Empowering Women Through Social Justice (EWSJ) is a 6-month (May-October2024) project supported by UN-Women Pakistan. The project is being implemented in 10 union councils of Peshawar and Khyber district  in KP province. The project intends to improve the understanding of rights, laws, mechanisms, and access of women to social justice with their active participation in all planned project interventions. It is also helping women’s understanding of their rights, laws, and mechanisms to access social justice. By encouraging active participation, the project is enabling women assume leadership roles in identifying and addressing gender-based violence (GBV) and strengthening redressal mechanisms to reduce the incidence of violence against women (VAW).

The project has formed Community Support Groups (CSGs) who are reaching out to communities, government agencies, political parties, and media with an aim to improving institutional responses on GBV cases and providing them legal guidance and connectivity with relevant government departments.

It is also enhancing capacities of women’s groups, paralegals, and activists to demand rights and access to justice services. Advocacy campaigns will raise awareness about women’s issues and drive societal support for solutions. EWSJ is fostering societal shift towards supporting women’s access to justice by engaging with state institutions and other mechanisms. It is helping local women leaders to collaborate with police, judiciary, prosecution, and bar councils to improve working conditions for women within these institutions.

Successful lobbying for gender-inclusive changes, such as revising police recruitment rules in Balochistan. Providing JSIs with training to enhance understanding of women’s rights and relevant laws. Establishing essential facilities for women in JSIs, including separate workspaces and amenities. Raising public awareness about budgetary allocations for gender parity in judicial institutions across Pakistan.