Model Women Empowerment Package drafted for provinces

Islamabad

The federal government has drafted a model Women Empowerment Package to guide provincial governments in developing their own packages for the empowerment of women.

The information was shared in a follow-up report regarding measures taken to empower women in Pakistan submitted to United Nations’ Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) committee.

Pakistan ratified CEDAW the Convention in 1996. Pakistan presented its fourth periodic report on CEDAW before the committee on February 12, 2013. Consequently, the Committee adopted its concluding observations and recommendations as well as demanding a follow up report on recommendations number 22 and 28.

Under its recommendation 28, the Committee urged the State party to improve the literacy rate of women and girls, reduce and prevent dropouts among girls and formulate re-entry policies enabling young women to return to school after pregnancy, and organise programmes for girls affected by conflict who leave school and university prematurely. The recommendation also asked the government to take necessary measures to prevent the occurrence of attacks and threats against educational institutions and establishment a rapid response system to promptly repair and rebuild schools as soon as possible.

The recommendation 22 A and B called upon the State party to improve access to justice for women and ensure the proper implementation of the Prevention of Anti-Women Practices (Criminal Law Amendment) Act of 2011 and other relevant legislation, ensure uniformity in the application of the law and repeal the provisions of the Qisas and Diyat Ordinances which discriminate against women besides addressing shortcomings in the Criminal Law (Amendment Act of 2004) and repeal all provisions under which perpetrators of the so called honour crimes are allowed to negotiate pardon with victims’ families.

The CEDAW committee also asked the Pakistani government to strengthen support services for victims of violence such as counseling and rehabilitation services, including medical and psychological besides increasing the number of shelters and adopting a comprehensive strategy to eliminate all harmful practices and stereotypes, in conformity with CEDAW.

In its detailed response submitted to CEDAW committee last year, a copy of which was acquired by ‘The News’, the government has highlighted the measures taken in this regard at national and provincial level. The government answer says that Vision 2025 focuses on ending discrimination against women and providing them with enabling environment. It says that government is taking policy measures to implement pro-women laws and Inter Provincial Ministerial Group (IPMG) for women development has been constituted which meets periodically to agree on key priorities.

It also mentions Human Rights Cell of Supreme Court of Pakistan, Steering Committee on Human Rights at National Police Bureau, nine Women Police Centers, Ombudsperson on Sexual Harassment against Women at Workplace, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Crisis Centres and Dar ul Amaans, help lines, National and Provincial Commissions on the Status of Women and Gender Crime Cell as tools to implement pro women laws in addition to providing rehabilitation and legal help to women in distress.

The answer especially focuses on provincial efforts especially Women Empowerment Package of Punjab government and legislative measure by the Sindh government. The report reveals that the provincial and district level Monitoring and Evaluation committees that monitor services and ensure implementation of uniform standard operating procedures (SOP) and guidelines notified by respective women development and social welfare department have been constituted to plan, review and evaluate implementation of SOPs  in about all crisis centers and Dar ul Amaans.

The answer says that at federal level, bills under consideration include Hindu Marriage Bill, Christian Marriage Bill, Act to Combat the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, Act to Prevent and Combat Trafficking in Person, Especially Women and Children, Domestic Violence Bill and Reproductive Health Care Bill.