The Ministry of Women Development (MoWD) has approved establishment of crisis centres for women in high crime areas of the country with the total cost of Rs 37.474 million. Sources told Business Recorder that the decision was taken in departmental development working party (DDWP) meeting here on Friday.
The crisis centres will be established in Jacobabad, Khushab, D.G. Khan, Khuzdar and Swat (Mangora). Establishment of each centre will cost Rs 7.4948 million and is aimed at provision of shelter, protection and legal aid to the victimised women, they added.
They said that four provinces were considered on equal basis for establishment of crisis centres whereas less-developed and high crime areas were given priority.
Sources said that the project of Aman Skill Development Centre, Alipur, Islamabad run by Aman Foundation has also been approved by the ministry.
The project was approved at a total cost of Rs 15.319 million with MoWD share of Rs 9.447 million, they added. It was briefed to the DDWP that the project aimed at welfare and skill development of the female population of the rural areas of Islamabad.
The ministry had also approved new pay package of the employees of Family Protection and Rehabilitation Centre, Islamabad to bring it at par with other similar posts of women crisis centres all over the country.
The meeting also approved the project of 'IT Training of Elected Lady Representatives' to be extended from June 1, 2006 to June 30, 2007. The 13-month extension was finalised in the meeting with the same cost.
Sources said that the project of Al-Noor Skill Development Centre for Rural Women at Sialkot was approved at a cost of Rs 9.250 million with 50 percent share (Rs 4.625 million) by the NGO.
The representatives of the planning and development division informed that the area has wide scope of success for women social and economic empowerment, as there was no public sector institute for imparting skill development training to female segment of the area.
It was recommended that the government must take steps for establishment of women skill development centres in the far-flung area of Sialkot.
The DDWP has approved the project for provision of transport to different educational institutes in public sector with total cost of Rs 4 million.
Provision of transport for women colleges in less developed districts and rural areas of the province of Punjab, NWFP, Sindh, Balochistan, Federal Area and Fata was also approved in the meeting.
The projects of 'Jafakash Aurat' for economic empowerment of rural women in district Larkana, Global Water Supply Scheme at Rajanpur and Jhang, Gender Sensitisation Programme, provision of transport to F.G Post-graduate College for Women, Rawalpindi and F.G College, Bara Kahu were not approved by DDWP due to lack of justification.