In the fight against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), women's federations at all levels in Southwest China's Yunnan Province recently opened several new hotlines to provide psychological consultation for women and children. 

On January 30, the federation recruited five experienced volunteers to form a psychological assistance team. On January 31, five hotlines were launched to provide 24-hour counseling service. 

"Many people call for help out of anxiety and fear. We provide one-on-one psychological counseling and give assistance to them according to their condition," said an expert on the team. 

As of February 20, five hotlines had provided services for 26 people. 

Women's federations in Yunnan also gave full play to the hotline "12338," which was a 
women's right protection hotline launched by the All-China Women's Federation. The hotline provides counseling on policy interpretation, legal-rights protection, marriage, family disputes and mental health.  

"All the hotlines should serve as a connection between women and women's federations, becoming a service network safeguarding legal rights online and offline," said He Hongmei, President of the Yunnan Women's Federation. 

From January 31 to February 18, women's federations above county-level of the province had received 141 calls asking for help in mediating marriage and family disputes through the hotline. 

The federation also publicized e-books on legal issues amid the fight against epidemic prevention and guidebooks on psychological assistance through WeChat groups, providing assistance for local women's federations in epidemic prevention and control. 

It also instructed local women's federations through WeChat groups to operate hotlines for psychological assistance, give online lectures and discuss mental health issues to relieve the stress of women and their family members. 

From January 31 to February 18, women's federations above county level in the province established 112 teams that provided psychological counseling to 523 women.  

Officials of the women's federations and volunteers across the province furthermore fully used the Internet and WeChat to publicize epidemic prevention knowledge and to raise people's awareness of health and infectious disease prevention to enhance their self-protection awareness and relieve their anxiety. 

(Source: China Women's News/Translated and edited by Women of China)