Concern voiced at violence against women and transgenders

PESHAWAR: A civil society organization (CSO) has expressed concern over the increasing incidents of violence against women and transgender persons, urging the authorities to take action to put an end to such crimes.

The concern was voiced as the Legal Aid Committee of the CSO, “Da Hawwa Lur” arranged the second quarterly meeting to address critical gaps in the implementation of pro-women and transgender legislation.

The Legal Aid Committee comprises members from academia, media, and law, along with a focal person from the transgender community. It is specifically tasked with identifying and addressing issues faced by women affected by violence, child marriages, acid attacks, and targeted honour killings.

Shawana Shah, the programme director, voiced concern over the alarming increase in violence against women, highlighting the organisation’s commitment to bridging legislative gaps and enhancing protections for women and transgender individuals.

She said the recent incidents, including honour killings in Swabi district, an acid attack in the Peshawar district, and child marriages in Dir, underscored the urgency of this mission.

The Legal Aid Committee sought immediate and decisive action from the government to protect women and transgender individuals from violence.This includes ending the sale of acid and open weapons, holding perpetrators accountable and creating a safe and just environment for all.

The authorities were urged to implement behavioural change programmes to address deep-rooted societal norms that perpetuate violence.It was pointed out that strengthening the justice system to ensure swift and fair trials was essential as we could only hope to safeguard the rights and lives of these vulnerable communities through comprehensive and immediate action.

Noted women rights activist and Ombudsperson KP for Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace, Rukhshanda Naz, emphasized the critical need to bolster evidence-based and research-driven policy reforms.

She said the “Da Hawwa Lur”‘s legal officers’ visit to police stations to collect concrete data on gender-based violence, honor killings, and related issues carried importance. “These actions aim to enhance the understanding and response to such pressing societal challenges,” added Rukhshanda Naz.

Other speakers said that despite the existence of laws designed to protect women and transgender individuals, a lack of implementation has fostered a pervasive culture of impunity which has resulted in the spread of violence.

“We are concerned over the recent incidents of violence and unequivocally condemn these heinous acts,” said Rizwan Khan, the representative from the National Commission for Human Rights.

Dr Shakeel, a professor from the University of Peshawar, said it was imperative to put such acts to an end. “All perpetrators should be made accountable and brought to justice to protect all vulnerable groups,” he added.Earlier, Mehwish Sana Siddiqui, legal officer at the “Da Hawwa Lur”, presented a fact sheet on violence cases for the first six months of this year.