Peace & Justice Network – PJN, in collaboration with the Punjab Women Protection Authority (PWPA) organized a provincial roundtable on “Strengthening the Women Protection System in Punjab

Peace & Justice Network – PJN, in collaboration with the Punjab Women Protection Authority (PWPA) under the #AawazII programme, organized a provincial roundtable on “Strengthening the Women Protection System in Punjab – Towards Integrated Response and Institutionalization” under the #AawazII programme in Lahore.

The session focused on enhancing PWPA’s institutional and response mechanisms and building stronger linkages between Aawaz II community structures—particularly the Aawaz Aagahi Centres (AACs), Aawaz-trained volunteers, and Aawaz Village Fora—and Punjab’s formal women protection mechanisms.

The roundtable brought together key government protection institutions, national human rights bodies, law enforcement agencies, women’s rights experts, development partners, and civil society organizations to review existing protection and coordination mechanisms, identify gaps, and develop actionable strategies for strengthening survivor-centered GBV response systems and their integration with Aawaz II.

Discussions also emphasized the need to reinforce institutional capacity, coordination, and the operational functionality of PWPA and its district-level mechanisms. Participants underscored the importance of establishing and sustaining institutional–community linkages, especially in districts where Aawaz II community structures are active, to enhance protection, coordination, and accountability.

These insights reaffirm the urgent need for Punjab to institutionalize and operationalize its women protection architecture, including strengthening the Women Protection Mechanism, District Women Protection Committees, and integrated referral pathways.