On
the occasion, Additional Secretary Relief, Rehabilitation and Settlement Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa expressed his views that without empirical evidence and statistical
data set it is hard to prevent and respond to GBViE, however the government of
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and humanitarian partners through joint efforts contributing
greatly to prevent and respond to GBViE. In his speech he appreciated the
efforts and technical support of UNFPA, all United Nations Agencies, Gender and
Child Cell PDMA, humanitarian partners and academia to achieve Sustainable
Development Goals which are committed by the Government of Pakistan. The
opening remarks were shared by Director PDMA, and he shared that Gender &
Child Cell PDMA KP is the first response authority of the government of KP to
respond GBVIE in any disaster and emergency. Dr. Hussain Ali, Assistant
Professor of Sociology Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan presented the
vulnerability of women and girls during disasters and humanitarian settings. He
shared in his presentation that without engaging academia and doing field
research we are unable to initiate research-informed policy and programme
initiatives. He expressed that the government of Pakistan is already committed
to achieve Gender Equality but without prevention and response to GBVIE it is
not possible.
In
the event an animated video on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in disasters
was displayed to the audience and it was followed by a panel discussion. In the
panel discussion Ms. Mahjabeen Qazi, the Provincial Coordinator UNFPA, Dr.
Nazia Zaman Deputy Director LHW Program KP, Ms. Syeda Nudrat Deputy Secretary
Women Empowerment and Mr. Muhammad Sadique Assistant Director M&E PDMA was
invited to discuss the response initiatives of government line departments to
GBVIE, the UNFPA role as technical expert to enhance the capacity of government
and humanitarian partners to prevent and better respond to GBViE. The panel discussion was hosted by Dr.
Hussain Ali from Department of Sociology Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan. In
the panel discussion PDMA representatives shared that they have developed a
GBVIE Framework to integrate GBV considerations in all line government
departments and humanitarian partners prevention and response guidelines and
strategies. He stresses that all government and humanitarian partners need to
develop guidelines for their departments and organizations to better respond to
GBVIE. Representative of the LHW Program expressed her views that the LHW
Program covers the whole KP and our LHWs are the first contact point of any
GBViE. The representative also highlighted that capacity building of LHWs and
LHSs is much needed on GBVIE-related issues to better respond to GBVIE. The
representative of Social welfare and Women Empowerment expressed that they are
providing shelter and livelihood training to vulnerable women and girls, they
are also providing health, legal and psychological counseling support through
referral pathways to the survivors. However, she highlighted that on a
permanent basis legal advisers, psychologists and frequent visits of
gynecologists and other health practitioners is much needed. The UNFPA
representative shared her views that UNFPA is a technical advisory agency, and
the agency is working with government line departments, academia and
humanitarian partners to integrate international GBViE guidelines in the
national and regional policies. It was also highlighted that UNFPA is also
working with different partners to enhance the capacity of the department’s
officials to better plan and respond to GBV, GBVIE, and the sexual and
Reproductive Health concerns of women and adolescent girls.
At
the end of the event shields were distributed among the panelists and
organizers of the event. The event was organized on December 19, 2024 at Monal
Peshawar. Secretary Home, officials from government departments,
representatives of humanitarian partners, students and faculty department of
Sociology from Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto
Women University Peshawar participated in the event. The event was organized by
Gender and Child Cell PDMA Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with the technical and financial
support from UNFPA-Pakistan.
