1st Social Welfare Policy in Pakistan 1955

Source: Shireen Rehmatullah. (2002). Social Welfare in Pakistan. Karachi: Oxford University Press

Functions of Social Welfare• As a first step towards social policy, the basic function of

social welfare was defined by Dr. F. De. Jongh as • “to help people to adjust to the social problems of

life.” • What these functions practically include, depends on the

total situation of the community and practically on its unmet needs. So the concept of social welfare is

• “to help people to help themselves either by organizing self-help or by helping them to locate resources, or by working with them directly or creating new agencies of help.”

Prevailing Social Problems

1. Poverty; 2. Lack of education;3. Ill-health, bad sanitation, and bad nutrition habits;4. Bad housing;5. Maladjustment of groups and individuals to new

conditions of life; 6. Lack of services for socially endangered groups;

and 7. Lack of group work and recreation facilities.

Elements of Social Policy

1. A community development programme; 2. A programme to stimulate the development of

private agencies;3. A programme to stimulate the development of

social welfare programme in the provinces and local authorities (i.e. decentralization of social welfare);

4. A new housing policy; and 5. A new extended programme for labour protection.

Criticism

1. Neglecting Islamic Welfare System2. Voluntary agencies gained momentum3. It fell into the hands of bureaucracy4. Imposition of Marshall Law