SAFETY and security concerns have been raised as two government run shelters are located in an area that has turned into an excessively commercial district.
Dar Al Aman shelter for abused women and Dar Al Karama shelter for the homeless are located in a three-storey building in Tubli on the road parallel to the Shaikh Khalifa Bin Salman Highway.
The shelters, which operate under the Labour and Social Development Ministry, are scheduled to be relocated to a new complex in Hamad Town by the end of 2022.
However, Dar Al Aman head Dr Huda Al Mahmood told the GDN that concerns surrounding the shelters needed to be addressed immediately – adding that the relocation timeline was too far into the future.
“This place has become way too commercial to be accommodating these two social centres,” she said.
“As we know, the people who come here are having various problems and they need a place that would ideally help them calm down.
“Such centres should have some open space where they can relax, which is a main part of the rehabilitation process.
“Over the years this area has developed, with many different shops which bring in a lot of traffic.”
Both facilities only feature rooms to accommodate people who are referred through the police and include women, children and men.
Those who are homeless, lose their belongings in incidents such as fires or are kicked out of their house due to disputes, are taken to Dar Al Karama, while Dar Al Aman shelters women who are victims of abuse.
“There are security issues as it is a really congested area as well as a hygiene issue with restaurants all around,” explained Dr Al Mahmood.
“There is one (restaurant) on the ground floor of the shelter complex, which is a major issue as the shelter rooms are always filled with smoke, smell of food and foul smell from garbage piling up on the street corner.
“The only option now is to move the shelters to a different location, which should be far with open space and recreational facilities.
“We are glad that we are moving into the new complex by the end of 2022, but that is a long wait and we have informed (Labour and Social Development) Minister Jameel Humaidan of our concerns.”
The GDN reported last week that the shelters were scheduled to be relocated to a BD7.18 million Social Care Complex for Rehabilitation in Hamad Town.
The complex will comprise separate sections for both the shelters, the Elderly Day Care Centre which is currently in Muharraq, and the Child Welfare Home that is located in Barbar.
The project is also expected to house a shelter for boys aged between 10 and 17 who currently have no place to go, despite the Family Protection Law highlighting this crisis.
The project is part of five major social development projects worth BD24 million taking place in the country.
The others are the BD7.5m comprehensive complex for the disabled in A’ali which is scheduled to be fully operational by early next year, the BD7.18m Isa Town Social Services Complex, a BD1.1m social centre in Budaiya to accommodate 550 citizens a day, and a BD343,000 day club for senior citizens in Jidhafs. All the projects are part of the Government Action Plan 2019-2022.
raji@gdn.com.bh
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