Dastak designed a module on Muslim family laws related to divorce, maintenance of wife and children, khula and divorce, custody of children etc. Using community contacts, social activists were selected from Lahore and Multan to undergo a rigorous three day training on the module. The training equipped them with relevant knowledge related to local laws and how to engage with public and private women protection systems. The community network was organised as a means to spread awareness about avenues of redressal. The first round of trainings in Lahore and Multan were completed in November and December 2021.
Dastak organised a workshop in Lahore for prosecutors, lawyers and police officers from Lahore and Multan on methods to guarantee dispensation of justice for survivors of gender based violence. The workshop, led by Human Rights Watch Country Representative Saroop Ijaz, outlined the lacunae in laws related to GBV as well as institutional weaknesses and societal pressures that result in low conviction rates. The training included sessions on the principles of questioning during trial and investigation and the importance of gender sensitive language.
The discussion focused on participant experiences as well as sharing information on progressive judgements and good practices in the field.
The Child Rights Unit at Dastak conducted refresher training workshops for Punjab Prisons psychologists under its initiative, ‘Education for Children in Prisons (Punjab)’ for the Juvenile Justice program, running since 2019. 10 psychologists from Central and District Jails in Lahore, Sheikhupura, Kasur, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Bhakkar, Rawalpindi, Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi Khan were engaged as the ECIP Instructors for this initiative.
These refresher training workshops spanned over three days, from 22nd– 24th of June, 2021. Educational experts from the organization Roshan Rahain trained the ECIP instructors on the requisite communication and interpersonal skills required for effective lesson delivery and keeping the pupils engaged and actively learning crucial life skills pertaining to building empathy, maintaining mental health, hygiene care etc. which will serve them during their time in juvenile detention and after.
Day 1:
Focused on ice-breaking, assessing their responsibilities as psychologists and learning effective communication.
Day 2:
Focused on important teaching techniques such as the use of assertive behaviour, motivating the pupil and employing empathy and respect.
Day 3:
Focused on the use of the redesigned ECIP Curriculum for delivering the lessons by applying the techniques learned in previous sessions.
Dastak celebrated International women’s Day with the residents this year on March 08, 2021 in a very
unique way. The residents were given the opportunity to visit a bakery in Lahore that goes by the name
of Go Flour.
Go Flour, run by Ms. Asma Shah is a social enterprise that trains local women from socially
disadvantaged backgrounds, teaching them how to bake, and microfinance, hone their social media
skills and make them more business savvy. By giving trainees access to education and employability
skills, Go Flour empowers Pakistani women with financial and social autonomy.
Dastak residents met the staff, bakers and the owner of the bakery. Ms.Asma gave a tour to both their
bakery and hot kitchen. The women were so inspired to see such brave and independent women
working in the bakery. Some of the women also showed interest to learn baking and requested Dastak
staff to make arrangements for them.
The Child Rights Unit at Dastak recently conducted training workshops for legal practitioners under its current project, titled: Juvenile Justice – Reformative Education and Monitoring of Prisons (Punjab). 24 advocates engaged in the criminal legal system, hailing from Punjab’s districts of Lahore, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi and Bahawalpur were trained on the rights of the juveniles under international and domestic laws in Lahore, on the 26 th of February and 5 th of March, 2021.
The purpose of these training workshops was to equip fresh and ambitious lawyers with the requisite legal tools to defend children in prisons, and offer a refresher training to the more experienced ones. The challenges and implications of the juvenile justice system in Pakistan and specifically in Punjab were discussed at length through involvement of relevant departments such as police, prosecution, probation and prisons. Furthermore, these lawyers have also been engaged as part of Dastak’s ‘Children in Prisons Defenders Network’. This volunteer referral network shall be referred cases of juveniles who require legal assistance, as well as engage with the judicial system to undertake legal initiatives to improve the administration of justice for children in conflict with the law.
Dastak conducted Yoga Classes for the residents during the month of March 2021. These classes were
conducted by an expert yogi, Mrs. Farzana Khalid from Faiz Ghar.
The objective of these yoga classes was to empower these women to progress toward improved health
and well-being through the application of the teachings and practices of Yoga.
The trainer used postures, breathing exercises, meditation, and guided imagery to improve mental and
physical health. The holistic focus of yoga therapy encourages the integration of mind, body, and spirit.
Total 10 women participated in these classes.
Dastak organized a session on financial literacy for women in collaboration with Roshan Rahain. The session was designed to give women the opportunity to learn about
- The knowledge and understanding of, financial concepts, banking/financial products and services.
- The skills and attitudes towards budgeting, savings, investment, debt management, financial negotiation, rights and obligations, etc.
- Facilitate behavioral changes and practices to improve financial outcomes; including financial well being through increased savings.
- Strengthen and improve money management knowledge, skills and behaviors
- Inspire the women to set financial goals through saving, budgeting and planning for their future.
Total 10 women benefitted from this session.
On the Human Rights Day 2020, Dastak organized a very informative and interactive session with the survivors of domestic violence residing at Lahore Dar ul Aman to raise awareness about Women rights in Human rights. The participant women had no idea about their basic rights. This session helped them understand the importance of knowing their rights and standing up for themselves.
Dastak Charitable Trust, in collaboration with Punjab Social Welfare Department, organised a training for staff of Darul Amans from nine district headquarters of Punjab mainly Lahore, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Sahiwal, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Multan, Bahawalpur, and D.G. Khan.
The training was organised to initiate testing of a prototype database in order to store data of women survivors of violence who reside in shelter homes. The training reiterated the importance of a human rights and survivor centric approach in running shelters. The Competency Based Framework (CBF) was introduced as an assessment tool for staff to ensure compliance with international standards of care for shelter residents.
Dastak also shared with the participants SOPs and printed material on COVID-19 protocols specifically for shelter homes.
Dastak conducted various activities to create awareness regarding the 16 days of activism. A two day Art Workshop was conducted with the survivors of domestic violence and the theme of the workshop was “Creating a Happy Place”. Women showcased their emotions and desires through paintings. The second day of the art workshop was based on abstract art and the objective of this activity was to give the women the opportunity to express themselves freely. The women created amazing paintings.
