04 May 2023, Islamabad - The Federal Steering Committee (FSC) meeting of the ‘Deliver Justice’ project was held at the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Economic Affairs Division (EAD) today for the second consecutive year.

The ‘Deliver Justice’ project supports reforms to ensure delivery of people-centered justice, access to justice for all, particularly women and less privileged groups; and improve service delivery of the security sector in line with the constitutional safeguards and international standards. Implemented in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Merged Districts, the project is funded by the European Union (EU) and is jointly implemented by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

The meeting was chaired by the Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, EAD, Mr Muhammad Humair Karim, and was attended by senior officials from the EU, the Governments of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, the Federal Government, UNDP, UN Women and UNODC.

The FSC meets every year to discuss the project’s progress and presents its work plans for the year ahead. The meeting chair, Mr Muhammad Humair Karim, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Economic Affairs, EAD, reiterated the Pakistan Government’s commitment and support to the successful implementation of the project. He also highlighted the importance of ensuring accountability and transparency in all aspects of the project. He added, “The ‘Deliver Justice’ project has proven to be a crucial initiative in supporting government efforts to strengthen justice and security sector governance in Pakistan. We look forward to our continued partnership with the EU, UNDP, UNODC and UN Women.”

In the meeting, it was shared that together with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan Rule of Law institutions and partners, in 2022, UNDP, UNODC and UN Women:

• Developed 16 key policy or legislative instruments to strengthen security and justice sector governance in Pakistan
• Sensitized 1,700 people on laws, rights and gender
• Developed capacity of over 2,500 justice and security actors across both provinces (including on gender mainstreaming and responsiveness).
• Created 11 gender-responsive environments for women duty bearers and rights holders.
• Strengthened provincial rule of law coordination mechanisms in KP and Balochistan.

In his welcome remarks, the Head of Cooperation of the European Union Delegation to Pakistan, Ovidiu Mic, said, "The EU regards rule of law as a cornerstone for inclusive development, peace and security for the Pakistani people, particularly for its women and girls. Two years into implementation, the Deliver Justice project has now come to an important juncture, calling for an acceleration in the pace of change. The new generation of the Rule of Law Roadmap for 2023-2027 will set the tone for the continuity of essential reforms. We encourage the governments of Balochistan and KP to revise and endorse these roadmaps in a timely manner and allocate enough resources for their implementation.”

During the meeting, the FSC emphasized the need for effective oversight and monitoring to ensure time-efficient implementation of the project. The committee also discussed the importance of engaging with civil society organizations, and the media to increase public awareness of the project.

On the occasion, the UNDP Pakistan Resident Representative, Knut Ostby thanked Mr Muhammad Humair Karim for his leadership and chairing the FSC. He extended his gratitude to the Federal and Provincial Government stakeholders for their valuable support and partnership in implementing the project. He reaffirmed that, “As part of our broader efforts to strengthen justice and security sector governance in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, under the ‘Deliver Justice’ Project, in addition to the capacity development of relevant staff, UNDP’s Rule of Law Programme is also working towards major legislative reforms which include revision of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Rule of Law Roadmap and drafting of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Prisons and Correctional Services Act. We are thankful to the EU for supporting us in this shared objective to ensure affordable, accessible and speedy justice for all, particularly for women and other marginalized communities in Pakistan.”

UN Women Pakistan Deputy Country Representative, Ms Jacqui Ketunuti in her remarks said "Evidence has shown that enhancing gender parity and diversity in justice sector institutions increases their productivity and efficiency and ensures the delivery of gender responsive services. Through recruitment drive of police department under this project we are encouraging young women to become law enforcement agencies that ultimate facilitate women and girls access to justice."

UNODC Officer-In-Charge, Shinji Roberto Nagasawa, added in his remarks, “This Second Federal Steering Committee meeting marks yet another milestone for this programme. The Rule of Law Programme provides a unique advantage to build on its existing engagements and collaborative networks that allow us a smooth transition to bolster the existing reforms at the provincial and federal level.” He also emphasized on UNODC’s commitment to continue working as a strategic partner to the Government of Balochistan and looks forward to working jointly with UNDP and UN Women to support inclusive, just and citizen-friendly rule of law to deliver a free and fair access to justice for all, including women, vulnerable, and marginalized groups.

For additional information, please reach out:

Ayesha Babar, Communications Analyst, and Head of Communications Unit, UNDP Pakistan | ayesha.babar@undp.org  or +92 (51) 835 5650

Rizwana Rahool, Communications Officer, UNODC | rizwana.rahool@un.org or 03018564255,

Erum Fareed, Communications Officer, UN Women |  erum.fareed@unwomen.org or 0346 8502146

About UNDP:

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. Learn more at undp.org or follow at @UNDP

About UNODC:

UNODC is a global leader in the fight against illicit drugs and international crime. UNODC operates in all regions of the world through an extensive network of field offices. Learn more at unodc.org or follow at @UNODC

About UN Women:

UN Women is the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. A global champion for women and girls, UN Women was established to accelerate progress in meeting their needs worldwide. Learn more at unwomen.org or follow @UNWomen

04 May 2023

Islamabad