The European Union, UN Women, and FJA Advance Gender-Responsive Policing:
Islamabad – Through funds provided by the European Union, UN Women Pakistan, in partnership with the Federal Judicial Academy, successfully concluded a three-day Training of Trainers (ToT) on Gender-Responsive Policing. The initiative was made possible through the EU-financed Deliver Justice Project.
The training empowered 27 police instructors —9 men and 18 women —from Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and NACTA to integrate gender-responsive practices, standardize gender-based violence (GBV) training, and promote survivor-centered approaches. It also positioned the Federal Judicial Academy as a national coordination hub for gender-responsive policing.
“This initiative makes clear that gender-responsive policing is not a standalone effort,” said Jacqui Ketunuti Deputy Country Representative, UN Women Pakistan. “It is part of a systemic shift where police, prosecutors, judiciary, and social services must work in unison to build survivor trust and ensure justice. With the EU’s strategic support, we are not only training individuals but also shaping institutional cultures and strengthening accountability across Pakistan’s justice system.”
Jeroen Willems, Head of Cooperation at the European Union Delegation to Pakistan, reaffirmed: “As the European Union, we are proud to partner with Pakistan on strengthening its rule of law institutions. Following this EU financed training, I look forward to seeing how these trainers use their new skills to strengthen police training as well as service delivery to further enable an accessible, inclusive, and gender-responsiveness service to all citizens in Pakistan.
“This initiative has strengthened the foundation for a unified training culture across provinces,” noted Mr. Hayat Ali Shah, Director General, Federal Judicial Academy. “By equipping police instructors with survivor-centered approaches, we are moving closer to an accessible, gender-responsive justice system.”
In his closing remarks, Hon’ble Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb emphasized: “A justice system can only be credible when it protects the most vulnerable. This Training of Trainers reflects our joint responsibility to equip law enforcement with the knowledge and tools to respond effectively to gender-based violence and uphold pro-women laws.”
The training featured specialized sessions on the National Framework for Gender-Responsive Policing, pro-women legislation, curriculum development, and inter-academy learning. It also included a high-level dialogue with Justice Farah Jamshed (Peshawar High Court), MNA Huma Akhter Chughtai, Syeda Tanzeela Sabahat (Secretary LJCP), Umer Riaz (Former DG PVE, NACTA), and senior police leadership, who highlighted pathways for embedding gender-responsive practices into mainstream policing and justice delivery.
This training is part of the EU-financed 19 million euro Deliver Justice Project, which works to strengthen the rule of law, expand access to justice, and protect women and marginalized groups in Pakistan. The project has been running since 2021.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
