The Deputy Development Director for the UK in Pakistan, Henrietta Hamilton, visited a newly launched Women Protection Center supported by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and UNFPA Pakistan and met with Kalsoom Saqib, Director General of the Punjab Women Protection Authority, to review interventions under the AAWAZ II Programme aimed at strengthening protection systems for survivors of violence and improving their access to justice.
During the visit, officials inspected the facilities of the Women Protection Center, noting its role as a focal point for coordinated support to survivors. The center, established with support from FCDO and UNFPA Pakistan, is intended to bolster institutional capacity to respond to gender-based violence and to provide an accessible hub for services and referrals.
In discussions with DG Kalsoom Saqib, Ms. Hamilton focused on the specific interventions being implemented under the AAWAZ II Programme. The conversation highlighted joint efforts to reinforce protection mechanisms across agencies, improve case management and referral pathways, and ensure survivors can obtain timely legal and psychosocial assistance.
Both sides emphasized the importance of continued collaboration between the Punjab Women Protection Authority, international partners and implementing agencies to sustain and expand these initiatives. They underlined the need for coordinated systems that enhance survivor protection and facilitate access to justice as core priorities of the programme.
