TEAM HERALD

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PANJIM: Women in distress will be offered free legal services at the Goa State Commission for Women, at Junta house Panjim.

The first ever legal aid centre which was inaugurated at the GSCW office on Friday, which will also fight against discrimination of any nature. Advocate Gauri Desai associated with the Legal Service Authority and assisting the GSWC has been appointed to handle the cases. She will be available every Tuesday while she also assists the panel in the other cases. 

Women deprived of property rights, decision-making rights, made to work without proper remuneration or are tangled in marital dispute, or who are in distress will be offered these services.

“Today women are educated and financially independent but not all women are aware of their rights. They are exploited. The free legal aid will assist them on how to pursue a matter and it will also solve issues,” Commission chief Ezilda Sapeco said. 

The Commission, a quasi-judicial body has been handling several thousand cases of atrocities against women. 

In the last three years, nearly 500 cases of domestic related issues were reported to the commission of which, Sapeco claimed, more than 50 % cases have been settled without going for trial. 

The commission recently got government approval for increasing bus seats reserved for women from the existing four to six. However, a compliance report from the transport department is yet to be received.