Gender-based violence is not an issue of one person: Hameeda Waheed

Lahore: Minister Women Development Begum Hameeda Wahid said that women are our future, The Punjab government has shown a strong political will to prevent and fight Gender-Based Violence (GBV) through implementing Women Empowerment Packages 2014 & 2015.

She was addressing on the launching ceremony of GBV free District Kasur.

Hameeda Waheed said that ‘Gender Based Violence free District’ initiative will take this effort forward by focusing on identifying entry points at district level to eliminate gender based violence  in a holistic and comprehensive manner around various levels and areas of interventions as well with multi stakeholder approach.  Inshallah Punjab Assembly commencing session will encompass the women protection bill. GBV is not an issue of one institution; it requires everyone’s effort to eliminate it.

Adnan Arshad, DCO Kasur said that Kasur district administration is ensuring 100% implementing pro-women laws with full commitment. We had resolved the women inheritance property rights even 45 years old cases.

 Ali Nasir Rizvi, DPO Kasur said, Police department had made gender sensitive all 25 police stations Kasur. He told 2138 police officials are ready to make violence free district.

Arif Jabbar, country director said that Oxfam is working since 1973. Oxfam is continuing assistance in a various strategies and standards such as Oxfam Pakistan Country Strategy – 2015-2020; humanitarian strategy 2020; gender minimum standards in Emergency, and strategy on women rights in humanitarian programming.

Amna Imam, Secretary Women Development said that the challenges in addressing GBV require a holistic and multi-dimensional approach focusing mainly on behavior change, economic empowerment of women and a stronger coordination, monitoring and evaluation of interventions of all stakeholders working in GBV. The phenomenon is related to the different forms of gender-based violence against women both in public and in private spaces.

Munno Bhai well-known columnist and drama writer said it is shame for us being resident of very developed province of Punjab in which most of the crimes against women happened during last year. We should treat women as human being.  Give equal status and do not show kindness and in courteous. Famous drama-writer Haseena Moeen said only education can bring change in our society to attain violence free society.  She cherished the struggle of Ms. Nigar Ahmed executive director Aurat Foundation for women empowerment in Pakistan.

Ms. Mumtaz Mughal, provincial manager of said that this situation has marked Pakistan as ‘off-track’ on the global obligations and Pakistan is ranked 2^nd worse country in Gender Gap Report, 2013. According to the last six months data on violence against women gathered by Aurat Foundation, 2926 cases have been reported. She added that gender inequality is an equal issue for men. GBV cases should be speeded up and implementation of courts and administrative decisions should be accelerated.

Speakers said that women are highly economically dependent on their male counterparts in developing regions. This will be a unique programme as it is for the first time that the ‘GBV free City/District’ concept will be tested and developed in Pakistan, and we are manifest visible positive change. MPA Merry Gul, Asim Malik, Director Aurat Foundation, Azhar Balouch, Basit Farooq, Waqas Abid, Jamshed Karim, Anjum Rafiq, Dr. Amna Imam, Ali Nasir Rizwi, Farhan Baig, also spoke in this event.