Mushaal says WPRC providing early response to violence victims

SAPM reveals centres extending medical, legal, psychological support, rehabilitation services

ISLAMABAD:

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Human Rights and Women Empowerment Mushaal Hussein Mullik on Friday said the Women Protection and Rehabilitation Centres (WPRC) were providing early and prompt response to the victims of violence at all levels.

Mushaal said the WPRC working at the federal, provincial and district levels, had been providing early response to the victims of violence by extending medical, legal, psychological support and rehabilitation services.

She was addressing the launch of 16-day Awareness Campaign ‘Activism Against Gender-Based Violence’ including a Transit Advertising Campaign, organised by the Ministry of Human Rights.

The advertising campaign will kick start by Nov 25 in collaboration with the Ministry of Railways and with the support of UN Women Pakistan.

Highlighting the importance of the promotion and protection of women's rights, the SAPM said that the Ministry of Human Rights was reviewing laws and policies with regard to women's protection.

She informed that Zainab Alert Response and Recovery Act, 2020; Enforcement of Women Property Rights Act 2020; The Anti Rape (Investigation and Trial) Act 2021; and the Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace (Amendment) Act, 2022 were the significant legislations, aimed at protecting women.

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Mushaal said the federal government had enacted the Legal Aid and Justice Authority Act, 2020 to provide legal, financial, and other forms of assistance to vulnerable groups, including women, in criminal cases. The human rights relief and revolving funds had been established in order to provide financial assistance to the victims of human rights violations, she added.

She informed the forum that the Ministry of Human Rights had also initiated a National Policy on Ending Violence against Women.

The SAPM stressed the importance of the collection of quantitative and qualitative data on the status of women, building partnerships with key line departments and civil society organisations to facilitate women’s access to legal and justice systems.

Mushaal said that being a strong advocate of gender equality, she had initiated a 100-day Action Plan to support human rights and women empowerment in the country.

The SAPM further added that she was focused on highlighting human rights violations in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Palestine on national and international forums.

Talking about the Transit Advertising Campaign, Mushaal said that the campaign was a powerful tool to disseminate crucial information on themes such as Zainab Alert, the rights of transgender persons, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities.

The campaign would greatly help to connect with diverse audiences, spread awareness, and catalyse social and behavioral change.