Roshni

Introduction

Roshni center for women in crisis focuses on the specific and unique issues of women. Women that are suffering from direct or indirect torture, domestic violence, gender discrimination, and sexual assault, fall under the footprint of Roshni. The predicament may be physical, psychological, social or legal in nature.
Women are shunned for vocalizing their tragedy; some may turn to the law for assistance but often, face further abuse and injustice. Women are vulnerable due to discrimination and the hopelessness of laws that do not protect them. They are left with feelings of guilt, isolation, humiliation, and depression and invariably ostracized from their family and society. Women in Pakistan are usually unaware of their legal rights and where to turn for help. Realizing this sequel, Roshni offers invaluable service dealing with specific problems and issues related only to women.

Objectives

To provide social, psychological, clinical aid to torture survivors and to enable them to overcome the trauma of abuse and torture:

  • Legal support for different situations, where rights of women have been violated.
  • Making the torture survivors independent by teaching them various skills or improving their existing skills.
  • To train and educate women for new and desired skills.
  • To use the process of rehabilitation to develop coping and communication strategies.

Roshni provides psychotherapy, stress management therapy, and medical aid to the torture victims in its effort of rehabilitate them. Similarly, socio-economic counseling, and legal referral services are also provided.

Activities

Multiple Courses are being conducted to equip women torture survivors with skills and knowledge, which gives them the confidence and moral uplift to face and abort any act of discrimination they are being subjected to. Primarily, these skills would also make them able to earn a decent living. Following are the areas that are primarily focused:

    • English:

      English and other language classes are arranged to enable women to read and write and stand shoulder to shoulder with the current world, raise their voice at the universal level, and in the corridors, which would have been difficult otherwise.

  • Computers:

    Women are helped to keep up with the automated world to sell their ideas by mastering computer skills, such women would not only be able to propagate their ideas throughout the globe, but also would be in a better position to work and earn independently, thus sharing the financial responsibilities within a family.

  • Art/Crafts:

    The art of making small handicrafts also provides the torture survivor women, a way to make their living. Learning the art of making handicrafts can go a long way in achieving the goal of making women independent and self-sufficient.

Schooling & Education

Women who are the victims of direct or indirect torture are often neglected, reprobated and condemned within society in Pakistan. Usually, the disadvantaged population like children and women are denied the privileges of education, training and skills development. Without these basic human rights, they usually enter into a life of poverty, crime, slavery and situations of vulnerability where they are further open to abuse.
Women and children that are the victims of torture have special needs, therefore, they need special care to deal with physical and mental scarring. Realizing the sequel of torture, education projects were set up by VAT under Children Crisis Centre and Roshni. These deal with the special needs of those who either themselves experienced torture, were witnesses to torture inflicted upon their family or community, or were born to mothers who experienced torture. But schooling is just one segment of the rehabilitation process.
Apart from the general studies, women also take part in event-management of Voice Against Torture. They are given new opportunities and experiences to take part in craft, computers and sewing classes and various skills development.
Achievement in studies and participation and enjoyment of extra curricular activities raises their self-confidence and self-esteem as they begin to overcome their traumatic experiences of torture. One can see how proud women and children are of themselves and they also soon begin to value the importance of learning and acquiring new skills required to integrate back into society.
The schools aim to rehabilitate women by providing a unique service that enables them to overcome their trauma of torture with the help of an expert staff. Women and children also require the knowledge and skills necessary to build a future for themselves without the prospect of poverty and slave labor. We not only put the vulnerable population on sound academic track but also give them the guidance; support and encouragement necessary for them to retract from their traumatic experiences and feel empowered to lead normal happy lives.