When women know the law, justice stops being a privilege and becomes a right. With this conviction, the Sindh Bar Council (SBC) and SHARP-Women brought together 25 young women lawyers for a three-day training on Human Rights, Gender-Responsive Justice and Prevention of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) at the Sindh Judicial Academy (SJA), Karachi.
The programme aimed to equip young women advocates to represent survivors of GBV with confidence, covering human rights and GBV law, investigation and prosecution, trauma-informed practice, and professional ethics.
Day 1: Laying the Foundations
Participants were welcomed by Mr. Aatif Afzal, PD-ICT at SHARP, and heard from SJA faculty and UNHCR on why gender-responsive justice begins in the courtroom. Expert sessions followed:
- Dr. Sardar Shah traced women’s rights from Pakistan’s Constitution to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
- Ms. Ena Junejo, Judge, GBV Model Court Malir, explained what GBV is and how gender, class and ethnicity shape risk.
- Ms. Safia Lakho, Senior Advocate, covered the laws of Pakistan and Sindh, including FIRs, investigation and confidentiality.
- Ms. Rida Tahir, Member, Sindh Commission for the Status of Women, linked local courts to CEDAW, SDG 5, the CRC, the ICCPR and UNSCR 1325.
Day 2: The Whole Justice Chain in One Room
Judge, police, prosecutor and psychologist sat together to show how a GBV case moves from complaint to judgment, and where it breaks down.
- The Bench: District & Sessions Judge Mr. Naveed Ahmad Somroo showed how strategic litigation can set precedent for every survivor who follows.
- Police and Prosecution: Mr. Tanvir Ahmad Tahir (AIGP Establishment), Dr. Anam Tajjamul (SP Investigation) and Mr. Anwar Mahar discussed why strong cases collapse at trial, how to preserve evidence, and how to close gaps between institutions.
- The Survivor: Ms. Yasirah Gohar, Sr. Clinical Psychologist at Karwan-e-Hayat, emphasised trauma-informed practice.
- The Ethics: Mr. Kapil Dev, Gender Specialist, Government of Sindh, stressed confidentiality, informed consent and, above all, do no harm.
In the afternoon, participants visited the Sindh Police Forensic Lab, where Mr. Tanvir Ahmad Tahir walked them through evidence collection, sealing, transport, analysis and presentation in court. The lesson was clear: one broken link in the chain of custody can let a perpetrator walk free.
Day 3: Finding Their Voices
Participants practised taking the law into communities through public speaking, explored integrity-led leadership with Ms. Kalpana Devi, Member SPSC and former Addl. Advocate General Sindh, and designed and pitched digital campaigns with Mr. Aatif Afzal.
Closing Ceremony
The programme closed with Director General SJA Justice (R) Rashida Asad and SBC Vice Chairman Barrister Ishtiaq Memon as guests, marking the rise of 25 Women Human Rights Champions.
“When women lawyers are equipped and confident, the justice system becomes fairer for every woman who walks into a courtroom,” said Justice (R) Rashida Asad.
“The Bar stands firmly behind these young advocates, and we look forward to seeing them lead in courts and communities across Sindh,” added Barrister Ishtiaq Memon.
Acknowledgements
SHARP thanks the Sindh Bar Council, the Sindh Judicial Academy, Sindh Police, all resource persons, and the SHARP team led by Mr. Aatif Afzal and Ms. Qurat-ul-Ain, with support from Ms. Mudassara and Mr. Akram.
