-laws. If a case is registered under IPC, and husband and in-laws are arrested, break up is inevitable. Separation results in a great emotional, social and economic trauma for the whole family……..  FCCs provide support When complaint is registered Coping with emotional and social trauma at family level

Features  Managed by District Police  Supported by U.N.F.P.A. assisted I.P.D. Project (FCCs in 5 Districts of Chattarpur,Panna,Rewa, Sidhi and Satna )  Altogether there are 81 FCCs in Madhya Pradesh, out which 5 are supported by UNFPA IPD Project.  Manned by trained and experienced Counselors and Social Workers.

Process of Establishment of FCCs Step 1: Review of the existing FCCs in functioning through Police Welfare Society Step 2:On Pilot Basis,the Police Welfare Society to run an FCC in Satna for six months (Modalities were worked out with the District Society Step 3: FCC established in Satna along with two social workers and two counselors.

Process of Establishment of FCCs Step 4: Advocacy programs were undertaken ; Cases were referred to FCC by the Police and DWCD;Later cases began to come directly from the community Step 5: Review of the FCC after 6 months under the Chairpersonship of DIG:- Decided to establish FCCs in Chattarpur,Rewa,Panna and Sidhi (one in each district)

FCC’s Strategy  A Psycho-Social alternative to a legal approach is being practiced in FCCs.  Trained Counselors and Social workers are discussing the problem with husband, wife and other family members.  Identify the root cause of the problem and counsel the couple for better mutual adjustment.

Client Flow FCC Police Station CourtCommunity Other Departments like DWCD

Case Management in FCC Client Case Register Case History & fixes a date for counseling Referral to Shelter Home if client is alone FCC FCC calls the accused Counselor interacts with accused and client separately and together 2 Follow up visit If,case is not settled, the client is referred to police /court only on client’s request Case is settled-mutual reconciliation,or decision to separate

Follow Up  FCC counselors and Social workers undertake field visits  At least two follow up visits are made. One after a fortnight of last counseling session and second after days after the first visit.

CASE SCENARIO Total Cases in 2001 = 515 Total Cases in 2002 = 855 Total = 1370 Cases Settled = 1185 Cases transferred to Police stations =46 Cases Charge sheeted = 16 Cases Filed in the court =4 Cases pending in the court =3 Cases pending in the FCC = 116

% of Types of Cases coming to FCCs

Monitoring of FCC Police Welfare Society or SP conducts the exit interviews of the clients to know the quality of services The FCC Programme is being reviewed and monitored in District RCH Society meeting The PEC and PMC meeting held to review FCC functioning

Reporting FCC IPD DPMU SPMU PHQ Monthly reports in a prescribed format DRCH Monthly Format Consists of:-Name,Age,Marital Status,Issues,Case Information,Expected actions from FCC & Action taken by FCC. UNFPA PHQ

Lessons Learned The Presence of Professional Staff and the Technical Support of UNFPA has helped the FCCs in IPD to function effectively The supervision of the District Health Society headed by District Collector and other department officials has improved the functioning of the FCC Presently the FCCs are functioning in District Police Headquarters, but later it has to be independent with only minimal supervision from Police

Lessons Learned An assessment of the FCCs in IPD district has been conducted along with 5 non IPD supported Districts. Efforts at the State Policy level to highlight the need of replicating the experiences of the FCCs in IPD to non IPD districts.

Challenges The FCC need to be more independent from the Police in its functioning The awareness regarding the FCC needs to be enhanced especially in the rural areas, in making more clients access the FCC The sustainability of FCC after the IPD project period