PESHAWAR: The first women and children protection unit in the province was established by Nowshera police to support and encourage women and children to report crimes against them. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police Akhtar Hayat Khan, who was the chief guest at the opening event, stated that this specialised unit would be essential in safeguarding the weaker members of society. He added that it would serve as a model for other districts in the province regarding efficiency and best practices that must be followed in cases of abuse against women and children, said a statement issued here. Speaking at the event, DPO Mohammad Azhar Khan stated that one of the greatest crimes was the increasing number of violent crimes against women and youth. “In order to prevent such occurrences, identify and capture the offenders, and guarantee victims’ access to justice and reintegration into society, a specialised institutional mechanism that not only accomplishes the aforementioned objectives but also plays a crucial role in putting anti-violence laws into practice in both letter and spirit is necessary,” he stressed. The statement went on to say that this unit would be run by female employees with a dedicated UAN number and a day care centre because women were reluctant to report crimes in police stations because of the often male-dominated atmosphere. Furthermore, the police department had made transportation available to the unit in order to meet the requirements of medico legal obligations. This centre will also provide victims with free mental health support based on need. According to the statement, preventive efforts will be taken in addition to providing public advice and information regarding repeat offenders and their tactics will be kept up to date.