The Punjab Women Protection Authority Ordinance 2017
The Punjab Women Protection Authority Ordinance was passed on 11 April 2017. This law is enacted for the establishment of the Punjab Women Protection Authority. Its preamble says, “It is necessary for the provision of a comprehensive efficient, effective and gender equitable system for the protection, relief and rehabilitation of women against all forms of violence in the Punjab; to control, monitor and oversee that system and deal with other matters.
The Authority shall be a body corporate, having perpetual succession and a common seal, with power, subject to the provisions of the ordinance, to acquire and hold property, both movable and immovable, and may, by the said name, sue and be sued.
The Punjab Women Authority shall consist of;
- Chairperson
- Three members including two female members of Provincial Assembly of Punjab
- Additional Chief Secretary
- Provincial Police Officer
- Secretary Social Welfare and Bait-ul-Maal
- Secretary Women Development Department
- Secretary Public Prosecution Department
- Four non-official members
- Director General of Authority
Recently Punjab Government inaugurated the first Women Protection Center in Multan. They claimed that this new Women Protection Center is the biggest in South Asia of its kind. It will deal with all sort of crimes involving women and everything is provided under one root in that center. Although the expectations are very high yet we have to wait and watch if this project will really help the poor women or just proved to be another rubber stamp.
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