Achievements

Under the Devolution Plan of the Government after takeover on 12^th October 1999, the department decentralized / devolved its administrative / financial entities down to the District level, thus facilitating the people to solve their problems within their own district level. Prior to 12^th October 99, there UCD /RCD Projects providing social welfare services at community level through Industrial Training Centres & other community bases tiers. These Projects were unable to cover the needs of the whole province and it was necessary to enhance departmental set up to new districts. A methodology was devised by deputing Social Welfare Officers as District Officers (Social Welfare & Community Development) in all the 24 districts of the province.
Social Welfare services have been posted to rest of the 7 districts (Shangla, Upper Dir, Kohistan, Hangu, Tank and Battagram) of the province where District Offices have been established for the purpose under the Devolution plan.
A Planning Officer is now in place & preparing developmental plans for the department.
0To streamline / coordinate activities pertaining to women & children, Women Development Wing of Population Welfare Department was detached and attached with Social Welfare Department.
An Institutional Reform Cell has been established in Directorate of Social Welfare & Women Development under the Institutional Reform Strategies, sponsored by Asian Development Bank through P&D Department. The main aim of the Cell is to study the existing organizational setup / functions of the department and to recommend the essential reforms therein.
Increase in the number of students in Special Education Institutions and Industrial training Centres.
Posts of 39 Social Welfare Officers upgraded from BPS-16 to BPS-17 in order to motivate them to perform their functions with zeal & enthusiasm and also bring their posts at par with other district departments.
The following surveys under taken; (a) Street Children (b) Aging Persons (c) Welfare Homes
De-registered 365 dormant / dead NGOs as per Governor's directives The aim was to convey a message to those CBOs/NGOs that these would get benefits from the government institutions & donor agencies.
The skilled special persons repaired 500 units of furniture without incurring any expenditure.
41 posts of various cadres in Special education institutions were abolished thus saved a handsome amount for the government ex-chequer.

Other achievements

Shifted Welfare Homes, Charsadda and Nowshera to Kohat and Abbotabad to avoid duplication of services and availability at places where these were not available.
All the Social Welfare & Special education institutions are now working under supervision & control of District Officers in line with devolution plan facilitating execution of administrative / financial powers at district level.
Distributed sewing machines received from the ex-Deputy Commissioner, Peshawar amongst deserving individual females / NGOs for economic uplift of a poor / community.
Distributed the following mobility and hearing aid / financial assistance out of National Council for the Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons (NCRDP) funds

1) Hearing aids 2) Wheel chairs 3) Tri-cycles 4) Sewing machines 5) Financial assistants

Deserving Widows and Special Persons Welfare Foundation Act, 2014

Recently, the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has passed an Ordinance, titled: “The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Deserving Widows and Special Persons Welfare Foundation Ordinance, 2013”. The Ordinance ibid provides for the establishment of a Foundation. The Foundation shall be governed by a Board of Governors, consisting of a Chairperson and other members. Sub-section 2 of Section 4 of the said Ordinance further states that The Chairperson shall be appointed on such terms & conditions as may be determined by Government on the recommendations of a Search Committee to be constituted and notified by Government.

Functions and Objectives of the Foundation:

The main objective of the Foundation is to take all such measures as it deems necessary for the well being, assistance and rehabilitation of deserving Widows & Special Persons in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province.
Without prejudice to the generality of the objective mentioned above, other objectives of the Foundation are:

To give financial assistance to the indigent, needy and deserving widows & special persons.
To improve the life standard of deserving widows & special persons through formal and non-formal schooling,vocational training, micro-financing or any other possible source of rehabilitation i.e. shelter, food assistance,health care etc.
To enable the deserving widows & special persons to play their due role in the national development.
To mobilize and motivate the general public for all kind of contribution for the well- being of the deserving widows & special Persons.
To generate resources for the well-being of deserving widows & special persons.
To coordinate with philanthropists, individuals / organization for the well-being of
deserving widows & special persons.
To search more and more avenues at all levels to accommodate the needy and
indigent deserving widows & special persons.
To introduce innovative programs related to skill oriented discipline for the brilliant deserving special persons and widows.

Fund of the foundation

The Foundation shall also have a “Fund”. Initially, the Provincial Government shall contribute Rs. 500 (Million) to this Fund i.e. 250 million from the Provincial exchequer and 250 million from the Provincial Zakat Council.

Establishment of the Office of Ombudsmen under the Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2010

Social Welfare, Special Education & Women Empowerment Department as a focal machinery for protection of the rights and welfare of women have already taken the requisite measures for implementation of the Protection Against Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2010 in the Province. All Government Departments, Autonomous, Semi-Autonomous Bodies and their subordinate Offices have time and again been directed to take steps for implementation of the Act in letter and spirit.

Provincial Watch Committee has been notified with the following objectives:

Mobilize, support from Government offices to intervene and expedite the implementation process under Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010;
Ensure coordination between all stakeholders, donor partners, Government Organization, Private Sector, Civil Society, Working Women and Media with the aim of collecting information, maintaining and monitoring data base, developing linkage and disseminating educational information.
Facilitate and Monitor full compliance of organizations with the said Act.
Ensure sensitization of the law enforcing agencies and facilitate a few harassment cases that can set precedence.
Engage with relevant Government Departments to oversee setting up of the office of the Ombudsperson.

Promulgation of Senior Citizen Ordinance, 2014

To provide for the well-being, comfort and dignity of the Senior Citizens of the Province, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Senior Citizen Ordinance, 2014 has been promulgated.

Establishment of District Committees on the Status of Women

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Provincial Commission on the Status of Women Act provides for constitution of District Committees. The constitution of eleven District Committees in various Districts of the Province has been notified vide this Department's Notification No. GS-I(SWD)/2-9/DCSW/2014, dated 19/9/2014, with provision of Rs. 11.00 million (Rs. 1.00 million for each District Committee) which when functionalized will provide an effective platform for implementation of the Act at the District level.

Gender Reform Action Plan (GRAP)

Women are about 50.3% of the population In KP. They have very little say in socio-economic decision making, prone to all types of exploitation, discrimination and domestic violence, economic subjugation. The Provincial Government has given priority to the development and empowerment of women in the Province. Implementation of the Gender Reforms Action Plan will play key role in the socio-economic empowerment and protection of women. The present Government has intended to implement the recommendations mentioned in the GRAP report which are in harmony with socio-cultural environment of the province. The project has following objectives

OBJECTIVES:

To promote gender enabling environment in the public as well as at society level
To revise and redirect rules of business of public sector organizations in line with gender parity.
To promote women participation in polices as well as in public services.
To sensitize all public sectors policies making bodies and operations to allocate funds for gender equality in their respective sectors.
To protect working women both in the public and private sectors
To extend legal awareness and support to the needy women folk in the province
To promote research and monitoring on the gender disparity in the province
To build capacity of the Gender cell SWD KP, Govt: Officers and MPAs.
To establish Gender Studies Departments in universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
To promote carrier guidance to students