Islamabad : Depending upon the trajectory of their post shelter lives, many women face violence or threat of violence, severe stigma for living without male members or as divorced woman, as well as considerable distress as a consequence of years of abuse and loss of support from family members, after they leave shelter.
These finding were revealed in a qualitative research study, titled “Against all odds: Post shelter lives of women survivors of violence” conducted by Rozan. The report was launched at a seminar organised by Rozan in collaboration with National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) to promote evidence base advocacy dialogue on post-shelter trajectories of women survivors of violence.
The research was conducted under the project, 'Strengthening Response Mechanism to GBV through Survivor Centered Approach with active participation and ownership of community' funded by Australian Government. The seminar was attended by distinguished guest including Australian High Commissioner to Pakistan Margaret Adamson, Chairperson Punjab Commission on the Status of Women Fauzia Viqar, eminent rights activist and lawyer Hina Jillani.
The findings of study were presented by Rozan adviser Dr Maria Rashid. The study put forth important recommendations for the government’s consideration. Study reveals that many violence survivors also face financial constraints and practical challenges of living such as safe house after they leave shelters.
The study recommendations draw attention towards implementation of policy and SOPs in order to make sure that the rights of the survivors are safeguarded. Secondly a standardised policy taking in account post-shelter dimensions of support need to be put in place and monitored. For moving towards survivor centered care, the research suggests the Government to ensure that the SOPs for the government run shelter are aligned with the human rights principles, and staff is trained to respond to the need of the women survivors in the most ethical and quality manner.
It also recommends that shelter homes should look into temporary placements or housing for women survivors during the transition from shelter to independent living thus making sure that due to economic burden she is not forced to go back to same abusive situation. It says that a strong inter-department coordination mechanism is essential to make sure that all services including health, protection, psycho-social and legal are provided to women survivors without delay. Other departments providing services like skill building, micro-finance should also work in close collaboration with shelters to support the women survivors in the process of their integration in the community.
Addressing the participants, Federal Minister for Human Rights (MoHR) Shireen Mazari highlighted that ministry is also going to put more emphasis on securing inheritance rights for women so as to ensure economic empowerment. She shared that MoHR along with the law ministry has formalised distress and detention fund and it will be available for use by the public. She also emphasised on the role of helpline running under MoHR in addressing violence against women. She emphasised on the importance of introducing innovative approaches for skill building in the government run shelters homes. She shared that government is looking at public private partnerships to bring innovative approaches to shelters so as to support economic independence of women survivors.
Speaking on this occasion, NCSW Chairperson Khawar Mumtaz highlighted that currently there is no system of documentation, follow up or feed-back loop of women who have availed of either kind of shelters, nor a mechanism to assess the needs of women who go back to their families or start a new life. “While there are Standard Operating Procedures for running the shelters, implementation of the SOPs and some system sorely to ensure follow up and contact with those leaving the shelters is necessary,” she said.
