—Staff of Violence Against Women Centre (VAWC) not paid in four months
LAHORE: Putting women who are fleeing domestic violence and abuse at greater risk, the Violence Against Women Centre (VAWC) will soon be forced to close its doors due to unpaid staff salaries.
Staff at the all-female intake centre has not been paid since the month of July when Pakistan held its general elections. In addition, pending electricity and phone bills for the centre also add to its financial woes.
According to local media, the centre was not allocated any funds in Punjab’s recent budget which has led the department to its current condition where it has not been able to pay staff salaries or pay for its phone and electricity bills.
Outstanding payments for the centre include the payroll for 55 staff members, 15 lawyers, electricity, and telephone bills which total to Rs7.8 million.
The centre, however, continues to provide legal assistance, shelter, and counseling to women in need of help.
In the last seven months, it has taken on 2,588 cases, of which 1,600 were of domestic violence, 234 of harassment, 65 of rape, and 147 of life threats.
Established last October in Multan, under the Punjab Women Protection Authority Act (PWPA), the centre aimed to provide 24/7 protection to women against violent crimes, particularly domestic abuse, rape and sexual assaults. Similar centres were to be rolled out in Lahore, Faisalabad and Rawalpindi in the next phase of the project.
