March 24, 2007	Saturday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 4, 1428

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window).

PESHAWAR, March 23: A centre set up by the federal government for women in crisis about a year ago has failed to provide shelter and medical aid to the victim of violence. Sources told Dawn that the centre has no medical officer and a psychiatrist to provide treatment and counselling to women in distress.

They said that the centre had been reduced to a ‘women centre’ as it was not providing relief to women in crisis.

The centre, set up in a rented bungalow in posh Hayatabad area, is only providing legal aid to women.

It may be mentioned that the management pays Rs30,000 rent per month for the bungalow.

The women centre having a manager, legal officer and social worker refers victims to the women crisis centre run by the provincial social welfare and women development department despite the fact it has space and facilities to provide shelter to women.

“The reason the centre can not provide shelter to women is that there is shortage of staff. The security of destitute women is one major problem”, said official sources.

“The women staff at the centre has not been provided with security as watchmen do not carry a gun,” sources said.

They said the lack of security and shortage of staff was the main hurdle in the proper functioning of the centre.

Women in crisis are usually referred by some organisations as many people are not aware about the functions and location of the centre, sources said.