LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has ordered the Punjab government to remove male employees from all shelter homes (Dar-ul-Aman), create a database and software for monitoring shelter homes, and install CCTV cameras at the entrances and premises of all shelter homes.
The petition, filed by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and others in the Lahore High Court, challenged the lack of protective measures for girls in shelter homes and the non-implementation of the Women’s Rights and Child Protection Act.
Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh issued a 36-page written decision after completing all the arguments, in which the court ruled that the Punjab government should formulate rules under the Women’s Protection Act 2016 to regulate all shelter homes and protection centers within six months.
It also directed the government to formulate rules for the operation of child protection institutions within six months, establish women’s protection committees in every district, and ensure the Punjab Women Protection Authority trains all employees of the protection system, including district women protection officers.
The order stated that the District and Sessions Judges of each district should inspect the concerned Darul Aman at least once every two months and that professional training should be provided to the women living in Dar-ul-Aman for their economic rehabilitation.
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The court ordered the Child Protection Bureau to make regulations for child protection institutions, ensure the registration of all child protection institutions, establish child protection units at the tehsil and district levels, and provide all information regarding Dar-ul-Aman and shelter homes on the relevant website.
According to the Private media report, Dar-ul-Aman and Darul Falah have been established under the Punjab Government Rules of Business 2011. These institutions operate according to the rules issued by the Social Welfare Department from time to time.
The court ruled that it is unclear under which law the Federal Ministry of Women Development established the crisis centers.
Under the Women’s Protection Act 2016, shelter homes and protection centers were to be established in all districts of Punjab.
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However, the court noted that shelter homes and protection centers were not established in any district other than Multan. Instead, Darul Aman and crisis centers in the remaining districts have been declared protection centers.
The act requires the Punjab government to establish a women’s protection committee in every district, but only one committee is active in Multan, and it is functioning without standard operating procedures (SOPs). The Punjab Women Protection Authority has not created SOPs for shelter homes.
The court ordered the removal of male employees from all shelter homes in Punjab. It also directed the Punjab government to create a database and software for monitoring shelter homes and to install CCTV cameras at the entrances and premises of all shelter homes.
