Quetta: In a significant step toward enhancing gender-responsive justice, the High Court of Balochistan, in collaboration with UN Women Pakistan and with support from the European Union in Pakistan, has launched the Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Compendium. The initiative aims to advance evidence-based practices and strengthen justice delivery for survivors of gender-based violence across the province.
The compendium brings together critical data and analysis on GBV cases, highlighting persistent challenges such as investigative gaps, procedural inconsistencies, and limited institutional coordination—factors that often hinder survivors’ access to timely and effective justice.
Speaking at the launch event, Dr. Sebastien Lorion, Acting Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Pakistan, reaffirmed the European Union’s commitment to promoting transparency, accountability, and equitable access to justice. He emphasized that strengthening justice institutions is essential for upholding the rights and dignity of women and girls.
Ms. Fahmida Iqbal Khan, Deputy Country Representative of UN Women Pakistan, underscored the value of evidence-based decision-making in improving consistency and survivor-focused responses within the justice sector. She highlighted that building systems rooted in data is vital to ensuring fair outcomes in GBV cases.
In his concluding remarks, Chief Justice Muhammad Kamran Khan Malakhail noted that justice must not only comply with the law but also uphold clarity, consistency, and fairness—particularly in matters involving gender-based violence. He stressed the need for a judicial approach that survivors can trust.
The launch marks a meaningful milestone toward creating a justice system that centers the experiences and needs of women and girls—reinforcing the province’s commitment to ending gender-based violence and promoting equal access to justice.
