Women’s Easy Access to Justice Crucial to Reduce GBV

News Desk

Islamabad: The speakers at a panel discussion emphasised the need for women’s easy access to justice and the implementation of laws protecting vulnerable communities.

They called gender-based violence a ‘public safety crisis’.

The discussion was organised by the US Embassy at the mission in Islamabad. Director, Office of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, Lori J Antolinez, said the United States was advancing a comprehensive, government-wide effort to prevent and address sexual and gender-based violence.

In this regard, she stressed a holistic approach that encompassed prevention, well-being, economic security, housing stability, online safety, and legal and justice systems.

In Pakistan, she said, the US embassy was, in particular, implementing four programmes that specifically addressed gender-based violence.

These programmes increase women’s access to justice through improved law enforcement responses to gender-based violence and extending services to survivors, she added.

“More women working in the criminal justice sector will lead to better services for women and an overall improvement in women’s access to justice,” she said.

Antolinez highlighted that the US Embassy supported Pakistan’s efforts to increase women’s recruitment, retention, and advancement across the criminal justice sector to build a representative and responsive police force and justice system.

Already, the services include increasing the number of women police in Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa by over 20 percent, she added.

She mentioned that the Office of INL partnered with the Anti-Narcotics Force to develop its gender strategy, which commits to having 20 percent women in its workforce by 2030.

“We want to maintain this momentum and expand our efforts throughout Pakistan so victims of crime can access the justice services they need,” she said.

She said that given the media’s role in raising awareness, INL was conducting training for journalists to shape a narrative on the protection of survivors, including rape victims, rather than vilifying them.

Executive Director (ED) at Asma Jahangir Legal Aid Cell, Nida Aly, said gender-based violence was experienced by individuals from all backgrounds and could occur at any point in a person’s life.

She said the factors contributing to gender-based violence included women’s lack of representation in the justice sector and workforce, a low literacy rate, limited access to justice, and the non-implementation of laws protecting women and vulnerable communities.

She said the government was working extensively on the legislative protection of rights; however, she emphasised the need for its implementation.

Mission Spokesperson Jonathan Lalley moderated the panel discussion that aimed at educating and informing the public about the root causes of gender-based violence in Pakistan, the current country-wide scenario, and where and how to access resources and support.