Gender-based violence: Implementation of laws always remained ‘challenging’: speakers

LAHORE: Speakers at a seminar while underscoring the need for introducing judicial reforms, especially with regards to gender-based violence, have regretted that several laws and institutions were established to protect the victims but the implementation in letter and spirit always remained “challenging”.

The seminar was organised by Lahore police at the Alhamra Arts Council on Monday to create awareness among the people regarding “Women Safety App” and “Women Anti-Harassment and Violence Cells” which were being established across Punjab to curb gender-based violence.

In his opening address, Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Ghulam Mahmood Dogar expressed his deep concern over increasing trend of gender-based violence in society and said that sexual harassment and violence against women is a devastating human rights violation of the present era which largely remained unreported in the past.

“It was necessary for the victims to raise their voice against any harassment or violence and get police help to bring the perpetrators to justice,” he said, adding that the seminar was organised to engage all segments of society to share their ideas and suggest a joint strategy for elimination of this nuisance with coordinated efforts.

About the police’s strategic measures to deal with such crimes, the CCPO underlined several initiatives and said that “Women Safety App” is one such measure through which the assault survivors can lodge their complaints with police online without visiting any police station.

He said that swift registration of FIRs against every crime is being ensured while investigation in gender-based crimes was also being looked into on priority basis. In case of any attempted harassment, the victims can get a “quick” police response through the women safety app as its built-in location facility would allow the police to trace the location of women being harassed or tortured, he added.

Dogar further said that a dedicated helpline 1242 has also been established by the Lahore police through which the aggrieved person can directly approach the CCPO office for redressal. He added that six “Gender Crime Cells” have so far been linked with the women anti-harassment and violence cells which will ensure surveillance of habitual criminals and mapping of the hotspot areas of gender-based crimes.

According to Dogar, feedbacks of victims will also be sought regarding the entire process of assistance provided by the women anti-harassment and violence cells. “Lahore police will fully support the victims of gender-based violence and will not leave any stone unturned to bring the involved culprits to justice,” he pledged.

Provincial Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Raja Basharat strongly condemned the recent incidents of sexual harassment and violence against women and said that the Punjab government has taken “concrete steps” to protect the rights and dignity of women.

“We are bringing reforms in the judicial system for which we needed cooperation of Bars and Benches of all courts so as to bring culprits to justice and improve monitoring in such cases,” the law minister disclosed and observed that institutions and laws exist already, but their implementation in letter and spirit was the need of the hour.

He said that Women Crisis Centres, Punjab Women Protection Authority, Women Development Task Force, Women Police stations and a legal framework against domestic violence were already in place but the implementation of a coordinated policy was lacking.

Basharat stressed upon the need for creating assure social justice in the society and making the female community aware of their rights. He said the media and civil society should also highlight positive aspects of police in service delivery and community policing and raise voice jointly against the condemnable persons involved in crimes against women.

Former Justice Nasira Iqbal said the judicial process should be improved and accelerated with speedy trial in gender-based crimes. She demanded increase in women police stations and women personnel at police stations so that victims of sexual harassment could easily communicate with the female officers and lodge their complaints without any shame and male pressure.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Religious Harmony Allama Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi while assuring “full cooperation of Ulemas” in curbing gender-based crimes said: “Our women are our pride and Islam safeguards the rights of women and gives them the assurance to progress in every sphere of life using their best skills and capabilities.”

Lahore College for Women University Vice Chancellor Dr Bushra Mirza said we have to educate morality to our youth so that they respect women and react positively and struggle jointly as a civilized society. Provincial Women Development Minister Ashifa Riaz Fatyana, Punjab Women Protection Authority Chairperson Fatima Chadhar, President Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry Tariq Misbah, Lahore Bar Association President Maqsood Buttar and a large number civil society members and students participated in the seminar.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021