Balochistan Point Voice of Nation
QUETTA: The Health and Rural Development (HARD) Balochistan organized one day “Policy Engagement Sessions with Parliamentarians” related to Gender Based Violence (GBV) and Reproductive Health And Rights (RHR) in Pakistan, here on Wednesday at Serena Hotel Quetta.
The event organized with the support of Awaz Foundation Pakistan which is struggling and raising voice with the collaboration of its 48 partners under Ujala Network for creating rightful spaces and choices of life for all; marginalized groups and communities including women, children, youth, transgender and people living with disabilities throughout the Pakistan.
In the start of session, all the participants were welcomed by Mr Ziaullah Baloch (PM HARD Balochistan) and then after introduction session, Mr Zia-Ur-Rehman (CE Awaz Foundation Pakistan) shared the objectives of the sessions with the participants.
Apart from this, Mr Zia-Ur-Rehman (CE Awaz Foundation Pakistan) gave an overview related to the issues including GBV, RHR, child marriage, girl’s education challenges, child sexual exploitation and increasing mother mortality and infant mortality rates and etc.
Ms Maryium Amjad (Campaign Manager Awaz CDS Pakistan) displayed a documentary and delivered a detailed presentation and enhanced the understanding of parliamentarians on various statistics covering domestic, gender based violence as well as reproductive health and rights in Balochistan, Pakistan.
Furthermore, a detailed discussion held with the parliamentarians on parliamentary oversight mechanisms to minimize disconnect between policy and implementation and the issues of strengthening and enforce of pro-women laws particularly the pending Balochistan Child Marriage Prohibition Law 2015 also discussed with them which raises age of marriage 18 years. In addition, the political will also mobilized to promulgate the pending child marriage law from Balochistan and allocate maximum budget in their respective ministries/departments including education, health, women development department, labour and manpower, social welfare and human rights and other departments to address the issues like child marriage, girls’ education challenges, GBV etc. Moreover, the respective ministers were also requested to incorporate Life Skills Based Education in the educational curriculum to introduce and communicate the LSBE to the upcoming generation in order they could learn and understand their SRHR particularly related to “Good Touch and Bad Touch” in order that they could be able to keep themselves safe from violence and sexual harassment and live a better and healthy life. Finally, this demand is being fulfilled in the province in form of Single National Curriculum where age and standard wise LSBE will be included in mainstream curriculum. Single National Curriculum is prepared by federal government with support of all provincial governments.
Representatives, from AWAZ Foundation Pakistan and HARD Balochistan demanded the parliamentarians to support the rights of vulnerable groups including children, women, transgender community, person living with disabilities etc and take concrete steps related to development, strengthening and enforcement of pro-women laws and address the GBV, child marriage and child abuse, MMR and IMR issues with in the province. The parliamentarians were especially requested to play their crucial role in tabling and ratification of pending Balochistan Child Marriage Law 2015 to outlaw the all kinds of child marriage under 18 years.
Staff Reporter
Published in The Balochistan Point on February 20,2021
