CHITRAL: Speakers at a consultative workshop here stressed the need for creating awareness among people to curb gender-based violence.

The workshop on ‘Gender-based violence as a public health issue’ was arranged by Aga Khan Foundation.

The participants called for mass awareness, well-knitted coordination among relevant organisations and creation of conducive environment for working women as important measures to curb gender-based violence.

The event was attended by the representatives of civil society and departments of police, health, education, social welfare, population welfare, jail and district administration besides lawyers and journalists.

Establishing the fact of gender-based violence to be a critical issue of public health, they put forward their proposals for curbing the menace, which weakened foundation of society by its negative impacts and pervasiveness.

Speakers stressed the need for the pathway of referral system for the victims of gender-based violence that provided a place of consolation and support for them in the hours of distress.

They said that the step would prove instrumental in reducing the number of suicides among young women in Chitral.

They also suggested establishment of exclusive desk for women in police stations and help line for them to provide instant relief to the victims of violence and for the rehabilitation of the survivors of violence.

The role of parents was also underscored in tutoring the new generation from childhood to revere the gender equality in the society and abhor violence on the basis of gender as a despicable social evil.

Published in Dawn, November 22nd, 2023