Unifem to help end violence against women
Islamabad: The United Nations Fund for Women Development (Unifem) is to assist Pakistan in ending violence against women by financing projects dealing with implementation of Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 2004 that addresses honour killing, ‘The News’ has learnt.
The funding will be provided through the UN Trust Fund in support of Actions to Eliminate Violence against Women administered by the Unifem. The Fund has been set up by the UN General Assembly to support effective implementation of national laws, policies and plans of action to end Violence Against Women (VAW).
The aim behind setting up the Trust Fund is also to respond to women’s experiences of violence that are shaped by the intersection of gender with HIV status and other vulnerabilities. Since its launch in 1996, the trust facilities have been utilized in 109 developing countries under 234 initiatives, amounting to approximately $14 million so far.
This year, however, the focus is on Pakistan and Maldives. Maldives has been selected on the ground that it has never before been targeted for UN Trust Fund grant. On the other hand Pakistan has been chosen for being One UN pilot country. Last year, the grant went to India and Nepal.
For Pakistan, implementation of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 2004 on ‘honour killing’ is the focus. According to the laid down principles, the Fund can be utilized for such ‘plans of action’ as would lead to developing or strengthening the system or the mechanism facilitating the fight or reduce and ultimately eliminate VAW.
In other words, the Fund can be utilised in capacity building of an organization engaged or desiring to act for VAW. Such capacity building could take the form of training, workshops, media propaganda, community education i.e. the spread of the knowledge and wisdom to educate and act for VAW. Governments and civil society organizations, the NGOs and the CBOs duly registered qualify to utilise the Fund.
Source: The News
Date:8/30/2007
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