Ending Torture and III-Treatment of Women in Police Custody in Pakistan
Status: Completed Start Date: Feb 2011 End Date: Nov 2013 Geographic Coverage: Lahore, Rawalpindi, ICT Focus Area: Implementation of UNCAT SDG Goal: 16 significantly reduce all forms of violence, and work with governments and communities to find lasting solutions to conflict and insecurity Implementing Partner: SPO Funding Partner: Oxfam GB and EU
Strengthening Participatory Organization (SPO) with the financial support of EU and Oxfam GB implemented project titled ‘Ending Torture and III-Treatment of Women in Police Custody in Pakistan’.
The objectives of this collaboration were to;
The overall objective of this intervention was to create awareness and improve the observance of women’s human rights in Pakistan through supporting civil society actions aimed at the prevention and eradication of torture and ill treatment and assisting women torture survivors in their rehabilitation into society.
The specific objective was improved treatment of women victims of violence by law enforcement agencies and better living conditions for women in police custody and shelter homes throughout the project area of district Lahore, Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
The initiative, first of its kind in Pakistan has successfully developed manuals for training the police and jail staff on UN CAT and gender. A pool of volunteer trainers drawn from the stakeholders has imparted trainings across three districts. In target districts, staff of thirty police stations is taking part. Besides police training, staff of shelter homes is also being sensitized on torture related issues. As a strategy the project is also creating mass awareness by holding regular advocacy campaigns.
Targets Achieved
Approximately 370 women in jails and darul amans were reached out to; 240 benefited through legal counseling, 30 through legal aid, 36 through stress management sessions and 200 from life skill trainings.
Approximately 1500 police, jail and darul aman (government run shelter home) officials have been trained on UN CAT and Gender
More than 300 members of CSOs enhanced skills in advocacy, lobbying and understanding of human rights legal frameworks.
More than 100,000 people have been involved in the advocacy campaigns on torture issues.
Three survivor support units have been established in the target districts, these provide socio-psychological support, legal counseling and life skill training programs to torture survivors.
