LAHORE: The first District Women Protection Committee for Multan has been notified by the Social Welfare and Baitul Maal Department under the Punjab Protection of Women against Violence Act, 2016.

The notification has been issued on the request of Strategic Reforms Unit (SRU). The committee is headed by the Multan deputy commissioner and includes representatives from minorities, two women representatives from civil society and a religious scholar.

The official members include officials of the health, social welfare and community development departments, district public prosecutor. The district women protection officer, who has powers under the act to enter any house or place in order to rescue an aggrieved person, is the secretary.

The responsibilities of the committee include supervising the working of the Violence against Women Centre in Multan, taking necessary steps to improve the services, arranging training for the concerned employees, developing liaison with other departments and agencies in the district, and facilitating mediation and reconciliation between the parties for resolution of disputes that arise in domestic matters.

Furthermore, the committee is supposed to ensure that the cases of violence registered in any police station of Multan are referred to the Violence against Women Centre for medical examination, collection of forensics and investigation. It will also ensure minimum standards, code of conduct and standard operating procedures to be followed by the employees of the Violence against Women Centre, and approve its annual plan of action.

Currently, there are two women protection officers and a district women protection officer, who have been deputed to the Violence against Women Centre in Multan under the Punjab Protection of Women against Violence Act.

It is a pilot project under the Punjab Protection of Women against Violence Act, 2016, and is to be inaugurated by the chief minister by the end of this month.

Published in Dawn, March 23rd, 2017