LAHORE: Columbia University and George Washington University held lectures regarding Punjab government’s initiatives to eliminate violence against women (VAW) in a holistic manner. Punjab Chief Minister’s Strategic Reforms Unit (SRU) Director General Salman Sufi was invited to deliver a lecture on “Innovative approach for combating violence against women in Pakistan” at Columbia University on April 2.
He would further address George Washington University on the lecture titled “Pakistan’s approach to combat violence against women” on April 5. In the said lectures, the SRU DG would highlight the women-centric reforms introduced as well as the plan of action for the next five years to tackle VAW in Punjab.
Under the guidance of the chief minister, the SRU spearheaded the drafting and passage of the historic Punjab Protection of Women Against Violence Act 2016 which criminalised all forms of VAW whether verbal, physical, economic or psychological as well as cybercrime and stalking. Prior to this, neither was VAW present in a well-defined manner in the legislation nor were civil remedies in place for the victims of violence.
