Pakistan launches its First Line of Defence for Vulnerable Women
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Author: Faria Salman
Daily, 6 women are (or attempted to be) murdered, 8 are raped, 11 are battered and assaulted, 32 women are abducted, and the overall conviction rate is 1-2.5 (source: Province of Punjab’s Deputy Inspector-General of Police Investigation Branch 2013).
Across Pakistan and throughout the world, the reported cases of violence against women and girls are increasing with every passing minute and the conviction rate for such cases remains low. The Gender Crime Cells of the National Police Bureau, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and other media based reports reveal that violence against women and girls is endemic, often takes extreme forms resulting in fatalities, and that perpetrators range from intimate partner’s and family members to strangers. These abuses limit women’s freedom as equal citizens to enjoy the urban/rural environment, and to exercise their rights to education, work, recreation, collective organization and participation in political life. Despite disrupting the lives of countless women and girls, this pattern of abuse is widely tolerated as a regular feature of life.
Given that the shocking number of incidences of gender-based harassment and violence in the Province of Punjab, is reportedly the highest in Pakistan, it has become all the more important to act effectively to curb the menace. Despite existing response services, multi-sectoral coordination mechanisms remain a challenge.
Pakistan’s first ever “one-stop” Violence Against Women Centre (VAWC) was launched with a ground-breaking ceremony at the Social Welfare Complex in Multan City, Province of Punjab on 28 October 2015. Multan’s VAWC will open in March 2016, and is expected to be followed by 34 similar centres in locations where rates of violence against women are highest. The VAWCs, an initiative of the Chief Minister’s Special Monitoring Unit (Law and Order), Government of Punjab, will be the first line of defence for vulnerable women in the province due its rampant cases of violence against women and abysmally low conviction rate. VAWCs will bring together under one roof, all ‘justice delivery’ services for women victims, such as first aid, police reporting, legal aid and advice, prosecution, medical examination, forensics and post-trauma rehabilitation. The 24-hour open centres will provide immediate relief and protection in an all-women run facility, and play a preventive role in raising public awareness and lead interventions in communities where complaints are received.
Laying the foundations of the first VAWC is one of the Punjab Government’s steps to implement the “Punjab Protection of Women Against Violence Bill 2015” and demonstrates the Government’s resolve to address violence against women.
UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, under its ‘Safe Cities Global Initiative’ to make safe spaces for women a reality is supporting the VAWC initiative of the Chief Minister’s Special Monitoring Unit (Law and Order), Government of Punjab. Mr. Salman Sufi, Senior Member Law and Order for Punjab, has been working in close collaboration with UN Women on Multan’s VAWC model to support and respond to women and girl survivors of violence as an exemplary approach to facilitating comprehensive and ethical care for survivors, and to bring the Safe Cities initiative to Pakistan.
Speaking at the ground-breaking event, Mr. Jamshed Kazi, Country Representative for UN Women Pakistan stated: “We know that violence against women and girls is not only prudent in the homes but in public spaces – streets, buses, trains, schools, parks, public toilets, fields, markets - in both urban and rural settings. To achieve a safe city and safe public spaces, a successful one stop centre providing all justice delivery services for women of violence including the conviction of perpetrators and sensitization of men and boys, is a must. The creation of Pakistan’s first Violence Against Women Centre in Multan will be rendered even more effective if we take a more holistic approach that does not only address violence that has happened but also works to prevent it from happening in the first place.”
In her address, the Provincial Minister for Population Welfare and Chief Guest, Ms. Begum Zakia Shahnawaz shared: “I support this initiative undertaken by Special Monitoring Unit Law and Order as it not only provides a comprehensive justice delivery mechanism that aims to hold the perpetrators of crimes accountable for their heinous crimes but aims to provide shelters and post-trauma rehabilitation for women victims of violence. It is high time that justice be delivered in Pakistan and rights of women be guaranteed”.
The High Commissioner of Canada, Ms. Heather Cruden, acknowledged the efforts of the Punjab Government to decrease vulnerabilities of women at risk and said: “the project will facilitate the overall commitments of Pakistan towards protecting and promoting women’s and girls’ rights in all settings.”
In her speech, the Australian High Commissioner, Ms. Margaret Adamson shared: “Investing in gender responsive social services to address violence against women has been identified by UN Women as one of ten priorities for public action. I therefore commend the Government of Punjab on its initiative to pilot a ‘one stop shop’ model to provide safe support to women and girls who are survivors of violence.”
Netherlands Deputy Head of Mission, Ms. Renate Pors said: “A woman who is a victim of violence will always be a victim; however, with proper treatment she will be able to regain her future and does not have to suffer the rest of her life. This Center is making this possible for her. The Netherlands applaud the initiative by the Punjab Government.”
This landmark event was also attended by members of the Punjab Legislative Assembly, Secretary of Punjab’s Women’s Development Department, Chairperson of the Punjab Commission on the Status of Women, and representatives from the Punjab police and civil society.