$400,000 has been allocated for the Domestic Violence and the Child Helplines in this financial year. [File Photo]

$400,000 has been allocated for the Domestic Violence and the Child Helplines in this financial year.

Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation Mereseini Vuniwaqa says the two helplines are fully operational and received hundreds of calls during the pandemic.

Vuniwaqa says the Domestic Violence Helpline 1560 is administered by the Fiji Women’s Crisis Center and the Child Helpline 1325 is administered by Medical Services Pacific.

Both initiatives have been allocated $200,000 each.

“The helplines have been crucial in intercepting emergency calls related to abuse of women and children and providing them the necessary assistance as required and we look forward to continuing to provide the services effectively in the new fiscal year.”

The Ministry was allocated $159m in the 2020/2021 budget which is a massive increase compared the previous one.