Awareness-raising stressed to end violence against women

NOWSHERA: A senior official on Monday said that the present government had enacted laws to put a halt to the incidents of domestic violence and cases of women’s harassment in the province.

“The provincial government has made legislation by getting a bill passed from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly to address the cases of women harassment and domestic violence,” Khalid Iqbal, the deputy commissioner of Nowshera, said while speaking at an event held at the Government Girls Degree College, Nowshera Cantt.

The event was aimed at raising awareness about the violence and harassment of women and legal remedies to end excesses against womenfolk.College principal Rozeena Rahman, Councillor Naila Naz and others also addressed the event.

The official said that several cases had been registered about violence and harassment of women, which were now being investigated from all angles to provide justice to the victims as per the new laws.

He said that women were being tortured and harassed due to a lack of awareness and education but the victims or their other educated family members should inform the district administration or the relevant departments so they could be provided justice in accordance with the law.

The official said that social disorder and lack of education were the main reasons behind the violence against women and their harassment, adding those societies cannot progress where women were victimized and harassed.

He said according to the new law, domestic violence against women had been declared an offence punishable with imprisonment of up to five years along with a fine.Under the bill, domestic violence against women includes economic, psychological and physical abuses.