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Moot stresses integrated approach to addressing gender-based violence

Speakers at an event stressed the need for an integrated approach to system-strengthening and intradepartmental coordination for enhancing the response mechanisms to gender-based violence.

Pathfinder International, with the support of UNFPA, hosted a consensus-building meeting to undertake a holistic multispectral approach to responding to gender-based violence in Sindh.

A panel discussion, “Integrating GBV across Policies and Programs: The need for a Multispectral Approach in Sindh” was moderated by Dr Tabinda Sarosh, country director of Pathfinder International.

Barrister Murtaza Wahab, adviser to the Sindh CM on law, environment, climate change, and coastal development, brought to light the importance of accountability and systematic change, emphasizing that sensitization across institutions (legislative, executive, and judiciary) for prevention and an enhanced response to gender-based violence.

Gender expert Nazish Brohi talked about the different evolutions of the state, and how the state, which once did not interfere in “private matters”, had now adopted a no-tolerance to domestic violence through legislation and enforcement. She mentioned that Sindh had very strong laws on gender-based violence and the importance of now bringing together all actors for an integrated approach to further strengthen the system.

Muhammad Usman Chachar, chief secretary to the home department, said the civil society must join hands with the government to ensure the sustainability of interventions. He mentioned that within the Rule of Law Roadmap that Sindh is working on with the UNODC, gender-based violence is a key component and that it is important to collaborate with the civil society for the implementation of preventative and protective measures.

Narrating varied experiences, provincial minister Shehla Raza said that she has worked with survivors of violence, recognizing bottlenecks at each stage. She underscored that the state would continue to carry out its duties to meet the needs of survivors, and highlighted that survivor care did not end at just access to justice, but included rehabilitation and reintegration, and continued support for survivors.

She brought to light current movements of bringing together survivor care under one roof, or center, to ensure survivors did not have to go through multiple channels to access their needs.

Dr Talib Lashari, technical adviser CIP-PWD, briefed the audience of the Reproductive Health Act. About areas of integration that the health department had foreseen, he explained how the RH Act prioritized survivors of violence, and how the health department recognized the need for enhancing the medico-legal services currently in Sindh.

He discussed the importance of acknowledging that social issues were all interlinked, such as education, population, health, and gender, and to address systemic issues, a collaborative effort would be required.

Nuzhat Shirin, chairperson, Sindh Commission on the Status of Women (SCSW), mentioned the challenges that the commission faced, highlighting the need for increasing budgetary and human resource allocation. She narrated grassroots detailing the obstacles not only survivors but also activists and other organizations faced when working to curb gender-based violence.

The meeting ended with recommendations from Secretary Alia Rashid of the Women Development Department on the way forward for systems-strengthening. She emphasized the need for bringing synergies together and collaborating for the strengthening of gender-based violence response mechanisms.

Newspaper: The News