ISLAMABAD – As many as 12 women crisis centres after devolution fell prey to political dogmatism, as Punjab government is adamant not to own the centres established by the federal government in different cities of the province to support violence victims.
The Punjab government has been deliberately not accepting the centres as they were named after former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto as she had established the centres.
Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Social Sector Shahnaz Wazir Ali shared this at an event that all the provinces have owned the centres after devolution and they are functional but centres in Punjab have not been getting funds as the Ministry of Human Rights has no funds to support the centres and the Punjab has also refused to support them. She was of the view if Punjab government did not want to own the centres established by the federal government, it should establish such centres on their own for the violence victims.
Earlier, she also addressed launching of a four-month advocacy campaign to end violence against women. Ministry of Human Rights in collaboration with UN Women Pakistan launched the advocacy campaign that is scheduled to conclude on March 8, 2013 by celebrating International Women’s Day.
The campaign will focus on the situation of women’s human rights in devolution context as well as developing a collaborative action plan with other stakeholders to address issue of violence against women.
Speaking on the event she maintained violence against women is a basic human rights issue and the government has taken various initiatives to end violence and uplift the status of women in the country. ‘The incumbent government has introduced seven different legislations specifically related to women to protect their rights including honour killing bill, sexual harassment at work places and various amendments’. She admitted though the implementation of these legislations is a challenge, the government has been working to put in place a mechanism for implementation of these laws.
She also informed that the present government made efforts to pass domestic violence bill from the parliament but due to some conservative elements in Senate the bill could not be made legislation.
UN Women Country Director Alice H. Shackelford regretted that even after approval of bills on sexual harassment and acid throwing, the implementation of the legislations could not be made possible. “Complete safety of women at work places, public places and even at home should be ensured by the government by implementing the legislation.
 The people in Pakistan are now raising voices against violence as violence is still a threat for democracy”, the Country Director said.
MNA and Secretary Women Parliamentary Cacus Nafeesa Shah sharing her views on the occasion said women even with few percentage in Lower House, the question hour, that is one of the most prominent sessions of the National Assembly, is mainly led by the women.
She remarked that investing directly in women show incredible economic activity and Benazir Income Support Program is a clear example of this model as this program has played a key role of empowering women.
‘One of our other major success is almost 90 percent women of the country has been registered for computerized National Identity Card (CNIC). A project to transfer land and cattle on the name of women introduced in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh also produced encouraging results and now a plan is under discussion to replicate these programs to other provinces’ she added.
The other participants said just two percent of the incidents related to violence on women are reported every year and the rest of 98 percent remain unreported.
The issues faced by women are based on patriarchal structure of society, social and economic factors such as lack of education, economic dependence on male relatives, no right to decision making in family, no right to own property and land, social and cultural norms, socio-customary practices are prevalent in all spheres of life.
Sitara Ayaz, KPK Minister for Social Welfare, Farzana Yaqub, Minister for Special Education AJK, Ghazala Gola, Minister for Social Welfare Balochistan, Secretary Ministry of Human Rights Shaigan Shareef Malik, representatives of international organisations, civil society representatives and media persons attended the ceremony.