‘Punjab Women’s Helpline proves effective’

Lahore

Punjab Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) launched a status report on the Punjab Women’s Helpline that seeks to evaluate the performance of the helpline operations from August 2014 to May 2017.

The helpline was established in August 2014 under the Punjab Women Empowerment Package-2012 and operates as a 24/7 toll-free service.

During a ceremony held at Directorate General of Public Relations, PCSW Chairperson Fauzia Viqar stated that the PCSW helpline had not only provided an avenue to women for reporting inaction by state institutions and discriminatory policies and practices but it was also a growing database of information about violation of rights that was useful in designing further interventions. She said that the helpline had proven itself as a successful initiative towards empowering women and had the potential to act as a model for other provinces.

The PCSW chairperson highlighted that a total of 330,036 awareness calls were made through the helpline while 53,212 inquiries were received and addressed successfully during the reported period.

Lahore and Faisalabad reported the highest number of inquiries with 12,823 and 1,858 inquiries, respectively. Similarly, from out of Punjab, 1,740 inquiries were received and entertained properly. 

She mentioned that out of 841 complaints, 230 complaints related to criminal offences were lodged through the helpline. About 36 percent of all complaints are in the process while 58 percent were successfully closed. Closed complaints included successful resolution and a compromise between disputing parties. The report also describes the various methods of receiving and lodging formal complaints and displays a district-wise analysis of complaints and inquiries received from across Punjab. It highlights the increase in the number of complaints and inquiries received over time. 

PCSW Chairperson Fauzia Viqar lauded the efforts of PCSW legal experts, the helpline managers and call operators whose tireless efforts had helped the Punjab government realise its goals of women protection and empowerment.