The second conference of the multi-sectoral coordination committee on gender-based violence was held today at a local hotel. The conference was organized by Pathfinder International in collaboration with UNFPA Pakistan under the Healthy Family Project (SMK) and with the Multi-Sectoral Coordination Committee (MSCC) on Gender-Based Violence in the province.
Addressing the ceremony as the chief guest, the caretaker provincial minister for information, minority affairs and social protection, President Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi Muhammad Ahmad Shah said that the profound interest of the Sindh government in ending gender violence is also evident from the fact that all the important stakeholders including the chief secretary of the Sindh government, the secretaries and senior officers of the departments are present here and they have also presented the comprehension of their work.
He said that the caretaker Chief minister is occupied so I am the representative on his behalf. Caretaker Chief Minister Sindh Justice (Retd) Maqbool Baqar takes an interest in the welfare of those women, children and lower-class people who need attention. Muhammad Ahmad Shah showed grief and said that Fatima Phuriro case is one example; we should take action for every Fatima Phuriro to eliminate the violence against Mostly our system people avoid taking action against influential pir. Strict implementation of the law creates respect and fear in society.
High-profile people think that laws are not made for them but now we also take actions for high-profile criminals. It is not enough to make the law but effective implementation of them is also necessary, effective implementation of laws should be done with full passion and determination; he said that gender violence is also a cultural problem; we have to support and help the oppressed and oppressed classes.
We should work for welfare and betterment of society, those people who have served society all their lives; we have to move forward with them like we treat our children the same attitude and behaviour we have to do with the children of the entire province and the entire country, the caretaker chief minister of Sindh and the Sindh government are with you in every work of goodness and humanity, he added, I am well aware the situation of the society when at my adult era. I have observed how Human Rights are violated.
The Ministry of Social Protection was created for a good purpose but its authority is zero, This Ministry of Social Protection was created to provide protection to every citizen, Muhammad Ahmad Shah further said that our society is as dark as the night, he said that the problems will not be solved by sitting in five-star hotels, the people who have authority on the pulse of the society, which we call civil society, have to go along with them.
All departments must have a data bank. He said that the funds should reach their rightful beneficiaries. Sindh has excelled in having very progressive legislation in all important sectors. Friends of the minority community have urged that the laws be strictly implemented in their spirit. On this occasion, Acting Minister of Law and Human Rights Umar Soomro said that there is still a lot of work to be done to reduce violence against women and children, and some improvements can also be made in the Law to reduce gender violence.
He said that we will also be provided scholarships of 25 thousand rupees for human rights training in schools and madrassas. He said that improvements are being made in the appointment of medico-legal officers. Sindh Chief Secretary Dr. Fakhar Alam Irfan Additional Chief Secretary Home Sindh Muhammad Iqbal Memon and other speakers also addressed the ceremony.
