Over four months 315 people were interviewed for the report, titled ‘Women in Emergencies’. The PCSW wanted to probe the effects of displacement on women. The report was presented in a consultative session on Tuesday.
Representatives of the Department of Social Welfare as well non-governmental organisations Aurat Foundation, SPARC and others attended the session.
While presenting the results, PSCW’s Umme Kulsoom explained that 45% of the 315 displaced people interviewed at several IDP camps said they had been living there for the past six months.
Around 89% of the women interviewed and 81% of the men said they were unable to meet the financial requirements of their families and are totally dependent on aid, said Kulsoom.
The study revealed that 15% of the displaced women interviewed reported they had been subjected to verbal abuse from their husbands after displacement, a behaviour they said they had not witnessed before they were forced to leave their homes.
Nearly 86% of the displaced women told the research teams they could not go to a doctor for a medical check-up due to social restrictions or poverty.
According to Kulsoom, 16% of women miscarried during displacement, while 17% of women who were pregnant faced medical complications due to the exertion of excessive travelling.
PSCW Chairperson Neelum Toru said Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has faced a number of disasters during the last decade.
“Women and children are the worst affected in emergencies as they are completely dependent on male family members. This study was conducted because there is no organised source of information available on the nature and scale of implications of disasters on women,” said Toru.
She added that the research aimed to forward recommendations to the provincial government so that appropriate measures and administrative reforms and legislation can be formed.
The study recommends that a gender sensitive best practices’ model be developed for displaced persons to facilitate women living in camps. It also urged that women be included in all peace, reconciliation and rehabilitation activities.
A revision of the Return Policy Framework for Fata was also called for to expedite the return of IDPs to their homes. The commission recommended that gender specialists be appointed at field locations to ensure the rights of women and girls are protected, and gender-based abuses and human rights violations are monitored and reported regularly.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 6th,2014.
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@Taimoor: The problem was not created by Nawaz Sheriff, but by Musharraf, Zia Ul Haq and initially by ZA Bhutto. What about the people, they all supported these monsters right from beginning. The sins committed by the religious people and religious leaders are showing results now. Women in Pakistan are slaves, servants and child producing machines. Women are the targets for all the crimes committed by men and men alone.
Shame on PMLN Fed Govt. They didn't prepare properly before launching operation.
Nawaz Sharif deserves to be ousted and hanged simply because of the misery the IDPs are facing due to his incompetency.
This problem is basically created by Fed Govt.
KP govt is doing its best with its limited resources but they should also step up their efforts since this issue is human before political.
Population control, Pakistan style.
Such a shame for the state. The most beautiful of pakistani people are in the most pathetic condition. So for wiping out the terror named Taliban, being created by the Army themselves. Let us see what will happen. But for next two generation of waziristan, the future is only for survival, food and a place to settle. Forget about education, leisure, making property etc.