Gender Justice Through Musalihat Anjuman Project Punjab

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Gender Justice Through Musalihat Anjuman Project
- Punjab

• BRIEF FOR NSC
• 10th January 2007

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(No Transcript)
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Sequence of Presentation

• Over View
• Progress/ Implementation Status
• Problems Constraints
• Suggestions

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Over View

• Gender Justice Through Musalihat Anjuman Project
  launched in 2005 as Pilot Programme in two
  districts i.e Attock Bahawalpur in
  collaboration with UNDP
• Budget 2005 US 65,987
• Budget 2006 Us 254,083
• Financial Delivery 2005 100
• Financial Delivery 2006 98
• Time Frame Two Years (January 2005 to December
  2006)
• Three other districts namely Jhelum, Mianwali and
  Multan have been selected for the up-scaled phase
  of the project

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Salient Features of the Project

• To build the capacity of the Musalihat Anjumans
  (MAs) to dispense gender-responsive justice
• To sensitized women regarding their rights and
  lawful entitlements.
• To create awareness among the women victims of
  violence for alternative mechanism to secure
  gender justice.
• Constitution and mobilization of the Musalihat
  Anjumans in all Union Councils in the pilot
  districts.
• Partnership between judiciary, police NGOs,
  community and MA for fair, accountable and
  equitable dispensation of justice
• Community advocacy to promote womens awareness
  of their legal rights and the active
  participation of men in ending gender-based
  violence.
• Preparation and notification of rules for
  Musalihat Anjuman Committees.
• Establishment of PMU in the office of Directorate
  Generate Local Government for implementation and
  monitoring of the project.

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Progress/Implementation Status

• Insaf Committees and Musalihat Anjumans
  constituted in all the 179 Union Councils of
  pilot districts. (PLGO 2001, Chp 11, Sec.
  102-107)
• Musalihat Anjumans represent persons of high
  integrity good judgment and reputation i.e.
  notables, retired government servants, women,
  senior citizens philanthropists etc.
• 5 Orientation Sessions for the members of
  Musalihat Anjumans were conducted in the project
  area at different points. (95 attended and
  benefited)
• Notification of Punjab Local Government
  Musalihat Anjumans (Constitution and Functions)
  Rules 2006 in May, 2006.
• Dissemination of 10,000 printed books in 36
  districts containing the rules of MAs and project
  details in Urdu and English.
• Preparation of comprehensive consolidated
  Training Modules on Gender Sensitization and
  Legal Literacy in collaboration with Federal
  PMU and Gender Studies Department, Peshawar
  University.

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Progress/Implementation Status

• Preparation of work plan and budget for the
  activities through MASS and MAJA forums and
  Signing of MoUs with partner organizations.
• Extensive Training of 06 Master Trainers at
  Peshawar organize by Federal PMU (3 LG Department
  and 3 other organizations).
• Training of 27 District Trainers by Master
  Trainers in District Attock ad Bahawalpur. 747
  members of MAs and UC secretaries (92) trained
  in 33 Training Sessions, 5 days each.
• Display of Boards at prominent points in each
  Union Council of the project areas regarding
  procedures for filing applications for relief of
  disputes and gender related problems
• Printed registers, forms and other relevant
  literature and stationary items provided to MAs
  for record keeping and reporting
• 95 Insaf Committees and Musalihat Anjumans also
  constituted in other districts of Punjab

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Progress/Implementation Status

• 307 Union Nazims and Naib Nazims trained in 12
  Orientation Training Workshops regarding gender
  sensitivity and working of Musalihat Anjumans.
• 279 Police Officers/Officials trained in 10
  Orientation Training Workshops regarding gender
  issues and working of Musalihat Anjumans.
  (Inspectors, Sub Inspectors, ASIs, Muharrars).
• Launching of awareness campaign in project areas.
• 126 meetings/gathering of community at UC level
  creating awareness on various aspects of
  Musalihat Anjumans and gender problems. (Bunyad
  and HRDS play proactive role).
• 12 meetings with members of police, Bar, CSO etc.
  (Bunyad and HRDS)

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Progress/Implementation Status

• 12 workshops of elected members and officers of
  District government and TMAs, notables,
  journalist, social workers, representatives of
  CCBs, members of COs etc. regarding gender
  sensitization, women rights, women role in
  governance and working of Musalihat Anjumans and
  capacity building of women elected
  representatives (6 Attock and 6 Bahawalpur).
• 6 meetings of MASS / MAJA members under the
  chairmanship of Zila Nazims to review the
  progress and implementation status of the project
  and to identify the problems and to provide
  administrative support as and where required
• Dissemination of print material
• Posters regarding Musalihat Anjumans
• Posters regarding Women Rights
• Brochure regarding Musalihat Anjumans
• Brochure regarding Women Rights
• Flyer regarding Musalihat Anjumans and Project.

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Progress/Implementation Status

• Awareness Raising Through Press/Media
• Publication of Briefs regarding the Project,
  Musalihat Anjumans and Legal Rights of Women in
  Newspapers
• Messages through Cable Networks
• Messages through Radio
• Talk Shows on Radio and T.V.
• TV coverage of activities
• Preparation of video films of the activities.
• IGP Punjab has issued instructions to all the
  Regional Police Officers and District Police
  Officers to coordinate with the project and
  Musalihat Anjumans.
• Justice Syed Zahid Hussain of Lahore High Court,
  has been nominated as focal person for Punjab for
  the ADR committee by Apex Court (Supreme Court of
  Pakistan). He has assured full cooperation and
  support from judiciary in the functioning of
  Musalihat Anjumans

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Progress/Implementation Status

• Cases Received Resolved by Musalihat Anjumans

Attock
Bahawalpur
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Percentage of resolved cases of various nature
Bahawalpur
Attock
14
23
43
46
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22
26
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Constraints

• Attitude problem. Male members do not allow women
  to participate in mix gathering.
• In view of poverty and engagement in household
  activities, women hesitate to participate in
  project activities.
• As decision making vest in male member, women are
  reluctant to report violence against them.
• Majority of the people in rural areas especially
  Bahawalpur, the women are illiterate and could
  not read or write therefore, they could not be
  benefited from the material provided.
• In view of scatted and inaccessible locations of
  Union Councils awareness campaign could not be
  effectively completed during target period of
  five months. (some UCs were approached only once
  for awareness campaign.

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Constraints

• Support from judiciary is not forthcoming.
• Administrative difficulty experienced due to
  non-posting/non-availability of Secretary UCs in
  some UCs.
• Slow response in obtaining report/feedback from
  Secretary Ucs as they are mostly committed with
  Union Nazims.
• Disposal of complaints is slow on the part of MAs
  due to lack of capacity and skill.

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Suggestions

• Period for awareness campaign may be enhanced and
  continued.
• Funds for awareness raising campaign may be
  enhanced to 50 to reach out far flung areas.
• Frequency of workshops/seminars may be increased
  for sustainable results.
• More focused capacity building training may be
  organized to enhance the efficiency and
  effectiveness of Musalihat Anjumans.
• Honoraria and other incentives may be given to
  members of MAs to maintain their interest in
  their work.
• Support may be sought from the Apex Court for
  effective coordination between the project and
  judiciary.

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Suggestions

• Institutional frame work may be evolved between
  all the stakeholders for minimizing and curbing
  the menace of gender violence
• Free legal Aid may be provided to the victims of
  gender violence.
• Local Government Department, Government of the
  Punjab has planned to replicate the project
  activities in the remaining 31 districts of
  Punjab in phase programme with effect from July
  2007 in collaboration with CSOs/NGOs

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Thank You