By Our correspondent
Procedural delays in government projects are the biggest hurdle in way of good governance. The newly constructed building of the Women Centre at the Social Welfare Complex, Rawalpindi, is a fine example of how things go in government departments.
Construction of the new centre was completed last year, but it has not been made functional because of non-availability of utility connections that have to be provided by the district government.
Explaining the reasons for the delay in making the centre functional, officials at the Ministry of Women Development (MoWD) told ‘The News’ that they were waiting for gas, water and electricity connections. “The district government has to provide these connections and we have already paid Rs0.3 million to the relevant department for this purpose,” said one official, adding that the district government was citing one reason or the other for not providing these connections since last year. “We cannot make it operational without the basic necessities.” Interestingly, the building for the new centre is located just opposite to Dar-ul-Amman and according to sources, providing connection does not require much labour and time. “Once we get the utility connections, we will recruit staff within 15 days and furnish the facility to formally start the centre,” said the official.
He said that the ministry has written to the commissioner regarding delay in provision of the utility connections.
When contacted, the District Coordination Officer (Rawalpindi) Imdadullah Bosal said that the matter was never brought to his notice before. He said that the connections would be provided to the centre within one month. Sources in MoWD said that the centre has a capacity to house 20 violence victims and also has the facility of shelter home.
In shelter homes, victims can stay for an unlimited period and are also provided training for skill development. Right now, from among 25 functional women centres around the country, only two have the facility of shelter homes whereas in the other 23 shelters, the violence victims can stay for only 72 hours after which they are shifted to Dar-ul-Amman.
The government plans to establish 39 more centres now renamed as Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Centres for Women in various districts to provide temporary shelter, psychological counselling, medical and legal aid, micro credit and skill training for rehabilitation of women who are victims of violence.
Out of these 39 Women Centres, 30 will be established in various districts of all the four provinces while the remaining six will be established in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Northern Areas.
These centres will be established in Attock, Chakwal, Gujrat, Jhang, Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalnagar, Layyah, Larkana, Mirpur Khas, Sukkur, Shadad Kot, Dadu, Sanghar, Badin, Chitral, Batkhela, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Haripur, Charsadda, Mardan, Zhob, Turbat, Gawadar, Panjgur, Chaman, Dal Bandin, Lasbela, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Battagaram, Kohistan, Shangla, Muzaffarabad, Neelum, Rawlakot and Bagh, Gilgit and Skardu. However, nine such centers will be established in Hazara Division and AJK in collaboration with ERRA.
Women Centres are the biggest tool of MoWD to provide relief and support to victims of violence. Aimed at providing temporary shelter, medical facilities and free legal aid to women victims, these centres work directly under MoWD. The increasing number of reported violence cases against women and international pressure on the government to provide help to such women enhances the importance of these facilities manifold.
The ministry officials term lack of funds and staff as the biggest hurdle in the proper functioning of these facilities. Adding to the financial issues, the tussle between different political groups also remains a hurdle. The most well equipped and skilfully managed centre at the moment is the Benazir Bhutto Women Centre in Islamabad. Currently, there are 45 women and children staying at its shelter home. Besides running a school for children accompanying their mothers, the centre provides skill training to women in order to make them financially independent.