KPJA AND AGHS CONDUCT TWO-DAY JUDICIAL TRAINING ON INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSE TO SGBV CASES (BATCH-V) (14-15 SEPTEMBER, 2026)
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Judicial Academy (KPJA), in collaboration with the AGHS Legal Aid Cell, organized a specialized two-day capacity-building training program titled "Capacity-Building of Judges on Institutional Response to Sexual & Gender Based Violence (SGBV)" on September 14th and 15th, 2026 at the KP Judicial Academy.
The training brought together a total of 24 judicial officers from across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, comprising 5 Additional District & Sessions Judges /Izafi Zilla Qazis and 19 Civil Judges/Judicial Magistrates/Ilaqa Qazis.
The program opened on September 14th with participant registration, an inaugural session and keynote address by the Director General of the KP Judicial Academy, followed by an overview of training objectives and a pre-training assessment conducted by the AGHS Legal Aid Cell.
Day 1 featured four intensive technical modules, beginning with a lecture delivered by Mr. Fahad Malik on Gender Sensitisation in SGBV Cases and Roadblocks to Justice, addressing societal perspectives, gender bias, and institutional hurdles. This was followed by an in-depth session by Mr. Hammad Saeed analyzing the statutory ingredients of rape under the new definition and understanding consent. Subsequently, Mr. Fahad Malik detailed the purpose, scope, and key legal provisions of the Anti-Rape Act, 2021.
The second day of training covered four comprehensive technical sessions, beginning with a presentation by Team AGHS on evidentiary matters, which addressed delays in reporting, corroboratory evidence, and legal standards regarding sexual history and character evidence. This was followed by an AGHS-led lecture examining key provisions of the KP Domestic Violence against Women (Prevention and Protection) Act, 2021. Subsequently, Mr. Hammad Saeed presented on legal frameworks surrounding Fasad-fil-Arz and Honour Crimes. The technical agenda concluded with a session by Dr. Summaiya Syed Tariq on understanding medicolegal processes under the Anti-Rape Trial and Investigation Act, 2021, alongside guidance on managing vicarious trauma for judicial officers handling SGBV cases.
The formal concluding ceremony commenced with a recitation from the Holy Qur’an. Ms. Aliza Naqvi, Advocate High Court and Project Head at AGHS Legal Aid Cell, shared takeaways from the sessions and expressed appreciation for the active participation and dedication of the judicial officers.
Delivering the closing address, Mr. Kalim Arshad Khan, worthy Director General of the KPJA, commended the efforts of AGHS Legal Aid Cell, the resource persons, and the participants. He emphasized that institutional initiatives aimed at enhancing the skills of human resources connected to justice delivery will have a lasting positive impact. The ceremony concluded with the worthy Director General formally presenting certificates of completion to the participating judicial officers.