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Ten women crisis centres to be set up

ISLAMABAD Nov 13: Ten more crisis centres for women in distress would be set up in various parts of the country where women are more vulnerable to victimization, Adviser to Prime Minister on Women Development and Social Welfare Nilofar Bakhtiar said here on Thursday.

She was speaking at the meeting of the management committee of women crisis centre, Islamabad, where the ambassador of the Philippines, George V. Arizabal, was the chief guest.

Referring to the increasing number of violent incidents against women, the adviser said setting up of more centres was of critical importance. Therefore, the ministry has decided to set up 10 new crisis centres in the current financial year.

In this regard, the government has already approved four centres, Ms Bakhtiar said, adding that along with crisis centres the ministry had also decided to build shelter homes for shelterless women.

She informed the meeting’s participants that the idea of separate complaint cells in police stations, staffed by women police personnel, had proved to be a success where women victims could lodge complaints. A similar complaint cell has already been set up at Kohsar police station in Islamabad which is working in collaboration with the crisis centre, she added.

Ms Bakhtiar said two complaint cells were already working in Sindh whereas the government intended to set up similar cells in Karachi, Lahore and Quetta.In the last part of her speech, she regretted that a number of women parliamentarians were invited to attend this function, but no one turned up.

Speaking on the occasion, the Phillipines ambassador said protection of women in a society was one of the important features of human values. Sharing experience of his country, he said women were no more confined to their houses and participated in every walk of life which had good impact on the overall national development of the country.

He also donated Rs50,000 to the women crisis centre, Islamabad, for helping a woman from the Philippines, who came to Pakistan after marrying a Pakistani national and was left helpless.

Source: Dawn

Date:11/14/2003