Steps to check gender-based violence highlighted

LAHORE: All Pakistan Women’s Association (APWA) held a consultation with stakeholders on reducing gender-based violence (GBV) recently at a local hotel. On weekend, APWA held a large gathering in its auditorium of its members and workers predominantly women and their children, and announced the recommendations received from the civil society activists, Punjab government representatives and journalists to counter GBV.

Recommendations such as the need to focus on reducing population, expedite local government elections, enhance digital skills and ensure fair wages to women, came from a number of stakeholders. Education was underlined as imperative to effect change in behaviour. It was a diverse group leading action on VAW.

Victims of violence go through much mental torture because of interrogations afterwards. Suggestions came for victimless proceedings and convictions through establishing independent courts to tackle gender-based violence and harassment at workplace plus induction of more women in police. Investigation process including the evidence collection procedure must be expedited to ensure that evidences are collected and presented timely during the trial in rape and sexual violence cases. A coalition of government and civil society was suggested to coordinate and move forward the action plan of women economic empowerment and to provide support to the public institutions to reduce the incidence of gender-based violence. It was proposed that the government must declare minimum wages for informal labour force and ensure equal wages to women to reduce income disparities. A Domestic and Home-Based Workers Survey (2021-22) by Labour and Human Resource Department, Government of the Punjab, says among the working women in the informal sector, 80 percent are home-based workers.