Daily Times

A two-day conference on reformation of Sanatzars, district industrial homes of Social Welfare Department Punjab began in Lahore on Tuesday with the collaboration of United Nations Population Fund(UNFPA). The conference was aimed at providing a platform for stakeholders and experts to come together and brainstorm on the necessary steps and strategies to reform the Sanatzars. Talking on the occasion, Director General Social Welfare Bait-ul-Maal Muddassir Riaz Malik said that reforms in the service delivery model of Sanatzars in line with the modern needs are crucial. Sanatzars would be connected with Dar-ul-Amans for enhanced post shelter socio-economic integration of women survivors of violence, he added. The participants discussed on devising strategies for the improvement reviewing the challenges and problems faced by Sanatzars. Experts stressed the need for bringing reforms in trainings, production, design and marketing of products made by Sanatzars. Provincial lead and Gender-based Violence Analyst UNFPA Tania Durrani said that cooperation between international organizations and government institutions is essential to improve the socio-economic condition of women survivors. Executive Director Human Resource Solutions International(HRSI) Sadia Haroon emphasized the need to provide women with soft skills including communication, mental health& confidence building. It was hoped that the knowledge-sharing and solutions exchange on proposals, methodologies, and policy recommendations gleaned from the conference could help the government reform these institutions.