MUKHTAR MAI WOMEN’S WELFARE ORGANIZATION

INTRODUCTION
Established in 2003, Mukhtar Mai Women’s Welfare Organization (MMWWO) is lead by Mukhtar
Mai, known for her struggle for the protection and promotion of women’s rights.

Apart from advocacy and awareness campaign MMWWO provides legal & para aid and shelter to
approximately 500 survivors of violence annually through Mukhtar Mai Women’s Resource Centre
& Shelter Home and free education to hundreds of girls in the remote and deprived areas of
Southern region of Punjab province of Pakistan, a region with the worst examples of women’s
rights violations in the pretext of various local customs, practices and stereo types e.g. rape, gang
rape, domestic violence, honour killing, vani (exchange of women in settling the disputes),
exchange and early marriages.

At an alarming rate consistency in violence against women and girls, including domestic violence,
rape, “honor killings,” acid attacks, and forced marriages and the failure of state machinery in
providing relief and shelter to the destitute women, the services provided by Mukhtar Mai Women
Welfare Organization through Mukhtar Girls Model School, Women’s Resource Centre Shelter
Home and advocacy and awareness raising initiatives has become a hope for the women,
particularly the women in the Southern region of Punjab Province.

VISION
MMWWO envisions an equal opportunity society where men and women are treated equally and
are able to exercise their civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights.

MISSION
MMWWO is committed to work against all forms of violence and discrimination against women
through advocacy, capacity building, awareness raising and service delivery at all levels of society.

OBJECTIVES
• bring about positive and lasting change by provisions of services that promotes economic,
social and cultural empowerment.
• reduce violence against women through advocacy, capacity building, awareness raising,
and service delivery at all levels of society

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 SERVICES AND PROGRAMS
A) MUKHTAR MAI WOMEN’S RESOURCE CENTRE
Women’s Resource Center was established in 2008 and is based in Meerwala. The Women’s
Resource Centre provides following services and facilities:

SURVIVOR’S RECEPTION, INTAKE & REFERRAL

Resource Centre office provides reception and intake services to the survivors of violence.
MMWWO estimates 400 to 500 intakes of cases every year at the Centre.

The staff prepares necessary documentation and files of each complaint and shall refer the cases
to the relevant departments of MMWWO e.g. for legal aid, shelter, medical treatment,
psychological support etc and also refers cases to various state departments e.g. Land
department, police etc.

During 2007 MMWWO has provided legal & para aid and shelter to at least 479 cases of women
through Mukthar Mai Women’s Resource Centre and Shelter Home and free education to
hundreds of girls in the remote areas of Jatoi. The cases of women’s rights violations included
domestic violence, rape, murder, forced & child marriage, acid burning, abduction, police
highhandedness.

The cases which didn’t involve the litigation were referred to various government departments and
institution for redress e.g. police station to register FIR, Land department for issues related to land
etc.

HOTLINE SERVICE- a telephone service for the survivors

Hotline provide telephone service for the survivors including initial intake, provision of information
and identification of cases for services including emergency response, shelter, medical, legal, and
psychological. However the services are not provided over the phone and are referred to the
services offered in the Resource Centre.

MOBILE UNIT- a transportation service for the survivors

Mobile Unit is a transportation system to respond to emergency cases, transport of staff and
beneficiaries to the hospital, courts, & lawyers etc. The transportation is available to the survivors
in the Muzaffargarh and Multan districts in emergency conditions e.g. women in the shelter
(pregnant women & other medical emergencies; court proceedings), on call for an immediate
response to the cases of the women victims to save their lives e.g. honour killing, domestic
violence, vani etc. Social worker, lawyer & security guard accompany the mobile unit as per need.

RESOURCE LIBRARY
MMWWO has set up a Resource Library and initially a room has been dedicated in the Resource
Centre with furniture, some books and magazines.

The availability of the library in one of the most remote area of South Punjab shall contribute in
capacity building of the MMWWO staff, teachers and students at Mukhtar Mai Model Girls School.
The library shall also provide opportunities to the college & university students, researchers,
journalists, NGOs, CBOs, social worker and human rights activists.
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B) MUKHTAR MAI WOMEN’S SHELTER HOME
Establish in 2006, the Mukhtar Mai Women's Shelter Home is a home for women subjected to
violence and are in need of shelter and services that help them transition into normal life.

Shelter Home is located at village Meerwala about 150 km from Multan, the most populated city of
Southern Punjab Region of Pakistan. The region is one of the most deprived areas in terms of
human development and the violence against women remains at high ranking.

Started from the bedroom of Mukhtar Mai in 2002, where the women survivors used to sleep on
the floor beside her, the Shelter Home has now turned into a structured and maintained home with
services available to the women.

In less than six years, this nonprofit home has assisted hundreds of women, mostly survivors of
domestic violence, rape, crimes in the name honour, child marriages, acid throwing and forced &
exchange marriages etc.

The facility can accommodate up to 40 women and 10 to 15 children at a time and has been
operating at full capacity since opening in 2006 as a shelter home.

Shelter Home provides immediate shelter, medical and legal aid, psychological counseling,
rehabilitation, access to media and justice system in coordination with Mukhtar Mai Women’s
Resource Centre. The details of the services are as follows:

SHELTER AND DAILY NECESSITIES (food, clothing and daily commodities)

Upon entry into Shelter Home, each resident provides with food, clothing and daily commodities.
The children accompanying their mother also avail these facilities.

The women are provided with the lawyer to advocate their cases in the courts or other legal
matters. The files are maintained for each resident by the staff in a safe and secure location. The
residents are provided with transportation facility for pursuing their cases in the courts.

LONG TERM SUPPORT

Long-term support is available for the women who have been exposed to violence. In some cases
this support may have to continue for a year or more. Because generally after leaving a violent
relationship, a woman may undergo psychic crises and depression and it is important to make
long-term therapy available to such women free of charge.

MEDICAL TREATMENT & PSYCHOLOGICAL COUNSELLING

Shelter Home provides the battered women with medical treatment to respond to the physical
violence and psychological counseling to deal with the effects on the mental health.

A hospital and doctors are in contact to deal with the complicated health issues (pregnancy
complications & deliveries etc.) and required medical tests.

C) MUKHTAR MAI GIRLS MODEL SCHOOL

MMWWO believes that access to quality education for girls is essential for guaranteeing women
full exercise of their civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights.

Mukhtar Mai opened first school in 2003 with only a few students without any building which has
been turned into Mukhtar Mai Girls Model School with at least 700 girl students.

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The school is providing free education with free books, uniforms and pick & drop facility with the
generous support of generous people in and out side Pakistan. Institutional support is provided by
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

ADVOCACY AND AWARENESS ON WOMEN’S RIGHTS

Advocacy for the protection and promotion of women’s rights through seminars, conferences,
training workshops, printed material to enhance awareness and sensitization among all
stakeholders including police leaders, media, educators, health professionals, parliamentarians
etc.

MMWWO is currently collaborating with Rohi TV Channel, a Seriki Channel telecasted in 72

countries for the protection and promotion of women’s rights. Rohi TV telecasts a talk show
weekly named “Insaf Kaun Kraesi (who will do the justice), featuring Mukhtar Bibi, President of
MMWWO and discuss women’s issues especially the cases and incidents of violence against
women.

One hour duration show is telecasted on every Thursday at 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The TV team
prepares a case study focusing women’s right s abuses e.g. domestic violence, gang rape, acid
burning etc. and Mukhtar give her expert opinion and respond to the questions and different
stakeholders e.g. police officials, elected representatives are also questioned live during the show.

FUTURE PLANS
• Continuity of the current services and advocacy & awareness programs
• Enhancing linkages and networking
• Establishment of Mukhtar Mai Girls Primary School in remote rural areas of South Punjab
• Adult Education Centre for Women
• Vocational Training Centre for Women
• Promotion of volunteerism to support women’s rights
• Establishment of a Basic Health Care Centre

Mukhtar Mai Women’s Welfare

Organization
Mouza Meerwala, Tehsil Jatoi, District Muzaffargarh
+92-66-2006325, 0300-7484261
bibi@mukhtarmai.org
Email: mukhtarmaimmwwo@yahoo.com