On October 7, 2025, the Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI) Pakistan convened a stakeholder dialogue and practice sharing workshop at the Beach Luxury Hotel in Karachi to advance institutional measures for a stronger VAW response. The event, held under the Justice Sector Support Program and supported by The Asia Foundation, focused on practical strategies to improve coordination, survivor-centered justice, and institutional reform.
The day began with registration and introductions, followed by welcome remarks from CPDI and representatives of The Asia Foundation. A detailed presentation reviewed Quarter 1 project implementation, highlighting community meetings, legal awareness camps, and capacity-building trainings aimed at lawyers, prosecutors, and jirga members as part of efforts to enhance the VAW response across communities.
Participants included officials from justice sector institutions, government departments, civil society organizations, media representatives, and community notables who shared field experiences and institutional practices. Contributions from the floor underlined the need for clearer referral mechanisms, timely prosecution, and strengthened protection for survivors as central elements of an effective VAW response.
Group discussions divided attendees into clusters of jirga members, lawyers, and prosecutors to identify institutional challenges in handling violence against women cases and to develop practical, context-sensitive recommendations. These sessions emphasized gender-sensitive procedures, improved inter-agency communication, and capacity building that aligns customary dispute resolution with formal legal safeguards to ensure survivor-centered outcomes.
Guest of Honour Mr. Rajvir Singh Sodha, Minister for Human Rights, and Ms. Shaheena Sher Ali, Minister for Women Development Department, commended CPDIโs convening role and the move toward collaborative, survivor-focused approaches. Their remarks reinforced the importance of policy coherence and institutional commitment to strengthen the VAW response at provincial and local levels.
In closing, Mr. Mukhtar Ahmed Ali, Executive Director of CPDI Pakistan, stressed the need for sustained institutional linkages and collective action to eliminate violence against women. The workshop concluded with a question and answer session and a Way Forward discussion that reaffirmed participantsโ commitment to implement the practical recommendations and to continue improving coordination for a robust VAW response.
