Disappointment expressed over Punjab Protection of Women against Violence Bill

Islamabad
The National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) has expressed disappointment at the recently tabled Punjab Protection of Women against Violence Bill 2015.
In a statement issued on Friday, Chairperson NCSW (NCSW) Khawar Mumtaz said that much awaited Bill was expected to address the issue of domestic violence which it fails to do and is focused primarily on the provision of relief services to victims of violence. “While the relief measures are welcome, they fall very short of the needed redress against acts of violence,” mentions the statement.
The bill proposes to establish special centres for the violence victims where they will not only be provided residence but also facilities from investigation to prosecution of those accused of the violence, under one roof.
The first such centre would be set up in Multan and that all staff of these centres, including investigators and prosecutors, would be women to make the victims lodge their reports and FIRs at ease, saving them from likely harassment at the hands of male staff.
The statement says that the proposed Bill does not criminalise domestic violence against women and only provides civil remedies (through Family Courts) whereas the definition of domestic violence does not cover specific acts like economic violence etc. Physical, psychological, economic, sexual and emotional abuse and stalking are also not defined in the Bill.
The statement says that domestic violence is now an accepted reality across Pakistan (Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey 2012-2013; Punjab MICS 2014) and therefore must be addressed through stringent legal and civil measures.
NCSW urged the Punjab Government to take the lead from Sindh and Balochistan governments who enacted legislation on Domestic Violence in 2013 and 2014 respectively which clearly make violence against women a criminal offence.