LAHORE - The Women’s Regional Network (Afghanistan, Pakistan and India) launched a report titled “Shattered Souls: Internally Displaced Women from Punjab, Pakistan” written by women’s rights activist Saima Jasam.

This report is part of a larger series of launches happening across three countries. This report focused on displaced women from different parts of all four provinces, mostly from KP. Women from Balochistan, KP, Sindh and some districts of Punjab have been displaced as a result of religious extremism/militancy or ethnic and sectarian conflict now residing in Punjab province.

It also highlight displaced women’s marginality in a new environment as well as their concerns and perspectives on the issues of security, peace and justice. Their fears, insecurities, priorities, and most importantly their roles as peacemakers in rebuilding their families and communities, formed the basis of the discussions.

The recommendations of the report are aimed at bringing the concerns of women to the forefront and are being used by those involved in humanitarian response, civil society and other actors working with displaced persons.  The report will also be used as an advocacy tool to build relationships with state actors to better address the needs of displaced women.

It also addresses the interlinked issues of peace and security, justice and governance in South Asia.

IA Reman, Director HRCP, lauded the effort to highlight the problems of minority women IDPs in Punjab.

Peter Jacob said that rule of law must be ensured to address the issues of minority communities. He said that indigenous people also have their stakes and there was need to redefine homeland to resolve the issues of displaced persons.

Sardar Kalyan Singh and Satwant Kour shared their experiences while Rukhshanda Naz stressed the need for a legal framework which can be greatly helpful in changing the plight of IDP women particularly from minority groups.