Islamabad, (TW News) — Through  European Union financing and support, UN Women Pakistan convened a high-level policy dialogue on gender-responsive budgeting in justice sector institutions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, bringing together key stakeholders to strengthen equitable, accountable and evidence-based public finance systems.

The dialogue focused on translating fiscal evidence into actionable reforms by examining how provincial budget allocations shape women’s access to justice and protection services. Insights from the Gender Analysis of Provincial Budgets FY 2025–26 underscored a critical gap between increased overall spending and limited targeted investment in gender-responsive services within the justice sector.

In his keynote remarks, Jeroen Willems, Head of Cooperation to the European Union Delegation to Pakistan, underscored the importance of aligning financial systems with justice sector reform and said, “Gender-responsive budgeting is not merely a technical exercise, it is a governance imperative. Ensuring that justice sector resources are allocated and utilized in ways that respond to the needs of women and girls is essential to building equitable, transparent and effective institutions.”

Speaking at the event, Ms. Fahmida Iqbal Khan, Deputy Country Representative, UN Women Pakistan, emphasized the need to translate investments into justice outcomes and stated,
“While justice sector allocations have increased, the key challenge lies in ensuring that these investments lead to improved access to justice for women and girls. Gender-responsive budgeting is critical to ensuring that justice systems are not only strengthened, but also inclusive and responsive to those most in need.”

In his remarks, Mr. Abdul Khaliq Sheikh, Secretary, Ministry of Human Rights, highlighted the importance of institutional accountability within justice systems and said,
“Integrating gender perspectives into justice sector budgeting processes is essential to ensure that institutions effectively respond to the needs of all citizens, particularly women and vulnerable groups. Strengthening accountability across justice institutions will be key to delivering equitable justice outcomes.”

The dialogue featured technical presentations and a moderated discussion on strengthening gender-responsive budgeting within justice sector institutions, including police, prosecution and judiciary systems. Technical experts presented key findings from the gender budget analysis, highlighting critical gaps between increased overall sector allocations and limited targeted investment in gender-responsive services, such as survivor support, reporting mechanisms and gender-sensitive infrastructure.

These insights informed a panel discussion titled “From Fiscal Growth to Gender Outcomes: What Must Change in Upcoming Development Budgets?”, which brought together representatives from provincial finance and planning departments, justice sector institutions, civil society and development partners. Participants identified priority reforms for upcoming development cycles, including strengthening gender budget tagging within justice portfolios, improving data and tracking systems, and enhancing coordination across institutions responsible for justice delivery.

The event concluded with a shared commitment to advance gender-responsive public finance reforms within the justice sector, ensuring that future provincial budget allocations translate into improved access to justice, protection services, and institutional responsiveness for women and girls in KP and Balochistan.

The dialogue was convened under the European Union-funded programme “Promoting Rule of Law and Enhancing the Criminal Justice System in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Newly Merged Districts and Balochistan,” with a total value of approximately USD 20 million, implemented by UNDP, UN Women and UNODC to strengthen rule of law and expand equitable access to justice, particularly for women and marginalized groups.