Gender violence: Helpline sought for filing complaints
Govt’s failure to implement laws held responsible for rise in incidents.
FAISALABAD:
The government needs to set up a helpline number for victims of gender-based violence to file their complaints with the law-enforcement agencies, Peace and Human Development (PHD) Foundation director Suneel Malik said on Monday.
He was speaking at a seminar on Equal Rights and Opportunities for Empowerment of Women in Faisalabad.
He said that media, politicians and religious scholars needed to come together and campaign for the eradication of violence against women.
AWAM coordinator Shazia George said incidents of violence against women were on the rise because of the government’s failure to enforce the law.
She said another cause of this trend was the widespread acceptance for the crime in the society.
District Officer (Social Welfare) Sarfraz Ahmed stressed the need for women to get together on a platform and launch a joint struggle for their rights.
He said people should be educated about the rights of women in order for the legislations on gender-based violence to be effective.
The seminar was attended by representatives of PHD Foundation, CARE Foundation, MAIMAR and HEDO.
Speakers also included MPA Rana Afzal Khan, MPA Joel Amir Sahotra, Yousaf Adnan, Gul Pervez Akhter Ghauri, Dr Rashida Shafiq, Fouzia Kanwal, Dr Sumaira Shahzadi and Imrana Munir.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 14th, 2012.
The government needs to set up a helpline number for victims of gender-based violence to file their complaints with the law-enforcement agencies, Peace and Human Development (PHD) Foundation director Suneel Malik said on Monday.
He was speaking at a seminar on Equal Rights and Opportunities for Empowerment of Women in Faisalabad.
He said that media, politicians and religious scholars needed to come together and campaign for the eradication of violence against women.
AWAM coordinator Shazia George said incidents of violence against women were on the rise because of the government’s failure to enforce the law.
She said another cause of this trend was the widespread acceptance for the crime in the society.
District Officer (Social Welfare) Sarfraz Ahmed stressed the need for women to get together on a platform and launch a joint struggle for their rights.
He said people should be educated about the rights of women in order for the legislations on gender-based violence to be effective.
The seminar was attended by representatives of PHD Foundation, CARE Foundation, MAIMAR and HEDO.
Speakers also included MPA Rana Afzal Khan, MPA Joel Amir Sahotra, Yousaf Adnan, Gul Pervez Akhter Ghauri, Dr Rashida Shafiq, Fouzia Kanwal, Dr Sumaira Shahzadi and Imrana Munir.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 14th, 2012.