Representatives of women rights organisation have underlined that the weak implementation of binding laws on protection of women rights as the root causes of the growing incidents of violence against women (VAW) in the society, saying that the violence ratio was considerably grown over the past four years in the country.
"Women are much vulnerable to raise voice for their legitimate rights despite promulgation of the law in this regard, said Shabeena Ayaz, resident director, Aurat Foundation, while speaking at a report launching ceremony of "Policy and Data Monitor on Violence against Women (VAW)" at Peshawar Press Club on Thursday.
On the occasion, PDM VAW regional co-ordinator, Ms Sheireen Javed, representative from UNWOMEN, CAMP, and other co-partners of the project were present. Ms Shabeena attributed that the report had been dedicated to Farida Afridi for their services in highlighting the women issues. She said that the figure of VAW were beyond the reported cases as a large number of cases are not reported due to certain reasons.
"Our report was totally based on media reports and registered cases in crisis centres", she informed, added that women were deprived in getting their legitimate rights. Though, she said that more than seven laws had been promulgated with the passage of time, but there wasn't any practical implementation in this regard. The state is responsible to strictly implement the biding laws for ensuring protection of women rights, she added. She regretted that it couldn't happen because of which violence cases are increasing every year in the country.
Ms Shabeena said the District Police officers are ignorant about the promulgation of laws on women rights, how it possible to implement properly, she questioned. "Our basic objective of launching report every year to bring down VAW cases with support of media and other relevant women rights organisations, she informed.
While giving statistical details about the VAW during 2011, Ms Sheireen Javed said that a total of 8,539 cases of violence against women were reported, out of which 694 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 1,316 in Sindh, 6,188 in Punjab and 193 in Balochistan and 148 in Islamabad Capital Territories (ICT).
Explaining the statistical data of different forms of VAW, she informed that a total of 2,089 cases of abduction/kidnapping were reported during 2011, with higher number of 1,846 in Punjab, 152 in Sindh, 47 in KP, 17 in Balochistan, and 27 in Islamabad.
Similarly, she said that about 1,575 cases of women murder were reported, out of which 897 in Punjab, 225 in Sindh, 341 in KP, 49 in Balochistan, 34 in Islamabad. "A total of 827 cases of rape/gang-rape, have been reported, out of which 374 in Punjab, 68 in Sindh, seven in KP, 10 in Balochistan, eight in Islamabad, she said according to the report.
The report further revealed that more than 758 case of suicide were reported, in which 533 in Punjab, 117 in Sindh, 83 in KP, 16 in Balochistan and nine in Islamabad. Likewise, as many as 705 cases of honour killing have been reported, in which 322 in Punjab, 266 in Sindh, 30 in KP, 86 in Balochistan, and only one case in Islamabad.
According to report, she said a total of 610 cases of domestic violence have been reported, including 348 in Punjab, 137 in Sindh, 104 in KP, 21 in Islamabad, but no case was appeared in Balochistan province. More than 110 cases of sexual assaults have been reported in which 64 in Punjab, 41 in Sindh, five in Islamabad, while no case was reported in KP and Balochistan, she added.
She said that a total of 29 cases of burning were reported, in which 28 relating to Punjab, one case in Sindh, but no case was appeared in KP, Balochistan and Islamabad. Similarly, she said the cases of acid throwing with huge of number of 44 were reported, out of which 32 in Punjab, six in Sindh, four in Balochistan and two in Islamabad but no case was reported in KP.
She informed that more than 1,792 cases of violence of miscellaneous nature have been reported, relating vanni, Sawara, custodial violence, torture, trafficking, child marriages, incest, threat to violence, sexual harassment, attempted murder and land encroaching.
About 1,384 cases in Punjab, 273 in Sindh, 81 in KP, 12 in Balochistan, and 41 in ICT have been reported of miscellaneous nature, she added. About the status of FIR, the different nature cases of VAW, she informed that 5,290 in Punjab, 636 in Sindh, 495 in KP, 193 in Balochistan and 131 in ICT with percentage of 78.99 were registered, while 911 cases were unregistered and 883 cases were lacking status of information.