CHITRAL: A one day Consultative Workshop on Gender Based violence (GBV) was concluded in Chitral today. The workshop has been conducted by Legal Awareness program for Human Rights (LAPH) a Trocaire Funded Project working in Chitral, The workshop was attended by 40 female participants from various Human Rights Monitoring Committees (HRMCs) operating in District Chitral. Core objective of the workshop was to talk about Gender Based Violence, its types, causes, consequences and mitigation. The participants shared their view regarding gender based Violence and also highlighted the causes and consequences of gender based Violence in Chitral. Different participants shared different opinions on GBV the major cause of GBV is the image created by the society which reveals a man to be viewed as being superior, educated, creative, and clever while a woman is the opposite of all these traits, as stated by Ms, Fouzia a Development professional associated with LAPH. They participants explored that Gender based Violence is getting momentum in Chitrali Society day by day due to lack of Awareness and unwanted traditions. The participants identified factors contributing to GBV are Poverty, weak implementation of laws, unwanted tradition, and lack of awareness. Mr. Niaz Ali Shah, Chairman LAPH said that the project Easy and Equitable Access to Justices for the Women of Chitral is focused predominantly on the issues concerning the effective protection and promotion of women’s rights in general and addressing the cases of GBV in particular, and the Project has enter in to second phase and focusing GBV Reduction in Household and Community Level. While taking to this scribe Mr. Niaz Ali shah told that LAPH is Conducting Need Assessment on Gender based Violence in Chitral in order investigate GBVs and for further planning for the coming Project plan.
It is a challenging issue, as to why more and more young girls are committing suicide in Chitral, despite being one of the peaceful areas.
Shahzad Kashif, District Chitral KhyberPukhtunkhaw, 17200