PESHAWAR
In connection with ongoing efforts to ensure women’s access to justice, promote gender equality and eliminate gender-based violence, a seminar was organised by the Shirkat Gah Women Resource Centre under the UN Women and German Embassy-supported programme “Improving Gender Parity for Strengthening Gender-Responsive Justice” at a local hotel in Peshawar.
The event aimed to review progress made in Peshawar, Swat, Kohat and Khyber under the project, highlight the experiences of women beneficiaries and paralegal volunteers, and develop recommendations to further strengthen the justice delivery system for women.
Speaking on the occasion, Director General Law and Human Rights, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ghulam Ali said that a comprehensive institutional framework exists across the province up to the district level to promote gender equality and ensure access to justice for all.
He said capacity-building of relevant authorities, development of training material and awareness initiatives under the Shirkat Gah-led project were of significant importance in enhancing women’s participation in police, human rights and judicial institutions.
He stressed that protecting women’s rights is a constitutional and legal responsibility of the state, adding that effective coordination between government institutions, civil society and communities is essential for advancing gender justice.
Senior Director Research and Publications at the KPakhtunkhwa Judicial Academy, Shoaib, appreciated the efforts of UN Women and partner organisations in addressing gender-based violence and providing legal assistance to victims.
He said the training material developed under the project would support relevant institutions and produce tangible results on the ground.
Additional Inspector General Police Training Nasir Ahmed noted that challenges in ensuring gender equality within prosecution and policing structures still persist. He added that increased public awareness under such initiatives had contributed to greater participation of women in recent police recruitment drives.
Executive Director of Shirkat Gah Women Resource Centre, Dr Farida Shahid, said that equitable access to justice is fundamental to building a just and peaceful society. She highlighted the role of paralegal volunteers in guiding and supporting women at the community level and stressed the need to further strengthen their capacities.
Rakhshanda Naz, while presenting project outcomes, said that enhanced training of paralegal volunteers had improved legal awareness in communities and significantly boosted women’s confidence in seeking justice.
UN Women Pakistan Representative Zainab Qaiser Khan said that ensuring women’s access to justice is essential for achieving sustainable development and gender equality goals. She reaffirmed UN Women’s continued collaboration with partner organisations to protect and empower women’s rights.
