Structural reforms must to curb gender-based violence
Violence against women is a global phenomenon that needs to be responded with full force and unity, however, structural reforms in the system are needed in societies like Pakistan to deal with this menace.
This was shared during a webinar on ‘Violence against Women and Girls in Pakistan: How to address this shadow pandemic amid Covid-19 and beyond’. The webinar had been organised by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) on Wednesday.
Canadian High Commissioner Wendy Gilmour, while highlighting the global assistance policy of Canada, said that the policy revolves around strengthening of the judicial system and supporting victims of such acts of violence.
“We work with civil society organisations at the grassroots level to build support systems for the victims of gender-based violence,” she shared, adding that destigmatising reporting of rape cases is crucial to ensure victim’s access to justice.
Former chairperson of the National Commission on the Status of Women, Khawar Mumtaz, said that the rising trend of gender-based violence in the society is quite alarming and must be dealt with stern and speedy actions.
”Such incidents are now being reported in the media and highlighted widely, that is a positive sign,” she commented.
Mumtaz added that the lack of seriousness shown by state institutions is a major obstacle in the victim’s access to justice. Therefore, she maintained that it is critical to building the capacity of the people involved in the legal system.
SDPI Executive Director Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri said that the annual two-week campaign, ‘16 Days of Activism’, was a much-needed initiative. However, given the intensity of violence against women in our society, he said that there is a need to work on these issues with the same zeal throughout the year.
“Amidst the novel coronavirus (Covid-19), increased reliance on the internet and expensive gadgets for connectivity has highlighted the pertinent issue of digital inequality,” Dr Suleri stated, adding that the number of out-of-school-children, especially girls, has increased due to the pandemic and needs to be addressed urgently.
Member of National Assembly Romina Khurshid Alam emphasised that policymakers, especially women lawmakers, and civil society organisations need to work together to address the structural gaps.
“We need to focus on the real issues and improve the capacity of institutions for better implementation of laws,” she stressed.
Former Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) secretary-general Fauzia Shahid mentioned that after 1977, the society has systematically become anti-women. This ultimately fanned gender-based violence in the country.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 3rd, 2020.