INTRODUCTION

BODY
(I) What actually are women rights?
(II)ow are women rights !iolate"?
Discriminatory #aws
einous Customs
$iolence an" %&'loitations
De'lora(le #e!el o) ealth an" %"ucation
(III)Is there any 'ositi!e si"e o) Women Rights in *a+istan?
(I$) What e))orts ha!e (een ma"e )or ensuring Women Rights?
Di))erent Commissions on Women Rights an" Their Re'orts
#aws on *rotection o) Women Rights
N,Os wor+ing )or Women Rights
CONC#U-ION
without heading:
The -tate o) Women Rights in *a+istan
by secondopinion02
Constitution of Pakistan guarantees the rights of women and do not discriminate in any
sphere of life. The basis of Pakistani constitution is Islam; a religion that has secured the
rights of women fourteen hundred years ago.
In Pakistan; ukhtaran ai! "r. #ha$ia and %arious other women ha%e been raised
internationally because of the corrupt character of our moth eaten &ustice! social and
political system. In order to a%ail political power! dictators like 'eneral (ia)ul)*a+ tried
to placate the fundamentalist ullahs by launching *udood ,rdinance. The society is
silent o%er social customs like -aro)-ari! .aani! #wara and se%eral other atrocities of the
retrogressi%e people. /inally! the last hope! the &ustice system! is itself a %ictim of
political interference.
0et us see why women rights are being denied and e1ploited in Pakistan! but before that!
make it clear what are women2s uni%ersal rights. In 3rticle 24567 of the 689: Constitution
of Pakistan it is stated! ;3ll citi$ens are e+ual before law and are entitled to e+ual
protection of law.; 3rticle 24527 states! ;There shall be no discrimination on the basis of
se1 alone.;
Islam guarantees an adult woman to marry according to her will. <%en parents cannot
force her to marry against her choice. oreo%er! no person including parents! husbands!
in)laws ha%e the right to &udge and decide the fate of women accused of being guilty of
any crime. Courts are there in a ci%ili$ed society to decide what is right what is wrong.
In addition to constitutional guarantee! 8=> percent uslims of Pakistan are morally
binding as belie%er of Islam to fight e%il and in&ustice! i.e.! 3mar ?il)aroof @anahi)o)
ankar. In this regard! they are binding upon at least to %oice their concern as a uslim
who cannot tolerate e%ils of gross in&ustices going on women.
"espite the uni%ersal protection of Islam and the rights gi%en by the constitution of
Pakistan! women are the being abused by some atrocious elements of our society.
Politics in Pakistan is a game of holding power and doing e%erything whether right or
wrong in order to secure that power. @omen ha%e been a %ictim of such a political game.
'eneral (ia)ul)*a+! after clinching power from (ulfi+ar 3li ?hutto! enacted ;*udood
,rdinances;. (ia ga%e the impression to Islami$e the country; howe%er! the hidden truth
was to prolong his tenure by making the religious e1tremist happy. #till the women are
being crushed under the barbarity of *udood ,rdinances.
If a woman is raped! one of the conditions of the law re+uires that woman must pro%ide
for four pious uslim witnesses for seeing the crime. 0et for a moment condone that part
of the law. ?ut! the worst cruelty of the law is that in case of failing to pro%ide witnesses!
the rape %ictim will be charged of fornication; the punishment for which is stoning to
death.
,ne of the e1amples from innumerous cases is that of an incidence of stoning to death to
a blind girl in 68=0s. *er only mistake was to report that she was raped. ?ut! unable to
pro%ide for the four pious uslim cum male witnesses! she was charged of adultery.
Conse+uently! in this Islamic Aepublic of Pakistan! an innocent was stoned to death.
"oes the abo%e case conform to the right and protection gi%en by the constitution of
PakistanB "oes Islam allow in&ustice of such an inhuman natureB The answer is no! but!
such atrocities are being done under the name of Islamic in&unctions; howe%er! the
concealed fact is that of a political nature. The society was silent when the *udood
,rdinance was enacted! and it is still heedless of the barbarisms from some of its own
sections of people.
-aro)-ari is one of those customs related to fornication. 3 -ari is a woman who is
alleged to ha%e e1tramarital relations with a man called -aro. In a typical ?irdari and
caste system of our society! especially in rural areas! if a woman marries with her choice
outside of her family relation )) a crime of %iolating the ?iradari unwritten rule C then she
is alleged to ha%e committed adultery. The whole ?iradari becomes willing to kill both of
the husband and the wife under the prete1t of -aro)-ari.
<%en the dead body of the innocent woman is not gi%en her due right of burying. #he is
interred in an isolated and far)flung place without religious rituals. In contrast! the -aro is
gi%en the right to be buried with religious rituals.
oreo%er! husbands! in)laws! and their relati%es also %ictimi$e the woman with allegation
of fornication. In fact! the reason is their personal grie%ances and enmity for not bringing
enough dowry or not following the orders of in)laws. #he could be killed any time by her
husband or any of his relati%es under the prete1t of -aro)-ari custom.
Dot only the adult woman but also baby girls of e%en months old are not spared from the
clutches of retrogressi%e customs. #wara and .aani are such kind of heinous crimes that
are deeply upheld by the stone)age minded people.
In both of the customs! the minor girls are gi%en as compensation for the wrongdoings
perpetrated by one of the members of the culprit family on the aggrie%ed one. The
%illage2s cult of goons called ;Punchayat; leaded by elders of %illage! fundamentalist
ullahs! including any of our graduate P3 participate in such Punchayats.
any girls gi%en under .aani or #wara to the aggrie%ed family refused to marry there
after attaining adult age. CE of the #upreme Court of Pakistan ha%e taken suo motu action
in this regard. /urthermore! girls as young as ten years of age are married with F0 years
old man under such customs.
The data collected by *uman Aights Commission of Pakistan re%eals! ;3 woman is raped
after e%ery two hours and gang)raped after e%ery eight hour. /or honor killing!
commission2s report says that in 200F! 4F4 women ha%e been killed under -aro)-ari.
Police do not take seriously the crime of honor killings; as in 2004! there were G94 such
cases! and police was able to catch only 62= accused.
3ccording to a report presented by the Interior inistry! there ha%e been G600 honor
killings since 2006. The report also critici$es that under 2Hisas and "iyat; law! the killer
could easily be forgi%en after paying compensation for the blood of the dead.
The %illage Punchayat is so lowest in its scruples that sometimes it orders to rape the
women of the culprit family as re%enge. ukhtaran ai is one of such %ictim who had
been gang)raped because her brother was guilty of some wrong for which she was
punished to be gang)raped. The law enforcement agencies denied her ;right to register an
/IA; because the criminals were influentials.
#ometimes women are stripped and forced to walk naked in the %illage for any crime of
their family members. If she denies marrying with a family relati%e or raising her %oice
against her in)laws then she is sub&ected to mutilation of her body by acid)throwing. /or
whate%er reasons! her husbands could brutally beat her any time under any prete1t. ost
of the time! she was beaten and e%en killed for not ha%ing a male baby child.
@omen are also e1ploited for the only reason of being a woman. @ith a high workload
from dawn to dusk! she was paid far less than what males get doing less work. oreo%er!
in our male dominant society! molestation and sometimes attack on her piety during &ob
are fre+uent incidents. If she reports such crimes then as a punishment! she is rusticated
from her &ob. Therefore! most of the crimes against her remain unreported.
The traders of human flesh e1ploit her misery. Taking ad%antage of her penury! they force
some of the women on prostitution. Trafficking of women is also a lucrati%e business for
human traffickers. #uch women after going abroad work as domestic sla%es under
e1tremely inhuman conditions or they are kept in brothels for the shameful business.
Aeport by an D',! the 0awyers for *uman Aights and 0egal 3id 50*A037 says that in
200F! there were 9!4FG cases of %iolence against women; 6!88: cases of torture; 6!296
women were kidnapped; =22 women committed suicide; 248 were gang raped; 668 were
trafficked; 6GG booked under the *udood ,rdinances; and 982 were killed in the name of
honor. The abo%e data are based on reported cases; and because of unreported abuses! the
actual crime rate is far more than what is reported.
/urthermore! most of the women ha%e no choice of theirs in deciding the number of
babies to ha%e. /amily planning is seen in a typical conser%ati%e society as against Islam.
In case of any medical emergency! when no female doctor a%ailable for her help! the
orthodo1 relati%es allow her to die rather than to be pro%ided aid by a male doctor.
Thousands of woman die per annum for not ha%ing female doctors in medical facilities.
?eing a female! cult of the fundamentalists mostly in tribal and rural areas does not allow
her to get education. They say it is a western intrigue to make their women liberal. @ith
the ad%ent of Talibani$ation! the girls2 schools are openly threatened to close their centers
else! their educational premises would be blasted. #uch news in Dorth @estern part of
Pakistan has become common today and se%eral girls schools ha%e been de%astated by
such crimes.
@ith all such atrocities on ma&ority of women! there is some ray of hope for ha%ing a
section of women fully utili$ing constitutional and religious rights. #uch women are
participating in the de%elopment and progress of Pakistan; while fully obser%ing the
Islamic beha%ior and conduct! they are working along with men in almost all the spheres
of life. They are in military! economy! health! politics! police! foreign ser%ices! law!
parliament and in fact e%ery place where it was impossible to think of their presence few
decades ago.
Aecently! P3/ 5Pakistan 3ir /orce7 inducted in its ser%ices female pilots as
commissioned officers. /or the first time in the history of Pakistan! a female! #hamshad
3khtar! has been appointed as 'o%ernor #tate ?ank of Pakistan. In foreign ser%ices!
Tasneem 3khtar is carrying out her duties diligently as foreign office spokesperson.
?esides! her <1cellence! "r. aliha 0odhi! is working as an ambassador of Pakistan in
I-.
3sma Eahangir! the chairperson of the *uman Aights Commissions of Pakistan! is famous
for her bra%e efforts for relie%ing the %ictims of *uman Aights abuses in Pakistan 3t
lower le%el! women are running their own business as entrepreneurs; working in petrol
pumps! restaurants! and coaches; participating in politics. In fact! there is a long list of
women who are acti%e and no less than their male contemporaries are.
There are 2:G women legislators sitting in our assemblies; 6= in #enate; 9: in Dational
3ssembly; and 6G: in Pro%incial assemblies. This is one of the first times in Pakistan2s
history that women are gi%en greater role to play in legislation. #e%eral women are
working in cabinet as ministers in %arious go%ernment di%isions. In 0ocal 'o%ernment
system! thousands of women are elected as councilors! mayors! deputy mayors. Dasreen
Ealil! is "eputy mayor of C"'- 5City "istrict 'o%ernment -arachi7.
#till! the number of women en&oying some of their rights is below optimum. /or the
ma&ority! it is a distant dream to decide for their own choice of life partner; and it is a
lu1ury for most of the women to a%ail medical facilities for deli%ering a baby. *owe%er!
efforts are being made both from the go%ernment and non)go%ernment sides to make
better the plight of the persecuted women.
3fter Independence! the first Commission on the <mancipation of @omen was formed in
6844; the commission presented its report in 68F6! but the go%ernment diluted se%eral of
its recommendations. *owe%er! in the same year! president 3yub -han promulgated
;/amily 0aw ,rdinance; that ga%e not much but little relief to the women.
In 6894! Pakistan @omen Aights Committee was formed which presented its report in
689F without ha%ing any effect upon the power holders. #imilarly! in 68=6! Pakistan
Commission on the #tatus of @omen was founded that submitted its findings in 68=4.
*owe%er! the report was thrown into the dustbin due to (ia2s passion for implementing
his own %ersion of Islami$ation.
3fter nine years! the ;Commission of In+uiry for @omen; was formed in 688G. The
commission presented its report in 3ugust 6889! but it has gone to the same fate as the
pre%ious commissions2 reports.
The Dational Commission on #tatus of @omen formed 5DC#@7 came into being in
#eptember 2000. The purpose was to ad%ise the go%ernment for eradicating laws
discriminatory to women. The commission pro%ided its detailed report in 200:. The
report presented a thorough and critical re%iew of 6898 *udood ,rdinances and
concluded that these laws are being used to abuse women; thus! it asked for their
annulment.
The power of the DC#@ is restricted to only for recommendations. oreo%er! it has been
de%oid of chairperson for se%eral months. The effecti%eness of the commission cannot be
enhanced unless it gets independent in its working. India has a commission of similar
nature but it is +uite powerful in +uestioning and calling any senior go%ernment official.
Therefore! it should be made e+ual on such footing as that of Indian commission.
In 688F! Pakistan internationally ratified Con%ention on <limination of 3ll /orms of
"iscrimination 3gainst @omen 5C<"3@7. The law re+uires the go%ernment to take
strict measures against any abuse that hinders women rights for freedom! e+uality! and
&ustice. The law is good in its part for binding the country in protecting rights of the
women.
Do%ember 200F is important in relie%ing women some of the atrocities of *udood
,rdinances. Parliament passed ;Protection of @omen Aights ?ill 5Criminal 0aws
3mendments7;; the bill is an attempt to secure the women from misuse of (ina and Ha$f
laws under *udood ,rdiances enacted by (ia in 6898.
Aeligious fundamentalists as usual opposed the passage of the bill and leader of
opposition aulana /a$l)ur)Aehman said that the bill is ;to turn Pakistan into a free)se1
$one;. They critici$ed the ?ill to be against Hur2an and #unnah.
#o much noise by religious bigots o%er rights of women is a norm in our society. The
only purpose of such billows is to gain political marks. In fact! the ?ill do not re+uire a
woman to be punished ) as the case under *udood ,rdiance 6898 ) if she fails to pro%ide
for G pious males like our religious fundamentalists. oreo%er! the bill re+uires the
inter%ention of the session court in case the families pardon the culprits of rape or killing
by settling the dispute outside the court under Ha$f. oreo%er! the bill made the offences
under *udood ,rdinances to be taken under Pakistan Penal Code 5PPC7 that gi%es the
right to ha%e bail which 6898 *udood ,rdinance negated.
The go%ernment presented another bill on women rights ;Pre%ention of anti)@omen
Practices ?ill 200F 5Criminal 0aw 3mendment7 in "ecember 200F. The bill contains the
proposal of nine)member Ilema panel to relie%e women from some of the malpractices.
Inder #ection :603! the bill prohibits hando%er of women for settling a dispute between
groups! either under marriage or as .aani! #wara. 3ny %iolation of the ?ill carries three)
year prison term and fine.
The second bill on women rights also protects the women from depri%ing of the
inheritance in property! %iolation of which carries se%en)year imprisonment under #ection
G8=3; force marriage is regarded as punishable with three)year imprisonment and fine
under #ection G8=?; #ection G8=C prohibits marriage with the Huran! those in%ol%ing
such practice are punishable with three)year imprisonment.
@omen 3ction /orum was formed in -arachi in #eptember 68=6 in order to %oice
against brutalities of *udood ,rdinances. ?ehind its formation! there was a case in which
a fifteen year old woman was sentenced to flogging because of marrying of her choice.
#ince then the forum took out many demonstrations and public awareness campaigns for
eliminating the abuse of women rights in Pakistan. The forum has e1panded its acti%ities
in ma&or cities of Pakistan.
3urat /oundation formed in 68=F is working enthusiastically for the rights of women.
The head office is located in Islamabad. The organi$ation has its own information and
publication department that apprise the people the true realities women facing in
Pakistan.
'i%en these facts! the @omen in Pakistan do not possess their due rights guaranteed by
the Constitution and 0aws. The state is unable to protect the women from inhuman social
customs pre%alent in our society. The general population is mum o%er wicked practices
being carried out on women; there is a great need of their %oice against anti)women
practices rather than forming laws o%er laws. The only need is to wake people of Pakistan
for the Protection of @omen Aights.
with headings:
The -tate o) Women Rights in *a+istan
by secondopinion02
INTRODUCTION
Constitution of Pakistan guarantees the rights of women and do not discriminate in any
sphere of life. The basis of Pakistani constitution is Islam; a religion that has secured the
rights of women fourteen hundred years ago.
In Pakistan; ukhtaran ai! "r. #ha$ia and %arious other women ha%e been raised
internationally because of the corrupt character of our moth eaten &ustice! social and
political system. In order to a%ail political power! dictators like 'eneral (ia)ul)*a+ tried
to placate the fundamentalist ullahs by launching *udood ,rdinance. The society is
silent o%er social customs like -aro)-ari! .aani! #wara and se%eral other atrocities of the
retrogressi%e people. /inally! the last hope! the &ustice system! is itself a %ictim of
political interference.
(I) What are women rights?
0et us see why women rights are being denied and e1ploited in Pakistan! but before that!
make it clear what are women2s uni%ersal rights. In 3rticle 24567 of the 689: Constitution
of Pakistan it is stated! ;3ll citi$ens are e+ual before law and are entitled to e+ual
protection of law.; 3rticle 24527 states! ;There shall be no discrimination on the basis of
se1 alone.;
Islam guarantees an adult woman to marry according to her will. <%en parents cannot
force her to marry against her choice. oreo%er! no person including parents! husbands!
in)laws ha%e the right to &udge and decide the fate of women accused of being guilty of
any crime. Courts are there in a ci%ili$ed society to decide what is right what is wrong.
In addition to constitutional guarantee! 8=> percent uslims of Pakistan are morally
binding as belie%er of Islam to fight e%il and in&ustice! i.e.! 3mar ?il)aroof @anahi)o)
ankar. In this regard! they are binding upon at least to %oice their concern as a uslim
who cannot tolerate e%ils of gross in&ustices going on women.
(II) ow are women rights !iolate"?
"espite the uni%ersal protection of Islam and the rights gi%en by the constitution of
Pakistan! women are the being abused by some atrocious elements of our society.
a. Discriminatory #aws
Politics in Pakistan is a game of holding power and doing e%erything whether right or
wrong in order to secure that power. @omen ha%e been a %ictim of such a political game.
'eneral (ia)ul)*a+! after clinching power from (ulfi+ar 3li ?hutto! enacted ;*udood
,rdinances;. (ia ga%e the impression to Islami$e the country; howe%er! the hidden truth
was to prolong his tenure by making the religious e1tremist happy. #till the women are
being crushed under the barbarity of *udood ,rdinances.
If a woman is raped! one of the conditions of the law re+uires that woman must pro%ide
for four pious uslim witnesses for seeing the crime. 0et for a moment condone that part
of the law. ?ut! the worst cruelty of the law is that in case of failing to pro%ide witnesses!
the rape %ictim will be charged of fornication; the punishment for which is stoning to
death.
,ne of the e1amples from innumerous cases is that of an incidence of stoning to death to
a blind girl in 68=0s. *er only mistake was to report that she was raped. ?ut! unable to
pro%ide for the four pious uslim cum male witnesses! she was charged of adultery.
Conse+uently! in this Islamic Aepublic of Pakistan! an innocent was stoned to death.
"oes the abo%e case conform to the right and protection gi%en by the constitution of
PakistanB "oes Islam allow in&ustice of such an inhuman natureB The answer is no! but!
such atrocities are being done under the name of Islamic in&unctions; howe%er! the
concealed fact is that of a political nature. The society was silent when the *udood
,rdinance was enacted! and it is still heedless of the barbarisms from some of its own
sections of people.
(. einous Customs
-aro)-ari is one of those customs related to fornication. 3 -ari is a woman who is
alleged to ha%e e1tramarital relations with a man called -aro. In a typical ?irdari and
caste system of our society! especially in rural areas! if a woman marries with her choice
outside of her family relation )) a crime of %iolating the ?iradari unwritten rule C then she
is alleged to ha%e committed adultery. The whole ?iradari becomes willing to kill both of
the husband and the wife under the prete1t of -aro)-ari.
<%en the dead body of the innocent woman is not gi%en her due right of burying. #he is
interred in an isolated and far)flung place without religious rituals. In contrast! the -aro is
gi%en the right to be buried with religious rituals.
oreo%er! husbands! in)laws! and their relati%es also %ictimi$e the woman with allegation
of fornication. In fact! the reason is their personal grie%ances and enmity for not bringing
enough dowry or not following the orders of in)laws. #he could be killed any time by her
husband or any of his relati%es under the prete1t of -aro)-ari custom.
Dot only the adult woman but also baby girls of e%en months old are not spared from the
clutches of retrogressi%e customs. #wara and .aani are such kind of heinous crimes that
are deeply upheld by the stone)age minded people.
In both of the customs! the minor girls are gi%en as compensation for the wrongdoings
perpetrated by one of the members of the culprit family on the aggrie%ed one. The
%illage2s cult of goons called ;Punchayat; leaded by elders of %illage! fundamentalist
ullahs! including any of our graduate P3 participate in such Punchayats.
any girls gi%en under .aani or #wara to the aggrie%ed family refused to marry there
after attaining adult age. CE of the #upreme Court of Pakistan ha%e taken suo motu action
in this regard. /urthermore! girls as young as ten years of age are married with F0 years
old man under such customs.
The data collected by *uman Aights Commission of Pakistan re%eals! ;3 woman is raped
after e%ery two hours and gang)raped after e%ery eight hour. /or honor killing!
commission2s report says that in 200F! 4F4 women ha%e been killed under -aro)-ari.
Police do not take seriously the crime of honor killings; as in 2004! there were G94 such
cases! and police was able to catch only 62= accused.
3ccording to a report presented by the Interior inistry! there ha%e been G600 honor
killings since 2006. The report also critici$es that under 2Hisas and "iyat; law! the killer
could easily be forgi%en after paying compensation for the blood of the dead.
c. $iolence an" %&'loitations
The %illage Punchayat is so lowest in its scruples that sometimes it orders to rape the
women of the culprit family as re%enge. ukhtaran ai is one of such %ictim who had
been gang)raped because her brother was guilty of some wrong for which she was
punished to be gang)raped. The law enforcement agencies denied her ;right to register an
/IA; because the criminals were influentials.
#ometimes women are stripped and forced to walk naked in the %illage for any crime of
their family members. If she denies marrying with a family relati%e or raising her %oice
against her in)laws then she is sub&ected to mutilation of her body by acid)throwing. /or
whate%er reasons! her husbands could brutally beat her any time under any prete1t. ost
of the time! she was beaten and e%en killed for not ha%ing a male baby child.
@omen are also e1ploited for the only reason of being a woman. @ith a high workload
from dawn to dusk! she was paid far less than what males get doing less work. oreo%er!
in our male dominant society! molestation and sometimes attack on her piety during &ob
are fre+uent incidents. If she reports such crimes then as a punishment! she is rusticated
from her &ob. Therefore! most of the crimes against her remain unreported.
The traders of human flesh e1ploit her misery. Taking ad%antage of her penury! they force
some of the women on prostitution. Trafficking of women is also a lucrati%e business for
human traffickers. #uch women after going abroad work as domestic sla%es under
e1tremely inhuman conditions or they are kept in brothels for the shameful business.
Aeport by an D',! the 0awyers for *uman Aights and 0egal 3id 50*A037 says that in
200F! there were 9!4FG cases of %iolence against women; 6!88: cases of torture; 6!296
women were kidnapped; =22 women committed suicide; 248 were gang raped; 668 were
trafficked; 6GG booked under the *udood ,rdinances; and 982 were killed in the name of
honor. The abo%e data are based on reported cases; and because of unreported abuses! the
actual crime rate is far more than what is reported.
". De'lora(le #e!el o) ealth an" %"ucation
/urthermore! most of the women ha%e no choice of theirs in deciding the number of
babies to ha%e. /amily planning is seen in a typical conser%ati%e society as against Islam.
In case of any medical emergency! when no female doctor a%ailable for her help! the
orthodo1 relati%es allow her to die rather than to be pro%ided aid by a male doctor.
Thousands of woman die per annum for not ha%ing female doctors in medical facilities.
?eing a female! cult of the fundamentalists mostly in tribal and rural areas does not allow
her to get education. They say it is a western intrigue to make their women liberal. @ith
the ad%ent of Talibani$ation! the girls2 schools are openly threatened to close their centers
else! their educational premises would be blasted. #uch news in Dorth @estern part of
Pakistan has become common today and se%eral girls schools ha%e been de%astated by
such crimes
(III) Is there any 'ositi!e si"e o) Women rights in *a+istan?
@ith all such atrocities on ma&ority of women! there is some ray of hope for ha%ing a
section of women fully utili$ing constitutional and religious rights. #uch women are
participating in the de%elopment and progress of Pakistan; while fully obser%ing the
Islamic beha%ior and conduct! they are working along with men in almost all the spheres
of life. They are in military! economy! health! politics! police! foreign ser%ices! law!
parliament and in fact e%ery place where it was impossible to think of their presence few
decades ago.
Aecently! P3/ 5Pakistan 3ir /orce7 inducted in its ser%ices female pilots as
commissioned officers. /or the first time in the history of Pakistan! a female! #hamshad
3khtar! has been appointed as 'o%ernor #tate ?ank of Pakistan. In foreign ser%ices!
Tasneem 3khtar is carrying out her duties diligently as foreign office spokesperson.
?esides! her <1cellence! "r. aliha 0odhi! is working as an ambassador of Pakistan in
I-.
3sma Eahangir! the chairperson of the *uman Aights Commissions of Pakistan! is famous
for her bra%e efforts for relie%ing the %ictims of *uman Aights abuses in Pakistan 3t
lower le%el! women are running their own business as entrepreneurs; working in petrol
pumps! restaurants! and coaches; participating in politics. In fact! there is a long list of
women who are acti%e and no less than their male contemporaries are.
There are 2:G women legislators sitting in our assemblies; 6= in #enate; 9: in Dational
3ssembly; and 6G: in Pro%incial assemblies. This is one of the first times in Pakistan2s
history that women are gi%en greater role to play in legislation. #e%eral women are
working in cabinet as ministers in %arious go%ernment di%isions. In 0ocal 'o%ernment
system! thousands of women are elected as councilors! mayors! deputy mayors. Dasreen
Ealil! is "eputy mayor of C"'- 5City "istrict 'o%ernment -arachi7.
(I$) What e))orts ha!e (een ma"e )or ensuring women rights?
#till! the number of women en&oying some of their rights is below optimum. /or the
ma&ority! it is a distant dream to decide for their own choice of life partner; and it is a
lu1ury for most of the women to a%ail medical facilities for deli%ering a baby. *owe%er!
efforts are being made both from the go%ernment and non)go%ernment sides to make
better the plight of the persecuted women.
a. Di))erent commissions on women an" their re'orts
3fter Independence! the first Commission on the <mancipation of @omen was formed in
6844; the commission presented its report in 68F6! but the go%ernment diluted se%eral of
its recommendations. *owe%er! in the same year! president 3yub -han promulgated
;/amily 0aw ,rdinance; that ga%e not much but little relief to the women.
In 6894! Pakistan @omen Aights Committee was formed which presented its report in
689F without ha%ing any effect upon the power holders. #imilarly! in 68=6! Pakistan
Commission on the #tatus of @omen was founded that submitted its findings in 68=4.
*owe%er! the report was thrown into the dustbin due to (ia2s passion for implementing
his own %ersion of Islami$ation.
3fter nine years! the ;Commission of In+uiry for @omen; was formed in 688G. The
commission presented its report in 3ugust 6889! but it has gone to the same fate as the
pre%ious commissions2 reports.
The Dational Commission on #tatus of @omen formed 5DC#@7 came into being in
#eptember 2000. The purpose was to ad%ise the go%ernment for eradicating laws
discriminatory to women. The commission pro%ided its detailed report in 200:. The
report presented a thorough and critical re%iew of 6898 *udood ,rdinances and
concluded that these laws are being used to abuse women; thus! it asked for their
annulment.
The power of the DC#@ is restricted to only for recommendations. oreo%er! it has been
de%oid of chairperson for se%eral months. The effecti%eness of the commission cannot be
enhanced unless it gets independent in its working. India has a commission of similar
nature but it is +uite powerful in +uestioning and calling any senior go%ernment official.
Therefore! it should be made e+ual on such footing as that of Indian commission.
(. #aws on 'rotection o) women rights
In 688F! Pakistan internationally ratified Con%ention on <limination of 3ll /orms of
"iscrimination 3gainst @omen 5C<"3@7. The law re+uires the go%ernment to take
strict measures against any abuse that hinders women rights for freedom! e+uality! and
&ustice. The law is good in its part for binding the country in protecting rights of the
women.
Do%ember 200F is important in relie%ing women some of the atrocities of *udood
,rdinances. Parliament passed ;Protection of @omen Aights ?ill 5Criminal 0aws
3mendments7;; the bill is an attempt to secure the women from misuse of (ina and Ha$f
laws under *udood ,rdiances enacted by (ia in 6898.
Aeligious fundamentalists as usual opposed the passage of the bill and leader of
opposition aulana /a$l)ur)Aehman said that the bill is ;to turn Pakistan into a free)se1
$one;. They critici$ed the ?ill to be against Hur2an and #unnah.
#o much noise by religious bigots o%er rights of women is a norm in our society. The
only purpose of such billows is to gain political marks. In fact! the ?ill do not re+uire a
woman to be punished ) as the case under *udood ,rdiance 6898 ) if she fails to pro%ide
for G pious males like our religious fundamentalists. oreo%er! the bill re+uires the
inter%ention of the session court in case the families pardon the culprits of rape or killing
by settling the dispute outside the court under Ha$f. oreo%er! the bill made the offences
under *udood ,rdinances to be taken under Pakistan Penal Code 5PPC7 that gi%es the
right to ha%e bail which 6898 *udood ,rdinance negated.
The go%ernment presented another bill on women rights ;Pre%ention of anti)@omen
Practices ?ill 200F 5Criminal 0aw 3mendment7 in "ecember 200F. The bill contains the
proposal of nine)member Ilema panel to relie%e women from some of the malpractices.
Inder #ection :603! the bill prohibits hando%er of women for settling a dispute between
groups! either under marriage or as .aani! #wara. 3ny %iolation of the ?ill carries three)
year prison term and fine.
The second bill on women rights also protects the women from depri%ing of the
inheritance in property! %iolation of which carries se%en)year imprisonment under #ection
G8=3; force marriage is regarded as punishable with three)year imprisonment and fine
under #ection G8=?; #ection G8=C prohibits marriage with the Huran! those in%ol%ing
such practice are punishable with three)year imprisonment.
c. N,Os wor+ing )or Women Rights
@omen 3ction /orum was formed in -arachi in #eptember 68=6 in order to %oice
against brutalities of *udood ,rdinances. ?ehind its formation! there was a case in which
a fifteen year old woman was sentenced to flogging because of marrying of her choice.
#ince then the forum took out many demonstrations and public awareness campaigns for
eliminating the abuse of women rights in Pakistan. The forum has e1panded its acti%ities
in ma&or cities of Pakistan.
3urat /oundation formed in 68=F is working enthusiastically for the rights of women.
The head office is located in Islamabad. The organi$ation has its own information and
publication department that apprise the people the true realities women facing in
Pakistan.
CONC#U-ION
'i%en these facts! the @omen in Pakistan do not possess their due rights guaranteed by
the Constitution and 0aws. The state is unable to protect the women from inhuman social
customs pre%alent in our society. The general population is mum o%er wicked practices
being carried out on women; there is a great need of their %oice against anti)women
practices rather than forming laws o%er laws. The only need is to wake people of Pakistan
for the Protection of @omen Aights.
Write "own a com'rehensi!e %ssay on the Women/s rights in Islam0
INTRODUCTION0
There is no denial of the fact that 'od is the #o%ereign 0ord! the #ustainer and Dourisher!
the erciful ! has blessed all the humanity with dignity and honour . <%ery human)being
is related to each other as a all one community of brotherhood .In this connection the
islamic concpet of oneness of 3llah stands supreme.Islam is a firm belie%er in imparting
e+ual rights to both men and women .Infact to women islam has gi%en a %ery repsctable
place in society and they en&oy all the benfits that a good society can gi%e to its members.
Today people are of the %iew taht women ha%e become more liberali$ed but on close
obser%ation we will see that the concept of women libertaion is not new.women were
liberali$ed and were awrded rights by islam long before the present day world.. The
Hur2an and the #unnah are the sources from which e%ery uslim woman deri%es her
rights and duties.The prominnet features of the rights meant entirely for the welfare and
sur%i%al of women are gi%en below!
%1U2#ITY0
Islam established a woman2s e+uality in her humanity with men. In the Hur2an!'od says!
;, mankindJ ?e careful of your duty to your 0ord @ho created you from a single soul
and from it its mate and from them both ha%e spread abroad a multitude of men and
women.;
#ince men and women both came from the same essence! they are e+ual in their
humanity. @omen cannot be by nature e%il or then men would be e%il also. #imilarly!
neither gender can be superior because it would be a contradiction of e+uality.
3ree"om o) Choice0
@oman in Islam has been gi%en the basic freedom of choice for the benefit of recognition
of her own personality.@omen has been allowed to use a free will in the selection of her
religion.3s Huran says!
;There is no compulsion in religion. Aight has been made distinct from error.;
@omen are encouraged in Islam to contribute their opinions and ideas. There are many
traditions of the Prophet 5P?I*7 that are a pure indication for the free use of her
opinions!ideas!beliefs and notions regarding the conception of %arious social!economic
and religious matters.There are no compulsions on her right of e1pression and she has a
significant role to play in the legal and social affairs of thesociety.
.
-OCI2# I4*ORT2NC%0
The Prophet 5P?I*7 said!
;#eeking knowledge is a mandate for e%ery uslim 5male and female7.;
This means that the ac+uisition of knowledge is granted essential not only for men but
alos for women.It has been regarded as their obligation for the promotion of good attitude
concerning all aspects of life. /or uslim women the gain of education is concei%ed to
be %ital as it can help them in the performance of their duties towards tehri families!as a
daughter!as a wife!as a mother and as a significant memebr of the society.
/or women education and learnign can be of primary importance for recognising of their
indi%idual roles and also for ac+uiring of the basic skills which can make them strong
both economically and socially accpetable.
The biggest and the formost obligation of woman is to play a role of a good mother as she
can be responsible for building up a strongly based society because of her teachings that
she imparts to her children.The importance of motherhood can be reali$ed from the
saying of *oly Prophet5P?I*7 as
;*ea%en lies under the feet of mothers;
. This implies that the success of a society can be traced to the mothers that raised it. The
first and greatest influence on a person comes from the sense of security! affection! and
training recei%ed from the mother. Therefore! a woman ha%ing children must be educated
and conscientious in order to be a skillful parent.
%CONO4IC -I,NI3IC2NC%0
The Hur2an states:
;?y the creation of the male and female; .erily! 5the ends7 ye stri%e for are di%erse.;
In the abo%e mentioned %erse we see that 'od has created men and women to be
different! with uni+ue roles and seperate skills.#imilar to a society!there is a di%ision of
responsibility for each member. Islam is of the %iew that women are entrusted with the
nurturing role! and men play a role of a guardian!the protector.. Therefore omen ha%e
been awarded the finacial support by 'od.3s 3llah says!
en are maintainers of women because 3llah has made some of them to e1cel others and
because they spend of their wealth 5for the support of women7.;
3 big financial responsibility ahs been gi%en to men but it is also demanded from the men
that they should pro%ide women with monetary support alongwith a treatment full of
respect.
CONC#U-ION0
3llah has designed to keep a balance in society and Islam being a complete way of life
has pro%ided each and e%ery member of thesociety the basic rights of e1istence.Islam
bears no distinction between men and women and it ele%ates the status of women by
imparting e1ceptional rights and pri%eleges for playing of their due constructi%e role as a
significant member of the society.3s Huran clearly states!
;3nd it becomes not a belie%ing man or a belie%ing women! when 3llah and *is
essenger 5uhammad7 ha%e decided on an affair! that they should claim any say in
their affair; and who is rebellious to 3llah and *is essenger! he %erily goes astray in
error manifest.;
courtesy:0earner and 3imal khan
The Causes OF Female Backwardness In
Pakistan And An Appraisal Of The
Contribution That Women Can Make To The
Effort Of ation!s "e#elopment$
Outline0
K Intro"uction
5 Causes O) 3emale Bac+war"ness In *a+istan
i) -ocio6%conomic Causes
a7 0ack ,f 3ccess To Aesources
b7 Po%erty
c7 Illiteracy
d7 Inemployment
e7 "eplorable *ealth 0e%el
ii) Cultural 2n" Tra"itional Causes
a7 ale "ominant Culture 3nd /eudalism
b7 *einous Customs
K #wara
K .ani
K "owry #ystem
iii) $iolence 2gainst Women
a7 *onour -illing
b7 ?ride ?urning
c7 #e1ual *arassment 3nd Aape
d7 3cid Throwing
i!) *olitical Causes
a7 0ow Political Aepresentation
b7 Aotten 'o%ernance
!) #egal Causes
a7 "iscriminatory 0aws
!i) Religious Causes
a7 isinterpretation ,f Islam
b7 Darrow)inded Aeligious 3pproaches
K Role O) Women In The De!elo'ment O) Our Nation
i7 #ocio)<conomic Aole
ii7 Cultural Aole
iii7 <ducational Aole
i%7 Political Aole
K -uggestions
5 Conclusion
Intro"uction0
Huaid)e)3$am said in speech in 68GG!
7No nation can rise to the height o) glory unless your women are si"e (y si"e with
you8 we are !ictims o) e!il customs. It is a crime against humanity that our women
are shut u' within the )our walls o) the houses as 'risoners.9
@omen are the integral part of a society. They are entitled to e+uality in e%ery sphere of
life. Phenomenal changes ha%e taken place across the world in recent year! but the status
and fate of women has not changed much. In Pakistan! their situation has become worse.
@e were recently rated as one of the worst countries in the world when it comes to the
way we treat women. ore than F0 years after independence! =0 per cent of Pakistani
women are still sub&ected to domestic %iolence. ,ne in three has to endure %illainy like
rape! honour killing! immolation and acid attacks. ,ur country is ranked =2 out of 8:
countries on the 'ender "e%elopment Inde1 and 642 out of 64F countries on the 'ender
<mpowerment easure. @e are also among a handful of countries where there is a
negati%e se1 ratio of 600 women to 60= men. Though women ha%e potential to play a
multidimensional role from societal to organi$ational yet they ha%e been neglected. Their
dismal condition is pro%ing a bolt from blue for our country. ,ur countryLs backwardness
can directly be attributed to the denied role of women in countryLs de%elopment.
#ac+ o) access to resources including finance! land! inheritance! rights! education!
employment! &ustice! healthcare and nutrition are ma&or causes of female backwardness in
Pakistan. It is widely acknowledged that a combination of po%erty and the low status
awarded to women is indeed a ma&or problem. any women die from childbirth on
account of poor health facilities. 3nd more than half the women in the country cannot
read and write.
Pakistan inherited the menace o) 'o!erty with its inception in 68G9. The burden of this
po%erty fell hea%ily on the female population which makes the 40> of the total
population of Pakistan. @omen are neglected and under)nourished. They are restricted to
the four walls and are meant to perform only household work. They are depri%ed of their
rightful share of property and ha%e no say in family decisions. 3ll the go%ernment s ha%e
tried in one way or the other to de%elop women but could not make a %ery happy progress
because of %arious reasons.
The constitution of Pakistan pro%ides full participation of women in all spheres of life!
but the literacy rate in )emales is &ust :F> as compared to men that is FG>. The ratio of
primary schools for girls and boys is G and 60 respecti%ely. #uch attitude of
discrimination is not new in the educational system of Pakistan. Aeligiously! people are
of the %iew that Islam does not permit a women or girls to step beyond the limits of
house. odern education can make her a party girl instead of making her a house wife.
ThatLs why Taliban are blasting and attacking the girlLs schools in #wat and Dorthern
areas of Pakistan. *owe%er! the Prophet ohammad 5P?I*7 strongly emphasi$ed on
education by saying that!
7It is the 'rime "uty o) men an" women to ac:uire e"ucation9.
Dot only this! but women are also "enie" o) "oing any ;o( and earn their li%elihood.
Their occupational choices are limited due to social and cultural constraints and inherent
gender bias in the labour market. They also lack supporti%e facilities such as childcare!
transport and accommodation in the formal sector of the labour market. @omenLs labour
power is considered inferior because of employersL predetermined notion of womenLs
primary role as homemakers. 3s a result of discrimination against female labour! their
role is low paid! and lack potential upward mobility.
The health in"icators of women in Pakistan are among the worst in the world. It is one
of the few countries where womenLs life e1pectancy is lower than that of men. /emale
infant mortality rate is higher 5=4 per 6000 li%e births7 than that of male children 5=2 per
6000 li%e births7. ore than G0 per cent of the total female population are anaemic. The
maternal mortality rate is still high! 6 women in e%ery := dies from pregnancy)related
caused. The low health status of women is the result of womenLs lower social! economic
and cultural status. Intra)household bias in food distribution leads to nutritional
deficiencies among female children; early marriages of girls! e1cessi%e childbearing! lack
of control o%er their own bodies and a high le%el of illiteracy ad%ersely affect womenLs
health and intensify their disad%antaged health status.
In 'atriarchal *a+istani society< women are mere symbol of family honour and dignity.
They are considered as pri%ate property. Pre%ailing feudal culture has confined women to
home to Msa%e male honour and dignityL. /eudal lords implement their code of morality in
the name of Ntradition and customO. Inder such customs women ha%e no control o%er
their li%es. They donLt ha%e right to choice)marriage. 'irl education is strongly
discouraged and women tolerate oppressi%e norms in the name of morality.
-wara an" $ani are such type of heinous crimes that are deeply upheld by the stone)age
minded people. In both of the customs! the minor girls are gi%en as compensation for the
wrongdoing perpetrated by one of the members of the culprit family on the aggrie%ed
one. 'irls as young as 60 years of age are married with F0 years old man under such
customs.
Dowry system is another form of social and traditional practices. There is hardly any
family in Pakistan in which this system is not followed. Dot a single day passes without
dowry deaths and torture of women. Dewspapers are full of stories of torture of women
who bring insufficient dowry. Inable to bear the torture! some brides are forced to
commit suicide. This practice of dowry does! in fact! %iolate Islamic 0aws. In Islam it is
the man who pays the NehrO to the woman. Aather dowry is the right of the woman. The
Huran highlights:
72n" gi!e women (on marriage) their "ower as a )ree gi)t8 (ut i) they< o) their own
goo" 'leasure< remit any 'art o) it to you. Ta+e it an" en;oy it with right goo"
cheer.9 (2n Nisa0 =)
3long with it! there ha%e also been high)profile inci"ents o) !iolence against women<
such ali%e burial. 3ccording to "awn newspaper! the 200= report of %iolence against
women in Pakistan makes horrific reading. In that year alone! 9!9:: cases of %iolence
against women were reported in the media. @hat is shocking is the large number of
women who lost their li%es in this period P 6!46F were murdered while G92 were killed
for reasons of MhonourL.
onour +illing is one of the worst forms of %iolence against women. It is an e1treme
form of direct physical %iolence! which is marked by great suffering. In recent years!
Pakistan has been criticised because of the dramatic rise in the incidents of honour
killings in the country. There is no concept of honour killing in Islam. Ignorant people
holding outworn or traditional %iews try to pro%e to be &ust! right or reasonable with this
act according to Islam. ?ut the reality is this that it is totally against the true spirit of
Islam. The Huran also make it clear: N"o not kill a soul which 3llah made sacred e1cept
through the due process of law...O 5F:6467. *onour killing has no real basis in religion but
is cheered and fa%oured by traditions and misinterpretation of religion. In fact the region
is personal grie%ance and enmity for not bringing enough dowry or not following the
orders of in)laws. There are many reasons for the increasing incidents of honour)killings.
?ecause of the in%ol%ement of Pakistan in 3fghan war that has been going on since 6898!
almost in e%ery part of the country! illegal weapons are easily a%ailable. People in
Pakistan are generally aggressi%e in their action and thoughts. Po%erty! unemployment
and lack of economic property further strengthen this aggressi%eness. Talbanisation of
society is also an important factor in this concern.
Bri"e (urning is another form of inhuman domestic %iolence within the walls of the
home. This is one of the most se%ere abuses of human rights. There are se%eral reasons
for bride burning but the ma&or reason includes the failure of the wifeLs family to pro%ide
a large enough dowry. The bride burning is not only against womenLs rights but it is a
serious crime against humanity as well. Infortunately! this is being practised in Pakistan
which is known as an Islamic society.
<%en though an anti)se1ual harassment law is acti%e in Pakistan since arch! it appears
that working women still bra%e se&ual harassment at their places of work. They are still
resigning from their &obs because of being asked for se1ual fa%ours. /urthermore! rape is
one of the most common crimes against women in Pakistan. It is grossly unreported and
legally distorted human rights issue. @omen are therefore safe nowhere.
oreo%er! aci" throwing is another abuse inflicted on women. The reasons it include not
bringing sufficient amount of dowry! refusing marriage proposal! and in many cases it is
done to take re%enge. *uman Aights ,rganisation indicates that e%ery year almost G00
women all o%er the country become the %ictim of acid attacks mainly by their husbands
and family members. ?ut the unfortunate side is that many cases go unreported and
%ictims remain at large. Corruption! less education and weak moral and religious %alues
among law enforcement agencies in particular and society in general further deepen the
gender)based bias.
PakistanLs e1periments with democracy and representati%e go%ernment ha%e not been
%ery encouraging for women. The tradition of reser%ed seats helped in bringing women
representati%es to the assemblies! but until 6880 they had only 60> seats in the Dational
3ssembly and 4> seats in the pro%incial assemblies. 24 Those few who represented
women in the assemblies were either from politically influential families who had
inherited the constituencies of their forefathers! or had ingratiated themsel%es with the
ruler of the day. <%en the election of a woman Prime inister in 68== and 688: did not
make a significant difference to the marginalisation of women in politics. #ince 6880!
womenLs reser%ed seats ha%e ceased to e1ist! and as a result womenLs representation in
the assemblies has fallen so low! that they can be counted on the fingers of one hand.
'o%ernment replete with problems has been failed to pro%ide protection and safe
en%ironment to women. ,n account of 'oor go!ernance! women ha%e remained second
priority of e%ery succeeding ruler. Though many bills and ordinances ha%e been passed
by the parliament but they remain totally ineffecti%e in practical terms. @omen are being
%ictimi$ed and persecuted in one form or the other.
3 series of "iscriminatory laws were introduced as a part of the process of Islami$ation
by (ia)ul)*a+. The *udood ,rdinance promulgated in 6890 e+uated rape with adultery.
The law e%idence promulgated in 68=G denigrated women by reducing the %alue of the
testimony of two women e+ual to one man in financial transactions. There are
considerable e%idences that these legislations ha%e negati%ely impacted Pakistani
womenLs li%es and made them more %ulnerable to e1treme %iolence. Today! ma&ority of
women in prison ha%e been charged under the *udood ,rdinance. Their families use this
legislation to punish them for trying to e1ercise their legal rights of self)discrimination.
The e+uality enshrined in formal laws in negated by customary practices that allow the
male members of the family to sell! buy! and e1change women as commodities and kill
and murder them and de)facto realities of womenLs life is too wide. "ue to dependent
socio)economic status! the suffering of women litigants is enormous.. .ery often they
lack the financial means to enter into litigation. Complicated legal procedures
compounded by gender biases of &udiciary and law enforcing agencies! delays! high cost
of court fees! and corruption of the &udiciary! make it e1tremely difficult for women to
enter into litigation to get &ustice for themsel%es.
Islam is a comprehensi%e religion which gi%es women a great importance. ?ut the
narrow6min"e" an" (iase" religious Ulemas ha%e always misinterpreted it to ser%e
their wicked purposes. Contrary to Islamic commandments which gi%e women right to
work and earn money! right to e1pression of opinion! to refuse unsatisfactory husband
and e+ual rights to recei%e e+ual recognition for her deeds! pre&udiced Ilemas ha%e
underestimated and sub&ugated them. It amounts to neglect the real soul of Islam which
gi%es women e+uality in e%ery sphere of life.
Dotwithstanding such gloomy condition! women still can 'lay a greater role in the
"e!elo'ment o) our nation. They ha%e a great potential to lift our nation which is rife
with problems. 'od has bestowed them with all capabilities and their role in any sphere
whether it is social! economic! political! cultural or educational cannot be ignored. @e
need to utili$e their talent in right place and admit their stake in countryLs progress.
@omen ha%e grater social role to play. They can teach their children on right lines and
inculcate in them morality. 3s a result! many pre%ailing social e%ils can be eradicated.
They can contribute to the financial matters of the family. @ith e%er rising prices and
inflation! two earning people would surely help run the financial affairs of the family.
3part from the material gains! working women are self)actualised entities. Dot only this!
but they can also contribute to national e1che+uer by running small home industries.
The role of women in the transmission o) cultural heritage is of great significance.
@omen2s in%ol%ement in %arious spheres of cultural heritage is both central and %ital.
#uch spheres include what may be described as essential realms of culture! and those
which are often indispensable in maintaining familial and cohesi%e social relations. They
include language! codes of ethics! beha%ioural patterns! %alue systems! and religious
beliefs. In most cultures! women maintain principle roles in the upbringing of children!
through which the intergenerational transmission and renewal of many of these essential
forms heritage occurs.
/urthermore! women can make a massi%e contri(ution in the )iel" o) e"ucation. It is
rightly said that if a male child is educated an indi%idual is educated and if a girl is
educated whole family is educated. <ducated women can be instrumental in remo%ing
illiteracy from our soil. They can run home tuitions and teach poor females who cannot
afford schooling. They can also impart %arious skills to them and enable them to earn
money. In this way! they can be %ery supporti%e not only for their families but can also
contribute to national e1che+uer.
3bo%e all! women>s role in 'olitics is of utmost importance. They can represent the
cause of women in the parliament and before the nation. They can %oice their concerns
and draw the attention of media to their problems and sufferings. Their representation in
the parliament if fundamental to repel discriminatory laws meant to denigrate them. They
can also play brighter role in creating awareness in women for the right use of their %ote.
0ast but not least! their acti%e role in politics can be ad%antageous to impro%e the
distorting image of our country before the world.
What is really nee"e" is a )un"amental change in social attitu"es toward women!
particularly in rural and tribal Pakistan. 3 massi%e effort is re+uired to make both men
and women aware of the need and the benefits of women2s empowerment for a better
future of Pakistan. *ealthy! educated and empowered women can help raise better
children to build Pakistan as a modern society that cares for its people. 3 number of non)
go%ernmental organi$ations such as 330! 3urat! *uman "e%elopment /oundation
5*"/7! <dhi and other similar organi$ations deser%e our support if we care for the
enhancement of women2s status in Pakistan. This can (e ma"e 'ossi(le (y ensuring
)ollowing ste's.
K 'reater in%ol%ement of women in all fields should be ensured.
K <mpowering women to unleash their potential.
K Pro%ision of training for women to enable gainful employment in small)scale industries
in rural and urban areas.
K Aeser%ation of 60)64> seats for the recruitment of women in go%ernment and pri%ate
sector.
K Increasing training facilities for women in traditional fields of teaching! nursing and
birth attendants.
K /ree education to poor family women should be pro%ided.
K "ifferent types of scholarships and subsidies should be pro%ided to women.
K /emale teachers should be appointed to pro%ide safe en%ironment to girls in single se1
schools.
K Imbrella of labour legislation must be ensured.
K "iscriminatory laws must be repelled.
K #trengthening the institutional framework for women de%elopment.
K International organi$ations such as the ID! 3mnesty International! *uman Aights
@atch! the Aed Cross! and the <uropean Inion should take serious notice of occurrences
of honour killings in Pakistan.
K In the contemporary world! the importance of media cannot be denied. If go%ernment of
Pakistan really aims to create an atmosphere of awareness towards women2s rights! media
can be used as an influential and effecti%e tool.
K The role of religious leaders is also important because they ha%e easy access to grass
roots of society. In order to change the conser%ati%e approach of religious leaders! there
should be workshops2 training programmes! and seminars! in which religious scholars
should be in%ited to discuss the problems related to women2s rights.
To conclu"e with! women of Pakistan are highly de%oted towards their roles in the
de%elopment of the country and they are emerging as politicians! social workers! lawyers!
doctors! &ournalists! artists! pilots! army officers and founder of D',s. They are
promoting the cause of womenLs status and role in the society. It must be admitted and
applauded that these courageous women ha%e not only created awareness among the
fellow women about their strength and importance! but also ha%e indicated the platforms
where their demands could meet success. Dow the time has come to acti%ely integrate
them in countries affairs so that we can faster the pace of progress of Pakistan. The task is
%ery simple and we ha%e to come out from the phobia of male superiority.