WOMEN WELFARE SERVICES IN SHELTERS: A STUDY OF THE PUNJAB’S DAR-UL-AMAN

Abstract

Shelter homes have been established in almost all over the world to address the issues of violence against women. The government of Pakistan also followed this practice and these institutions are providing relief to distressed and deprived women in terms of psycho-social counseling, medical, lodging and boarding facilities with marketable skill training. These shelter homes are called Dar-ul-Aman. This study has examined the life experiences of 500 women living in 34 Dar-ul-Aman, working under the Department of Social Welfare and Bait-ul-Mal, Government of the Punjab, Pakistan. Primary data was taken from two involved parties; service-providers and women residing in Dar-ul-Aman. For this purpose, interviews were conducted to collect the information, which was quantitative and qualitative in its nature. The study was to check the role of Dar-ul-Aman as a safe haven for victims of violence, exploring intervention and rehabilitation services. The study also looked in need of a structural overhauling to improve the staff–resident relationship, curbing exploitative practices on shelter premises.