KATHMANDU: The 24-hour free helpline service 'Dial 1145' launched by National Women Commission in Nepal has started picking pace.

The service was launched from December 11, 2017. Around 50,000 calls were made during the period of one year since the helpline service started. A total of 1,084 complaints on violence against women (VAW) have so far been registered through the helpline.

Similarly, out of 50,000 calls, around 500 were only missed calls. Programme Manager Palita Thapa said the Commission has responded to 6,377 calls out of the total calls, providing information to callers on a range of issues. Most of the calls are made for enquiry.

Thapa said the helpline has become effective as the number of complaints related to VAW filed at the Commission has increased after launching the helpline. It has become the medium of acquiring and providing information.

The victim or any person on behalf of the victim or organisation can file complaints on various issues including VAW, social evils through this helpline.

Any person subject to any sort of violence can dial the helpline number 1145 for immediate help and remedy. Under the campaign 'Inform at 1145', the victims are provided counselling, legal remedy and medical treatment.

One can also report incidents of violence to the Commission online, through telephone and SMS.

According to a study by the World Bank in 2014, Nepal is placed at the 14th position among 15 countries having rampant incidents of violence meted out by spouses.

Likewise, Nepal Health Demographic Survey, 2016 said 66 percent of women faced some type of physical and other gender-related violence.