LHRLA’s main aim is that protection services should be available to all women and children, regardless of income, physical ability or mental acuity. In this component LHRLA aims to provide women and children with support in the relevant areas catering to individual needs.
Services provided by LHRLA include:
Since 2001, LHRLA has an actively running helpline called the Madadgaar for women and children facing abuse and violence which is an on call service available 24 hours a day. This is first of its kind in Pakistan. The helpline is accessible via a toll free number ‘1098’ through which immediate assistance and aid is provided to people in need. According to statistics during the year 2016-2017 10,976 people who called were provided assistance.
In-house counselling services are available to women and children survivors of violence where professional counsellors provide assistance to walk-in clients creating awareness regarding their rights, providing guidance and solutions as needed. LHRLA provides telephonic, in-person and virtual counseling inclusive of crises intervention providing immediate assistance in case of emergencies and guidance relating to the pursuance of individual cases.
Madadgaar offers referral services where we officially send clients to our referral partners who specialize in fields that are relevant to our client’s cases such as Shelters, DICs, Legal Aid Providers, Burn Centers, Police Stations, Media, FIA, Educational Institutions, Emergency Services, Ombudsman, Ministries, Reproductive Health, Transgender Community, Medicolegal Officers and Hospitals etc. In 2016 Madadgaar (LHRLA) referred 5,113 cases to its referral partners for supporting the survivors. We also have the largest referral network in Pakistan with approximately 1,500 referral partners across the country.
Some of our Referral partners include :
LHRLA has worked towards bringing awareness amongst the youth as well as older women about their reproductive health by conducting Reproductive Rights sessions and by discussing this issue on a mass scale, openly. LHRLA provides clients with knowledge regarding repeated pregnancies and family planning information. LHRLA works with Marie Stopes clinics to provide safer abortion and treatment for forced abortions, internal complications resulting from sexual violence and other gynecological services. Other services include maternity facilities, information and treatment relating to sexually transmitted diseases etc.
LHRLA has made it its mission to provide free and concessional legal help to underprivileged citizens of Pakistan. Our legal Aid services include a detailed case assessment of all issues brought forward after which advise is provided to clients on how to move forward with their cases from a legal aspect. Moving forward all litigation aspects are covered by LHRLA including court case management and documentation management. Further, LHRLA also provides individuals with post case follow up in the form of guidance and communication with the relevant councils and authorities to ensure abeyance of the Court verdict.
Our team also consists of certified mediators acting in cases where alternate dispute resolution methods are available and possible. The mediator acts as a neutral initiator of dialogue between parties while encouraging them to communicate and come to a mutual consensus and outcome satisfactory to them meanwhile maintaining decorum and mutual respect during the process. LHRLA also uses Mediation as a mode of reconciliation in the domestic context between partners and family members etc. in search of solutions for domestic issues that would increase unnecessary discomfort if resolved through other means. This further assists the clients in saving time and costs required for arbitration, negotiations and other settlement methods.