Advice for women

A FREE legal advisory desk and maintenance mobile clinic aimed at empowering and education women on their rights and recourse will be set up at St Michael’s Women’s Hostel in Sydenham courtesy of the KZN Network on Violence Against Women and the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development.

Apart from promoting the prevention of women abuse, the director of the network, Cookie Edwards, said the organisation’s mission was to create gender equality. “We also aim to promote respect for and compliance with women’s rights and fundamental freedom as enshrined in the Constitution. We want to contribute to the development and implementation of effective policies and practices of protection, intervention and support for female victims and survivors of gender-based violence,” said Edwards.

The organisation was appealing to parents, who are not receiving maintenance support for their children, to visit the legal advisory desk and maintenance mobile clinic on Saturday from 10am.

“When parents apply for maintenance, it sometimes takes a long time before getting feedback. Taking time off from work is not always easy.”

She said her organisation and the department decided to bring these services to the community to lend support, especially to single mothers, who are awaiting feedback on their applications.

“This is also an opportunity for women, who want to apply for maintenance and don’t know what the procedure is.”

Edwards said those who have already applied for maintenance and are still awaiting their case to be heard due to delays, must carry their IDdocuments and case numbers for the maintenance cases to be fast-tracked.

“The Master of the High Court will also have a desk to assist with matters on wills and estates.”

For queries call Edwards on 082 321 0600.