MANSEHRA: The Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in collaboration with the Welfare Association Jarad, has undertaken initiatives to curb digital violence against women by launching a sensitisation drive at educational institutions, bar councils, and local bodies across Hazara Division.“Our joint venture has paved the way for the creation of forums to provide free legal aid to survivors of crimes perpetrated against women and girls through digital and other means in the Hazara division,” Mukhtar Javed, Executive Director of Welfare Association Jarad, told a press conference here on Sunday.
Flanked by other office-bearers of the association, he said the association had long been working to eliminate gender-based violence through awareness campaigns, advocacy initiatives and providing legal aid to survivors.“We organised walks and seminars to sensitise various segments of society at district bar councils, colleges, and other educational institutions, which led to the formation of different forums aimed at ending gender-based violence,” Javed said.He said district-level protection committees were also being constituted in collaboration with district administrations to ensure swift action and provide free-of-cost legal aid to survivors, thereby enhancing their access to justice.“The cases of all forms of violence have increased in Hazara, and we are going to establish a Protection Resource Centre (PRC) in Haripur next month as a pilot project, which will gradually be extended to other districts,” he added.Javed said the association signed a memorandum of understanding with Rights Pathway Legal Clinic under its HOPE’87 initiative to provide free legal assistance to women survivors and strengthen their access to justice.
He said his organisation, in collaboration with district commissions on the status of women, local governments, and lawyers’ bodies, had launched these initiatives to counter the rising incidents of digital violence against women and girls and to ensure timely legal support for survivors.
