Speakers at a panel discussion stressed the need for introducing comprehensive legislation on 'acid crime' and its prevention, proposing severe punishment for perpetrators and rehabilitation of acid burn victims at the expense of the state.
Addressing the forum arranged by Acid Survivors Foundation (ASF) in collaboration with Gender Justice and Protection Project of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), they called for controlling distribution of acid and evolving a mechanism to criminalize its unlawful sale.
The participants said that the proposed law fulfilling orders of Supreme Court of Pakistan as well as international conventions, Convention on Elimination of all kinds of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), should also propose a funding mechanism for its implementation. A monitoring mechanism is also needed to ensure law enforcement at all levels, they added. A human right activist and member National Commission on Status of Women (NCSW), Dr Fauzia Saeed said that formulation of legislation always needs a sound base research first to identify a problem and then find out its solutions.
She said that the commission, in consultation with all stakeholders, critically reviewed draft of the bill as well as private member bills earlier presented in the parliament. The government is working to finalise two separate bills for `acid crimes' and `acid prevention', thus combining private bills in it, she informed.
Dr Fauzia said that women parliamentarians, irrespective of their party affiliations, should support this move as women friendly legislation is imperative for enabling them to live a dignified life and participate in national development process. The unanimity for adoption of this bill would help ensure its implementation both at federal and provincial level, she said.
Giving an overview of acid violence in Pakistan and global perspective/CEDAW guidelines, Zegham Khan, an activist said gender based violence is often defined as structural violence and acid burning is the worst form of violence against women.
Pakistan has acceded CEDAW which defines discrimination against women as "any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field."