HYDERABAD: A divisional stakeholder session was held in Hyderabad on Wednesday to review the Sindh Domestic Violence Law and discuss proposed amendments aimed at strengthening its implementation.
The meeting brought together representatives from One Stop Protection Centres, safe houses, Dar-ul-Amans, law and minority affairs departments, child protection units, the Sindh Human Rights Commission, prosecution department, police, NGOs, and international NGOs.
Advocate Rubina Brohi, Policy and Advocacy Manager at the Pathfinder International, opened the session by emphasising the importance of the law, first passed in Sindh in 2013. She acknowledged the proactive role of the Women Development Department (WDD), led by Minister Shaheena Sher Ali and the department’s secretary, in initiating the review process. Brohi noted that although the law was a landmark step, critical gaps in its enforcement continue to hinder its effectiveness.
A comprehensive presentation on the law and its proposed amendments was delivered by Barrister Rida Tahir. Key recommendations included transferring the mandate of District Women Protection Committees to the WDD, allowing the department to formally notify and operationalise these committees across districts.
Another significant proposal was to assign oversight responsibility for the Act to the Sindh Commission on the Status of Women (SCSW), aligning with Pakistan’s international commitments under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
Senior Superintendent of Police Matiari Arif Aslam, who attended as chief guest, commended the efforts of Pathfinder International, UNFPA, and other partners. He reaffirmed the police’s commitment to supporting survivors, particularly through the strengthening of One Stop Protection Centres.
Other speakers — including Advocate Abid Khmisani; SHO Women and OSPC focal person Sakina Bhatti; WDD Deputy Director Hyderabad, Samina Abbasi; Sindh Police officer Zulfiqar Abbasi; and activists Tehmina Rehman and Farida Tahir — underscored the urgent need for stronger coordination among state institutions to provide comprehensive protection and support to survivors.
The session was part of a broader provincial initiative, supported by the UNFPA, the FCDO-funded AWAZ II program, and Pathfinder International, aimed at equipping government departments and service providers with the tools and institutional backing needed to deliver justice and ensure effective protection for survivors of domestic violence.
