Only 5% get convicted for violence against women in Punjab: report

• 95% accused get acquittal in instances of violence in opposition to ladies.
• 53% improve in calls by ladies registered on helpline, largely in opposition to violence.
• 13,916 divorce instances have been filed in Punjab in 2021.

LAHORE: In its annual gender parity report, Punjab’s Girls Improvement Division reported a rise in incidents of violence in opposition to ladies within the province which included instances of assault, rape, homicide, acid assaults, and the follow of Vani.

In response to the report, solely 5% accused have been sentenced in instances of violence in opposition to ladies whereas 95% have been acquitted. Within the years 2020 and 2021, the variety of divorce instances filed amounted to 13,916 and 18,203 respectively.

The provincial authorities’s initiative to register varied points and complaints by ladies by way of its 1043 helpline — out there around the clock — was additionally talked about within the report.

With the helpline’s help, ladies can search assist and complain in opposition to home violence, harassment, property disputes, and inheritance issues. Girls also can search free authorized help utilizing the helpline’s service.

The report acknowledged that ladies largely reported complaints of violence, whereas a 53% improve within the variety of calls was registered by the helpline.

The report additionally touched upon the impression of the Girls Security App in Punjab which witnessed a 70% improve in set up, whereas its variety of energetic customers additionally noticed a hike. 

With respect to ladies’s share in property in city and rural areas, the report acknowledged that round 29.80% of houses are owned by males in city districts whereas solely 2.90% of ladies have been residence homeowners. In rural areas, 62.93% of the boys owned property however ladies accounted for less than 4.6%.

The report acknowledged that the function of ladies was distinguished with respect to literacy charges within the province which elevated in Punjab from 2020 to 2021. The speed of literacy for girls in rural areas elevated by 84% and for males by 15%.

Touching upon the illustration of ladies in politics, the report acknowledged that there have been 71 ladies members within the Punjab Meeting which homes 341 seats in whole. 

Amongst these ladies members, 10 have been elected on common seats whereas 60 possess particular illustration within the Home and one seat is claimed by a lady minority member.

Solely 21% of the departments, as per the report, employed ladies on a 15% quota in 2021. In response to the Punjab Girls Empowerment Package deal (PWEP), ladies’s illustration in all authorities departments ought to be mirrored by way of the 15% quota.

Roughly 86% of males and 14% of ladies are working within the provincial departments, as acknowledged in Punjab’s gender parity report.

The federal government made it obligatory to make sure the presence of at the very least one lady in choice committees throughout all departments, as per the report; nevertheless, solely 60% of departments adopted the coverage.