RECORDER REPORT

HYDERABAD: Speakers from civil society organizations and police were of the view that the laws implemented for the protection of women and children have progressed little too slow due to lack of understanding and awareness of the laws among the police officials as well as poor implementation mechanism at local level. There is need for civil society organizations and police to work together to implement pro-women and children laws effectively in their true spirit. This was discussed in a workshop held in Hyderabad and organized by Sindh Community Foundation in collaboration with SSP Office Hyderabad.

SSP Hyderabad, Peer Muhammad Shah, in his concluding speech said that role of police is very essential in ensuring the protection of the all citizens in particular women and children; with change in laws we need a change in the mindset. He said the role of police is changing with the transformation of society and social changes so police need to understand those social consequences while dealing with cases of the violence against women and children. Police officials should build their image through good conduct and professional behavior while dealing with complainants and victims.

Faziullah Korejo, focal person Sindh Police for Child Protection Unit and AIG Forensics, human rights trainer Iqbal Detho, and SCF head Javed Hussain took lead in the sessions and oriented the participants about the legal perspective and implementation mechanism of the SCMRA 2013.

Faziullah Korejo described various sections of law and clarified questions the participants of workshop raised. He said that law protects girls against early marriages; hence police can intervene directly to stop early marriages according to the stipulations of law. He said that early marriage is a social evil but the new laws have made it a punishable act. He said that the figures of the cases registered under SCMRA 2013 show considerable decline in the cases of early marriages.

He further added that early marriages issue is a serious issue and severely affects the lives of the victim girls physically as well as socially. He said that police should understand the different legal aspects of the act and apply the laws accordingly.

Human rights expert Iqbal Detho said that after enactment of SCMRA 2013 only 51 cases have been registered but in most cases society don’t speak about the injustice media equally fails in highlighting this issue. Therefore such cases don’t get reported to police; hence police fail in initiating action. However, police is required to be pro-active in the application of the laws. He said anti-women practices law 2011 protects women against domestic violence but the act itself has a lacuna so mostly such cases are resolved without police intervention. He said the women police stations in province need to be equipped with resources, staff and powers to lodge FIRs to deal with cases related to violence against women and children; by doing so these laws could be effectively implemented to protect girls and women against all forms of violence. He said the available systems should be strengthened specially women police stations and ‘Darul Amans’ (shelter homes).