Dastak signed an MOU with the Anti-Harassment Gender Crime Cell and Victims Support Centre, Punjab Police – 12 August 2022 – Lahore

Qila Gujjar Sindh police Station, Lahore:  
Dastak Charitable Trust entered into an MOU with the Anti-Harassment Gender Crime Cell and Victims Support Centre, Punjab Police created under the Capital City Police, Investigation Wing to strengthen the rule of law and legal protection in sexual, domestic and GBV cases. The objective of the collaboration was to mutually assist each other in the provision of essential services to women and child survivors of abuse and violence including legal aid, shelter and psycho-social counseling. In addition, Dastak will also provide necessary capacity building support to the staff of Anti Harassment Cell. This MOU is also expected to enhance police cooperation with Dastak on matters of safety and security of women and children seeking support from its crisis centre and shelter. SSP Police Investigations Lahore Imran Kishwar was representing the Police whereas Dastak’s Executive Director Saba Shaikh signed the MOU on behalf of the organisation. While giving remarks after the signing of the MOU, Imran Kishwar said that such Cells were the need of the hour and such collaborations are essential to cater to the vulnerable segments of the society and share the load of the Police. Inspector Fizza Mumtaz was designated as the focal person for the Centre and will be coordinating with NGOs for referrals, training and other related matters.

A campaign by Dastak اپنے ساتھ اپنا مستقبل بھی سنواریں ۔

In 2022, Dastak launched a campaign among beauticians and small beauty parlor workers in Lahore to raise awareness about the women’s rights related to marriage as well as existing Prevention, Protection, Response (PPR) services in Punjab. During an introductory meeting on 4th January 2022, various materials, including posters and pamphlets were shared with participants to be displayed at their establishments.
Beauty salons are some of the few spaces frequented by housewives and other women regularly. Salons provide a safe space for women to talk among each other about their issues. The salon workers are also in a unique position to identify signs of abuse in their co-workers and their clients. The campaign aims to sensitize salon workers with regards to gender and abuse, and to provide them with resources to guide and refer survivors to existing PPR services.

Community Paralegals Training Program 2021

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.

Mutual Learning and Training Workshops on Improving Outcomes of Criminal Litigation in Gender Based Violence Cases – 11th and 12th August 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.

Workshop on Education for Children in Punjab Prisons – 22nd to 24th June 2021

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.

International Women’s Day Celebration – 8th March 2021

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.

Training Workshop on Juvenile Justice for Legal Practitioners – 26th February to 5th March 2021

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.

 

Yoga Therapy- March 2021

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.

Hisaab Kitaab – Financial Literacy – 24th December, 2020

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

  1. The knowledge and understanding of, financial concepts, banking/financial products and services.
  2. The skills and attitudes towards budgeting, savings, investment, debt management, financial negotiation, rights and obligations, etc.
  3. Facilitate behavioral changes and practices to improve financial outcomes; including financial well being through increased savings.
  4. Strengthen and improve money management knowledge, skills and behaviors
  5. Inspire the women to set financial goals through saving, budgeting and planning for their future.

Total 10 women benefitted from this session.

Awareness Session on Human Rights at Dar ul Aman- 10th December, 2020

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.

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