SHARP; a Non-Governmental Organization is working in Pakistan, as a humanitarian group, for the uplift of human rights in the country. SHARP is working with the mission to “strive for a human rights friendly Pakistan.”

SHARP was initially assigned registration of the Afghan refugees and non-Afghan asylum seekers in the year 1999 and later on in 2001 when UNHCR started screening of Afghan refugees in NWFP camps, SHARP was selected as a partner for the said programmed. SHARP hence assists UNHCR, in registration of the asylum seekers that compliments the Refugee Status Determination (RSD) of the asylum seekers and refugees through its legal assistance project. As an implementing partner of UNHCR, SHARP registers all refugees and asylum seekers approaching UNHCR for protection. All such cases are referred to SHARP where an experienced team of Legal staff collects the basic information of the applicant and hence registers them accordingly. After registration their cases are sent to UNHCR for further processing.

In the year 2002, SHARP assisted UNHCR as an implementing partner in facilitating the returns of Afghan refugees under the voluntary repatriation project. SHARP assisted UNHCR in repatriating 1.5 million Afghan refugees from NWFP, Sind, Punjab and Islamabad.

During the repatriation of Afghan refugees, it was envisioned that the returnees living in Pakistan for over two decades had lots of socio-legal problems barring them from repatriation. UNHCR then assigned SHARP with a unique project called the Advice and Legal Aid Centre (ALAC) to help returnees in their legal and protection issues, thus removing impediments to their voluntary return. Therefore, ALAC project was then designed to provide returnees and refugees information about their country of origin in order to enable them to make informed decisions as to their return. SHARP runs Advice and Legal Aid Centers (ALAC) for Afghan and non Afghan Refugees and Asylum seekers in different parts of Pakistan through designated offices in Karachi, Lahore, Mianwali and Head office in Islamabad. Advice and Legal Aid Centers (ALACs) have been established in both urban and rural areas close to refugee population concentrations. The objective of ALACs is to provide free legal aid in Legal and socio legal concerns of Refugees and Asylum seekers and counseling, including legal representation, to vulnerable asylum seekers and refugees in Pakistan that are in need of assistance. 

Moreover, SHARP is also currently engaged in registration of the Pakistani IDPs coming in to Islamabad and Punjab from the war affected areas of FATA and NWFP.

Apart from its collaboration with UNHCR, SHARP has also been working in collaboration with the European Commission (strengthening trade unions /child labour), DFID and World Bank (HIV / AIDS prevention), Solidarity Centre (Human Trafficking), Islamic development Bank (vocational training centers for destitute women) and Action Aid (Attorneys of human rights) etc.

For further details about SHARP, please visit: www.sharp-pakistan.org   For inquiries, please email at info@sharp-pakistan.org

SHARP  Islamabad

House # 279-A, Nazim-Ud-din Road ,  Sector F-10/1, Islamabad           

Phone: +92 (0) 51 221 1621, +92 (0) 51 221 1740 -                                    

Fax: +92 (0) 51 221 2773

SHARP Lahore

House # 365, Pak Block, Alama Iqbal Town Lahore .                                    Phone: +91 (0) 42 354 26177 Fax: +92 (0) 42 374 95030

Email:-  lahore@sharp-pakistan.org

SHARP  Mianwali

House#11, Muslim Colony Mianwali                                                          

Phone: +92 (0) 459 235 633 Fax: +92 (0) 459 235 755

SHARP Karachi 

House# 76-B, Block 3, Gulshan-e-Iqbal Karachi Phone: +92 (0) 21 348 11571 Fax: +92 (0) 21 348 12184

Struggle for Change (SACH) is a registered non Governmental, non profitable entity of dedicated professionals working for the rehabilitation and reintegration of the survivors of organized violence and torture, without any discrimination. The organization operates on interdisciplinary and holistic approach and takes into consideration the total well being of the survivors. The organization was established in 1994.

Vision of SACH

The vision of SACH is to see a violence free society, where human beings specially the marginalized sections of society can practice their rights without any fear of being exploited and exposed to violence and torture. 

Legal Status:

• Registered Under Society Act 1860

• NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United nations, NY (ECOSOC)

• Accredited with department of Public Information of the United nations, NY (DPI)

• Council member of International Rehabilitation Council for torture Victims (IRCT)

• Founder Organization for Crisis Center for women in distress under the Ministry of Women Development, Social Welfare and Special Education in 1997

• Expert Committee member for child Rights in Pakistan

• Member of Human Rights Watch Committee for Federal Police.

Mission and Objectives:

• To initiate work for the elimination of all forms of traumatic Human Rights Abuses

• To raise awareness against torture, violence and inhuman treatments and punishments and organize public debates and seminars for advocacy.

• To train professionals to work with victims of torture.

•  To provide feedback to the government on policy implications regarding all forms of institutionalized traumatic Human Rights Abuses.

• To work with a multidisciplinary approach to provide the survivors with services they require and to reach out to the survivors, such as in prisons.

• To coordinate with other national and international Human Right Groups.

Main Activities:

Since 1994, SACH- Struggle for Change is working on violence against women and children’s issue. The organization has focused on violence against women and children issue. The organization is working for the rehabilitation and reintegration of the survivors of violence and torture.
SACH has a well developed rehabilitation program, which provides assistance to the clients by a group of professionals who have acquired special training in the management of violence/torture survivors and families.

SACH has developed a strong network at the grass root level through out reach activities and awareness raising programs on CRC, CEDAW, and CAT.

SACH-Social Counseling and Assistance Center (SCAC) (for non-Afghan refugees)

The project of counseling and assistance to the vulnerable urban refugees has been providing support to both refugees and asylum seekers referred by UNHCR. The project assesses the needs of the refugees and addresses their problems by providing counseling, basic financial subsistence, medical and psychological preventive and curative support, primary education and facilitation for self-reliance and awareness-raising. In addition to ensuring a basic subsistence and survival to the refugees, its particular focus is towards addressing the problems related to gender and age-based violence among the refugee community. The project has specifically focused on prevention (through awareness raising) and rehabilitation of survivors of violence. The issues addressed are domestic violence, violence at workplace and child Labor. The project focuses on the identification and immediate protection of un-accompanied minors.

In addition, the dependency of the refugees [non-Afghans] will be decreased through self reliance by making it mandatory for all the refugees getting subsistence allowance to enhance their skills in a given time period, otherwise their subsistence allowance will be stopped. Through different skills trainings the capacity of the refugees will be strengthened and is sustained by providing small grants after the completion trainings. 

Advice and Legal Aid Center (ALAC) (for Afghan and non-Afghan refugees)

This center was established in 2002 with the objective of providing legal assistance to the Afghan refugees. Activities conducted under the project include, providing legal education, COI and repatriation, sensitization of the communities, police sensitization workshop, issues specific workshops and theatre for development and networking with relevant actors i.e. NGOs, NGOs, Govt. departments Major issues with which the ALAC team is dealing includes arrest U/S 14 Foreign Act, police harassment, child sexual abuse, protection, financial problems, lack of educational facilities, lack of medical facilities and repatriation.  

Nature of the legal cases includes cases under section 14 Foreign Act, Family cases, Money recovery cases.

Contact Details:-

Email: madawa@comsats.net.pk

Fax #: 4447400, 446432

Phone #: 4860698-9
 

Website: www.sachonline.com.pk  

                  www.rahnumai.com

CRS focuses on the following two strategic objectives: a) Afghan refugees in Balochistan make informed decisions regarding their protection/legal assistance needs and b) Government and legal authorities use core legal protection principles to inform their decisions on refugee-related issues. To achieve these objectives, CRS will focus on complementary approaches aimed at providing local government and law enforcement authorities in Balochistan with the skills and knowledge to apply international legal protection standards to the management of the protracted refugee situation in Pakistan and providing information services to refugees regarding their legal rights, protection and repatriation; counseling options; and adequate field monitoring of the situation of vulnerable refugee populations (especially non-POR holders) in Balochistan.

CRS will continue providing these essential services to the Afghan community as well as increase outreach to other communities, ensuring adequate access to protection services that include legal information and assistance to protect against refoulement while they prepare for a more durable solution. CRS is responding to identified needs of both refugees and legal authorities, and project services account for gaps in current assistance approaches to the refugee community. CRS is the only international organization providing counseling and livelihood support services to urban-based refugee populations. Due to its longstanding commitment to working with the refugee population, CRS has built relationships and trust with the communities.  CRS expects to reach 50,000 beneficiaries with its project service.

Address of CRS is as under:

Catholic Relief Services

House # 8, Street 60

F-7/4, Islamabad

Phone: 051: 2873228 2872661

Save the Children (US) in Balochistan supports education in eight refugee villages and healthcare in three villages. There are 25 SC run schools in with the total number of 11,886 students.

Contact info

Quetta Program Office

Ph: 92081-2821549

Fax: 92-81-2838085 

Email add: courier@qta.save & children.org.pk

Taraqee Foundation is a National based NGO currently carrying out activities in 13 districts of Balochistan and NWFP through 35 offices. In Balochistan Taraqee is partner to UNHCR in the primary and reproductive healthcare in five refugee villages.

Contact info

Head Office Quetta

Ph: 92-81-2829416

Fax: 92-81-2829091

Email add: taraqee@taraqee.org

Web link: www.taraqee.org

Society is supporting primary education in two refugee villages in Balochistan with 10 regular schools and 6 home based girls schools where it provides education to more than 2179 students.

Contact info

Sub Office Quetta

Ph: 92-81-440732

Fax: 92-81-440694

Email society@scspeb.org

add: Web link: www.scspeb.org

CRS has worked in Pakistan since 1954. In the last two years, CRS Pakistan has enhanced its emergency activities to respond to the drought, the Afghan refugee crisis and earthquake emergency response and rebuilding process. In Balochistan CRS helps UNHCR facilitate its legal aid programmed called (ILAC) Information and Legal Aid Clinic.

For More Information:

Web link: www.crs.org.pk

North West Frontier Province (NWFP) IPs/NGOs

Frontier Primary Health Care (FPHC)

Through two basic health units and one mobile health unit, FPHC provides primary health care services in the Mardan district of NWFP.

International Rescue Committee (IRC)

This group of governmental and non-governmental charitable organizations from Kuwait provides primary health care in and around Peshawar, and in Malakand Agency. It has five basic health units and 1 mobile health unit.

This UK-registered NGO provides primary education through 48 schools in southern NFWP.
Website: www.iico.org/home-page-eng/joint-reliefcomm-eng.htm

Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS)

PRCS runs a physical rehabilitation/disability program and specialized health referral system throughout NWFP.
Website: www.prcs.org.pk

Save the Children-US (SC-US)

This US branch of the International Save the Children Alliance offers primary health care in Haripur district through four basic health units and two supplementary health units.
Website: www.savethechildren.org

Syed Jamaluddin Afghani Welfare Organization (SJAWO)

SJAWO runs a vocational skills training program for disabled/vulnerable refugees. It has a training centre in Peshawar.

Seven UAAR basic health units provide basic health care in Peshawar.

Commissionerate for Afghan Refugees (CAR)

The Commissioner ate is the overall government coordinating body for Afghan refugees in NWFP. It provides health care through 12 basic health units, and has a primary and post-primary education coordination unit. It also organizes community services and development activities.