Topic : Current Status of Women rights in Pakistan

Submitted by Sadia Ikhlaq

Submitted to Prof.Dr. Muqarrab Akbar
Subject : Policy Paper Writing
Class : BS Public Administration (BPA)
Semester : 7th sem (Morning)
Roll no : 26
Session : 2020-2024
 Introduction
The status of women in Pakistan varies considerably
across classes, regions and the rural/urban divide
due to the uneven socioeconomic development and
the impact of tribal and feudal social formations on
women's lives. Overall, improvements in women’s
rights are spreading through Pakistan and an
increasing number of Pakistani women are
educated and literate. Religious groups and civil
society are increasingly denouncing violence against
women. The All Pakistan Ulema Council (the largest
groups of religious clergy in Pakistan) have issued a
Fatwa against honour killings. Courts have
answered the call by women’s rights advocates
throughout the country and delivered harsher
punishments for violent crimes against women.

Literature Review
Looking at the variety of studies including
combatting violence against women, securing a
range of economic and reproductive rights, and
advancing political participation. The review also
found that there are other factors that matter, too.
For example, institutionalised religion often has a
very powerful constraining influence on women’s
reproductive rights. The studies also show that
change is not a linear process and that advances in
women’s rights are vulnerable to backlash.
All of the findings of the literature review – both the
key role of feminist movements in securing
women’s rights and the vulnerability of rights
to reversal – underscore the importance of robust,
good quality funding for feminist movements so
that they can continue their crucial work.
Reviewing the literature review reveals that women
empowerment is an important topic that interests
many of authors, sociologists and feminists and it is
always connected to development. Referring to the
well-known United Nations quote from 1980 which
is still relevant: “Women constitute half the world 's
population, perform nearly two-thirds of its work
hours, receive one-tenth of the world 's income, and
own less than one-hundredth of the world 's
property” which is an economic indicator of women
status and should be an indicator for the solution of
the economic development. This half of the
population need to be empowered in order to make
change in the economic development.

Hypothesis

IMPROVING WOMEN’S RIGHTS

IN PAKISTAN

A gender-based violence crisis in Pakistan is

depriving millions of women in Pakistan of legal
protection and leaving them fearful for their rights
and livelihood. According to the Women, Peace and
Security Index, Pakistan is ranked 167th out of 170
countries in terms of women’s health and
wellbeing. In recent years, women in Pakistan have
been engaging in protests to speak out against
inequality and violence and demanding action from
the government to improve women’s rights in
Pakistan.

Domestic and Economic Abuses

Women in Pakistan suffer an alarmingly high rate of
domestic violence. The United States Institute of
Peace (USIP) estimates that 28% of women in
Pakistan face some kind of physical violence in their
lives before the age of 50. Because of the constant
threat of violence against women, many women
have to labor as domestic workers and often receive
little to no wages as a result.
Women account for 49% of the Pakistani population
but receive only 18% of its labor income, according
to the USIP. The Pakistani government often denies
legal protection and social security to women of low
social classes, particularly home-based workers. The
crisis of women’s rights in Pakistan is especially
evident in environments like education and health
care, where women cannot access social
protections and face threats of violence.
In 2018, the U.N. reported that only 48.6% of
Pakistani women had their reproductive health care
needs satisfied by the resources available to them.

Government and International

Initiatives
The good news is that global organizations like the
United Nations are not ignoring the crisis of
women’s rights in Pakistan. In 2017, the U.N.
initiated a three-year project called ‘The Economic
Empowerment of Women Home-Based Workers
and Excluded Groups in Pakistan.” The purpose of
the initiative was to allow women, home-based
workers, to effectively contribute to and benefit the
economy of Pakistan.
This initiative benefited the private sector, the
state, the women of Pakistan and the organization
of the United Nations. Additionally, in 2020, the
Pakistani Government passed an anti-rape
ordinance that promised harsh punishments for
those who commit sex crimes. This ordinance offers
a higher degree of protection and security for
women facing domestic violence.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the
Pakistani government has made small but essential
improvements for victims of domestic violence
including shelters, psychological support and
national helplines. In 2021, USAID assisted the
Pakistani government in providing counseling
services to about 61,000 female survivors of
domestic violence, improving the system of
maternal health care and training public defenders
on how to protect women’s rights in Pakistan under
law.

Women Speaking Out

Women in Pakistan have not been silent in recent
years about the injustices against them. In 2018,
Pakistani women held the Aurat March on
International Women’s Day. Thousands of women
rallied across Pakistan to demand an end to the
gender-based violence that has been sweeping
Pakistan for decades, USIP reported. The march
became an annual tradition and women have
gathered to collectively use their voices and fight
against gender and class-based oppression for the
most recent four International Women’s Days.
The Implementation of Law against
Women’s Rights Violation in Pakistan

What role Govt play its role in Women’s

security

Out of 195 nations around the

world, 143 constitutionally guarantee equality
between men and women.
Pakistan has successfully passed laws to control
Women’s Rights violence, but the implementation
of these laws is still missing. The Law only works
when implemented, which is a big threat to
women’s safety in Pakistan.
Pakistani women face many challenges, which are
rooted in the conservative mindset that views
women’s roles as confined to the home, and their
worth is defined in terms of their relationship with
men. Social and cultural norms reinforce the
patriarchal mindset prevalent in the country
ultimately reinforcing gender stereotypes and
discrimination against women.

Domestic Violence:

Domestic violence remains a serious issue in

Pakistan, and efforts to address this issue must be
ongoing and comprehensive. This includes raising
awareness about the harms of domestic violence,
providing support and resources to survivors, and
holding perpetrators accountable through legal and
social measures.
Out of 100, 80 percent of women face Domestic
Violence in Pakistan, This includes physical,
emotional, and sexual abuse, as well as economic
abuse and restrictions on movement and
communication.

The Implementation of Law

It is important to note that these statistics likely

underestimate the true prevalence of domestic
violence in Pakistan, as many cases go unreported
due to fear of stigma, retaliation, or lack of trust in
the justice system.
In recent years, Pakistan has taken steps toward
implementing laws that protect women’s rights and
address gender-based violence. While progress has
been made, there is still a long way to go in
ensuring that women in Pakistan are free from
discrimination, harassment, and abuse.
In this article, we will explore the implementation of
laws against women’s rights violations in Pakistan in
2023, including statistics on the prevalence of such
violations.
One of the most significant steps taken by the
government of Pakistan in recent years was the
passage of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, of
2016, which aimed to strengthen the legal
framework for addressing gender-based violence.
The law introduced harsher penalties for crimes
such as rape, acid attacks, and honor killings, and
established special courts to expedite the trial of
such cases.
Despite these legal reforms, women in Pakistan still
face significant challenges in accessing justice and
protection from violence. According to data from
the Aurat Foundation, a Pakistani women’s rights
organization, there were 11,022 cases of violence
against women reported in 2022. Of these, 4,228
were cases of domestic violence, 3,387 were cases
of rape, and 1,128 were cases of honor killings.
These statistics highlight the urgent need for
continued efforts to implement laws that protect
women’s rights and prevent violence against them.
One key challenge in this regard is the persistence
of patriarchal attitudes and practices that
perpetuate gender inequality and discrimination.
For example, women who speak out against
violence or assert their rights may face social
stigma or retaliation from their communities or
families.
To address these challenges, there have been
various initiatives aimed at raising awareness about
women’s rights and promoting gender equality in
Pakistan. For example, the Ministry of Human
Rights has launched a nationwide campaign to
educate people about the harms of domestic
violence and encourage victims to report such
incidents. Similarly, civil society organizations have
been working to empower women and girls through
education and economic opportunities.
Another important area for reform is the justice
system itself. While the Criminal Law (Amendment)
Act, of 2016, introduced important legal reforms,
there are still significant challenges in ensuring that
victims of violence can access justice in a timely and
effective manner
.Government of Pakistan for Women’s
security:
The government plays a crucial role in ensuring the
security of women in Pakistan. This involves
creating and implementing policies, laws, and
programs that promote gender equality, protect
women’s rights, and prevent violence against
women.
In recent years, the government of Pakistan has
taken several steps to address the issue of women’s
security, including the enactment of legislation
aimed at protecting women from violence,
harassment, and discrimination. For example, the
Protection of Women Against Harassment at
Workplace Act was passed in 2010, which provides
a legal framework to address workplace
harassment.
The government has also established institutions
and programs specifically aimed at promoting
women’s security. These include the National
Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW),
which was established in 2000 to monitor and
evaluate the implementation of policies related to
women’s rights, and the Violence Against Women
Centers (VAWCs), which provide legal aid,
counseling, and other support services to women
who are victims of violence.
Security of Women Still a Major
Challenge…

However, despite these efforts, the implementation

of laws and programs related to women’s security
in Pakistan remains a challenge. Some of the
barriers to effective implementation include a lack
of resources, insufficient political will, and cultural
attitudes that perpetuate gender inequality and
violence against women.
. To ensure that women in Pakistan can live free
from discrimination and violence, there must be
continued efforts to raise awareness about
women’s rights, promote gender equality, and
reform the justice system to ensure that victims of
violence can access justice in a timely and effective
manner.

Research Objective
To raise the awareness of society members on
women’s Rights, gender equalities, Women’s roles
in peacebuilding, women’s peace in International
and National conventions, laws, and legislations.

Objectives
 Changing negative attitudes, behaviors, and

beliefs of the public that they are the main

barriers and making obstacles for women’s
peace, women’s role and contribution in the
political process, decision making,
development, and women’s participation in
peacebuilding.
 Increase the mass awareness and education on

women’s peace, peacebuilding process,

women’s Rights, women’s roles, and
contribution to peacebuilding.
 Organize community-based campaign against

discrimination and violence towards women to

establish women’s rights and dignity in the
family and society
 Promoting the principle of anti-discrimination
and gender equality concepts in governmental
and organizations’ practices.
 Protect women and young girls from all forms
of discrimination and gender based violence.
 Prevention and protection of vulnerable women
and young girls working from sexual abuse,
exploitation, and trafficking