“I cannot believe Shazia killed herself,” says Sarah quietly, talking about the recent death of her live-in maid of seven years. “Seeing her hanging from the ceiling fan, her arms and feet black, is a sight I can never, ever forget.”Two weeks ago, on a Friday that began just like any other, Sarah left home around 1 pm with her children to run some errands. Five hours later, she returned to find Shazia, aged 25, dead.Shortly before her suicide, Shazia was about to be forced into an exchange marriage, known as watta satta, a swap of brides between two families.“For the past few days, I would see her crying,” recalls Sarah. “And I would simply try to comfort her by telling her that her family had no right to do this, that she could say no to the marriage.”According to Sarah’s account, Shazia was set up to marry an old man, whose daughter would, in turn, marry her mentally-challenged brother.“I’m just a money-making machine for them, and now they want me married,” Shazia had said tearfully one evening. “It’s either this marriage or death.”Like Shazia, many people each year are driven to their death by being forced into marriages. According to HRCP’s media monitoring, at least 1,976 people committed suicide last year, of which 629 were women.“Shelter homes and non-government organisations can only do so much, they are reaching around 10% of the population,” says Anis Haroon, who recently relinquished charge of caretaker Sindh minister for human rights and women development. “The state needs to take responsibility.”Haroon also believes that the state and the media need to work together, so that people in all regions can be made aware of their human and legal rights.“You can’t always make laws against these kinds of practices,” she says. “We have to raise awareness and empower women.”The right to chooseShazia’s story is not the only one of its kind. The tradition of exchange marriages still thrives in the country.Unfortunately, as in Shazia’s case, the element of compulsion is often present in such arrangements. While most forced marriages go unnoticed or unreported, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) reports indicate that in January 2012 alone, almost 340 such cases were recorded across Pakistan.Child marriages, arranged by parents or the panchayats in villages, also add to the unreported category.Why watta satta“Often, parents are helpless and chose exchange marriage options for reasons such as poverty, insecurity, lack of awareness, and tradition,” says Haroon.According to Mehnaz Rehman of Aurat Foundation, most cases of under-aged forced marriages are a result of greed. In a statement made in February, Rehman said that even after signing the Convention on Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the government is not doing its part to form laws that adhere to global commitments.And yet, despite the embedded practices, Haroon believes trends may be shifting.“In urban areas the pattern has started changing,” says Haroon. “The rural families who have moved to the city have daughters who are earning. They now feel confident enough to refuse such proposals. Being financially strong empowers them.”Published in The Express Tribune, June 14th, 2013.
PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf (PTI) government in Khyber Pakhtunkhawa is mulling over a controversial plan to merge the Social Welfare and Women Development Ministry with the Zakat and Ushr Ministry, with the slot likely to be given to its coalition partner Jamaat-i-Islami, an official source told Dawn.com.
The official announcement is still anticipated in this regard. Given that the party is already facing internal wrangling over the distribution of ministries among its MPAs and a tussle with Jamaat-i-Islami over the issue of Education Ministry, the said move is bound to earn criticism.
However, sources said that PTI is under severe pressure from civil society as well as party leaders to retain the women’s ministry.
Talking to Dawn.com, PTI’s provincial general secretary and MPA Shaukat Yousafzai said: “No there is no plan to merge the two ministries. The ministers and the portfolios are yet to be decided but we don’t have any such plans.”
About the intra-party rifts over distribution of ministries, Shaukat said, all the issues would be resolved by Monday, adding: “We would have a cabinet working soon.”
Civil Society Cries Foul
Meanwhile, the civil society and women rights bodies in KP have termed the re-merger of the Social Welfare and Women Development Ministry with Zakat and Ushr as an injustice to the already deprived womenfolk of the province.
Resident Director of the Aurat Foundation KP, Shabeena Ayaz reacting to reports said: “It will be really bad ... women affairs should not be treated as a miniature subject... we even want it separated from social welfare, as there should be a full-fledged women ministry instead of treating women's welfare as a side affair.”
She remarked that women in KP were already faced with a host of problems and social injustices and that this decision if implemented, would further multiply their miseries.
“I would just suggest, it would be a big injustice with young women voters who had opted to vote for change, there should not only be a separate ministry but it must be headed by a woman minister as well.”
The former ANP-PPP coalition government in KP had bifurcated the Ministry of Social Welfare, Women Development and Special Education from Zakat and Ushr Ministry keeping in view the special circumstances wherein women welfare being given special priority.
Though being a single department, Zakat and Ushr was looked after by Zarshid Khan while the Social Welfare and Women Ministry was headed by Sitara Ayaz.
The Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf did emerge as the largest single party in KP. Hoewever since its intra-party elections, from the nomination of women legislators for reserved seats and even for the slot of Chief Minister and Speaker, there has been infighting among party MPAs, which has been viewed as an immature move on the part of legislators.
The dust has not yet settled, and still Chief Minister Pervaiz Khattak is shuttling between Peshawar and Lahore to finalise ministers in consultation with PTI Chairman Imran Khan.
‘Separate Ministry Must’
Requesting anonymity, a female MPA of PTI said that women in the party would raise their voice against any such decision which may undermine women's empowerment.
“We can’t compromise on women's rights as we had been taught by party discipline and our chief Imran Khan to strive for the rights of the deprived, women in KP need more support instead of such injustices, we won’t support it,” she remarked.
Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians, MPA Nighat Orakzai says she and her party had been fighting in the KP assembly for women's rights on the floor of the house, any decision which would deprive women of their rights need to be countered.
She remarked that they had voted for the chief minister, despite not being allies but now there would be zero tolerance from her party on any such movie.
“We don’t feel it would be a wise move if the women ministry is again remerged with Zakat and Ushr,we need real empowerment which can be attained once we have a separate women ministry headed by us women,” she said.
An official of the Social Welfare Department told that though there were separate ministries for Women Welfare and Zakat and Ushr in the last government but its one department and headed by one administrative secretary so the only reason, they might be considering it one as that the PTI’s government in KP wanted to cut down the ministries from 25 to 15.
Another official source disclosed that the KP government would have an advisor on women affairs instead of a Women Minister which is also viewed discriminatory by the civil society.
Hijacking Women’s Rights
Another reason for civil society concerns about the merger of Women Ministry with Zakat and Ushar is that the Jamaat-i-Islami would be the in-charge of women affairs. The JI had a number of reservations on recent legislation regarding women affairs in KP.
The KP chief of Shirkat Gah, another civil society organisation, involved in women related legislation and their welfare, Saira Bano says bringing two entirely different nature of ministries together would put women related issues on the back burner.
Women Empowerment in Challenging Environments: a Case Study from Kharo Chan
By Tahir Hasnain
Soon after the elections on 11 May 2013, the Environment & Livelihood Programme team of Shirkat Gah visited Kharo Chan for a planned research study on Climate Change Implications on Local Women.
The research team was informed through its CBO partner Delta Development Organization (DDO) that for the first time women in Kharo Chan got their CNICs and voted in large numbers in current elections. Before sharing facts behind this massive and positive change, appended below please find some basic info about Kharo Chan:
Kharo Chan is amazing. It’s a very poor and deprived Taluka of District Thatta which is devoid of any urban area. It is a coastal area with population 29,000 living in about 200 villages. Kharo Chan is a place of katcha homes; huts made of wood and dry straw. There is hardly any cemented home or building. Main livelihood activities include fishing and agriculture with minimum women participation. Kharo Chan city (Tehsil Headquarter) itself is a poor village in an island having no electricity. Only one village has yet recently got electricity polls but on the whole there is no electricity throughout Taluka. Kharo Chan does not have a single government office of any kind; officials from Thatta visit the area time to time on need basis. Kharo Chan even does not have a police station; no policeman exists throughout the Taluka. Interestingly, Kharo Chan has almost zero crime rate. Kharo Chan has only two basic health units without any doctor. Male Dispensers use to treat patients; even women. Kharo Chan has only one girl primary school building; the school is however inoperative due to lack of local female teacher. There are 40 primary boy’s schools; 01 middle and 01 high school where girls are also enrolled. Currently, 125 girls are enrolled in primary schools but only 20 girls attend the school on regular basis. 18 girls are enrolled in middle school but only 03 attend the school. Thus Kharo Chan has bulk of illiterate masses and conservative attitude towards women. Most of the women were not registered with NADRA and have remained deprived of Computerized National Identity Cards (CNIC).
Despite these amazing and hostile facts of Kharo Chan, it was good news to hear that women in Kharo Chan got their CNICs and use their voting rights in current elections. As per our observation, the main drive behind this local level enthusiasm was the fact that three famous female politicians were contesting elections and local women were quite charged during these elections: Ms. Sassui Palijo of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Ms. Marvi Memon of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and Ms. Heer Soho of Mutahida Qoumi Movement (MQM). Ms. Sassui Palijo had almost won the seat but, as per her, the results were tempered overnight and she declared looser at a very close margin of 400 votes against Sherazi Group member.
This is thus a case study that if women tend to contest elections, they can mobilize local women very well and male members of the community/household do not resist. Only in two months of elections campaign, local women got a new life and confidence.
We met with Ms. Aami Bibi who is a social worker and she had played key role in mobilizing local women in current elections to exercise their right to vote. Our CBO partner DDO also provided full support to Aami Bibi for the women’s right to CNICs and vote.
Aami Bibi (42 years old) is a widow, breadwinner and a leader of its household. She is an active political worker of PPP. Aami Bibi is involved in a very unique livelihood activity which impressed us a lot. She sells cloth and other products related to sewing, embroidery, handicrafts through making door-to-door visit in villages and that’s the reason she has got good social contact with community people. We were surprised to know that she carries bundle of cloth on her head and travels alone 1-2 kilometers on foot. At home she, along with her young daughters, is practicing kitchen gardening and they do not purchase vegetables, poultry meat and eggs from market.
As mentioned before, Kharo Chan has very low rate of female education. Till today there is no any single primary school for girls; girls are enrolled in boy’s schools. Aami Bibi herself is not educated but she is struggling hard to provide education to her younger sister. Her sister succeeded in receiving matric & inter-level education in a boy’s higher secondary school and she is currently doing LHV course in Karachi so that she could provide medical support to the local women of Kharo Chan.
Let’s show solidarity with Ms. Aami Bibi’s struggle for women rights.
----- NB: Photos of Aami Bibi and other women are not being displayed due to lack of their permission.
Author: Mr. Tahir Hasnain is a veteran development practitioner, currently serving Shirkat Gah as Programme Manager, Environment & Livelihood.
Only six women reach National Assembly on general seats
LAHORE: Out of the 272 general seats, only six women reached the National Assembly and eight women got hold of the general seats in the Punjab Assembly, out of the 297 general seats.
Although, the manifestos of all the mainstream political parties claimed greater political participation by women, the post polls situation defies the claims. The political parties winning in election 2013 have shown abysmally low share in general seats for women, the Gender Election Monitoring Cell said.
Earlier, incomplete nomination lists for female candidates on reserved seats were submitted by 18 out of the 19 political parties contesting from the Punjab. This trend merits a lot of concern regarding the future of gender equality, especially with reference to the representation of women at the policy drafting/influencing level.
The Aurat Foundation has regretted the gap between the promise and practice which is rather widening. It urged the leaders of political parties to observe gender balance as trumpeted by them before the polls. The gender quota should be visible in the new cabinets when they are sworn in.
Repolling recommended in constituencies where women were not allowed to vote
A team of election monitors have demanded that polls be declared void in constituencies where women were barred from voting.
Gender Concerns International on Monday demanded that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) nullify the results and call fresh elections in every constituency where women were barred from voting due to flagrant violations of the ECP’s code of conduct.The demand was made during a press conference organised to share the preliminary findings of the Gender Election Monitoring (GEM) mission, a joint operation by the Aurat Foundation and Dutch NGO Gender Concerns International.
The GEM mission sent out 100 domestic and 10 international observers to monitor election activities at 555 women’s polling stations nationwide from a gender perspective. Sabra Bano, the head of the GEM mission, started with the positives, such as the fact that in Sargodha, women voted for the first time in history in Lilliani and Moazamabad union councils.
However, she expressed concern over areas in Upper Dir and other parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa where women were barred from voting through informal agreements between political parties or under threatening circumstances.
She said that in Upper Dir, only one woman in Darora union council cast her vote, while in six polling stations in Lower Dir saw not even a single woman voted. The situation was no different in NA-28 Buner, where women only cast votes in 10 out of 27 union councils, and parts of NA-5 Nowshera, NA-10 Mardan, NA-22 Battagram, NA-25 Dera Ismail Khan, and NA-35 Malakand, where women were not allowed to vote at many polling stations.
“The situation is not a true reflection of democracy. The ECP should take notice of this and nullify the result,” she stressed.
The report commends the ECP’s efforts to reach out to female voters and set up more polling stations to make reaching them more convenient. It also praises the introduction of an SMS facility to find out where to vote and under which number, as it made voting significantly easier for literate women.
In and around polling stations
Some of the polling stations lacked facilities such as washrooms or drinking water for polling staffers, while material such as seals for the boxes, ink, and envelopes were not delivered on time, causing delays in voting.
The report identifies a few polling stations where female polling officers were being ‘assisted’ by their husbands or fathers.
The police and security staff at female polling stations were mostly male, and not always aware of the exact procedures, which the report explains with an example that observers were allowed to enter polling places before they opened and were also allowed to assist in counting votes. It adds that there were cases where security staff did not allow women with children to enter polling stations.
Finally, the report cites urban women as having ‘average’ knowledge of voting procedures, but in rural areas and rural suburbs, women generally lacked information about voting, which “many political party agents have been found taking advantage of”.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 14th, 2013.
Despite elections, fear remains
Most women welcomed the elections. However, they remain against religious extremism and don’t agree with Taliban’s narrow interpretation of Islam...
By Najma Sadeque
When women have their rights, mobility and visibility curtailed under the pretext of religious law, the task of those controlling the citizenry is halved. ThDescription: http://magazine.thenews.com.pk/upload_image/1/5244_5-14-2013_1.jpgey are left with only half the population to deal with; women’s needs become a secondary issue and can be easily sidelined to divert state finances for other ends.
Not only that, what men don’t realize is that the responsibility of keeping women ‘in their place’ is shifted onto the men of the family. Thereby, the men who fail in this responsibility, become the target of disapproval of local self-appointed minders of society’s ‘morals’. To save themselves, men become doubly tough with their family females - as much to ensure their safety against the hypocrisies of others. The arrogant and unreasonable demands of a non-representative and violent element for its own ‘religious reasons’ with no links whatsoever with the general citDescription: http://magazine.thenews.com.pk/upload_image/1/5244_5-14-2013_2.jpgizenry does not therefore get a warm welcome.
What would have got the public approval would have been if our forces had attended to dealing with low-scale but sustained violence and intimidation and violence by other elements that started years or decades ago, instead of allowing things to fester and grow until too late. Today the various acts of terrorism are often so blurred, it’s sometimes hard to tell who has really committed some of them, since some are not above doing damage to their own people, property and constituencies, and blaming it on others.
Killing is a difficult business. Especially when it is not sanctioned under declared war. Militaries don’t have to hide that they are out to fight. But mercenaries deployed just to cause the worst destruction possible in heavily-populated urban areas - to bomb and maim and kill and bring down buildings - they have to go about their violent task very carefully to avoid detection. So far they seem to have succeeded.
To the rest of the terrorized citizens, those who openly claim to be responsible seem to belong to a particular ethnicity. But are they? Because the same ethnicity constitutes a huge percentage of residents of the major cities, particularly Karachi, who don’t agree with Taliban politics. They are victims too and bombing girls’ schools does not go down well with them.
As a senior police official suggested on a television programme, the perpetrators must have blended in with the local people not to have been noticed at all in the process of planting their devices. This means whoever’s behind it, must have recruited locally. With so much unemployment and discontent brewing, it couldn’t have been too difficult. It’s a frightening thought - to consider that the neighbour with whom you have a nodding acquaintance or the unemployed youth who has nothing better to do except loiter around and therefore a familiar face on the streets, could be something more than that. One has to stop trusting blindly. Instead, as the police official advised, one has to start watching out for unusual or suspicious behaviour.
Most women welcomed the elections. For those who were sorely disappointed in those they had previously voted for, this was a chance to undo their mistake by going for a new face or party. In fact, having to wait five years of far more disillusionment and horror rather than relief, made it too long in the coming. But by the time it came round, huge new problems, some brought on by the last government or two, came on, that once more pushed the basics to a backseat. Adequate food, healthcare, education, shelter, water, sanitation, fuel, transport - and now some newly identified old problems, namely physical security, justice and credit - continue to escape most people.
But they also felt the elections were arranged in haste. The interim government had far more than its fair share to deliver on, too little time to do too much - and not surprisingly, were not able to deliver on all of them. Initially, those who did not meet the criteria were disqualified. But later, political muscle began to work, and people who had the blot of misused money on them or other dubious actions, got through. So, there was no longer a level playing field to compete on, therefore not a fair election to be expected.
No longer do women believe that religious groups try to take over in the misguided conviction that they need to ‘cleanse’ society. Since women are the main focus - some say unhealthy obsession - of religious groups, they also have their share of unsavoury experiences to share in their run-ins with some claiming to be holy.
Religion, women have also begun to realize, is a useful tool and a useful cover for much else. All over the world, history is replete with instances of people motivated only by the drive for power and money or criminal ends, creating religious facades for themselves. Not that all religious groups are the same. The genuine ones don’t tend to get involved in politics; it is in fact anti-religion to be holier-than-thou.
Unfortunately, they often get tarred with the same extremist brush.
Tarot card readers and astrologers were increasingly figuring on TV programmes, saying what serious analysts were not expected to, no matter what their gut feelings were, or according to confidential information they could not divulge. That the elections might not take place; or they might be delayed. Perhaps they reflected a widespread public wish?
Like a small entrepreneur who had started well but is now struggling said, “I don’t know who these Taliban are and why they go around killing people. All I know is that they target the parties they don’t like, but ordinary people get hurt. They disrupt businesses; deprive daily-wage workers and other poor. They say they are not going to stop. They are like the corrupt police who are almost an independent power in their own right, and run rackets of their own, and are in league with politicians to stay that way. They won’t leave us in peace. But neither will the mafia or ‘unofficial’ government that gives us no voice and orders us who to vote for. So there is no point in an election if the government doesn’t deal with all three first. This election could also go to waste.”
The general opinion:
“The Taliban say they want Shariat in our country. I don’t understand how it is different from what we already have. I already wear hijab. I never did before, but it’s safer when I travel to work or go to the bazaar. All kinds of twisted men loafing around all the time, as if they had no parents to bring them up to be decent human beings.” (Saleswoman, twenties)
“This (Taliban) business is ridiculously like another General Ziaul Haq, except on a vast, violent scale, bringing Islam to people who are already Muslims. Actually I think it’s just a cover for something more sinister. They are acting on behalf of some other master - some other country or countries out to subjugate and manipulate us. But as long as they are bent on using their money and their power to disrupt our country and our lives, our immediate future is not very bright. We just have to take things as they come and fight it through. It is the fault of those who let them in for other reasons. Now the people are paying for it.” (Academic, fifties)
“Don’t we have something as bad as the Taliban already? We have the police mafia - corrupt, brutal, serving only whoever pays the most, whether government or private person, since the very beginning. Then we have the bhatta mafia and real estate mafia who do the same thing. They’ve been around for 3-4 decades. They’ve all been there under both civilian and military governments. Nobody touches them. Why? Maybe the Taliban can get rid of all of them.” (Retired government officer, sixties)
“Who stands to gain from the Taliban having their way? I don’t think our own religious parties are that extreme or want the Taliban either. They are just wild undisciplined people who can only kill and damage, not think or govern. So it’s something external. It’s a bad sign. It’s the fault of the last government for letting them grow unhindered, and now they are entrenched and out of control.” (Private high school teacher, forties)
“I’m sick and tired of being told that it is my duty to vote. I voted before. It got me nothing except a government that raised prices every week and did nothing for the people. I haven’t had a pay raise in the past three years. My employer says if there’s not enough business, he can’t afford to. It’s a small business and I can’t blame him - he’s had to downsize twice already. I don’t complain any more. But I worry when he worries - that if conditions don’t improve he might have to close down his business altogether. Then I’ll be without a job, and I know I won’t be able to find one soon. So many jobless around. I’ve got more pressing things to worry about besides voting. I have to pinch pennies because I don’t know what may happen tomorrow. The winner won’t give me a new job.” (Office Supervisor, thirties) “Candidates have promised various things they’ll do for people. But do you know that up to this day no one has ever spoken of female domestic workers or home-based workers? This is a man’s world. They don’t interview people like us on TV. It makes no difference, Taliban or no Taliban. It is as if we don’t exist. We are too unimportant. They don’t think of us.” (Home-based worker. Late twenties)
“Where I live there’s no water. We have to buy it. The roads have been broken for years. — I have to buy new chappals every month or two. I had to stop my growing girls from going to school which is a short walking distance, because of goondas who whistle and misbehave. Daily life is hell for us. The day a candidate guarantees to solve these problems, I will vote for him. And if he carries out his promise and gives us security and our basics, I will vote for him again and again. I don’t care whether he’s from a religious party or not.” (Housewife, early thirties)
Fatwa declares casting vote religious responsibility
* Women enjoy equal right to vote in elections
By Kiyya Qadir Baloch
ISLAMABAD: Religious scholars and the members of the All Pakistan Ulema Council have issued a 40-page edict, which declares the non-casting of vote a sin, saying that casting vote is compulsory under Islamic injunctions.
The forty-page edict reads that voting is a religious responsibility and should be used in appropriate means. In a one-day conference which was held at a local hotel in Islamabad on Thursday the religious scholars presented the edict and said that Pakistan is suffering from a very difficult time and change in the country is possible only through ballot. They said that is a religious responsibility of every Pakistani to cast his/her vote because vote-casting is like deposing in a court of law, so concealing evidence is a sin.
The conference was chaired by PUC Chairman Hafiz Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi and was participated by more than 30 politico-religious leaders, including Senator Maulana Attullah of JUI, Mian Attiqueur Rehman of MQM, Arshad Khaliq of PPP, ANP’s Islamabad-based president Malik Riaz Bangesh, Sajid Ishaq of PTI, Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee Chairman Sardar Sham Singh, Fahadat Nadeem of Christen community and others.
Addressing the ‘National Solidarity Conference’ the scholars expressed serious concern over the view that women voting is un-Islamic and asked the political parties to bring awareness among people about the importance of voting. Hafiz Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi asked the people to cast votes in the elections and use their right in favour of good candidates and if there is no good candidate then the people can choose a “less bad” person.
He further said that women have equal rights to vote, adding that it is not religion that bars them from voting but the feudal system. Ashrafi said that misusing the name of Islam should be stopped immediately. He also urged the clerics of all religions to play their role in preaching tolerance and urged the political and religious parties to start a campaign regarding the importance of voting.
The speakers were of the view that every step should be taken to promote interfaith harmony in order to prevent the country going towards anarchy. The participants condemned the target killings of ulema and minorities. They also condemned terror incidents in Quetta, Karachi and Joseph Colony. They demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.
Description: Description: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/images/2013/04/26/20130426_30.jpg ISLAMABAD: Next month’s elections should mark the first democratic transition of power in Pakistan, but Taliban threats, social taboos and poor organisation will likely deprive millions of women their right to vote.
Out of a population of 180 million, 37 million women and 48 million men are registered to vote in the May 11 polls in a country that has been ruled by generals for half its life and where military coups have repeatedly interrupted democracy.
But in the conservative northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, adjoining tribal areas on the Afghan border and southwestern province Balochistan, few women voted at the last election and officials fear it will be the same again.
“We waited the whole day... but not a single woman turned up because of a ban imposed by tribal elders,” remembers Badama Begum, a 33-year-old teacher who worked at a polling station in 2008 in the northwestern district of Mardan.
Election authorities set up a separate station staffed only by women to guarantee around 350 registered female voters complete privacy, but it was a waste of time.
“We closed the polling station in the evening, returned the blank ballot papers and empty boxes to the election commission, and left,” she said.
In 2008, not a single vote was cast at 564 of 28,800 women’s polling stations — 55 percent of them in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, officials said. In the most conservative areas, officials estimated women’s turnout at 10-15 percent of those registered.
That year, 76 women ran for parliament and 16 won seats. The election commission says there are more women candidates this time, but had no precise number.
Registering to vote is a routine process conducted by officials who go door-to-door to compile a list of adults with ID cards in each household
But this in itself leaves millions of women disenfranchised.
Women’s rights activist Farzana Bari estimates that at least 11 million eligible women will not be able to vote simply because authorities have not granted them national identity cards.
The elections themselves present further barriers to women, with some religious leaders believing women voting is un-Islamic.
Voting for a man they do not know, some mullahs counselled in 2008, was grounds for automatic divorce — a social taboo few are prepared to entertain.
“Our society does not allow us to bring our women to vote,” said Sharif Khan, 50, a solar energy dealer in Miranshah, the main town in the tribal district of North Waziristan, the most notorious Taliban and al Qaeda stronghold in Pakistan.
“We are afraid of the Taliban. They oppose women voting, so why should we take the risk?” he asked.
In tribal communities such as these, women live in purdah, confined to women’s only quarters at home. They do not go shopping, they do not work outside the house and they only go to the hospital in a dire emergency.
Literacy rates are low, even lower for women. General disillusionment also runs high in some of the most remote and deprived parts of the country.
“Women in our area don’t even know how to vote,” said Miranshah cloth merchant Adam Khan, 35. “Our MPs do nothing for our welfare. So it’s not just our women, I won’t vote this time either,” he fumed.
In urban areas, politicians lay on transport to ferry voters to and from polling stations, but in the countryside it becomes more complicated when women are not allowed to travel without a close male relative.
Aware of the problem, the election commission tried to introduce reforms that no candidate could win with less than 10 percent of the women’s vote in his constituency, but it was rejected in parliament, said spokesman Khurshid Alam.
He says the commission will try to enforce legislation against those who try to stop women from voting, although it remains unclear how.
“Preventing a person from casting his vote falls in the purview of corrupt practices and is punishable by three years in jail and fine of Rs 5,000 or both,” Alam told AFP.
The result of a by-election in Batagram was declared null three years ago when few women participated having been threatened with divorce. They took part in the re-run at which the threat of divorce was not raised, he said.
Khalida Bibi a 39-year-old housewife from the northwestern town of Dargai told AFP that she was hopeful that a tough election commission would have some impact.
“My name was on the voters’ list for the 2002 and 2008 elections, but I couldn’t vote because on both occasions local people decided that women would not,” she said.
“I hope I will succeed this time because the election commission has warned against any ban on women voting,” she added. Afp
ON March 31, in an unprecedented move two women Badam Zari from Bajaur and Nusrat Begum from Lower Dir filed nomination papers for the election. A former district vice president with the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Nusrat Begum is the first woman candidate from Lower Dir, a district where women voters were often barred in the past. Although these two candidates illustrate a positive change in pre-election Pakistan, electioneering remains a male contest. Indeed, women`s lack of voting rights remains a serious problem which begins with the low number of women who are registered as voters.
With 37.4 million female voters and 48 million male voters on theelectoral register, ten million unregistered women, according to FAFEN is a glaring instance of gender disparity. They propose that the ECP along with NADRA, political parties and civil society organisations ensure that unregistered women are found and given identity cards.
Political pundits believe it is too late for this election.
`The registration of women as voters is the biggest issue. Although non-governmental organisations have tried to minimize this deficit to an extent, NADRA requires valid documentation to prove a citizen`s eligibility for an identity card. Many women cannot produce these, explains Rashid Chaudhry at FAFEN.But a CNIC and registration of their vote does not address the entire gamut of problems facing women voters. The latter are also deprived of their vote because of tribal customs; inaccessibility; voter unawareness; collusion of political parties; general insecurity; displacement and migration, and the unavailability of male members of the family to accompany female voters to polling stations.
In conservative districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Balochistan, when it comes to women`s political participation, local political party representatives forge informal agreements to prevent women from voting. Bushra Gohar, the Central Vice President ofthe Awami National Party, believes that even if there is no such verbal agreement between parties, women do not come out to vote because of patriarchal traditions in Kohistan and certain areas of Mansehra.
In fact, the ECP at the local level becomes party to this. Reports of women voters being kept away during past general elections or local government elections in Malakand, Shangla, Buner, Bajaur, Mohmand, DI Khan, Lower Dir and other areas in Fata with the tacit understating of the ECP are not uncommon.
For instance, in the 2011 by-election in Musakhel, Balochistan, the ECP established a woman-only polling station but the male staff went on strike because they refusedto work with women. The ECP had to relent.
`It is socially accepted that women should not vote and secondary ECP staff drawn from local communities did not want to deviate from local customs,` Chaudhry explains.
Similarly in the by-election in Shangla, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in January 2011, only about 90 of the 59,177 registered women voted.
Women were stopped from voting at 69 combined polling stations and 14 female polling stations as part of an agreement between contesting parties, including the Pakistan`s Peoples Party and the ANP. `There was evidence that all parties had finalised an agreement which had then been countersigned by the ECP,` says Gohar who had taken the issue to parliament.
Gohar explains that parties in KP believe that if they relinquish control of women polling stations, bogus votes will be polled because women`s identity cards have no photographs; it is easier to stuff ballot boxes with fake votes at women-only stations.
For most activists, such behaviour can and should be challenged by the state if the colluders are punished, it can act as a deterrent, they argue.
The ECP must exercise its legal authority under the Representation of the People Act, 1976 to prevent women`s disenfranchisement by punishing and fining perpetrators, say constitutional experts.
`This Act gives the ECP power to declare results from any given polling station or constituency as null and void, if anyone there is barred from voting. If this law is not being followed, it reflects the lack of seriousness with which we approach women rights,` says Mudassir Rizvi, the head of FAFEN.
In May 2012, it was also recommended that the Commission be given the right to nullify results from constituencies where local parties have exclude d women or where less than 10 per cent have voted and that presiding officers provide separate data on male and female voters.
However, not all experts feel that these recommendations can address the problem. For instance, many believe the 10 per cent quota will be met by proxy voting.But here too, some believe that further legislation can help.
`Thumb impressions with magnetic ink on voter lists can be biometrically scanned. This means NADRA can tell whether bogus votes have been cast and if proxy voting has taken place at certain polling stations. This can act as a deterrent or even be used as evidence during appeals. This would in turn help detect fraud [bogus votes] but the absence of legislation remains the main problem,` Chaudhry at FAFEN argues.
However, political parties have resisted such `measures`. For instance they have said that it would be difficult to implement the 10 per cent prerequisite with the existing security risks because of which overall turnout figures will be low.
However, not all political observers are willing to buy into this reasoning including Mohammad Amir Rana, director of the Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies. He claims that the security situation was no different during the 2008 election. The only difference this time around, he asserts, is the increase in sectarian violence, especially between January and March this year, which was confined to certain pockets in Karachi, Hangu and Quetta.
`This time it will be difficult for political parties to stop women from voting because even religious parties in Malakand have agreed to bring women to polling booths for the first time. In Lower Dir, the ECP has six polling stations for women but now each union council has requested one polling station. The ECP can challenge the local leadership with secular credentials but con-servative mind-sets if women are kept at home this time,` Rana says.
Local activists agree with Rana; according to them the disenfranchisement of women has little to do with militancy and everything to do with gender discrimination. Chaudhry tells Dawn that he has already heard of an implicit agreement so far in Torghar, KP, a tribal area turned settled district.
However, the Chief Election Commissioner Fakhruddin G Ebrahim asserts that the possibility of rigging is nil. He is looking into positioning female military personnel at women`s stations in insecure districts.
At the same time, NGOs and other observers point out that a larger female voter turnout is expected because of an increased turnout at combined polling stations (which women can reach in the company of men); an increased number of polling stations; and accessibility (polling stations are expected to be no further than two kilometers in distance from homes under SC directions).
Last but not least is the support of the more conservative candidates who are counting on women voters.
Take JUI-F`s Maulana Rahat Hussain who is set to contest from Shangla, KP (PK-87) and who has endorsed women`s political participation if they conform to veiling themselves and traveling with men. `In the 2002 elections, polling stations were accessible for women as they were established on roads.
About 400 women voted at polling stations near Gomori, Shangla and 100 women voted for me at the Shahpur polling station in 2011. No religion stops women from voting.
PESHAWAR, Pakistan, Apr 5 2013 (IPS) - The Taliban may have placed a ban on theatre, but women in Pakistan’s northern provinces won’t allow the threat of the militants’ reprisals to keep them off the stage.
Meena Gul, a 32-year-old who made her debut in the recent production of Khushal Khan Khattak, a play based on the life of the 17th century Pashtun warrior poet who promoted Afghan unity against the backdrop of Mughal rule, is one of these determined young actresses who has found her calling and will not give it up without a fight.
Although television has long been her passion, she tells IPS that her brush with theatre proved to be a “welcome development in my decade-long career in ‘showbiz’.”
Directed by the award-winning Masood Ahmad Shah, the play offered 15 actresses with varying degrees of experience the chance to perform for a live audience, a challenge for those whose careers had revolved around pre-recorded TV shows.
The stage “demanded more focused work”, Gul said. Unlike with TV, which allows you to repeat a shot numerous times, theatre provides just one chance to do justice to endless rehearsals and hours of working with a director to capture a scene or a specific role.
Gul began her career with Pakistan Television and is something of a local screen star, but she feels the theatrical debut “emboldened and encouraged” her to seek more performances and rely on acting as a livelihood.
She says the Afghan government will soon be staging the same play in Kabul and Kandahar, where she will play a leading role. She and her fellow female performers are anxiously awaiting the trip, during which they hope to make lasting connecting with women on the other side of the border who suffer the same gender and cultural repression under the Taliban.
When the play was first staged in Peshawar, capital of northern Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, in early March, it elicited praise for building “cultural bridges” between the neighbouring countries.
Khushal Khan Khattak was renowned for his writings that spoke to a deep sense of Pashtun identity and unity.
The largest ethnic group in Afghanistan and the second largest in Pakistan, Pashtuns share cross-border cultural ties and commonalities, the most recent being the twin experiences of living with – or under — the majority-Pashtun Taliban.
Now, the play promises to foster solidarity among Pashtun women, who often bear the brunt of the Taliban’s extreme religious, patriarchal views.
Playwright Noorul Bashar Naveed told IPS that the 15 actresses who performed in his play have “breathed new life” into the world of drama, which was withering under the boot of this male-dominated society.
“The majority of the people here don’t approve of women venturing out in public due to social repercussions. It is not acceptable for women to appear in films, dramas or theatrical productions,” he says. But the public’s reaction to the play suggests a change in this old view. Families, friends and supporters packed the 600-seat Nishtar Hall in Peshawar, the largest theatre in KP, on all three nights of the play’s run. Each performance received a standing ovation, with applause ringing out long after the curtain call.
“The women in the audience gave us immense strength, which greatly improved our performance,” Shah Naz, who played Khushal Khan Khattak’s housemaid, told IPS.
The play’s overwhelming success is no small feat in a place where even male actors hesitate to accept roles out of fear of the Taliban’s wrath.
Not only actors but other artists, too, frequently come under attack here.
“Taliban militants have destroyed 500 CD and music shops in KP and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) since 2005 and have been warning (people) to away from acting,” Javaid Babar, president of the KP Artists Association, told IPS.
Babar says that about 200 actors, dancers and actresses were forced to leave the profession in 2008 when the Taliban officially labelled drama and films “un-Islamic”.
“In 2009, the Taliban executed the famous dancer, Shabana Begum, in Swat and hung her body from an electricity pole, which prompted (many artists) to stay home or leave for other cities,” he added.
Public performances are few and far between in northern Pakistan. The last play, on the life of Pashtun poet Rehman Baba, was staged in December 2012.
As a result, few actors have been able to secure a livelihood.
“Most actresses come from poor families,” Babar said, and often “lead miserable lives” because they are prevented from pursuing their dreams.
Many are forced to take up odd jobs to pay for their daily expenses, since acting is not sufficient to pay the bills.
The production of Khushal Khan Khattak offers some hope of change. Shah Naz says she received 350 dollars for her role, while Meena Gul took in 500 dollars for her three-night performance.
Recognising its potential, both the Pakistani and the Afghan governments are taking steps towards ensuring the play continues to run, and travels across borders.
Parveen Malal, Afghanistan’s cultural attaché in Peshawar, has asked the cultural department of the KP government to stage the play in the Afghan cities of Kabul, Jalalabad and Kandahar, predicting that the actresses will receive a “wonderful response” from art-lovers on the other side of the border.
Masud Ahmed Shah plans to change the script slightly to cater to the local audience in Afghanistan, and cast some Afghan women in female roles in an effort to cultivate unity between the women.
Pakistani officials believe the play could help change social stereotypes about women. Sultan Hanif Orakzai, secretary of the culture and information department of KP, who watched every performance at Nishtar Hall, says the play was part of government efforts to “spotlight services rendered by different Pashtun heroes…bring women to the stage and encourage families to enjoy cultural events together.”
Production costs totaled roughly 30 million rupees (about three million dollars), and were borne entirely by the provincial government.
He says the play enabled the audience to empathise with the strong female character, Khushal Khan Khattak’s steadfast wife who stood by him in the most trying times, enduring even his imprisonment during the reign of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir, and could lead to greater understanding and appreciation of women as independent individuals.
“I will remember the strong female characters for a long time to come,” Saeeda Babi, who watched the play with her three children, told IPS.
Parallel justice: Newly wed couple sentenced to death by Pannu Aqil jirga
A freewill marriage couple was declared karo and kari, which makes them liable to be killed, by a jirga held in Bakshoo Seelro village near Pannu Aqil on Friday.
The jirga was presided over by Abdul Hakeem and Noor Ahmed from the Seelro clan. Aneela, daughter of Nisar Ahmed and a resident of Bakshoo Seelro, and Faisal Shah, son of Qadeer Ahmed Shah and a resident of Ghotki, eloped and got married around 10 days ago in district and sessions court, Ghotki.
The marriage outraged the Seelros and Aneela’s father registered an FIR against Faisal for kidnapping his daughter. The couple is currently living in Faisal’s house in Ghotki. When the police was contacted for information, Dadlo police station head constable Imdad Bhutto confirmed that a case has been registered against Faisal Shah but denied receiving any reports on the jirga other than what the media reported.
Later, Faisal Shah told The Express Tribune that they decided to get married after talking for some time over the phone. He also informed that they went to the court on March 21 and Aneela stated before the court that she wanted to marry him. The court allowed us to live together, he added. He further said that Aneela’s family has been hurling threats over the phone and by sending messages. The police, he said, were not providing them any protection and his rivals have threatened to kidnap his sisters to settle the score. He appealed to the chief justice to take suo motu notice and order the police to provide protection to him and his family.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 7th, 2013.
Concluding Observations for the 54th CEDAW Session
Concluding Observations for the 54th CEDAW Session are available on the OHCHR webpage on the following link:
LAHORE: Shirkat Gah, Women’s Resource Centre, has highlighted the concurrence of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) with its shadow report, Obstructing Progress: Growing Talibanisation and Poor Governance in Pakistan, which was endorsed by 19 civil society organisations at the Lahore Press Club on Monday.
The committee was reviewing Pakistan’s Fourth Country Report on eliminating discrimination against women issued in February 2013.
Shirkat Gah stressed that discrimination against women cannot be eliminated until Pakistan reduces the glaring gap between de jure (concerning law) and de facto (concerning fact) equality; addresses insecurity and violence resulting from the unchecked growth of armed jihadi groups; and improves governance by closing gaps in the legislative framework, removing obstacles in accessing justice and building well-resourced and dedicated machineries to promote women’s rights.
The Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) is an international human rights treaty acceded to by Pakistan in March 1996 for realisation of the principle of equality between men and women in all spheres of life, representatives of Shirkat Gah said.
The Shirkat Gah representatives said the CEDAW committee, in its concluding observations, had appreciated “the numerous laws and legal provisions aimed at eliminating discrimination against women” in Pakistan but had stressed that much more needed to be done.
“Recognising the challenges posed by increased violence and threats by non-state actors, and the impact of natural disasters, the committee emphasised that CEDAW is binding on all branches of the State apparatus and encouraged legislators to take the necessary steps to implement the concluding observations of the committee by the next reporting process,” they added.
The CEDAW Committee expressed its concern at the status of implementation of measures for women’s empowerment after devolution of certain powers from federal to provincial governments, and encouraged the government to ensure implementation at both national and provincial levels, the representatives added.
“Key areas identified by the committee for immediate attention in Pakistan include impact of internal conflict on women and girls; threats to the safety of human rights defenders; violence against women that is increased by delay in reforming laws on domestic violence and trafficking and a shortage of support services for women suffering violence. The committee questioned the delay in restoration of the local government system and asked Pakistan to restore 33% reserved seats for women and representation of women from religious minorities. Pakistan is also required to take immediate steps to ensure the effective implementation of laws to address violence against women; ensure disaggregated data collection on all forms of violence; eliminate parallel legal systems and informal dispute resolution mechanisms which discriminate against women and; promote the right to education for women and girls,” they added.
“Shirkat Gah calls upon all political parties to ensure that their manifestos and future plans include concrete necessary steps at all levels to fully implement the convention in a coherent and consistent manner as underlined by the committee. It calls upon all citizens to be cognisant of obligations enforced by the convention and hold public representatives as well as the executive branch accountable for implementation,” the representatives added.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 19th, 2013.
Shirkat Gah and Aurat Foundation organized a press conference on Monday to highlight the concurrence of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women with its shadow report “Obstructing Progress”.
The committee was reviewing Pakistan’s fourth country report on eliminating discrimination against women in February 2013. Shirkat Gah stressed that discrimination against women could not be eliminated until Pakistan effectively addressed alarming insecurity and violence resulting from the unchecked growth of aimed Jihadi militant groups. The Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) was an international human rights treaty acceded to by Pakistan in March 1996 for realisation of the principle of equality between men and women in all spheres of life.
The CEDAW Committee, in its concluding observations, appreciated “the numerous ‘laws and legal provisions aimed at eliminating discrimination against women” in Pakistan, however stressed that much more was needed to be done. Recognising the challenges posed by increased violence and threats by non-state actors and the impact of natural disasters, the Committee emphasised that CEDAW was a binding on all branches of the state apparatus and encouraged legislators to take necessary steps to implement the committee observations.
The CEDAW Committee expressed its concern at the status of implementation of measures for women’s empowerment after devolution, and encouraged the government to ensure implementation at both national and provincial levels. Key areas identified by the committee for immediate attention in Pakistan include impact of internal conflict on women and girls; threats to the safety of human rights defenders; violence against women that is increased by delay in laws on domestic violence and trafficking and a shortage of support for women suffering violence.
The Committee questioned the delay in the restoration of the local government system and asked Pakistan to ensure its restoration with 33 percent reserved seats for women and representation of women from religious minorities. Pakistan was also required to take immediate steps to ensure the effective implementation of laws to address violence against women, ensure disaggregated data collection on all forms of violence and eliminate all parallel legal systems and informal dispute resolution mechanisms which discriminated against women and promote the right to education of women.
Electoral process : Civil society demands end to discrimination against women
LAHORE: A civil society organisation, Shirkat Gah, has urged political parties to allocate 15 to 17 percent party-tickets to women to contest general seats at the upcoming elections.
The organisation also urged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to declare null and void the results of women polling stations where turnout is less than 10 percent.
The organisation has launched its shadow report titled ‘Obstructing Progress: Growing Talibanisation and Poor Governance in Pakistan’ submitted to the United Nations Committee before the media here at Lahore Press Club on Monday.
Shirkat Gah’s representatives Frida Shaheed, Fauzia Waqqar, Mumtaz Mughal and Fariha Khan highlighted the concurrence of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women with its shadow report endorsed by 19 civil society organisations.
They informed the media that the UN Committee was also reviewing Pakistan’s Fourth Country Report on eliminating discrimination against women as well as the shadow report of their organisation.
They stressed that discrimination against women cannot be eliminated until Pakistan reduces the glaring gap between dejure and defacto equality, effectively addresses alarming insecurity and violence resulting from the unchecked growth of Jihadi groups and ensures effective governance including: gaps in the legislative framework and obstacles in accessing justice as well as well-resourced and dedicated machineries to promote women’s rights.
They further informed that the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) Committee in its concluding observations, appreciated “the numerous laws and legal provisions aimed at eliminating discrimination against women” in Pakistan, but stressed that much more needs to be done.
The UN Committee, they said, recognising the challenges posed by increased violence and threats by non-state actors and the impact of natural disasters, has emphasised that CEDAW is “binding on all branches of the State apparatus” and encouraged legislators to “take the necessary steps to implement the Concluding Observations”.
They told the media that the CEDAW Committee has also expressed its concern at the status of implementation of measures for women’s empowerment after devolution, and encouraged the government to ensure implementation at both national and provincial levels.
Key areas identified by the Committee for immediate attention in Pakistan include impact of internal conflict on women and girls; threats to the safety of human rights defenders; violence against women that is increased by delay in laws on domestic violence and trafficking and a shortage of support services for women suffering violence, they said.
Shirkat Gah representatives also demanded the government to change the Qanun-e-Shahadat (the law of evidence) providing equal right to women.
Target killing of Parveen condemned
LAHORE, March 15: The Karachiites, especially the low-income and marginalised, routinely ignored and neglected by the government and politicians, have lost their activist-patron of a very different kind Parveen Rahman, director of the Orangi Pilot Project.
According to a press release issued here on Friday by Shirkatgah, it said she did not merely show people an alternative but more effective way of improving their lives. She made them participate until they were fully self-reliant and no longer needed others help.
Parveen fell victim to various mafias whose prey came from among Karachi’s masses and whose homes and livelihoods were made subject to high-level racketeering.
Yet throughout, Parveen walked the fine line between the corrupt and criminal elements within and outside, taking care not to risk the interests of the people. But because it thwarted vested interests, she inevitably took the risks onto herself, and has paid for it dearly.
Sindh Assembly passes domestic violence bill
KARACHI: Sindh’s provincial assembly unanimously passed the domestic violence bill making its violation punishable by fine and/or imprisonment, DawnNews reported.
The assembly also passed in unison the Sindh Civil Servants’ (Second Amendment) bill 2013 during the session. The bill had been presented by Sindh Law Minister Ayaz Soomro.
The PPP minister said the names of the posts of the 2001 local government officials stood changed and the name of the district officer’s post would be replaced with collector whereas the posts of ECO and DDO would be renamed as Commissioner and Assistant Commissioner respectively.
He further said that according to the domestic violence act, offenders could be imprisoned from one month up to two years and fined from Rs 1,000 up to Rs 50,000.
Women empowerment is a matter of key concern in national and international policy making and activities of social life. Nations cannot achieve their development goals if their women are discriminated. Women’s empowerment is in fact necessary condition for socio-economic development of a country.
01women08-10Women in most part of Pakistan are not enjoying the fundamental human rights. They are less healthy, less nourished and more vulnerable than men. Patriarchal nature of society in Pakistan, provide women fewer chances to acquire property, low level of legal support for justice and few opportunities for political participation. They have to cross a number of socio-cultural barriers when they want to work for income generation.
Women are considered as mean of producing children, caring family members and providing them emotional satisfaction. As a result, their identity is lost under the burden of responsibilities and they do not have time to think about themselves. In their routine life, most of the women do not have their own goals but they respond to the need and demands of others. A woman do not have power to make decision on how to behave or dress, whom to marry, whether to have children and how many, contact with outside world, education, her health and so forth. All powers are vested with the males of the family. Despite their long hours of work and sacrificing attitude towards their family and in-laws, their work is not recognized by their family as well as the society at large. Conversely in return most of the women receive unfair treatment of their near relatives and male family members. Their independent existence is denied and they are considered as subservient of man. Such stringent circumstances not only make women weak and dependent but also lower down their social status.
How women can acquire their due status? How they can acquire freedom to speak for their rights? How they can protect them from unjust treatment? How their contribution to household activities can be recognized? How can they contribute to the wellbeing of their family and the progress of country? Answer to all these question lies in the frame work of women’s empowerment. In recent years question of women’s empowerment is of key concern in national and international policy making and civil society activities.
Empowering women by increasing their status and autonomy within families is integral to many international health and development programs. One of the eight Millennium development goals calls for achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment, Empowering women is also crucial to reach many of other goals including reducing child mortality, improving maternal health, achieving universal primary education, combating HIV/ AIDS and the prime goal of reducing by half the proportion of poor people by the year 2015. Most of the prevailing social problems in Pakistan like poverty, malnutrition, illiteracy, environmental hazard, unhygienic living standard, high population growth rate, low economic productivity, less per capita income, lower household status, child mortality, lower health status of women, maternal mortality, gender inequality, and violence against women etc. are directly or indirectly associated with women that can be tackled effectively by social and economic empowerment of women.
Recommendations
Education plays a vital role in empowering women and it is thus recommended that there is a need to make some radical changes in existing education system that promote gender awareness. Adult education should be launched to educate married couple. Legislation should be made to fix the minimum marriage age for girls at 18 years as more than one-third of the maternal deaths in the country are reported to be occurred among females who were married between the ages of 14 and 17 years. Lack of property ownership is another cause of women’s powerlessness. Therefore there is a need of legislation that must be supportive for women in acquiring and retaining the property. In view of meager percentage of women in jobs, there is a need to enhance the labor force participation of women. Some incentives should be given to the women by government for enhancing their job participation. Most of the women complain that their husband does not allow them to do paid work due to lack of security of women. Therefore there is a need to establish enabling environment for women and effort should be made to design such jobs or businesses that can be started within home there is need of motivators and facilitators for mobilizing and providing such services to women. In order to enhance political participation, awareness about rights, media should play active role especially the TV. For developing political participation, their social network can be made effective by organizing their groups. NGOs and local government can play a pivotal role in this regard.
Women and Elections
Women have a critical role to play in the consolidation of peace in the country and for the positive developmental processes. However, several obstacles make women’s participation in the electoral process more difficult than men’s. These obstacles include cultural factors such as deficit of civic duty, practical obstacles such as family responsibilities or even the fear to compete with men during physical security-related fears, economic obstacles that make access to infrastructures difficult, as well as a high level of ignorance.
Potential voters, candidates and observers, women have the right to assume senior management positions. For this very reason, the integration of the gender concept into the electoral process must not be reduced to mere sensitization of women as voters given their large representation, but must also integrate this concept with a view to promoting women’s participation in the electoral process as candidates, observers, political parties’ witnesses and/or members of the electoral administration.
Women Empowerment to Conserve Urban Environment
Women, being aware of potential risk in our physical environment, can help protect and manage urban environment for the citizen’s health and economy. At the town level, there is urgent need to identify and address urban issues of concern to women. One of the key principles of this campaign should be that women need to be more involved in decision making and discussions which have an impact on their urban environment. Women are in fact half of our society. What keeps them from being included in urban governance and what happens as a result of their exclusion? Since they spend more time at home, therefore if the things at home and in the neighborhood need managing and organizing, then the people who do it should certainly be more qualified to make decisions. So it is recommended that women must be involved in urban governance so that women can play their role as decision-makers and city managers in this regard.
According to the International Union of Local Authorities (IULA), 1998; “From a gender perspective, local government is the closest and most accessible level of government to women. Local governments traditionally provide services utilized by individual households such as electricity, waste disposal, public transport, water, schools, health clinics and other social services. The decisions of local governments therefore have a direct impact on the private lives of women, because they are traditionally responsible for providing for and caring for the family and the home in most countries. Women also have important and unique contributions to make to the development of these services. They must be fully part of the local democratic system and have full access to the decision-making structure. Until the interests of women have been represented at the local level, the system is not fully democratic.”
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Author: Tahir Hasnain is a veteran researcher, writer and development practitioner serving the non-government development sector since two decades. Currently he works with Shirkat Gah as Programme Manager, Environment & Livelihood. He can be contacted at – tahir@khi.sgah.org.pk
Recipe for empowerment
ONE Billion Rising, a global act of women protesting violence, was observed this year on Feb 14. Women all around the world got together to hold events, from India to Afghanistan to the United States and South Africa.
The intent of the effort — spearheaded by playwright and activist Eve Ensler — was to bring women together in a way that underlined the commonality of their problems in a world where their differences are often the basis of identity.
Reclaiming global solidarity for women is indeed an important agenda. One consequence of the post-national age has been the erosion of the roles of international institutions as harbingers of change.
As non-state actors have become increasingly consequential and small nation-states have had trouble maintaining their sovereignty, the capacity of international actors that rely on the nation-state model has come into question.
In relation to women, one result has been the erosion of faith in the ability of the global to bring about change in the local. In simple terms, transnational efforts have identified global priorities but failed to produce real change in societies that most need them.
Promises were made, agendas set and strategic plans developed for eliminating violence against women, reducing maternal mortality and promoting girls education.
By the early 1990s, however, it was obvious that few inroads had actually been made that would justify the expenditure and boost the argument that global initiatives by themselves could initiate the changes that would make sense in particular societies.
One reaction to the failures of the global was the turn to the local. Where macro movements had failed, small, modest initiatives sustainable on a community level would be what could promote gender equality in a way that actually proved useful to individual communities.
At the beginning of the new millennium, proponents of local change argued that indigenous models filled gaps that were not visible to macro programmes developed at the global level.
When women were allowed to develop small initiatives within their communities, these initiatives — whether they were stores run from their homes or home-based businesses that could be sold at market — survived longer and helped more people.
In sum, they were able to produce meaningful changes with sensitivity to context that was not possible with distantly developed initiatives.
The arrival of the ‘local’ was a matter for much celebration and on the global level it led to transnational organisations working for women to ally with local partners such that the global nexus was maintained with local relevance.
There were examples of success in various contexts; micro-financing efforts in Bangladesh, India and Africa, women-led initiatives sustained by the United Nations Development Fund for Women, Unicef and others.
It seemed like the problem, at least in a limited number of contexts, was on the way to a solution; money could come from abroad and fund the best locally bred ideas that could slowly make empowerment a reality.
Problems erupted in 2001, when global political dynamics introduced other elements into the mix. One example was when nation-building efforts tied to the strategic interests of one country, the US, became attached to global initiatives for the welfare of women.
At the outset of the invasion of Afghanistan, Laura Bush announced that the American forces were there to liberate Afghan women. Similar assertions had been made earlier about the initiatives to be made for Iraqi women.
With the arrival of these mixed motives, tied as much to warfare as to welfare, the global-local nexus was dealt a blow with local actors finding it hard to ally with international actors seen as agents of occupation and two-faced in conducting war at one level and providing welfare at another.
This location where war meets the global and the local now seems be the biggest conundrum in devising the best strategy to lead empowerment initiatives for women.
In the Afghan case, for example, a report by Human Rights Watch conducted in three prisons and juvenile detention facilities discovered that the justice system remains heavily stacked against women.
Half the women in Afghan jails are imprisoned because they fled domestic violence, or for ‘moral’ crimes such as fleeing forced marriages. A more recent UN report tracking the success of Afghanistan’s domestic violence laws reiterated just this finding, pointing to the reality that despite millions of dollars spent in training, law-enforcement personnel, judges and others refused to enforce the laws.
In this context, the nexus of global and local women’s groups seems to have failed to instigate a cultural change.
Similar examples are found in Pakistan, where a continued onslaught on female health workers in recent months is just one symptom of the demonisation of women’s empowerment initiatives that are not religiously framed.
In this case, the nexus of global and local seems unable to function, with local actors being punished for allying with international initiatives. Where the connection has not been completely eviscerated, it has fallen prey to class-based distinctions with only elite Pakistani women able to participate in global initiatives.
The biggest casualty in all of this, of course, is the initiatives that cannot be locally sustained. For example, initiatives for laws against domestic violence stand in danger of being abandoned completely for their inability to be sustained locally.
The upcoming International Women’s Day is an event where, again, the global can be re-energised and locally interpreted by women all around the world working internationally or within their communities. In war-ravaged Pakistan and Afghanistan, this recipe for women — based on the alliance of the global and the local — stands threatened and on the verge of being repudiated completely by the pressures of conflict and the ensuing plague of mistrust.
Rafia Zakaria
The writer is an attorney teaching constitutional law and political philosophy.
*Originally appeared in the Dawn on March 6, 2013.
Side-by-side with Hazaras
Protests called off across city
* Shia leaders warn of march to Islamabad if genocide continues
Staff Report
LAHORE: Shias ended their sit-ins across the city on the directions of the Majlis-e-Wahdat Muslimeen and the Shia Ulema Council on Tuesday evening, following the end to a sit-in by members of the Hazara community in Quetta.
Shia leaders appreciated the efforts of the community members who had forced the government to accept their demands. They also warned the government that if similar incidents took in the future, they would march towards Islamabad. After the announcement, people dispersed from the Governor’s House, Chungi Amar Sidhu on Ferozepur Road, Thokar Niaz Baig and Imamia Colony.
Meanwhile, Woman’s Action Forum (WAF) strongly condemned the killing of Shias in different cities of the country and demanded the federal and Punjab governments to take action against those responsible.
The WAF said in a statement said murder at any time was an unpardonable crime against the state and citizens of a country; “but when carried out with impunity – with the murderers’ proudly staking claim to the act – it is a moral outrage, which no words are strong enough to condemn”.
The statement read that the constitution of Pakistan guarantees the right of all citizens to safety, security and freedom of belief. “This is not the first time that precious lives have been lost in the name of religion. Given that organisations like Lashkar-e-Jhangvi make no secret of their responsibility for these killings, the WAF questions the government’s apathy in the face of this outrage and asks what is preventing it and the agencies concerned from taking appropriate action against the killers.”
While acknowledging the media’s positive role in highlighting human rights violations, the WAF said that the media had a responsibility towards the people of Pakistan, and urged it to stop providing space and airtime to the practitioners of religion spreading sectarian and other forms of hatred against groups and communities on the basis of their ethnicity.
“The WAF grieves with those who have lost their loved ones in these barbaric acts of violence and is with them in their time of loss and sorrow.”
COMMITTEE ON THE ELIMINATION OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN DISCUSSES SITUATION IN PAKISTAN WITH NGOS
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women this afternoon met with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to discuss the situation of the rights of women in Pakistan. The reports of the country will be reviewed by the Committee this week.
Representatives of NGOs in Pakistan delivered oral reports in which they expressed concerns about legal provisions that continued to discriminate against women. There was visible resistance to the passage of vital laws such as the Domestic Violence Bill of 2009, enactment of personal laws of minorities and expanding national statutes to all regions in Pakistan. Armed conflict and the growing ethnic and sectarian violence had led to intense security. Women were attacked by Taliban and others; hundreds of girls’ schools had been destroyed, drastically impacting girls’ education.
Speaking during the discussion were representatives from Aurat Foundation on behalf of 24 other NGOs, Shirkat Gah-Women’s Resource Centre, speaking on behalf of 19 other NGOs , Centre for Reproductive Rights and Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom.The Committee reconvened in public on Tuesday, 12 February at 10 a.m., where it began its consideration of the fourth periodic report of Pakistan (CEDAW/C/PAK/4).. Statements by Non-Governmental Organizations
Pakistan
A speaker for Aurat Foundation, speaking on behalf of 24 other non-governmental organizations, expressed concern about legal provisions that continued to discriminate against women and noted that many forms of discrimination and violence were yet to be translated into legal language. There was visible resistance to the passage of vital laws such as the Domestic Violence Bill of 2009, enactment of personal laws of minorities and expanding national statutes to all regions in Pakistan. The State’s response to violence against women remained fragmented and unsatisfactory in the absence of the larger framework that permitted contextualization of violence.
Shirkat Gah-Women’s Resource Centre, speaking on behalf of 19 other non-governmental organizations, outlined key concern for women’s rights in Pakistan, which included heightened insecurity, poor governance, discrimination against minority women and the existence of parallel legal systems. Those four factors, coupled with natural disasters, had increased the gap between de facto and de jure equality. Armed conflict and the growing ethnic and sectarian violence had led to intense security. Women were attacked by Taliban and others; hundreds of girls’ schools had been destroyed, drastically impacting girls’ education. Minority women confronted increasing discrimination, abduction, forced conversion to Islam and marriages to Muslim men. Hindu personal laws remained United Nations-codified and marriages unregistered; women were deprived of their property rights, had difficulty accessing health facilities and could not participate freely in social, economical and political processes.
Centre for Reproductive Rights spoke about the maternal mortality rates in Pakistan, which were the highest in South Asia. An estimated 14,000 women died from pregnancy or childbirth related causes every year. Poor, rural and marginalized women were suffering from maternal mortality at rates far higher than the national average, with births in rural areas half as likely to be attended by a skilled birth attendant. Abortion was criminalized unless for purposes of saving women’s life, and women subjected themselves to clandestine and often unsafe procedures by untrained providers. As a result, post-abortion complications accounted for a substantial proportion of maternal deaths in Pakistan.
A representative of Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom took up the issue of domestic gun violence and said that, according to the 2011 survey conducted in five districts in South Punjab by the Awaz Centre for Development Services, women were the primary person at threat of a gun at home, usually owned illegally by their husbands. Appropriate control over the circulation of existing and often illicit small arms was a crucial element in safeguarding security, gender equality and development. The Committee should ask the delegation of Pakistan about the small arms flow and its relation to violence against women, and should recommend that Pakistan ensure strict regulation and control of internal and across-borders trade and sales of small arms.
Questions by Committee Members
On Pakistan, an Expert asked NGOs to clarify what kind of recommendations they would like the Committee to make to the Government concerning the discrimination against women and their participation in public and private life. With regard to the area of family laws, were there any female judges in the Family courts? Another Expert noted the hundreds of schools bombed and asked for current information on those schools and what could be done to ensure better access of girls to education. The law on domestic violence was now pending and the Expert asked about major obstacles blocking the adoption of this important law by the Parliament.
Response by Non-Governmental Organizations
Answering questions on Pakistan, representatives said that the local Government system in Pakistan must be restored immediately, with 33 per cent of seats reserved for women. The Committee should ask Pakistan to take measures to provide enough support for women to get elected directly. Turning to schools in Pakistan, the NGOs said that destruction of schools in the past decade was due to many reasons, including floods and earthquakes; many were rehabilitated and there was clear Government commitment to school repair. Custom and culture were clear obstacles to greater access to school for girls.
Another speaker elaborated on the registration of marriage and divorce and said that not all marriages were properly registered, which created problems for married couples and in particular women. Divorce for Muslims was done through courts for women and though local councils for men; there was no clear law governing divorce for minorities. The domestic violence bill had been passed by the National Assembly, but not by the Senate and upon the eighteenth amendment this bill was considered to be provincial and not federal matter, which meant that each province would have to pass its own law. Pakistan had ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with disabilities in 2011 and its provisions had not been yet implemented. Women with disabilities suffered double discrimination, and because of their gender, they would not receive adequate treatment for their disability from the young age.
Pakistan's State Report on CEDAW
Date:12th February 2013
COMMITTEE ON THE ELIMINATION OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN EXAMINES REPORT OF PAKISTAN
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women today considered the fourth periodic report of Pakistan on how that country is implementing the provisions of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
Introducing the report of Pakistan, Khawar Mumtaz, Chairperson of the National Commission on the Status of Women, said that a number of laws had been introduced and enacted to address specific aspects of discrimination against women, including the 2011 Prevention of Anti-Women Practices Act which aimed to banish harmful, old-age customary practices. The most important initiative for the development of women was the Benazir Income Support Programme, which reached out to poor women as recipients of monthly stipends and so raised the importance of the women in households. The demand for girls’ education was growing and was almost universal, however, the resource constraints made it difficult to keep pace with the demand. Provincial Governments had introduced incentives to get girls enrolled in secondary schools, such as monthly stipends, free textbooks, uniforms and nutritional support.
During the discussion Committee Experts asked about incorporation of the Convention in domestic law, the definition of discrimination against women in the Constitution and about the federal body in charge of coordination of the implementation of the Convention and the provision of social services to women at the provincial level. Issues were raised in relation to the participation of women in political and public life, the extremely high maternal mortality rates, disparity in the education of girls and boys, the protection of women from violence in refugee and internally displaced persons camps, and the lack of comprehensive legislation to deal with all forms of trafficking in persons.
In concluding remarks, Ms. Mumtaz thanked the Experts for their pertinent questions which would guide Pakistan in moving forward towards full compliance with the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.
Also in concluding remarks, Nicole Ameline, Committee Chairperson, encouraged Pakistan to strengthen its legal framework in relation to the prevention of violence and in ensuring access to security, justice and education for women and girls.
The delegation of Pakistan consisted of representatives of the National Commission on the Status of Women, Ministry of Human Rights and the Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
Report
The fourth periodic report of Pakistan can be read here: (CEDAW/C/PAK/4). Presentation of the Report
KHAWAR MUMTAZ, Chairperson of the National Commission on the Status of Women of Pakistan, said that a number of laws had been introduced and enacted to address specific aspects of discrimination against women. The Protection Against Harassment at the Workplace Act had been enacted in March 2010 and had introduced imprisonment of up to three years or a substantial fine for sexual harassment. In 2011, the Prevention of Anti Women Practices Act was the most significant of all recent legislation and it aimed to banish harmful, old-age customary practices like giving a female in marriage, depriving women from inheriting property, forced marriages, and others. The National Commission on the Status of Women Act of 2012 had given greater financial and administrative autonomy to the Commission, which could now also review existing laws and policies and make recommendations to eliminate discrimination. The National Commission on Human rights Act 2012 had been enacted and was being established in line with the Paris Principles. Like many other countries, Pakistan was grappling with the collection of gender-disaggregated data. The Government had established the Gender Crime Cell within the National Police Bureau in 2006 which was collating and analyzing data of cases of violence against women particularly gang rape, rape, abduction, kidnapping and karo-kari or honour killing.
There had been many steps taken to facilitate development in the country, including a number of micro-credit schemes instituted by the Government for poor rural and urban women. Perhaps the most important initiative for women had been the Benazir Income Support Programme, a double pronged scheme that envisaged poverty reduction and facilitated women’s empowerment. By by-passing gatekeepers and reaching out to women in poor households as recipients of monthly stipends, the intervention raised the importance of the women in households; almost 85 per cent of women now had identification cards which opened the way to other development opportunities, voting rights, etc. Political empowerment of women had been among the top priorities of the Government and the number of women in elected positions had shown a steady increase. Apart from 60 reserved seats, there were 16 directly elected women in the National Assembly, while women parliamentarians had formed a Women Parliament Caucus in 2009 which had been very effective in creating consensus on women’s issues. Provincial Governments had taken a number of steps to curb harmful traditional practices and pervasive patriarchal attitudes, such as safeguarding property and inheritance rights of women. Education was free and mandatory up to the secondary level. The demand for girls’ education was growing and was almost universal, however, the resource constraints made it difficult to keep pace with the demand. Provincial Governments had introduced incentives to get girls enrolled in secondary schools, such as monthly stipends, free textbooks, uniforms and nutritional support. The health sector had been devolved to provinces. A Maternal and Child Health Programme had been launched by the Government to improve access to high quality mother and child and family planning services, train 10,000 community midwives, and provide comprehensive emergency obstetric and neonatal care in 275 hospitals and family planning services in all health outlets. Despite all the challenges, the Government had made efforts to address women’s issues and discrimination; it had successfully established a legal and policy framework and now had to focus on mechanisms for its effective implementation.
Questions by Experts
PRAMILA PATTEN, Committee Expert acting as Rapporteur for the Report of Pakistan, commended Pakistan for the progress made and noted the significant challenges facing the country, particularly terrorism and violence by non-State actors which were seriously undermining the rights of women in the country. Were there concrete examples of the realization of the Government’s duty to protect citizens from violence by non-State actors? What concrete measures had been taken by the federal Government to provide leadership to provincial Governments in the consistent implementation of the Convention throughout the whole territory?
Another Expert commended the cooperation with the non-governmental organizations and the involvement of the Parliament in the implementation of the Committee’s concluding observations from the examination of Pakistan in 2007. What was the position of the Ministry concerning the withdrawal of the declaration on the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and what were the reasons behind this declaration in the first place? Pakistan had a dualist legal system which did not however have a definition of discrimination against women in line with the Convention.
The devolution of powers from the central Government to provincial authorities had raised a number of challenges, particularly concerning the institutional framework for women and the Committee wondered which federal institution was in charge of coordination of the implementation of the provisions of the Convention on provincial levels and how the provincial structures were funded and resourced? Could the delegation provide information on the establishment of the Provincial Commission for Women? The federal ministry for women had been dissolved in the latest devolution of power to provincial authorities, and Experts asked who was in charge of monitoring the provisions of social services to women.
Response by Delegation
In response to these questions and comment and others, the delegation said Pakistan was considering the signing of the Optional Protocol to the Convention. Holding the perpetrators of violence accountable was slow mainly because of the limited capacity of the police force, but the Government was trying to provide protection through increased security. It was difficult to track terrorists and especially suicide bombers; more needed to be done but resources were limited. The process of devolution and transfer of powers to the provinces was still in transition. The whole process of reporting on the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women was institutionalized through the Ministry of Human Rights. The monitoring mechanisms and coordinating mechanisms would be handled by various Commissions and the present mechanism was the Interprovincial Council which was upgraded to the level of a ministry. Donors’ assistance was negotiated by the Ministry of Human Rights and by different departments of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Economy; the eighteenth constitutional amendment and devolution of powers to the provinces gave them the authority to negotiate with donors directly.
The Provincial Commissions on the Status of Women were in the process of being put in place in several provinces and the National Commission on the Status of Women Act of 2012 was being used as a template. There were focal persons for the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women in each ministry and in each province. There were still laws in Pakistan which were not in line with the Convention and with the equality provisions of the country. Given the challenges and the configuration of forces in Pakistan, building the consensus on reversing some of the outdated laws took time. The Pakistan Constitution did not have a definition of discrimination per se, but defined protection from discrimination on different grounds. Each province decided on its budgets and many had raised allocations to women’s issues. The budget of the National Commission had been increased for the upcoming phase to allow for expansion and new structure that needed to be put in place to respond to the new mandate, such as reviewing of federal laws and regulations, research into gaps on information for planning purpose, and overseeing the implementation of Pakistan’s international commitment, etc. It was true that Pakistan had seen a decline in social indicators and in the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals which was mainly due to the challenges that the country was experiencing, the lack of resources and the diversion of available resources to other more pressing issues.
Follow-up Questions by Experts
In a series of follow-up questions, Committee Experts asked whether the Commission on the Status of Women had to raise all its funds itself, or if it also received allocations from the Government and how much was its budget. What were the plans to address the very serious backlog in the judiciary? Did the Commission intend to propose legislation to control small arms, both domestically and cross-border?
Concerning the gender-audit role and watchdog role of the National Commission, an Expert wondered how those roles would be developed and how the concerns raised by the Commission would be channelled into appropriate ministries. Could the delegation provide a list of laws in line for approval and enactment before the dissolution of the National Assembly in several weeks time?
Response by Delegation
Responding, the delegation said the budget for the National Commission would cover all its institutional expenses and the Commission was not expected to be raising funds for its structural and staffing needs that covered all its mandated functions. There was a backlog of cases and the whole judicial system was clogged; justice in Pakistan was slow and this needed to be addressed by the provinces. The pressure of fundamentalists and extremists on judges and plaintiffs existed and this was unfortunately a reality of Pakistan. The law did not allow for new additions of people who dealt with small arms; there was no ban on trade of small arms and citizens were allowed to carry small arms under certain conditions. The National Commission did not have a seat in the Cabinet, but its Chair had access to the Prime Minister and the Parliament. The Commission was a monitoring and evaluating body which monitored the performance of various ministries and the issues that were not being addressed, and made recommendations to appropriate ministries for action. The National Commission was an independent body and there existed a formal coordination mechanism with the Ministry of Human Rights; those two institutions closely cooperated and collaborated.
An Expert asked whether Pakistan identified a need for international assistance in training of judges and in dealing with the backlogs, and what was the response of the population in the case of the shooting of a young girl Malala. Responding, the delegation said that the population of young girls in Pakistan was rather voiceless and assistance and support to the judicial sector in providing protection and security for women would be valuable. The attack on Malala created instant support and caused reactions throughout the country, but the challenge was in channelling that support and deciding what best course of action was: send even more girls to school or withdraw them from school.
Questions by Experts
Committee Experts noted the improvements in Pakistan with regard to the situation of women and said that more needed to be done on the implementation of measures in their favour. They asked the delegation to provide examples of temporary special measures undertaken by the provinces and to comment on the possibility of the reversal of the rule of 33 per cent reserved seats for women in the provincial assemblies. How had Pakistan opposed the extremist elements and had it improved curricula and trained teachers in order to improve the situation of women? How was the role of women in religious institutions promoted?
The Domestic Violence Prevention Bill of 2009 had been adopted by the National Assembly but not by the Senate; would it be possible to adopt this law before the current Parliament came to term? Pakistan had more that 500 cases of honour killings last year and the law on honour crimes was seen as a step in the right direction, although it did not provide full sanctions for perpetrators.
Trafficking in persons was prohibited in Pakistan, but comprehensive legislation to deal with all forms of trafficking in human beings was lacking, which was issue of concern considering that Pakistan was a country of origin. Could the delegation provide information about the intentions of Pakistan concerning the signing of the Palermo Protocol?
Response by Delegation
The delegation recognized there was a gap in the passage of laws and in putting in place systems and mechanisms for their implementation. Provincial Government were in the process of passing the legislation for local Government systems which were crucial for the improvement of status of women. Quotas for women for civil service were decided by the provinces. Some temporary measures included the recognition of female home based workers as labourers.
There was a draft law on trafficking which would cover domestic and international aspects, and also included trafficking in children. The Ministry for Human Rights had funds in place to compensate victims of human rights violations and provide them with the necessary aid, and this was in addition to other funds made available by the Government.
The Domestic Violence Bill had been cleared in one house but did not go to the second one and was now the matter of provinces. This was one of very contentious bills and it had experienced significant setback and it was hard to say when this Bill would be passed. Since it carried criminal liability and consequential punishment, it was part of the Criminal Code and was not withdrawn from the federal level. The perpetrators of honour killings could pay a fine in lieu of criminal sanction and this was a sore point with all human rights defenders in Pakistan.
The school curriculum was examined by civil society organizations and there were different institutions tasked with the review. Some were revised for the better but the curricula of religious institutions were managed by the Board of Religious Institutions which was not open to outside interventions and interpretations.
Questions by Experts
The participation of women in public life and in the judiciary was still low and Experts asked about measures to increase the number of reserved seats for women, the increase in the quota for minorities and particularly for minority women and the concrete measures to ensure that the 10 per cent quota of participation of women in the judiciary was achieved.
Answering those and other questions, the delegation said that the number of reserved seats for women in the Parliament could only be done though a constitutional amendment, so for now, no increase was envisaged. Still, it was expected that a greater number of women would be standing for the Parliament independently. The women parliamentarians were very active and most of the legislation adopted recently had been the outcome of their work. The quota for minorities would probably remain at five per cent, but there was a need to increase the representation of women within that quota. There were variations between political parties in terms of participation of women and there was no legal requirement for the parties to ensure a certain number of women in decision-making bodies. The 10 per cent quota for women in the judiciary was not always filled because the number of applicants was not enough.
A Committee Expert noted that women in Pakistan had unequal rights to citizenship and citizenship through descent was only given through the father.
There was great disparity in literacy rates and education rates for girls between urban and rural areas and the Committee wished to hear more about how this issue was being addressed and what measures would be taken in order to ensure access to education for girls. What was the status of the many initiatives for girls’ education mentioned in the State Party report and what was their impact? What were the principal areas of study that girls engaged in and how did that influence their employment? Experts inquired about plans for the provision of education and guarantees of the right to education in times of crises, which were important given the conflict and disasters facing the country.
While acknowledging some of the gains towards the empowerment of women, it was a fact that the participation of women in the labour force was low at 21 per cent. What measures were being undertaken to enable women to move from the informal to formal economy and to guarantee the employment of women in the public sector? What was the status of the pending Employment Bill and what did it contain?
Another Expert took up the issue of extremely high maternal mortality rates in Pakistan and asked about the causes and the national plan to provide services which would reduce maternal mortality and morbidity. The law on abortion was very strict and many women resorted to unsafe abortions. The Reproductive Health Bill was in the pipeline; what was it contents and the timeframe for its enactment?
In 2009, some 70 per cent of children had not been registered at birth; what measures were being taken to issue birth certificates to all children and particularly refugees? Another Expert asked about plans to increase the budget allocated to the health sector and would the priority be given to reproductive health and health of children? What would the impact of devolution be on the development of the health sector and how would it influence the cooperation with United Nations agencies?
The informal sector in Pakistan was very large, particularly in agricultural and domestic sectors, and informal workers were denied all forms of social benefits and did not enjoy any protection. Did the Government have plans to strengthen programmes supporting the engagement of women in the labour market? What plans were in place to guarantee access to land to landless women? Poverty was a serious issue in Pakistan; how was it affecting women and what strategies were in place to eradicate poverty of women?
Response by Delegation
In response to these questions and comments and others, the delegation said that education for all was a constitutional right of all children and the Government was in charge of guaranteeing that right. This said there were many factors preventing access to education in schools, which led to a discrepancy in the education rates for boys and girls. The education of girls was very important to parents and there was a growing demand for the construction of new girls’ schools. The measures by the Government included training of teachers and building of schools for girls. The destruction of girls’ schools happened only in some areas of the country, where extremism and terrorism presented challenges. There was no separate curriculum for boys and girls. Poverty was one factor affecting the education of children, and there were a number of incentives to ensure that girls were attending schools. In addition to poverty, there were cultural factors and certain customs which presented obstacles to the education of girls.
Abortion was allowed if the health of the mother was at risk and spousal consent was required. A system for birth registration existed through the local Government system, but until recently, many parents did not see the benefit in getting the children registered. There was a small fee involved in registering the child, which could be waived under special circumstances. There were about three million registered refugees in Pakistan, and they mainly inhabited resource-scarce areas. Refugee children enjoyed all services available to Pakistani children and there was no bar on refugee children being taught in local schools.
Maternal mortality rates were high even though a decline was recently registered. The reasons included lack of recognition at the household level whether a woman needed emergency services, distances to health services and their quality. Health services lacked staff and trained people and there was an unmet need for family planning services, midwives and emergency obstetric care. The number of unsafe abortions in the country was quite large and abortion was used as a family planning measure by women who had achieved their desired family size. The health budget was low and needed to be increased, but it should be noted that many health programmes and initiatives were in addition to those covered by the official budget. Home based workers would soon be covered by the previously mentioned policy, which would open the door to signing the International Labour Organization Convention.
Rural women could contribute to decision-making through the local government system; those local governments needed to be revived and it was hoped that this would be achieved this year. Under the law, women had the right to inherit and own property, but this right was often denied. Only two per cent of land owners in Pakistan were women. Pakistan was a very poor country and between 33 to 40 per cent were said to live below the poverty line.
There was a growing trend of women joining non-traditional occupations, such as commercial pilots, police officers and others. Pakistan was an agrarian economy so it was difficult to collate the number of women engaged in the agricultural sector in rural areas. The Human Resource Development Ministry was dealing with the implementation of the International Labour Organization Conventions and had a mechanism in place where it met and reviewed the status of implementation.
Follow-up Questions
What happened with women who had undergone illegal abortion and those who performed the abortion that was not a medical abortion? Would the devolution put breaks on the privatization of the health sector? What cultural factors were in place militating against girls attending schools? Refugee camps were recognized as sources of trafficking in women and Experts asked about protection measures for refugee and internally displaced women living in camps. Given the number of devastating disasters affecting Pakistan between 2005 and 2011 and the number of internally displaced persons, how was the Government ensuring protection and equal access to services for displaced women and girls? Did Pakistan intend to adopt the Refugee Convention and the Convention on Status of Stateless Persons? How were women involved in conflict negotiations and mediations?
Responding, the delegation said that women undergoing illegal abortion were not subject to any charges and were not questioned. Privatization of the health sector in Pakistan was on the increase and private practitioners existed at all levels; the majority of health care was provided by private practitioners and devolution would not affect this rate of privatization. One way to ensure that illegal abortions did not take place was to make contraceptives available, including emergency contraception which was freely available in the country. Women’s access to reproductive health care in the public sector was at low or no charge; mobile health units had been introduced to serve remote areas.
Cultural factors were affecting girls’ education in some areas, particularly rural and remote areas. Poor families preferred to spend their limited income on educating boys as they would grow up to be bread winners for families, but the willingness of parents to sent girls to school was increasing even in remote areas.
Refugee camps close to the Afghan border were in fact settlements where people who sought refuge from Afghanistan had settled down together. The local authorities were working in those refugee camps in close cooperation with international donor agencies, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and other United Nations agencies. Multilateral and bilateral donors were also involved in the whole process of looking after internally displaced persons. It was impossible to state with certainty that there was no trafficking in women from the camps. During the floods of 2010, an area roughly the equivalent of Italy had been under water, and any country would be ill equipped to deal with a disaster of such magnitude. It was imperative under those circumstances to provide support to everyone. Pakistan was considering the signing of the Refugee Convention but no decision had been made yet.
Questions by Experts
What was the impact of the alternative and informal justice and dispute resolution mechanisms on ensuring equality under the law and what measures were being taken to eradicate those mechanisms?
Concerning Family Law in Pakistan, there was no unified family law, but each party was governed by personal status laws. The existence of multiple legal systems in the family law was discriminatory to women. Hindu laws and marriages were not codified and marriages were not registered, and Hindu women were among the most vulnerable in Pakistan. What was the marital property regime and were women entitled to property accumulated during the marriage? Was there a bill to raise the age of marriage? Was marital rape recognized as a crime under the law?
Response by Delegation
Early marriage was a big issue and there was a Bill submitted to the Parliament asking for standardisation of the age for marriage at 18. There was recognition of the issue in the country and many were advocating for this change. At the moment, there was no unified code of law for family matters which were governed by personal status laws; Hindu law was not codified and Christian law was outdated. The issue of the conversion of Hindu girls had emerged recently and the Government had become cognizant of the issue, but it was not yet clear how it would be addressed in the Hindu marriage code. In case of divorce, maintenance of the children was the responsibility of the father. Marital rape was not recognized under the criminal law.
Through consultations with stakeholders a Hindu law and a Christian law had been drafted and sent to the Parliament. Pakistan did not recognize cast, while Hindu did, and that was one of the reasons why consensus on the issues of marriage could not be reached. Muslims in Pakistan believed that girls were eligible for marriage at the age of puberty. In order to circumvent religious arguments, the Government introduced the possession of the national identity card as a pre-requisite to marriage and this card could only be obtained at the age of 18.
Closing Remarks
NICOLE AMELINE, Chairperson of the Committee, stressed the importance of the rule of law and encouraged Pakistan to strengthen its legal framework, particularly in relation to the prevention of violence. The persistence of the specific cultural system of unacceptable violence in some parts of the country was an important concern. The priority must be access to security, justice and education for women and girls.
KHAWAR MUMTAZ, Chairperson of the National Commission on the Status of Women of Pakistan, thanked the Experts for their pertinent questions which would guide Pakistan in moving forward towards full compliance with the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. Pakistan was dealing with a whole range of institutional and external challenges and the Government was very clear in how to move forward in issues of access to justice and access to education.
First in Swat’s history: women protest against gas and electricity load shedding
Mingora: The women of Mingora, Swat carried out a protest rally against excessive gas and electricity load shedding. The women voiced their protest with chants and slogans demanding an end to load shedding. According to reports the protest started in the Shagai part of Saidu Sharif, where more than a dozen women came out in to the streets to demonstrate against load shedding. Chanting slogans against the government, the procession proceeded from Shagai to Saidu. On reaching Saidu Sharif, Tabassum, Neelum and others addressed the procession and gave statements to the press. Tabassum and Neelum said that there is excessive load shedding in Swat compared to other parts of Pakistan. They added that this in justice will not be tolerated anymore. Hours and hours of load shedding is affecting the lives of people, causing them distress. They said the government and the concerned departments are oblivious of the situation and if the government doesn’t put an end to this in justice we will be forced to take extreme measures. The former Nazim, Saidu Sharif, Dr. Khalid Mehmood also gave his statement. (Report: swatnews.com)
Pakistani NGOs represented by members from Shirkat Gah and Aurat Foundation are presently in Geneva to advocate for the position of civil society on all key issues challenging women in Pakistan. On 11th February 2013,there was a CEDAW Committee briefing by Pakistani NGOs. 18 out of 23 CEDAW Committee members came to the lunch briefing for a non-formal discussion on key issues. Their questions pertained mainly to family laws; national machinery; forced conversions of Hindu women; political participation; Sharia laws (WPA and rape); elections and women's participation; refugee rights; Dalit women; ratification of Optional Protocol; trafficking; threats to human rights defenders; family planning; women with disability and; minority personal laws.
Coordination between Pakistani NGOs was excellent and they tried to cover all key women's issues within our interventions. Committee Members and Pakistan’s Delegation were highly appreciative of Civil Society’s efforts.
Women Action Forum Rally: 30 Years of Resistance
Dear All:
On the 12th of February, 1983, women in Lahore challenged the dictatorship of General Zia ul Haq by taking out a rally on the Mall, Lahore. The state responded with unprecedented violence. Undeterred, these 250 women continued with their resolve to reach the High Court. More importantly they broke through the silence and made their place in the history of Pakistan. This day has been acknowledged as Pakistani Women's Day in tribute to the women of Lahore.
Venue: Regal Chowk to High Court Date: 12th Feb, 2013 Time: 3 pm to 5 pm
WOMEN ACTION FORUM (WAF) LAHORE
CEDAW Shadow report submitted by Shirkat Gah
Obstructing Progress: Growing Talibanisation & Poor Governance in Pakistan
Shirkat Gah submitted CEDAW Shadow Report to CEDAW Secretariat on January 25, 2013. This Shadow Report focuses on the questions posed by the CEDAW Committee for Pakistan’s fourth Report. It highlights inconsistencies between policy and practice that create glaring disparities between de jure and de facto gender equality due to weak implementation of otherwise adequate policies. Without the political will to (a) address security challenges for women and (b) ensure effective governance, Pakistan will not only fail to eliminate gender-based discrimination but discrimination will be strengthened, especially against already marginalized women.
In what can only be described as a missed opportunity, the Child Marriage Restraint Amendment Bill 2013, presented in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Assembly last week, was rejected by most lawmakers. What makes this particularly telling is that ANP MPA Munawar Sultana, who was presenting the bill, was unable to get the support of her party members, especially parliamentary party leader Mian Iftikhar Hussain who in 2010 had said he supported imposing restrictions on child marriages. Mr Hussain appeared to have reneged, saying that there was no age limit in other Islamic countries for marriages. Ms Sultana should be commended for recognising just how child marriage stunts a child’s growth on a personal, health, social and educational level and how this impacts society but sure enough, she was slammed for promoting a Western agenda.
At the heart of the matter lies the reality of traditions like vani and swara that cannot be eradicated overnight, especially if they are not backed with a steely political will of lawmakers, religious leaders and tribal clan leaders. And they have not ever been as we have seen time and again, as powerful chieftains who are also parliamentarians attend jirgas and give young girls away — as if they are spoils of war — to settle a dispute. In the backdrop, law enforcers watch, knowing they cannot do anything, though they are armed with a plethora of laws they can enforce, including, for example, the K-P Child Protection and Welfare Act which was passed in 2010 to protect children against early marriages.
Let us drop the pretense about other countries not having a minimum age, or conspiracies out to ‘get us’. Child marriage is a scourge plain and simple. It is also against the law, both on an international level, as Pakistan is a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of Children, which refers to early marriage as the marriage of people less than 18 years of age, and on a national level, where we have prohibited it under the Child Marriages Restraint Act of 1929.
Originally published in The Express Tribune, January 21st, 2013
One solution to many problems: Educate girls
By SHASHI THAROOR Published on Tuesday 18 December 2012
ONE of the more difficult questions I found myself being asked when I was a United Nations under-secretary-general, especially when addressing a general audience, was: “What is the single most important thing that can be done to improve the world?”
One feels obliged to explain the complexity of the challenges confronting humanity; how the struggle for peace, the fight against poverty and the battle to eradicate disease must all be waged side by side; and so on.
Then I learned to cast caution to the wind. If I had to pick the one thing that we must do above all else, I would now offer two words: “Educate girls.”
It really is that simple. No action has been proven to do more for the human race than the education of female children. Scholarly studies and research projects have confirmed it: if you educate a boy, you educate a person; if you educate a girl, you educate a family and benefit an entire community.
And children of educated mothers consistently out-perform children with educated fathers and illiterate mothers. (Given that, in general, children spend most of their time with their mothers, this is hardly surprising.)
A girl with more than six years of education is better equipped to seek and use medical advice, to immunise her children, and be aware of the importance of sanitary practices, from boiling water to washing hands. A World Health Organisation study found that, in Africa, “children of mothers who have received five years of education are 40 per cent more likely to live beyond the age of five”.
The health advantages of education extend beyond childbirth and infant health. A Zambian study shows that Aids spreads twice as fast among uneducated girls than among those who have been to school. Educated girls marry later and are less susceptible to abuse by older men. And educated women tend to have fewer children and space them more wisely, facilitating a higher level of care.
The World Bank, with its typical mathematical precision, has estimated that for every four years of education, fertility is reduced by about one birth per mother. The reason why the Indian state of Kerala’s fertility rate is 1.7 per couple, whereas Bihar’s is more than four, is that Kerala’s women are educated but half of Bihar’s are not.
The Bank adds that, the greater the number of girls who go to secondary school, the higher the country’s per capita income growth.
I learned many of these details from my former colleague Catherine Bertini, a 2003 World Food Prize laureate for her work as head of the UN World Food Programme.
In her acceptance speech she said: “If someone told you that, with just 12 years of investment of about $1 billion a year, you could, across the developing world, increase economic growth, decrease infant mortality, increase agricultural yields, improve maternal health, improve children’s health and nutrition, increase the numbers of children – girls and boys – in school, slow down population growth, increase the number of men and women who can read and write, decrease the spread of Aids, add new people to the workforce, and be able to improve their wages without pushing others out of the workforce, what would you say? ‘Such a deal! How can I sign up?’”
Sadly, the world is not yet rushing to sign up to the challenge of educating girls, who consistently lag behind boys in access to schooling throughout the developing world. An estimated 65 million girls around the world never see the inside of a classroom. Yet not educating them costs the world more than putting them through school.
* Shashi Tharoor is India’s minister of state for human resource development
It is with great pride that I am sharing the news of Khawar's appointment as Chair of the National Commission on the Status of Women.
Khawar was chosen as a consensus candidate of both the ruling and opposition parties' representatives in the Parliamentary Committee formed to select the Chair. The competition was intense and there was intense lobbying by some other members. But despite very Khawar's low key role, she got the support of the entire civil society involved in the process. It was very encouraging to see all our friends in the various NGOs, WAF, academics etc throwing their weight behind Khawar
Nearly three-quarters of Pakistani girls not in school: report
ISLAMABAD: Nearly three quarters of young Pakistani girls are not enrolled in primary school and the number finishing five years in education has declined, a new UN and government report showed Wednesday.
The findings expose the miserable state of education for millions in Pakistan, where the Pakistani Taliban shot 15-year-old Malala Yousufzai in the head in October to silence her campaign for the right to an education.
“Nearly half of primary school age children are not enrolled in school and among eligible girls the out of school proportion is closer to three-quarters. In absolute numbers, out-of-school girls outnumber their male counterparts,” it said.
“Completion rates to the fifth year of schooling have actually declined in the past five years,” it said. Fifty-five per cent of all Pakistani adults are illiterate and among women the rate is closer to 75 per cent, it added.
The report said women are denied their basic right to education and to a decent life.
“Females in Pakistan face discrimination, exploitation and abuse at many levels, starting with girls who are prevented from exercising their basic rights to education either because of traditional family practices, economic necessity or as a consequence of the destruction of schools by militants.”
On Monday, President Asif Ali Zardari pledged $10 million to help educate all girls by 2015 as part of a global fund set up in Malala’s name.
Ziauddin Yousufzai, Malala’s father, a former teacher and headmaster, has been appointed to help meet the global target.
His daughter, who is being treated in a British hospital after the attack on her school bus on October 9, will herself join the campaign when she is better.
Saba Gul Khattak, a member of Pakistan’s planning commission, confirmed that the country was lagging behind on its Millennium Development Goals, including on education.
*Originally published in Dawn on 13 Dec, 2012
**Photo by Reuters
Approve domestic violence bill before tenure ends, suggest human rights activists
KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly should pass the domestic violence bill before its tenure comes to an end. This was the call that made the rounds at a conference held to observe the Human Rights Day at the PMA House on Monday.
“A debate on the bill is initiated after every few days in the provincial assembly but nothing has been done so far,” said the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) chairperson, Zohra Yusuf. Her organisation was among the nine civil society organisations, including the Aurat Foundation, PILER, Shirkat Gah, which came together at the seminar titled “Unite to End Violence against Women”.
“We were hoping the bill would be approved after it became a provincial subject. Now we have to pressure the government to pass the law before its term ends,” added Yusuf.
Last year, around 8,500 women became victims of violence and these figures are increasing, she quoted from the Aurat Foundation’s report though appreciating that cases are being registered in a better percentage. “In the past few years, seven pro-women bills have been passed but their implementation needs work,” Yusuf lamented.
Despite women parliamentarians and activists working together to draft the domestic violence bill, the law and home departments have come up with their own bill which does not include any punishments for the perpetrator, claimed Malka Khan of the Aurat Foundation.
Giving the example of Balochistan, Illahi Buksh, the director of Strengthening Participatory Organisation, remarked that human rights were the most violated rights in the country.
He suggested that next year, a larger convention should be held and reports regarding the state of human rights handed out to the masses so that victims get a voice.
With the general elections coming up, a movement should be started to encourage political participation of women, suggested Hina Tabassum from Forum Human Rights Pakistan. “In the 2008 elections, at 200 polling stations no women turned up to vote,” she said. “Human rights activists should work in such areas where women are deprived of their right to vote.”
Hassan Athar of the Asian Human Rights Commission stressed the need to recruit women as legal staffers as well as prosecutors in courts.
Citing the recent tragedy at garment factory fire that left over 250 people dead, Farhat Parween, the executive director of NOW communities, discussed the plight of women labourers. “A large number of women are employed at garment factories but these places are without health and safety provisions.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 12th, 2012.
Corporate Social and Environmental Responsibility towards Climate Change Resilience
As the pressure to address climate change increases, debates on the connections between the businesses, the population and environment are being renewed. The importance of private sector involvement in terms of scaling up or leveraging public sector capital is now crucial due to two good reasons: 1) care for society and nature is linked with sustainability of the business, and 2) public funds will not be sufficient to meet the investment requirements of a successful climate change coping strategy.
A “Dialogue with Business on Resilience, Climate Change and the Private Sector in Sustainable Coastal Management” was held in Karachi organized by the IUCN’s Mangrove for the Future (MFF) Programme. A number of delegates from all over Asia Region attended the event and the distinguished speakers from government, private sector and NGOs presented business linkages with life of the coastal ecosystem and role of the private sector in sustaining coastal management. The discussion over there prompted me to write this piece and reflect some of the important issues in this regard.
Climate change is a global phenomenon and the industrialized countries are to be blamed for emitting large quantities of greenhouse gases (GHG) and global warming. Locally, nevertheless, we have been victim of the climate change impacts and among recent natural disasters i.e. heavy rains, floods, drought, earthquake and cyclones; most of them have been linked directly with the climate change. We have therefore to take care of our environment, adaptations and disaster risk management at all levels in order to build our resilience to climate change impacts.
Being bestowed with a richness of natural resources, coastal areas often have a dense concentration of business and development activities of various private and public sectors, and the local community. Mangrove forests, for instance, are extremely important coastal resources, which are vital to our socio‐economic development. A vast majority of human population lives in coastal area, and most communities depend on local resources for their livelihood. The mangroves are sources of highly valued commercial products and fishery resources and also as sites for developing a burgeoning eco‐tourism. According to a recent study, the mangrove forests have been shown to sustain more than 70 direct human activities, ranging from fuel‐wood collection to fisheries.
Coastal areas often provide lucrative opportunities for business and industry, for example in fisheries, tourism, mining and agricultural sectors. They are also the focus of rapidly-expanding infrastructure development. Much of this commerce, industry and development is taking place and in most cases with scant regard to the environment, and with devastating consequences on coastal ecosystems and local livelihoods. The destruction of coast has altered functioning of the ecosystem which is leading to permanently alter of species composition and biodiversity. As a result, it is affecting business activity as well as livelihood means of the local coastal communities. Fishing, for instance, has declined due to loss of mangrove forests, habitat degradation and climate change.
The field of coastal habitat rehabilitation has thus been steadily growing over the last two decades. Since salt marshes, mangroves, coral reefs, sea-grasses and other coastal systems have been increasingly subject to anthropogenic impacts, the corporate social and environmental responsibility issue has got prominence and as a consequence, a number of projects worldwide are being implemented to restore coastal habitats under the corporate social responsibility (CSR).
The private sector is usually considered as a profit centered segment that has little interest in social, societal and environmental issues. This kind of character is no longer going to continue. As a matter of fact, the private sector is currently more public than the public sector itself and it has to care for society and nature for its own sustainability. Consumerism has increased due to electronic information and consumers are now more vigilant and aware of importance of buying products that are produced in the environment friendly industrial units.
Furthermore, the impetus behind the rehabilitation of coastal ecosystems is due to the remarkable rise of environmental consciousness over the past three decades. The pressure from environmental activists for more conservation, sustainable use of ecosystems and the protection of biodiversity has been unremitting and its influence on governments around the world has been profound. The politics of the environmental movement has been felt worldwide and many countries have now enacted laws and local ordinances for the protection of environment, mangroves and coastal ecosystems. The private sector has therefore to comply with environmental laws of the land and invest in rehabilitation activities.
It is generally feared that through CSR activism, the corporate sector may not get encouraged to freely degrade environment and coastal natural resources and then compensate it through CSR. In view of stringent national and international environmental obligations for producing environment friendly products through environment friendly processes, it may not be true.
Recommendations
There are vast environmental threats associated with private businesses but, at the same time, business and industry can also provide numerous opportunities. In the case of sustainable coastal management, more attempts need to be made to directly engage with commerce, industry and the private sector in coastal management at national and regional levels.
From the corporate perspective, the potential to profit and gain from environmentally sustainable business remain little known and there is vast scope and incentives for the private sector to become engaged in activities which are supportive of environment and coastal conservation.
Investment in coastal ecosystems is therefore an effective long-term solution which also requires investment in coastal infrastructure. Hence, the private sector investment is crucial in helping the country with the effects of climate change. The corporate social and environmental responsibility demands that companies operating in coastal areas or dependent on coastal resources should invest in projects for protecting and conserving coastal ecosystem along with supporting wellbeing of the local communities.
Countries at the international level should lead a fresh drive to bring major private investment to help tackle the global threat of climate change and, through comprehensive disaster risk management, support economic growth and development in poor developing countries who are currently the forefront victim of climate change impacts.
While it is commonly argued that Pakistan is a country that is still lacking in CSR practices among companies; there have been certain groups and organizations that have taken the lead and must be lauded for their efforts in contributing to the society and people of Pakistan. A lot more room is available in the country to enhance corporate social and environmental responsibility in coastal ecosystem rehabilitation. Environmental organizations should progressively engage with commerce, industry and the private sector in sustainable coastal management.
Ideally, the private corporate sector should integrate corporate, social and environmental needs; share the financial burden of mitigating climate change; and invest in coastal ecosystem rehabilitation activities without compromising on its production processes that also need to comply with the environment safety standards.
Awareness of issues and alternatives is the area where the environmental organizations should design programmes and engage private sector and the local communities on priority basis.
The newly planned industrial units should only be initiated that have built-in environment friendly technologies, processes and the ability to cope with climate change impacts.
IUCN, and more especially the MFF, are playing great roll in linking up all stakeholders from private and public sector and bringing them on the negotiating table for better integrated planning and implementation. Similar role needs to be broadened by the local environmental groups and organizations.
Pakistan’s maternal mortality rate highest in S Asia
Karachi The Shirkat Gah-Women’s Resource Centre organised a dialogue with media personnel on Wednesday morning to brief them on the current scenario vis-à-vis reproductive health and women’s rights in Pakistan. Shirkat Gah has conducted various researches and advocacy projects pertaining to women’s empowerment, violence against women and women’s health and rights.
A large component of this work has been on reproductive health and the scenario has been explored in both rural and urban settings. Various issues have come to the fore ranging from lack of access to health facilities, non-functional Basic Health Units (BHUs), and lack of training of mid-level service providers such as Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs), commonly known as ‘dais.’
Health, it was explained, was not just the absence of disease and infirmity but a state of complete physical, emotional and mental well-being. Reproductive health similarly espouses the ability of individuals to choose, when, how, and how often to reproduce. Health was often looked at only from a service delivery point of view, not in terms of rights of individuals or the responsibilities of the state. A documentary called “Mumtaz Bach Sakti Thi” was also shown on the occasion. It was about a woman who died during the delivery of her fourth child due to extreme high blood pressure. Mumtaz was a very active member of her community. When she needed to see a doctor during her pregnancy she was told she could not go to one without a male relative. The documentary covers her tragic story as well as the views of doctors. These doctors have said that she was just one woman of countless who suffered this problem. High blood pressure and anaemia have been very common reasons for maternal mortality. The participants were told that anaemia affects about 60 per cent of women and girls across the country and it was a major reason for maternal mortality.
Media personnel were told anemia was not an incorrigible problem since the BHUs had sufficient stock of iron supplements but women were not taking them. The respondents of the documentary said that what was needed was monitoring systems and checks and balances on the various medical service providers available. Common myths were also addressed, for one, that a caesarian operation does not have adverse effects on a woman’s health if performed in a safe environment; so long as she does not engage in exertion soon after the delivery. One doctor says that women victims of violence have poor health, their children’s health suffers and they were more likely to die at childbirth due to anaemia, high blood pressure etc. Skirkat Gah representative Tabinda Fafay Saroosh, after screening the documentary, explained that unfortunately when women like Mumtaz die at childbirth, it was dismissed as a matter of fate which was tragic because such deaths were entirely preventable.
Saroosh said two very important indicators for any country’s progress were its Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) and Infant Mortality Rate (MR). She pointed out that Pakistan had the highest rate in South Asia in both cases. She said for improving these indicators what was needed was a Continuum of Care of women’s health, i.e. continuous care throughout different stages of a woman’s life. Young girls were not given proper nutrition, they became physically weak, suffered from anaemia, and then they were married early with consequent early pregnancies. She pointed out that adolescents found it difficult to discuss their reproductive health with anyone which led them to make making poor reproductive choices. She said ideal age for reproduction was after 18 for both sexes. Before the age of 18, a young girl’s physique was not ready to bear the burden of childbirth. In fact the pelvic bone was growing even between the ages of 21-24, Saroosh, also a medical doctor, said. So even that age she was very young.
Saroosh said when women do reach the ideal reproductive age, family planning was very important. She pointed out that Pakistan has a very low contraceptive prevalence rate and was currently the sixth most populous country in the world. Women’s health was also severely neglected in their old age, she added. Saroosh said Pakistan was also a signatory to many international commitments, through which it was bound to respect reproductive health and rights. The Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), and the Millennium Declaration calls for action on eight Millennium Development Goals (MGDs). She said MGD 5,(a) and (b), were related to reducing maternal mortality and universal access to reproductive health. She said there was also the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) at which the country’s first female premier slain Benazir Bhutto remarked that she dreamed of a Pakistan where every birth should be wanted and every child should receive the nurture and support it deserves. Media personnel actively participated in the interactive discussion after the presentation of Dr Saroosh
For 30 years, Khawar Mumtaz has been at the forefront of the struggle for women's rights
Two steps forward
When the oppressive Zia regime of the 1980s made discriminatory laws that violated fundamental rights of women in the name of Islam, a group of women activists decided to resist. They were harassed, beaten up, dragged on the streets, and sometimes put in jail. Khawar Mumtaz was among them. Thirty years on, there are new challenges, but she is still unwavering.
Her goal is simple: "Until we stop marginalizing women, until they are in the mainstream as equal citizens of Pakistan, we cannot progress."
Khawar Mumtaz was a founding member of Women's Action Forum and has been on its Working Committee since its inception in 1981. The group is especially known for its daring campaigns on issues affecting women in the face of a conservative military regime. She fought to place women's issues on the agenda of national politics and in the manifestos of political parties, for reserved seats for women in representative bodies, for pro-women policies and laws, and for the enhancement of mechanisms to deal with violence against women.
Khawar Mumtaz was on a list of 1,000 women from around the world collectively nominated for the Nobel peace prize in 2005
In 1987, she coauthored a book titled Women of Pakistan: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back? with Farida Shaheed, to chronicle the history of Muslim women's movements in the sub-continent from the turn of the 20th century to the creation of Pakistan, the emergence of the contemporary women's movement in 1981, up to Benazir Bhutto's return to Pakistan in 1986. The book earned her a prime ministerial award in 1989.
Since 1988 she has been associated with Shirkat Gah - Women's Resource Centre. The organisation works for women's empowerment and to bring about positive change in policies, laws and practices. She is currently its CEO.
Ms Mumtaz brings a multi-sectoral approach to women's issues with specific expertise in the areas of women and development, women's political participation, poverty and environment, women's reproductive health and rights. Her work spans capacity building of grassroots organisations, to research, analysis and advocacy with policy makers on the basis of her research and grassroots engagement.
"We focus on grassroots mobilization," she said about her approach, "and intervene in cases of rights violations to hold the government accountable."
In recognition of her local and global engagement, she was put on a list of 1,000 women from around the world collectively nominated for the Nobel peace prize in 2005. In 2006, the Pakistani government honoured her with the country's third highest civil award, the Sitara-e-Imtiaz, for social service and promotion of women's rights.
An example of Ms Mumtaz's pioneering work is her recent position paper on the age of marriage, which was adopted by a number of other organizations and soon became a significant campaign. Her comprehensive approach to the problem - which also helped provide solutions to other problems such as women's education, women's health, and population growth - had a larger impact than she had expected.
Her recent work also involves monitoring of the government's progress on fulfilling its global commitments, such as the Beijing Platform for Action and the Millennium Development Goals. She has been a member of the National Commission on the Status of Women from 2009 to 2012, where she gave inputs in draft legislation and policies reviewed by the Commission, such as the Domestic Violence Bill, the Acid Throwing Bill, the 18th Amendment, and police reforms. Khawar Mumtaz has been an official delegate to the UN Commission on the Status of Women as well as to the UN Commission for Population and Development.
Despite these achievements, her struggle is far from over. Amid new challenges of a new world, Khawar Mumtaz is as determined and as motivated as she was when she began.
Source: The Friday Times CURRENT ISSUE| November 09-15, 2012 - Vol. XXIV, No. 39
UPR of Pakistan: ongoing concerns include violence against women and blasphemy laws
But before she became an icon of freedom for standing up to the Pakistani Taliban, Malala Yousafzai was a confident young schoolgirl whose anonymous diary offered firsthand perspective of life in the Swat Valley. The journalist who brought Malala's story to the world was Abdul Hai Kakar -- then a reporter for BBC's Urdu Service and now with RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal. Kakar will join Daud Khan Khattak, Senior Editor for Radio Mashaal, and Frud Bezhan, RFE/RL Correspondent, in a live discussion about how the assassination attempt against Malala has galvanized society in Pakistan, Afghanistan and around the world:
Questions can be posted on Facebook ahead of time and a transcript of the chat will remain on the Event link for those who are not able to join live.
We encourage you to register your attendance and share the event with your friends and colleagues.
Forced child marriage, slavery like reality in every single region of the world
Joint Statement by a group of UN human rights experts to mark the first International Day of the Girl Child, Thursday 11 October 2012
GENEVA (11 October 2012) – “Girls who are forced to marry are committed to being in slavery like marriages for the rest of their lives. Girls who are victims of servile marriages experience domestic servitude, sexual slavery and suffer from violations to their right to health, education, non-discrimination and freedom from physical, psychological and sexual violence.
Every year an estimate of 10 million girls are married before they reach 18. In the most appalling of these cases, little girls as young as eight years old are being married off to men who may be three or four times their age.
Child marriage cuts across countries, cultures, religions and ethnicities; 46% of girls under 18 are married in South Asia; 38% in sub-Saharan Africa; 29% in Latin America and the Caribbean; 18% in the Middle East and North Africa; and in some communities in Europe and North America too.
Child marriage is a violation of all the rights of the child. It forces children, particularly girls, to assume responsibilities for which they are often physically and psychologically not prepared for.
Girls who are forced to marry face a life of violence in the home where they are physically and sexually abused, suffer from inhuman and degrading treatment and ultimately slavery.
Early marriages also impacts on girls’ right to education, health, and participate in the decisions that affect them. Girls who marry early often drop out of school, significantly reducing their ability to gain skills and knowledge to make informed decisions and to earn an income. An obstacle to girls’ and women’s empowerment, it also hinders their ability to lift themselves out of poverty.
Child brides are more likely to get pregnant at an early age and, as a result, face higher risk of maternal death and injury due to early sexual activity and childbearing.
A vast array of international instruments recognizes the right to free and full consent to marriage. In particular, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women states that the marriage of a child shall have no legal effect, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, requires States parties to take all effective and appropriate measures with a view to abolishing practices that are harmful to children.
Today, on the first United Nations International Day on the Girl Child, we call on States to increase the age of marriage to 18 years of age for girls and boys without exception and adopt urgent measures to prevent child marriage. As with all forms of slavery, forced early marriages should be criminalized. They cannot be justified on traditional, religious, cultural or economic grounds.
However, an approach which only focuses on criminalization cannot succeed in effectively combating forced early marriages. This should go hand in hand with public awareness raising campaigns to highlight the nature and harm caused by forced and early marriages and community programmes to help detect, provide advice, rehabilitation and shelter where necessary. In addition, birth registration should be made universal to support proof of age and prevent forced early marriage.
On this International Day of the Girl Child, we remind States of their obligation to promote and protect the rights of girls and that harmful practices against girls, including early and forced marriage should be put to an end, in accordance with international law.
No girl should be forced to marry. No girl should be committed to servile marriage, domestic servitude and sexual slavery. No girl should suffer from violations to their right to health, education, non-discrimination and freedom from physical, psychological and sexual violence. Not a single one.”
Sindh urged to pass anti-domestic violence law
KARACHI - Parliamentarians, lawyers and activists on Tuesday urged the government of Sindh to pass Domestic Violence Law in Sindh before the upcoming elections in 2013. In a consultation organised by Shirkat Gah-Women’s Resource Centre to promote effective legislation to control the widespread incidence of domestic violence in Pakistan, participants stressed the need to pass the Domestic Violence (prevention and protection) Bill 2012 that is jointly promoted by the civil society and Sindh Assembly legislators. Fauzia Viqar, Director Advocacy and Communication at Shirkat Gah explained the key features of the proposed law. She highlighted the fact that proposed law is the first significant attempt to recognise domestic abuse as a criminal (punishable) offence, to extend its provisions to all those in domestic relationships (women, children and other vulnerable persons), and to provide for emergency relief for the victims, in addition to legal recourse. The need for special law arose because remedies available to a victim of domestic violence in civil and criminal courts are limited; there is no emergency relief available to the victim; available remedies are linked to matrimonial proceedings; and the court proceedings are always protracted, during which period the victim was invariably at the mercy of the abuser. The Act considers physical, sexual, emotional, verbal, psychological, and economic abuse or threats of the same. Acts of negligence and abandonment are also included. It will be instrumental in providing comprehensive support to the victim through protection committees proposed for every Tehsil. Lawyer and women’s rights activist Maliha Zia Lari explained what efforts were being made in other provinces and Islamabad Capital Territory to pass similar legislation. She stressed the need to have an effective strategy for advocating for the Bill in ICT.Sindh Women Development Minister Tauqir Fatima Bhutto, officials of Social Welfare, Women Development, Population Welfare and Law Departments, women members of Sindh Assembly and members of civil society were also present on the occasion. Fauzia Viqar and Hameeda Kaleem of Shirkat Gah appreciated the role of Minister Tauqir Fatima Bhutto has played in promoting The Domestic Violence (prevention and protection) Bill that has already been vetted by the Ministry of Law. Members of Sindh Assembly and civil society were concerned that the Bill is currently lying with the home department and objections raised by them have not yet been shared with the women members of provincial assembly who had presented it as government bill as well as private during previous several occasions.
re-poll where less than 10 % of registered women’s votes have been polled
re-poll where less than 10 % of registered women’s votes have been polled
The Court of Appeals handling Layla’s case has dropped the sentence of stoning, and changed the charge to “egregious acts”, for which it was determined Layla had spent enough time in prison. Our Sudanese networkers are still monitoring the situation, in order to ensure that the changed charges do not result in further violations of Layla’s rights, or those of her child.
For now, Layla Ibrahim Issa is free, and not facing any further prison time. We will continue to keep you posted on any developments for Layla, or other similar cases in Sudan.
We are grateful to everyone who took part in this action, and extend thanks on behalf of our Sudanese sisters as well, who believe the international advocacy by the diverse groups and individuals who joined to call to action had a huge and positive impact on the Court’s decision.
Thank you for your support!
Together we do make a difference
Between law and practice
ENTER the second decade of the 21st century and one continues to speculate over the socially constructed notion of aspirational gender parity, which has existed across various cultures and societies.
In Pakistan, amongst other quarters, governments, academics and the private sector have for a long time debated the marginalised and hence unequal status of women. As Martin Luther King, Jr, said, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character.” Whether or not the US has achieved that exalted status remains a moot point. However, the ambition of the so-called ‘weaker sex’ seems to follow a similar trajectory.
Interestingly, though, Pakistan is for once not a solo runner; harassment at the workplace is a growing concern for several countries across the globe, including the UK and India. As a result, there is enhanced focus on equal opportunity, meritocracy, diversity, respect and the appreciation of differences at the workplace.
In such a context, has the Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2010, been effective in Pakistan? That begs the question: how many professional women are even aware that such a law exists and what its tenets mean to them from a career standpoint?
A law such as this is yet another feather in the cap of decision-makers aiming to showcase the efforts being made to reduce the gender gap in the country. Whilst many organisations may have informed their employees of the existence of such an avenue of legal recourse for women, others may have dismissed its formulation by simply restricting communication. Beyond that, the wording of the tenets is vague. If, in certain cases, an incident of harassment does get reported, its practical resolution via legal recourse is considerably unlikely as is a concrete outcome.
In addition to this law, however, some corporations and in particular multinationals also have stringent global policies and ethical standards to comply with as part of their employee code of conduct, including the threat of disciplinary action being taken to deal with cases of harassment. However, here is where the cleavage between reality and praxis plays a pivotal role: in practical terms, how many women would actually report an incident of harassment?
The fear of being blamed or becoming a victim of ensuing discrimination often overshadows the reporting process. In cases where the accused is one’s own boss, the predicament worsens manifold. In many situations, if even reported, the case is derisively dismissed by both male and female employees at the workplace. Some organisations may even go to the extent of concluding that the woman might have been a ‘willing accomplice’ for the matter to have arisen in the first place.
Examples of such instances are rampant in the country. There are banks that in practice exclude women from competing for equal opportunity by ensuring that their senior management teams are constituted solely of men. In this way, women are excluded from the decision-making process. In the case of Islamic banks, this is yet another demonstration of religion being employed euphemistically to justify a fundamentally discriminatory stance.
Further, there are public- and private-sector organisations that exhibit prejudice during year-end appraisals and evaluations against working mothers and also against women who take maternity leave. Does that constitute harassment and discrimination as well?
Exacerbating the predicament is the somewhat more challenging issue of what defines harassment: subtle inferences, inappropriate jokes, remarks or gestures. What falls within the ambit of harassment is a fairly subjective aspect, which the law does not clearly indicate. In many multinational organisations and other private-sector entities as well as the medical profession, there are several instances where men, under the garb of over-friendliness, will communicate with female colleagues in ways that may well fall within the ambit of harassment, albeit subtle.
Interestingly, harassment does not constrict itself to any level of management. In fact, it exists across various levels of the organisation. In some cases, men in senior positions feel more empowered to harass their female subordinates or other colleagues without the fear of accountability. This points towards the direction of hierarchies that are present at the workplace, often creating barriers to the effectiveness of this law and to fostering an open, transparent culture of diversity and inclusion.
The law for the protection of women against harassment at the workplace may be a deterrent to some extent in Pakistan. However, the actual wording and terms of the law do not encompass any concrete measures or ramifications, resulting in its ineffectiveness. Most importantly, the law alone cannot be held responsible for improving the workplace environment for both genders.
Legal recourse has to go hand in hand with a socially transformative agenda of impacting the mindsets of both men and women. Foremost is the importance of not simply having an equal-opportunities-employer policy in place, one which clearly defines harassment, but also ensuring that employees are well aware of these policies, their tenets and the consequences of harassment at the workplace.
Also, if employees are regularly reminded of this policy, in addition to the law, and if management is successful in demonstrating its own commitment to ensuring that all employees are treated with respect and dignity, especially through setting the right precedence, the possibility of harassment may decline.
The yearning for equality of the sexes, though, always brings to mind one paradoxical notion: by aspiring to become equal to men, are we — women — ceding to them superiority?
* FAFEN says cannot be ascertained if increase is due to occurrence of more crimes or enhanced reportage or both
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Crimes against women increased by seven percent this year as 57 districts reported 982 cases in May compared to 922 in the same month last year, a report by Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) stated. Over the last two years, an increase of 31pc was reported in such crimes with 746 first information reports (FIR) lodged in May 2010, the report stated, which was released on Thursday.
It said it could not be ascertained if this increase was due to occurrence of more crimes or enhanced reportage in certain parts of the country, or both. The report is based on the FIR data collected from offices of the district police in May 2010, 2011 and 2012. FIRs registered for six categories of crimes against women in 57 districts were monitored for the report.
The categories of crime included, honour killing, forced marriage, offences relating to marriage, rape, attack on modesty and insult of modesty through word, gesture or act.
Out of 57 monitored districts, 21 were in Punjab, 16 in Sindh, 15 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), four in Balochistan and one was Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT).
Punjab reported an increase of 17pc in FIRs for anti-women crimes between May 2011 and May 2012. KP had an increase of 15pc, however, Sindh registered a 35pc decline.
While in ICT, where nine cases were filed for crimes against women in 2011, the number of FIRs increased to 24 this year. Balochistan had three cases reported in May this year as compared to two in the previous year. Among the monitored crimes, cases of honour killings and offences relating to marriage and the number of reporting districts increased.
In 2012, about 31 cases of honour killings were reported in 15 districts as compared to 24 in 11 districts last year. Faisalabad with five cases was the highest reporting district in May this year. Similarly, as the number of reporting districts increased from nine to 11, FIRs filed for offences relating to marriage also went up, 131 this year compared to 112 in May 2011.
Although the districts reporting cases of attack on modesty this year remained the same (29), the number of FIRs filed increased by 36 percent. Except for Punjab, all other regions registered a decline in the number of reported cases. Lahore was the highest reporting district in 2011 and 2012, the number of cases there increased from 32 to 92.
The cases of insult through word, gesture or act increased from seven to 10 while the number of reporting districts remained the same, two each in 2011 and 2012.
The number of districts reporting rape decreased in 2012 as compared to the preceding year. It was still the most widespread crime. As many as 186 rape cases were reported in 31 districts this year as compared to 163 in 32 districts in 2011. Lahore had the highest of 40 cases in 2012 while Faisalabad (28) was the top reporting district in 2011.
On the other hand, the cases and number of districts reporting forced marriages decreased over the year. Despite a decrease from previous year, the number of cases filed for forced marriages was the highest among all the reported anti-women crimes. At least 341 cases were reported in 27 districts in May this year. Among regions, cases of forced marriages decreased in Punjab and Sindh. However, an increase of 66pc was registered in ICT where 24 cases were reported in May 2012 as compared to last year’s nine. KP and Balochistan also observed an increase.
Statistics show that Lahore (134) recorded the highest number of anti-women offences in 2012, followed by Faisalabad (110) and Multan (105).
THE case of a teenaged girl, allegedly gang-raped by police officials earlier this month in Mansehra, was not an isolated incident. There have been others where law-enforcing agencies were accused of having been involved in such crimes.
Independent rights groups have pointed out that the majority of women in police custody are subjected to physical and sexual abuse. Given this situation, the lower echelons of the police force can hardly be expected to look upon domestic violence, rape, incest and ‘honour’ killing as punishable offences. This is not only because of cultural biases or ignorance. Incidents of violence are also disregarded when money is exchanged or there is pressure from influential officials to not register a complaint.
Unfortunately, the question is not merely one of an insensitive force. When police fail to immediately register a rape victim’s complaint, crucial and potentially incriminating evidence is lost. Meanwhile, written complaints often go against the victim who must endure humiliating questioning by policemen who could blame her for instigating a rape attack.
Victims of violent crime — gang-raped and brutally beaten, others stripped and physically abused, young teenagers sexually abused by fathers, uncles and brothers — often remain silent, recognising perhaps the obstacles in their fight for justice. The social taboo attached to such crime further deters them from reporting it. The justice system fails female victims, often re-victimising them in court by incriminating them as ‘loose’ women.
Given this scenario — the social disgrace faced by raped women, a police force that does not care — laws to protect women are only useful if implemented with legislative awareness and mindset change. Legal experts claim the majority of cases go unreported or are covered up despite all legislative changes and the pro-women lobbyists in parliament. Beyond that, only five per cent of rape cases end in convictions.
In the Mansehra case, demands for a judicial commission headed by a high court judge have had no results even though the district police officer has openly admitted that members of his force are culpable. A key witness, a female police officer, is missing after the police initially brought the young victim to her home for a night in the absence of a women’s cell.
The media is also partially to blame in this as it highlights aspects that contribute to sensationalising the crime. Irrelevant reporting about the victim’s past, comments on her character, profession or clothing, is unethical and compromise the victim’s safety. In the Mansehra case, for instance, the reason the victim was on her own was unclear. Some sections of the press described her as a ‘runaway’, given that at a media briefing she said that she had left Karachi with her fiancé but he disappeared. While describing her as such is bad enough, the fact that she was made to recount her ordeal at a public press conference is worse. Not only did the authorities fail to protect her identity as a minor, she was indirectly made out to be responsible for her suffering.
Most victims of such crime are denied justice through the courts, often forced to live in the same locality as the alleged rapist or sent into exile with their families. Perpetrators with political backing are freed in most instances, even threatening the victim and her family. When two women were raped in December 2010 in Karachi’s Defence area, the incident was so callously portrayed by police, government officials and sections of the media that rights activists were up in arms.
In 2005 in Sui, Balochistan, a doctor was raped and brutally beaten. When she reported the incident, she was placed under house arrest, the evidence was apparently tampered with and the accused, a captain in the army, was acquitted. Eventually, she was forced into exile with her husband.
In other similar crimes, the law-enforcers are complicit because of their inaction, even though legally the punishment applicable can be life imprisonment or death. Last month, a 63-year-old woman and her sister older by two years were locked up and disrobed by five men in Muzaffargarh. Tied to a motorbike and paraded naked, their ordeal was filmed on cellphones.
Some officials say that the lack of police intervention confirms their complicity, but the police claim that because the family involved was influential in the district, they feared violent reaction.
When crime goes unreported for fear of reprisals, when victims have no confidence in the lower district courts, and where the traditional feudal order runs a parallel policing and justice system, education about legal rights must become a priority. Failing to register a complaint should hold severe repercussions for the police, especially in rural areas where accessibility is problematic for victims. An implementing and monitoring group (equipping women’s police stations with resources and knowledge) working in tandem with the women’s ministry and the National Commission on the Status of Women must sensitise the police to protect women.
Teaching people to respect women’s right as equal citizens, even within culturally acceptable parameters, would require institutionalising gender information in police academies and for law and policy students. Grass-roots education campaigns targeting the semi-literate involving district and religious leaders could lead to altering mindsets. Reforming district courts, because the judiciary is where the buck stops, will result in higher conviction rates.
Re-examining the national judicial policy must be a priority for the next government. Women’s integration is important for the political economy; this may be impossible in its entirety given the position of the religious right, but efforts in this regard could reduce the violence that women suffer.
The right to divorce
THE decision was issued on Aug 14, 2012, Pakistan’s 65th birthday. The court of appeals in Virginia, hearing an appeal from the circuit court in Fairfax County in the same state, decided that an annulment of marriage claim by plaintiff Hamid Mughal be granted.
Underlying the claim was Mr Mughal’s accusation that his wife, Tahira Naseer, was guilty of bigamy.
The story began years ago in Pakistan on Aug 1, 2000, when Tahira Naseer married Naseer Mehmood Khan. Less than a year later, on June 12, 2001, Naseer Mehmood Khan told his wife three times that he had divorced her pursuant to Islamic law.
Believing herself divorced, Tahira Naseer returned to her parents’ home and broke off all contact with the man she believed was now her ex-husband.
About two years later, on Jan 26, 2003, Tahira Naseer married Hamid Mughal, the marriage ceremony also taking place in Pakistan. On July 4 the following year, another marriage ceremony was held in Fairfax County, Virginia.
According to the court’s statement of facts, Tahira Naseer did not tell her new husband that she had been previously married. On the marriage certificate she signed that day, she stated that her marriage to Hamid Mughal was her first.
Several years passed, filled with growing differences between the married couple. On Nov 18, 2009, matters came to a head and Tahira Naseer and Hamid Mughal separated. No divorce was filed and no legal proceedings were at that time initiated.
In the days subsequent to their separation, Hamid Mughal took a trip to Pakistan, where presumably during a belated background investigation about his now estranged wife he discovered a marriage certificate from her previous marriage.
Toting this choice piece of ammunition, he returned to the US and filed a suit against his wife for bigamy, or the charge of contracting a marriage with a person while being married to another.
As the facts of the case present, Tahira Naseer’s mistake was not a new one and happened under the auspices of a law that ironically was meant to protect women in such situations.
According to the stipulations of the Muslim Family Law Ordinance (MFLO) of 1961, which remains in effect in Pakistan today, the vocalisation of ‘I divorce you’ repeated three times does not itself constitute a valid legal divorce.
After the words have been said, the MFLO requires that the husband must follow a procedure involving the courts or the local government and provide a notice to the union council or district registration office. When this notice is provided, a copy of it is then delivered to the wife. After this a notice is to be given to both the husband and the wife encouraging them to reconcile. If there is no reconciliation between the parties for 90 days, a certificate is issued confirming the divorce.
In Tahira Naseer’s case, her ex-husband failed to provide notice of the divorce, no further notices were served and no final confirmation of divorce issued. Her story, undoubtedly like scores of others, illustrates the disastrous chasm between the intent of the law and its actual consequences.
The impetus to require registration of divorce was to allow suddenly repudiated women to avail themselves of governmental authorities prior to being divorced. If divorces are registered, it was argued, then threats of divorce or enraged pronouncements cannot destroy families.
The snag in the plan was that the husband making the pronouncement was left in charge of initiating the proceedings that would legalise the divorce. The thought may have been that unless the husband took matters to that level, a wife could ignore the vocal utterance and consider the husband’s failure to register an indication of regret and of a desire to keep the marriage intact.
Tahira Naseer’s case is not the only one that reveals the flaw in this plan; divorcing husbands refusing to register divorces condemn partially divorced wives to legal limbo. In 1988, the case of Shahida Parveen and Mohammad Sarwar revealed how a similar set of facts — a woman who believed she was divorced and married again — could lead to a women being accused of adultery in Pakistan and sentenced under the Zina Ordinance of 1979.
In Virginia, it was again the husband who won. Tahira Naseer’s second husband was able to use the overlooked registration requirement in Pakistani law to argue that he should be permitted an annulment instead of an actual divorce. His intent for this was probably and simply to avoid the distribution of assets that would occur if the court decided that his wife of five years had indeed been divorced from her first husband when he married her in 2003.
With an annulment, he would not have to share any of the assets the couple may have purchased in five years — cars, homes, couches, pots and pans all comfortably falling into his lap through the ingenious tactic of insisting that he had been duped five years ago.
Tahira Naseer’s story is an instructive one of multiple jurisdictions, embarrassed families and social stigmas all colluding to disenfranchise women and leave them solely culpable for the breakdown of relationships and ignored legalities.
The details of the case reveal all the culprits: a Virginia court looking solely at the letter of the law, a lazy first husband unmotivated to fulfil legal obligations that imposed no cost on himself, a scheming second husband intent on not parting with a penny and a flawed if well-intentioned piece of legislation. All these combined to leave a woman stuck between two court systems, without justice from either.
A plastic grocery bag is probably one of the most generously hoarded items in any Pakistani home. Ours all the way in Boston is no different. Two people and 200 plastic bags; look anywhere - under the mattress, over the closet, folded and tucked between prayer mats. A couple fall off every time I open my jewelry drawer to find my favorite pearl earrings my mother passed on to me with my dowry last year.
Iftikhar and Farzana Ahmed's home in Warrington, Cheshire in the United Kingdom must be no different, only they used their grocery bags to stuff their 17-year-old daughter Shafilea's mouth, blocking her airways and pinning her down till her "legs stopped kicking". But that wasn't punishment enough. Ahmed punched his teenager's lifeless body in the chest after the killing, enraged by her "desire to lead a westernizedlifestyle" - wearing jeans, socializing with white girls and refusing to marry a much older man.
Shafilea is gone. So is my stockpile of plastic bags - to the very last one. But to recently convicted Iftikhar and Farzana Ahmed and thousands, if not millions, likeminded others, something else has been saved, guarded, maintained.
That something also led Javed Iqbal Shaikh, a respected lawyer, to pull out a gun and shoot point-blank his 22 year-old sister, Raheela Sehto, in front of dozens of witnesses in a "packed courtroom" in Hyderabad, Pakistan earlier this month. As the bullet penetrated the "left side of her head" she fell to the ground looking her husband, Zulfiqar Sehto, in the eye. Raheela's marriage to Sehto was the reason for which her brother felt compelled to brutally murder her, and Sehto the man Shaikh regretshe couldn't kill along with his sister.
Two women and innumerable others, time and time again, are erased from history in the hands of those who think themselves guardians of this centuries-old tradition. Regrettably, to the majority of ‘honorable' men, honor in all its entirety resides in the bodies of women and women alone, in the context of which their rights to live, let alone control, their own lives and to liberty and freedom of movement, expression, association, and physical integrity mean very, very little.
Whether out of fear or by choice, the complicity and support by other women in the family and the community - mothers, mothers-in-law, sisters, cousins - also strengthens the concept of women as property. Their participation in these deadly attacks also reaffirms the perception that violence against family members is a family and not a judicial issue.
This ‘community mentality' paired with misleading interpretations of religion and suit-yourself articulations of ‘family law' encourage patriarchywithin families and negative attitudes towards female autonomy. Thus an environment is created in which violence against women is accepted and justified - a huge motivation for the family and community to cover up these heinous brutalities -a crime in itself. It is not surprising, then, that various women's groups in South-west Asia and the Middle East suspect the number of both reported and unreported victims to be at least four times the United Nations' decade-old figure of around 5,000 honor killings a year worldwide.
So for those daring to trespass the boundary of‘appropriate' chalked-out by their male counterparts and guardians, ‘honor' is but a death sentence and has been so for hundreds and thousands of years. The concept of honor and its protection is widely displayed within many different male-dominated societies in human history, dating back to ancient Rome, the Arab tribes of Babylonian King Hammurabi as early as in 1200 BC, prerevolutionary China and many other societies and historical eras long before any major religion came into existence.
Today, however, the practice is becoming increasingly commonacross cultures and across religions, especially in South Asia and in Pakistan. The concept of honor in the region is largely dichotomous, and absurdly so. While honor in its masculine form is active and positive -dynamism, generosity, vigor, confidence, dominance and strength, a woman's honor, by contrast, revolves around negative, more passive concepts - chastity, obedience, servitude, domesticity and the endurance of pain and hardship without any display of feelings or complaint.
Unlike her male counterpart, a woman's honor can neither be increased nor regained - once lost, it is lost forever. What is worse is that when a woman loses her honor, the honor of her brothers, father and uncles is also lost and can only be regained through a violent display of dominance. Conveniently nonsensical but practiced explicitly in South Asia among Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims alike, with the same deadly effects.
In its latest annual report, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistanpresented disappointing statisticsfor honor crimes in the country. More than 1,000 women and girls fall victim to honor killings every year in Pakistan, the report maintains, mostly at the hands of their brothers and husbands, with less than two per cent provided medical assistance before their death.
The Aurat Foundation, a reputable women's rights group in Pakistan, however, has uncovered numbers two times that figure. According to their reportreleased in January this year, as many as 2,341 honor killings were reported in the country in 2011 - "a 27 per cent jump from the year before". But the figures are just "the tip of the iceberg", the report warns, since its researchers relied on cases reported in the media only.
But despite being ranked the third-most dangerous country for women in the world after Afghanistan and Congo - due to a barrage of threats including honor killings - over the past decade, Pakistan has also made adequate real world efforts to fortify women's rights in the country. In 2006, the country passed a bill to strengthen the law against honor killings under the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, making the crime punishable by a prison term of seven years or even by the death penalty. Last year in 2011, the Senate passed two landmark pieces of legislations into bills - the Prevention of Anti-Women Practices Bill and theAcid Control and Acid Crime Prevention Bill - an uncommon piece of news coming from the region since both bills were introduced and carried through by female members of its National Assembly.
But tackling something as engrained and as ancient as honor killing requires every thread of the country's social fabric to work together to bring about a wholesale change in common attitudes. This development may sound almost fairytale-ish in a Pakistani context, but if social change over centuries has led to a major decline of honor-based violence in certain parts of Europe, America and even the Middle East, then the global eradication of honor crimes remains a possibility. The question is, can Pakistan be a part of this change?
The current political climate in Pakistan is marked by a tug-of-warbetween civilian and military rulers on the one hand, and between liberal and religious elements on the other. The main casualties in this hostile environment are the women killed in the name of honor. The sitting Pakistan People's Party government has absolutely no support from the opposition party Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz , nor --it seems -- from the judiciary, which is more interested in sackingthe next available prime minister and policingthe country's television channels for vulgarity than in taking legal action against the Hyderabad honor-killing incident.
In the lead-up to the upcoming general elections later this year, Imran Khan and his political party Tehreek-e-Insaf have in a matter of months risen to unrivaled popularity among Pakistan's youth. The so-called ‘pied piper' of Pakistani politics, attracting over 400,000 to his rally in Karachi earlier this year, however, has few words on the subject of honor killings. Offering his countrymen a ‘New Pakistan' free from American slavery as he comes into power, the man eats, breathes and sleeps drones. Honor killing, not so much, even though the women killed in the name of honor each year outnumberannual drone-related casualties in Pakistan.
Honor killing is a broader, more universal problem. It is not just a women's issue, or a religious or cultural one. It is a full-scale human rights concern where daily violence happens throughout the world in the name of honor.
Wherever there is a structural acceptance for violence against women, there is an acknowledgment that men have all the rights to legislate their own morality. Inaction of the state and silence on the part of national or community leaders and intellectuals the likes of Khan only fuel the ancient trend.
In Pakistan, there is a culture of impunity where men commit vicious acts to safeguard their so-called honor and roam freely. Tremendous amounts of pressure - political, judicial and social - need to be asserted to make sure these acts are punished. The problem needs to be openly and extensively discussed so that it can be uprooted. And what better place to do it than a gathering of 400,000 in the heart of the country? Who wouldn't like a‘New Pakistan' where perpetrators are stripped of the very honor in the name of which they take innocent human lives and are duly punished?
The question remains: can Pakistan make the change?
Rabail Baig is a Pakistani journalist based in Boston.
For long, environmentalists have been warning us about the impacts of climate change. Now that the effects have begun to show and the world is facing quite a few serious threats like dwindling water resources and lower food production, another aspect that is coming to light is that its impacts are distributed unevenly among different regions, communities, ages, income groups, occupations and genders. Ironically, the most affected by climate change are the poorest countries and the most deprived people who have contributed the least to it.
Many factors contribute to and compound the impacts of climate change as well as our ability to cope with them. These include poverty, illiteracy and lack of information, skills and technology, lack of healthcare, poor access to resources, low management capabilities, weak institutions, limited infrastructure and armed conflicts. The overexploitation of land resources including forests, increase in population, desertification and land degradation poses additional threats.
In developing countries, the marginalised status of women and dependence on local natural resources renders them particularly affected by climate change.
They generally do not have secure, affordable access to and control over land, water, livestock, etc., and have to make do with limited resources and alternatives when their subsistence needs and livelihoods are threatened.
In many countries, women make up a larger share of the agricultural workforce and have less access to income-earning opportunities than men. The UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates that women produce 60-80 per cent of food grown in the developing world - often small scale crops critical to their family's sustenance. Falling water tables and changing patterns of rainfall affect the availability of water, which in combination with extreme weather events like higher temperature and heavy storms or droughts will lead to low crop yield per acre and will affect the world's food supply, depriving women of income and food.
Women are more dependent for their livelihood on natural resources - freshwater, cropland, forests and fisheries; with changes in climate, such traditional food sources become more unpredictable and scarce, exposing the women to loss of their (sometimes sole) source of food and income.
Reduced crop yield in many developing countries as a result of climate variability can compromise food security. It is an established fact that when food is scarce and/or expensive women and children, who are already vulnerable, face further malnutrition and starvation. Malnutrition is expected to be especially severe in countries where large populations depend on rain-fed subsistence farming. Food shortage forces the women to work for paid income outside the home, eat less and find ways to prepare less expensive food from scratch. Malnutrition, in turn, results in greater susceptibility to infectious diseases such as malaria, diarrhoea and respiratory illnesses.
Temperature changes, lack of clean, adequate water and sanitation infrastructure along with lack of adequate, nutritious food can result in the spread of malaria and waterborne diseases. During epidemics women suffer more, especially in developing countries, as they often have less access to health services than men and as primary care givers in the families their workload increases when they have to care for the sick family members. Also, women and children form the majority of the world's poor, and indigent households which are affected by disease and have fewer resources to adapt.
In most developing countries, women and girls are responsible for collecting water, fuel and fodder - a time consuming and physically demanding task in places where streams or wells are not easily accessible. Due to droughts and erratic rainfall, women have to walk or travel farther to obtain water and fuel/fodder in many countries. This increases the women's workload as they have to put in more effort and time to fetch these necessities.
In some cases, girls are pulled out of school (if they are able to attend at
all) to help their mothers do these tasks or perform other chores at home while the mothers are busy in other income-generating activities when farming, etc., are not possible due to shortage of water. Moreover, in some places, it is dangerous for women and girls to travel far to get water - they run the risk of being raped and abducted as they walk long distances through conflict-ridden territory, sometimes unaccompanied.
In some areas, the effects of climate change such as floods and droughts create resource shortages and unreliable job markets; this forces the men to migrate to other areas in search of livelihood, leaving women behind with additional agricultural and households duties.
As Wangari Maathai of Kenya, who won the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize for her work on sustainable development, once said, "Men can trek and go looking for greener pastures in other areas, in other countries . but for women, they're usually left on site to face the consequences. So when there is deforestation, when there is drought, when there is crop failure, it is the women and children who are the most adversely affected."
Poor women, due to their lack of access to and control over natural resources, technologies and credit, have fewer resources to cope with. They are forced to work harder to secure food, water and energy for their homes. In such cases the traditional roles of women are reinforced; girls' education suffers, and women's ability to diversify their livelihoods (and therefore their capacity to access income-generating jobs) is diminished, thus continuing the cycle of deprivation, poverty and inequality that is so important to deal effectively with climate change. Understanding how the different social expectations, roles, status and economic power of men and women are affected differently by climate change will improve to take actions to reduce vulnerability. If women are at a greater risk of being severely affected, climate change adaptation strategies need to be formulated keeping their vulnerability in mind so as to reduce their risks; this includes improving their access to information, education, skills, strengthening their ability to cope with change.
At the same time, despite being vulnerable and at greater risk, women have shown greater adaptability and coping strategies, especially in times of crises and natural disasters like earthquakes and floods, and these skills need to be channelised to cope with the effects of climate change. Women need to be involved in implementing strategies related to overcoming resource degradation, population growth, transition to an efficient low carbon energy system, etc., to reduce global warming.
A recent report about women in Iran being banned from over 70 university courses is cause for alarm: the academic achievements of Iran’s women have angered its conservatives, who have now decreed that women cannot study in certain faculties, including English literature, nuclear physics, hotel management and engineering. This proves that women’s rights can never be taken for granted because there is always a backlash. It also illustrates how in patriarchal societies that want to be seen as ‘benevolent’, they will only let women go so far before shoving them back in their ‘place’. It’s all too common for the powers that be to see women’s rights as threatening men’s rights, not seeing that both can coexist. But this is endemic narrow-minded thinking: the belief that a woman rising up means a man being co-opted from his position of dominance.
People respond negatively to the idea of equal rights for women: “Why are feminists always angry?” and “Why do you always want to bash men and put them down?” Yet, feminists aren’t trying to put men down; we’re trying to pull ourselves up, to rise out of the underground pits into which we’ve been consigned since the beginning of history. People don’t understand that social injustice should make you very, very angry and chauvinism and patriarchy are inherently unjust.
In an essay by the author, poet and feminist bell hooks (who intentionally does not capitalise her name) called “Understanding Patriarchy“, hooks says:
“Patriarchy is a political-social system that insists that males are inherently dominating, superior to everything and everyone deemed weak, especially females, and endowed with the right to dominate and rule over the weak and to maintain that dominance through various forms of psychological terrorism and violence.”
hooks makes a strong argument that if patriarchy was really so beneficial to men, they’d be a lot more mentally, emotionally and physically healthy than they are now. She classifies the way men treat women under patriarchal systems as a mental illness. And she says that both men and women are complicit in perpetuating this system because they’ve been brainwashed to do so since birth. There are paybacks to participating in patriarchy: control and dominance for men and a vicarious form of power, which trickles down to the women who help to maintain it by riding over their sisters and enforcing the patriarchal status quo.
In Pakistan, ‘feminism’ is seen as a dirty word but patriarchy is a word that is hardly even discussed or understood, although it is the social and political code by which we live our lives. It is the system that allows a myriad of abuses against women to take place: the obvious ones, which result in the grievous injury or death of a girl or woman, but also the subtle ones in which women are demeaned, insulted, harassed, excluded, sidelined, and diminished.
Patriarchy is why men feel justified in saying ‘there should be limits for women’ or ‘you can’t allow women to have all freedoms because that would result in the destruction of society’. It distorts the verses of the Holy Quran to justify laws, behaviours and crimes that discriminate against women, running completely against the spirit of Islam, which guarantees equality and fairness towards both sexes. It thinks of a boy baby as more desirable than a girl baby, it feeds a boy more than a girl, it sends a boy to school and keeps a girl at home. It is a system that is inherently destructive, unhealthy and holds us back from economic, intellectual, social and spiritual progress.
Patriarchy has dominated our lives but it has only given power and control to one half of society, while keeping the other half in a position not dissimilar to that of servants and slaves, no matter how much lip service is paid to how much women are respected in our society. Anyone with open eyes can see that this is simply another one of the lies that we comfort ourselves with while social injustice plagues our lives.
One day, both men and women of Pakistan will recognise there’s another way of living our lives, one that gives both genders equality, respect and dignity. Feminism will also be recognised as the struggle to make that dream a reality: not a worldview that sees men as the enemy but a way of encouraging and empowering women to rise and stand side-by-side with men as their partners, helpmates and friends. And men, too, will realise that they must free themselves from the prison of patriarchy in order to preserve both their sanity and their humanity.
ONCE again Pakistan finds itself highlighted in the international press for the most unsavoury of reasons. The issue, the infamous ‘blasphemy law’ or Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code, and the misuse to which it lends itself quite regularly now, is far from new. Public discourse was stirred even before the case of Aasia Bibi who was convicted of blasphemy in 2010, and there was some hope that a reconsideration of the law would become possible. Unfortunately, the matter has been allowed to die down, not least because of the fear of a hostile reaction from extremists and other quarters, and especially after the killing of Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer in 2011. Now, yet another person has been accused of committing ‘blasphemy’. The 11-year-old girl, a member of the impoverished Christian community that lives in the rural areas around Islamabad, is said to be mentally challenged. Following allegations that the child desecrated religious texts, human rights activists have said that a number of Christian families from her area have fled, no doubt in fear of bloody reprisals.
Section 295-C in its current form can mistakenly or wilfully be used to do serious harm. The PPP government, which has been virtually silent on the issue since Mr Taseer’s assassination last year, has been unable to deal with the issue forcefully. True, President Asif Ali Zardari has taken ‘serious note’ of the incident and has sought a report from the interior ministry but this is hardly enough. Far more effort is needed to overcome the resistance to a review of this law. It is unfortunate that much of this resistance comes from ordinary Pakistanis whose emotions are easily stirred to the point of boiling rage at the mere suspicion of blasphemy. The existence of this law only implies tacit support for the actions of enraged rabbles. In the case of the 11-year-old, the police station where she was kept after being taken into custody was surrounded by a mob comprising hundreds of angry men demanding she be tried for blasphemy. Such hurdles must be overcome. The call for a review of Section 295-C needs to be renewed and the right-wing lobby which has in the past threatened or resorted to violence in this regard needs reminding that the law is man-made.
Abortion in Pakistan Morality becomes more restrictive than the law
Shirkat Gah’s Advocacy Officer for Women’s Health explores the connection between the laws regulating abortion, and the actual availability of abortion care. The two-part blog was written for Asia Safe Abortion Partnership.
Please follow the links below to read Uzma’s write-up.
As a result of our collective protest, Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has taken notice of the killing of Ms. Farida Afridi, placing on record his condemnation of this senseless terrorist act in strongest of words and reaffirmed his, and FATA administration’s commitment.
In a letter sent to Shirkat Gah the Governor states the following measures to be taken immediately and has demanded the compliance report to be submitted within seven days:.
The political Agent Khyber Agency has already reported identification of alleged perpetrators of this heinous act and headway towards their arrest. Strictest and sustained efforts to arrest them as soon as possible need to be continued and they proceed against under the law of maximum penalty.
A survey and registration of NGOs/CSOs especially those with female staff members needs to be carried out urgently and advisory issued to them to set in place requisite SOPs of movement etc. On request ,adequate security cover should be given to them.
The law and Order Department FATA should, as per routine, take cognizance of, and publicly condemn such incidents through print and electronic media
The ACS(FAT) may call the family of the deceased lady, console them personally and appropriately compensate them.
Much thanks to those who voiced their condemnation of Farida’s murder and concern for her family and colleagues in SAWERA by signing our petition. Her family and colleagues have had to re-locate due to threats and harassment. Thus to improve the safety of other members’ lives in SAWERA, state action on Farida’s case is imperative and by the response received by the Governor KP, we have become more hopeful of obtaining justice
Sad demise of Farida Afridi should not be accepted quietly. It is not just an individual attack on Women Human Rights Defenders in tribal areas but one of many murders/attacks by rising religious extremists.
We condemn acts of extremist elements that obstruct the work of development or promotion and protection of human rights in any part of the country. We demand from state authorities who have so far stayed silent, to immediately issue a strong condemnation of the killing … of Farida Afridi and expect KPK governor and political agent of FATA take full responsibility for Farida’s murder and announce effective measures for protection of human rights defenders.
This petition has brought much national and international support from individuals and women's rights organizations/networks and we already have 894 signatures from all corners of the world.
Let us not stop here. Those of you who have not had the time to sign the petition are requested to sign it. You are also requested to share it widely with networks.
Sometime back, I conducted part of a gender sensitisation workshop, organised for government officials. I had the most diversified group because it had representation from all across Pakistan. We had people from big cities as well as smaller towns and villages such as Khushab, Noshki, Dadu, Dera Ismail Khan and Ghotki.
During a session on gender and leadership, I asked everyone to name a leader they liked and admired. It could have been a community leader, a politician or a sportsman. I also specified that the person had to be alive (otherwise, I knew, I would have gotten a lot of Allama Iqbals and Mohammad Ali Jinnahs as most admired leaders), someone who worked to bring change to his/her community, challenged the status quo and had managed to inspire at least one person. All 25 participants came up with a man’s name, including the usual suspects, such as Imran Khan and Shahbaz Sharif to some really off beat choices such as Mushahid Hussain Syed.
We discussed each and every name and why they admired them. People came up with some really odd reasons. One guy, who had worked with Mushahid Hussain Syed, liked him because of his superior English-language skills.
I asked the participants if they had any female leaders around them and the only leader they could think of was Speaker National Assembly Dr Fehmida Mirza. When I asked them why they thought she was a leader and what kind of changes had she brought, either in her community or workplace, they could not think of any reason other than stating her office and the fact that she is the first female speaker.
I then decided to throw in a couple of names, who I thought would generate debate about types of leadership roles. I suggested Bilquis Edhi, the woman, who started the first adoption service in Pakistan and gave home to thousands of unwanted babies. I then took the name of Mukhtaran Mai, a gang-rape victim, who challenged every patriarchal and misogynist person, the system and law of the land, opened up the first ever girls school in her village and has been battling the perpetrators of her crime for over a decade.
Participants grudgingly agreed that Bilquis Edhi is a leader but also mentioned that she could not have done it all had she not been married to the most dedicated and well-known social worker of the country. The reaction on Mukhtaran Mai was anything but civil. With the sole exception of two women, everyone said that she is not a leader despite evidence to the contrary. She was called everything from a gold-digger to a publicity whore to just plain old whore and a bad example for other women. When asked to give reasons for their repugnance, they failed to come up with a solid reason other than her bringing shame to Pakistan in the international community.
The reaction of the participants was reflective of the society we live in. People, who are threatened by a woman, who is not a direct threat to them and is only challenging misogynist laws and the system by asking for a fair trial, stand no hope of living in a more gender-friendly society, which will remain a distant dream for such people. All gender sensitisation workshops will fail if we do not make an effort to radically alter the stereotype images of women and girls in our textbooks, popular media and homes. Presenting an alternative, more gender-neutral environment is our only hope of providing a safer society to our daughters.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 8th, 2012.
‘Violence against women increased by 6.74 pc in 2011’
QUETTA - Violence against women in Pakistan has been increased by 6.74 per cent in 2011 as compared to 2010.
This was disclosed by a newly issued report of Aurat Foundation (AF) a leading women’s rights organisation.
The report says, “8539 different incidents of violence occurred against women in different parts of Pakistan which shows 6.74 per cent increase in violence against women in 2011 as compared to 2010.” The report says the number of violence against women remained high in Punjab where 6188 cases of violence against women have been registered, 1316 in Sindh, 694 in Khyber Pakhtunkhowa (KPK) and 193 in Balochistan.
“About 322 women were killed in the name of honour in Punjab, 266 in Sindh, 86 in Balochistan and 30 cases surfaced in KPK in 2011”, the report added. According to the report, the number of reported cases of rape and gang rape are 827 and 734 which have been reported in Punjab.
Child marriage and Islam
From DAWN | Asghar Ali Engineer | 3rd August, 2012
RECENTLY, the Legal Affairs Committee of the Majles (the Iranian parliament) has told the press that they regard the law that prohibits girls below the age of 10 from being married off as ‘un-Islamic and illegal.’
Reports indicate that in Iran, more than 75 female children under age 10 were recently forced to marry much older men. It is indeed very strange how child marriage can be deemed Islamic in any sense of the word. How can it be un-Islamic not to permit child marriage at the immature age of eight?
This is probably more cultural than religious. After all, any law bears footprints of culture and cannot completely get rid of cultural influences. While Islamic laws are very progressive, cultures in Islamic countries are still feudal or semi-feudal.Also, there has been debate among the ulema, as pointed out by the spokesperson for the Majles, about the age of puberty. Many ulema think that girls attain the age of puberty by or before age 10 while others think by the age of 15. But for most 10 is the age of puberty.
This has happened in Iran, where women’s participation in the revolution was so genuine and enthusiastic that they voluntarily took to wearing the chador as a symbol of their Islamic identity and a New York Times correspondent — seeing a sea of women in black chadors in 1979 — wondered how daughters of those mothers who had cast off their veils could take to the chador again. He perhaps did not realise that these daughters were wearing the chador as a symbol of their Islamic identity and to show solidarity with the leaders of the Islamic revolution.
However, their experience right from the beginning was not very pleasant and their expectations of liberation were not fulfilled. Gradually, the Islamic regime began to tighten its grip over women’s liberty, especially after the death of Imam Khomeini, who was a great visionary and believed in using persuasion rather than coercion. The revolutionary leadership began to quarrel for power in the post-Khomeini period and unfortunately the conservatives won.
And in the Islamic world whenever conservatives win, the first to be affected are Muslim women. Recently in Libya, when Qadhafi was defeated and his opponents — conservative Muslims — won, one of their first declarations was to legalise polygamy, as if their revolution was all about polygamy.
In Iran too women came to be under increasing control of the conservative clergy. A few years ago a woman, who was married with children, was accused of adultery and was sentenced to death by stoning, though human rights activists maintained that adultery charges were not proved. And there was no punishment for her alleged adulterous partner.
Coming back to child marriage, there is nothing Islamic about it; if anything it is un-Islamic. It is well-known that marriage is a contract in Islam and the Quran calls it a ‘strong covenant’ (mithaqan ghaliza) (4:21). It does not require a lot of argument to conclude that such a covenant cannot be entered into by children of the age of eight, that too a strong contract. A child does not even understand what a covenant is.
It is also well-known that both parties, i.e. husband and wife, can stipulate conditions, without fulfilling which the marriage will not be valid. Can a child stipulate conditions? Marriage is a lifelong partnership and a child cannot be expected to have the experience or intellectual ability to choose his or her life partner. Thus child marriage can in no case be Quranic or Islamic.
What is, then, the origin of child marriage in Islam? It is simply cultural and was not uncommon among the Arabs. The jurists can hardly escape the influence of their culture and cultural ethos. Though the Quran did not permit it, they allowed it because it was widely prevalent around them. They also tried to find justification for it in the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) Sunnah. Most Muslims believe that the Holy Prophet married Hazrat Ayesha when she was simply seven years of age and consummated the marriage when she was nine.
Firstly, this hadith appears about 300 years after the passing of the Prophet and in-depth research by many scholars clearly shows that Hazrat Ayesha’s age at the time of marriage was not less than 17 or 18 and at the time of consummation of marriage about 19 or 20. I have seen this research and there are very good reasons to believe it.
Since marriage is a contract in Islam, Imam Abu Hanifa, while allowing child marriage for sociological rather than religious or Quranic reasons, also had to make a provision for what is called option of puberty (khiyar al-bulugh) i.e. the girl, on achieving puberty or the age of proper understanding, could accept or reject the marriage and her guardian (usually father) also cannot force her to accept the marriage if she is unwilling. Imam Abu Hanifa had to make this provision because he knew the guardian is not an absolute authority to give the child away in marriage.
Religion should prevail over culture and not culture over religion. That is why most Islamic countries have now prescribed 18 as the age of marriage and have made child marriage illegal. Thus the Iranian clergy would be better advised not to legalise child marriage. I am sure the women organisations of Iran would surely resist this measure on part of the government, if at all it takes this regressive step defying the Quranic concept of marriage as a strong covenant.
The writer is an Islamic scholar who also heads the Centre for Study of Society & Secularism, Mumbai
Killing of female NGO staffer in Jamrud Khyber Agency
Killing of female NGO staffer in Jamrud Khyber Agency
Shirkat Gah’s petition on Farida Afridi’s murder: Update: we have 825 signatures already
Sad demise of Farida Afridi should not be accepted quietly. It is not just an individual attack on Women Human Rights Defenders in tribal areas but one of many murders/attacks by rising religious extremists.
As you already know, Ms. Farida Afridi, a 25 year old woman human rights defender was ambushed and shot dead outside her residence in Hayatabad, Khyber Agency on Friday, July 4th 2012. It is evident from news reports that she was killed because she was a woman human rights defender associated with a non-government organization working for the welfare of tribal women.
We condemn acts of extremist elements that obstruct the work of development or promotion and protection of human rights in any part of the country. We demand from state authorities who have so far stayed silent, to immediately issue a strong condemnation of the killing … of Farida Afridi and expect KPK governor and political agent of FATA take full responsibility for Farida’s murder and announce effective measures for protection of human rights defenders.
As a means of protest, we have been circulating a petition asking Political Agent Khyber Agency and Governor KP to bring culprits to justice in the murder of WHRD Farida Afridi in Khyber Agency, Pakistan. This petition has brought much national and international support from individuals and women's rights organizations/networks and we already have 825 signatures from all corners of the world..
Much thanks to those who have signed this petition and voiced their condemnation of Farida’ s murder and concern for her family and colleagues in SAWERA who have had to re-locate due to threats and harassment. They are, nevertheless, continuing with their activities and have not let threats get in their way. Thus to improve the safety of other members’ lives in SAWERA, state action on Farida’s case is paramount.
Those of you who have not had the time to sign the petition are requested to sign it. You are also requested to share it widely with networks.
Attack on SU teachers condemned From the Newspaper | Our Staff Correspondent | 11th july 2012
HYDERABAD, July 10: Representatives of the Women’s Action Forum (WAF) and other NGOs have condemned Sunday night’s armed attack on Prof Amar Sindhu and Dr Arfana Mallah of Sindh University.
They linked the attempt on the two teachers’ lives to their role in the campaign for removal of Dr Nazir Mughal, vice chancellor of the Sindh University.
Speaking at a news conference at the press club on Tuesday, WAF activists Haseen Musarrat Shah and Naseem Jalbani alleged the attack was premeditated. They termed it a bid to weaken the teachers’ struggle, adding that this was not the first incident of its kind. They recalled that Prof Bashir Channar, director of student affairs at the university, was shot dead on the campus in January, prompting teachers to launch a campaign for removal of the vice chancellor.
UPR: A set of Questions and Recommendations to review Pakistan’s State Report in October
Shirkat Gah submitted a joint NGO statement on situation of women’s rights and challenges in Pakistan. After submission of the joint NGO Statement in April, a set of questions and recommendations was prepared for Country Missions to assist them in review of Pakistan’s State report in October.
Attached is the NGO submission on Women’s rights itself with questions and recommendations at the end.
WAF Lahore: Open Letter to the Governor of Sindh on the murderous attack on Sindh University Prof.
Press Release
Date: July 9, 2012
Sir,
Women’s Action Forum (WAF) Lahore strongly condemns the murderous attack on Professors Arfana Mallah and Amar Sindhu of Sindh University, Jamshoro. This growing trend to silence dissent through intimidation and violence is indicative of the growing brutalization of our society and must be stopped immediately.
As Governor of Sindh and Chancellor of Sindh University Jamshoro, it is your responsibility to provide security to all staff and students.
As enshrined in the constitution of Pakistan the State is responsible for ensuring freedom of expression and assembly, while guaranteeing the right to life, liberty and security of its citizens.
Women’s Action Forum (WAF) Lahore demands that every effort be made to apprehend, arrest and bring to justice the perpetrators of this deplorable act.
Sincerely,
Women’s Action Forum (WAF) Lahore
Killing of Woman NGO worker in Jamrud Tehsil of Khyber Agency
WAF Lahore is deeply disturbed by the shocking news of the killing of Mst. Fareeda Afridi in the Khyber Agency. It is evident from news reports that she was killed because she was a woman human rights defender associated with a non-government organization working for the welfare of tribal women. This is not the first killing of a human rights defender in the tribal area and it sends a chilling message to the whole community of civil society organizations working for people’s rights and for their development and welfare.
It is a matter of grave concern that retrogressive forces of extremism are allowed to perpetuate a reign of terror over the tribal population, especially women in public service. Despite these elements being identifiable, the state authorities have completely failed to enforce the rule of law. The inaction of the state in the face of murder and open threats against people has resulted in complete impunity for those who commit acts of terrorism with dire consequences for the victims.
The state has a duty to protect its population against human rights violations and acts of terrorism. Its consistent failure to hold non-state actors accountable for the heinous crimes they commit and the level of impunity available to the religious extremists in the country is unacceptable. In failing to protect its people from vicious forces operating within its own border the state has undermined the state loses all moral authority to denounce the loss of civilian lives resulting from any act of a foreign power.
WAF Lahore strongly condemns the acts of extremist elements either obstructs the work of development or the promotion and protection of human rights in any part of the country. WAF call upon the state authorities to either fulfill their duty to protect or to publicly concede failure to curb the elements that are destroying all prospects for progress and peace in the country. Platitudes and false claims of diligence by the authorities sound hollow in the face of a deteriorating situation and the mounting violence perpetrated by elements who have been so emboldened by the impunity they enjoy that they proudly claim responsibility for these heinous killings.
WAF expects state authorities to immediately issue a strong condemnation of the killing of Farida Afridi; to announce effective measures for the protection of human rights defenders, especially women; affirm its commitment to provide a safe environment for all those engaged in development work, humanitarian assistance and the promotion of human rights; and, above all, announce measures for routing out the criminals responsible for the terrorization of NGOs through killings and death threats.
Neelam Hussain for WAF Working Committee
SG strongly condemns murderous attacks on Amar Sindhu and Arfana Mallah!
Shirkat Gah is deeply disturbed by the murderous attack on our General Body member Professor Amr Sindhi of Hyderabad University, Jamshoro and Professor Arfana Mallah. This growing trend to silence dissent through intimidation and violence is indicative of the growing brutalization of our society and must be stopped immediately.
We demand from the Governor of Sindh/Chancellor of Hyderabad University Jamshoro to provide security to rights activists as enshrined in the constitution of Pakistan. It is the State’s responsibility to ensure freedom of expression and assembly, while guaranteeing the right to life, liberty and security of its citizens.
Shirkat Gah demands that every effort be made to apprehend, arrest and bring to justice the perpetrators of this deplorable act. We express our solidarity with Amar and Arfana and urge the government of Sindh to provide adequate security to them.
Attack on Shirkat Gah’s general body members condemned
HYDERABAD, July 10: Representatives of the Women’s Action Forum (WAF) and other NGOs have condemned Sunday night’s armed attack on Prof Amar Sindhu and Dr Arfana Mallah of Sindh University.
They linked the attempt on the two teachers’ lives to their role in the campaign for removal of Dr Nazir Mughal, vice chancellor of the Sindh University.
Speaking at a news conference at the press club on Tuesday, WAF activists Haseen Musarrat Shah and Naseem Jalbani alleged the attack was premeditated. They termed it a bid to weaken the teachers’ struggle, adding that this was not the first incident of its kind. They recalled that Prof Bashir Channar, director of student affairs at the university, was shot dead on the campus in January, prompting teachers to launch a campaign for removal of the vice chancellor.
Provincial Policy dialogue on Monitoring and Implementation of MDG 5
Provincial Policy Dialogue on Monitoring Implementation of Millennium Development Goal 5 in Pakistan were organized in Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar respectively on 13th, 21st and 26th June 2012. Detailed press coverage is as under;
Meeting goals: Experts give suggestions for reducing maternal mortality By Our Correspondent Published in The Express Tribune, June 14th, 2012.
KARACHI: Experts, during a dialogue on Monitoring Implementation of Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 5, came up with various recommendations for the government to improve the situation of maternal health in the country.
They called for better access to reproductive-health service, inclusion of reproductive information in education curriculum, fixing 18 years as the minimum age for girls to marry and representing women in local governments.
The event was organised by Shirkat Gah’s Women’s Resource Centre on Wednesday, to review the implementation of MDG 5 and the government’s pledge to reduce maternal mortality by three quarters till 2015. This dialogue was the first of a series to be held across the country to share findings and make all the sections of society aware about maternal health.
The CEO of Shirkat Gah, Khawar Mumtaz, said that women faced many problems in accessing information and services related to sexual and reproductive health. “The inclusion of reproductive education in middle schools can help improve the health situation and spread awareness amongst future mothers.”
Sindh Minister for Women’s Development Tauqir Fatima Bhutto was also present at the dialogue. She stressed that a coordinated effort was required by population welfare, education, health and women development departments to combat the alarming mortality rates.
Daily Times - Site Edition Friday, June 22, 2012
Society urged to help improve maternal health
LAHORE: Mothers cannot be replaced and every segment of society, especially the government, the media and civil society, will have to make efforts to save women from pre-natal and post-natal deaths.
The speakers urged this while addressing a provincial dialogue on ‘Improving Maternal Health in Pakistan: Meeting MGD-5 Targets’, organised by the Shirkat Gah Women Resource Centre, on Thursday.
The event was held to review the implementation of MDG-5 to improve maternal health. The government pledges to reduce maternal mortality by three quarters by 2015 and to achieve universal access to reproductive health.
Addressing the seminar, Adviser to Punjab CM Zakia Shahnawaz said the Punjab government was very serious in resolving women’s problems. She also stressed on the significance of women’s education and economic empowerment. She said the government was committed to providing better health services to reduce maternal and child mortality.
Health Director General Nisar Cheema said that he had submitted a set of recommendations to the Punjab CM, including 100 percent free health services for pregnant women all over Punjab.
Peshawar Policy Dialogue on MDG 5 Experts call for improving reproductive health services From the Newspaper | Bureau Report | 27th June, 2012
PESHAWAR, June 26: Health experts and planners have expressed concern over Pakistan’s lagging behind in achieving millennium development goals (MDGs) related to improving reproductive health.
Sharing findings of a study conducted by Shirkat Gah, its CEO Ms Khawar Mumtaz said that the research study identified gaps in reproductive health care system, hindering achievement of the relevant MDG5.
According to the study, maternal mortality rate still stands at 276/100,000 in the country and the situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is almost the same. The number is supposed to drop to 140/100,000 by 2015, but the current scenario shows that the country may not achieve this goal, it said.
In this regard, Shirkat Gah women resource centre, Peshawar, organised a dialogue on ‘improving maternal health in Pakistan – meeting MDG targets’ on Tuesday. Ms Khawar said that keeping in view the situation of current health services there were less chances of raising contraceptive prevalence rate from 56 per cent to 100 per cent.
MNA Bushra Gohar, Asim Ismail of Planning Commission, director curriculum and teachers education Attaullah, FPAP regional director Gohar Zaman, Dr Mohammad Tufail and several civil society activists participated in the dialogue.
The speakers focused on the implementation of MDG-5 to improve mother’s health, as the government aims to decrease maternal deaths by one third and make health facilities accessible to all. However, the participants expressed their dissatisfaction at the health services and demanded improvement of reproductive health services, especially in backward areas of the country.
Dr Tufail said that weak health care system, lack of female staff and limited stock of medicines were among the major barriers to achievement of MDG-5. Mr Zaman said that early marriages affected the reproductive health of young girls.
Mr Ismail stated that that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was spending 85 per cent of developmental budget according to the MDG guidelines.
Mr Attaullah stated that the provincial government had focused on girls’ education, especially in the age group of 5-12 years.
He hinted at including Shirkat Gah recommendations in next syllabus review. He emphasised teachers’ training to create awareness of health issues.
Bushra Gohar said that following devolution of health the role of provincial assembly to properly debate the MDGs had become important.
Mr Iqbal, member provincial standing committee on health, said that it was impossible to achieve the MDG5 in a country where girls were still stopped from going to school.
PESHAWAR: In Farida Afridi’s death, women from the tribal belt have lost a fierce fighter.
Farida, belonging to the Afridi subtribe Kokikhel, was targeted on Wednesday morning at 6.30am when she left her house in Tehsil Jamrud Ghundi Kali for her office in Hayatabad.
“She was cornered by motorcyclists who shot her and she died on the way to Jamrud hospital,” said witness Abid Ali. Farida was 25.
Along with her sister Noor Zia, Farida was committed to social change and economic emancipation for women from the platform of a welfare organisation called the Society for Appraisal and Women Empowerment in Rural Areas (SAWERA). Both women were among the founding members of the NGO and had a Masters degree in Gender Studies.
Due to tribal customs and traditions, women in the area remain mostly restricted and unable to achieve their true potential, but Farida broke all barriers and relentlessly worked for women’s development. “We have lost a great member of our team,” said Lal Jan, the technical advisor of the organisation.
To increase women’s involvement in the social and economic sphere, a few educated and aspiring women, including Farida who was still in school at that time, established SAWERA in 2004. The NGO works for the rights of women and children’s rights in the tribal belt.
Farida had three sisters and four brothers and she was the second eldest. She belonged to a poor family that had no personal enmity, Lal Jan said.
The sisters faced tough resistance when they told their family about the path they had chosen for themselves. “We told our parents that we would work in accordance with our religious and cultural traditions, assuring them that we would never let the family honour suffer because of our line of work. Finally, they agreed,” Noor had said.
Syed Afzal Shinwari, project coordinator in Community Appraisal and Motivation Program (CAMP), said that SAWERA started small but is now an influential organisation. “Because of this brutal act, women in Fata will be discouraged to work and development will come to a halt,” he said.
Condemnation
“Both government and security agencies will be sleeping and people like Farida, Zartif Khan, Khan Habib Afridi and Mukarram Khan Atif will be mercilessly killed. We, the participants of civil society organisations in Peshawar, strongly condemn this tragic death and vow to raise our voice against this tyranny and brutality at the hands of anti-state elements who have been given a free hand to kill people from the civil society,” civil society group Strengthening Participatory Organisaion said in a statement.
The End Violence Against Women/Girl alliance in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Fata also condemned the murder.
Farida’s struggle and efforts towards the empowerment of tribal women will never be forgotten.
With the local ulema still adamant on not reversing their joint edict of declaring Non-Governmental Organistation-sponsored projects ‘haram’, NGOs working in different parts of Kohistan have suspended their activities, official sources toldThe Express Tribune on Thursday.
“Yes, we have closed our field office and called back staff members, suspending project activities, at least temporarily,” said an official of the NGO Saiban, adding they would not resume their activities unless the district administration guaranteed their staff’s security.
Over 150 ulema from the four tehsils of Kohistan district issued a final decree against NGOs on June 29, declaring their activities and projects ‘haram’ and demanding they leave the district immediately. The ulema, in a meeting chaired by former MNA Maulana Abdul Haleem, also warned the beneficiaries of NGO projects that their funeral prayers would not be offered unless they ceased availing the projects.
The ulema accused NGOs of conspiring against Islam, ulema and local customs and decided that any funding for development schemes in the district must come through the government. They also suggested NGOs and donors shift their projects to other poverty stricken areas as they believed Kohistan did not face any dire situation. Maulana Haleem was an ardent supporter of NGOs when they started working in Kohistan after the 2005 earthquake, an NGO worker from Kohistan said under condition of anonymity.
He said that while the ulema were respectable and held in high esteem by Kohistanis, they must quote the Quranic reference under which they declared NGO projects ‘haram’.
“They should have desisted from issuing such decrees because it has brought the country and especially Kohistan a bad name,” he said.
He further added that the matter needed to be investigated to determine who was instigating local ulema to issue such controversial edicts – whether there were some elements opposed to Kohistan’s development or was it a mere political slogan to win supporters for the upcoming election.
A source at the Kohistan DCO’s office confirmed the administration has engaged local ulema to convince them on reversing their edict. However, the source said that until the matter was resolved, NGOs have been asked to be careful and keep their activities low profile.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 6th, 2012.
Woman working for NGO shot dead
LANDI KOTAL, July 4: A woman worker of a non-governmental organisation was gunned down in Jamrud tehsil of Khyber Agency on Wednesday.
According to her family, three men who were hiding in bushes opened fire on 26-year-old Fareeda when she came out of her home in Ghundi in the morning to go to her office in Hayatabad area of Peshawar.
The assailants escaped on a motorcycle when members of the family rushed to the place after hearing gunshots. “Fareeda was the only bread-earner for her parents, three brothers and a widowed sister,” her relatives said.
She was human resource manager in the NGO working for tribal women.
She had received threats from a militant group a few weeks ago. Local officials said they had arrested three local people suspected of having links with banned groups.
Human rights activist Zarteef Afridi was killed in a similar attack on Dec 8 last year in the same area and the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for the murder.
Local officials said the family of Fareeda had not informed them about the threats given by militants.
Offensive language: Women’s Action Forum slams Sheikh Alauddin
Offensive language: Women’s Action Forum slams Sheikh Alauddin Sheikh Allaudin has a history of using derogatory language against women including vulgar filthy gestures, says WAF
By Our Correspondent Published: June 22, 2012
LAHORE: Published In The Express Tribune, June 22nd, 2012.
The Women’s Action Forum has condemned the “abusive and filthy” remarks made by Member of the Punjab Assembly Sheikh Allauddin about women members of the house on June 20 and demanded action against him.
“Sheikh Allaudin, who is himself a ‘floor crosser’, has a history of using derogatory language against women including vulgar and filthy gestures,” said a press release issued by WAF Convener Humaira Mumtaz Shaikh.
“It is a matter of deep concern that instead of condemning his behaviour, ruling party MPAs and their allies gave him full support as manifested through the physical assault and harassment of women MPAs on the following day. This behaviour has shamed the nation and bodes ill for the future as it denigrates women and encourages violence against them.”
The WAF urged the chief minister to act against the MPAs to demonstrate his commitment to women’s protection and rights.
“When elected women members of the Punjab Assembly are not safe from verbal and physical assault inside the house, what hope is there for the ordinary woman? This behaviour has shamed all Pakistani men both nationally and internationally,” said the press release.
Published In The Express Tribune, June 22nd, 2012.
Press Release: Policy Dialogue on “Monitoring Implementation of MDG 5 in Pakistan”
Policy Dialogue on “Monitoring Implementation of MDG 5 in Pakistan”, 05/07/12, Best Western Hotel Islamabad
SHIRKAT GAH: Thursday, July 5th 2012, Shirkat Gah – Women’s Resource Centre organized a National Policy Dialogue on Monitoring Implementation of Millennium Development Goal 5 in Pakistan. The event was attended by Begum ShahnazWazir Ali, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister and Chairperson of National Assembly Special Committee on MDGs,MNAs and members of the Special Committee HumayunSaifUllah,Nafisa Shah, Asia Nasir; Haji Ainullah Shams, Minister of Health Balochistan; Salma QureshiAdditional Secretary Women’s Develop Department Balochistan;Mr. TayabLehrri Additional Secretary Population Welfare Department Balochistan;Mohammad Ali Kakar, Additional Secretary Health, Balochistan;Sohail Ahmed Secretary Pakistan Federal Bureau of Statistics; members of Civil Society organizations; INGOs and;KhawarMumtaz, CEO of Shirkat Gah. The event was held to review implementation of MDG 5 to improve maternal health whereby the government pledges to reduce maternal mortality by three quarters by 2015, and to achieve universal access to reproductive health.
KhawarMumtaz, CEO Shirkat Gah presented the findings of Shirkat Gah ‘s in depth research on the progress achieved so far under MDG 5, delineating barriers faced by women in accessing information and services related to sexual and reproductive health and the gaps in implementation. The research focused on women’s access to family planning and reproductive health services, the link between unsafe abortion and maternal health, reproductive health needs of adolescent girls, impact of secondary education in improving reproductive health options, and government initiatives pertaining to MDG 5 currently underway. This research was made possible through the generous support of the David & Lucile Packard Foundation.
ShahnazWazir Ali stressed on Pakistan’s commitment to achieving objectives of MDGs as part of the government’s broader constitutional, moral and legal commitments towards its citizens, especially women. She emphasized the role of provinces, post devolution under the 18th Constitutional Amendment to achieve MDGs and to set provincial targets towards achieving these. She highlighted the role of Federal government for coordinating and reporting on international commitments. ShahnazWazir Ali announced the government’s pledge for regularization of the Lady Health Workers and commitment to finance the regularization. She revealed that allocations under the NFC Award for Population Welfare were needs based rather than determined by population size and hoped that these will be used to promote maternal health.
MNA Nafisa Shah stressed the need for integrated, consistent, credible data to help plan, implement and monitor MDGs.
Sohail Ahmed- Secretary Pakistan Federal Bureau of Statistics emphasized on the need for Federal government to re-invent its role post 18th amendment for coordination of international commitments and to serve as a bridge between provinces and donors for achievement of MDGs. Mr. Sohail also suggested that the Federal government should offer matching grants to provinces for achievement of MDGs.
Participants highlighted the need to adopt an integrated approach focusing on social determinants of health in order to achieve progress on MDG 5 for improved maternal health. They also recommended better coordination between Health and Population Welfare departments to avoid duplication of services and effort.
It was seen that poor security and safety of health service providers in remote areas especially in Balochistan resulted in under utilization of health services. Changing attitudes towards reproductive health with the help of male members was also seen as crucial to achieving MDG targets for women’s health and empowerment.
Balochistan Minister of Health Haji Ainullah Shams stated that health was a fundamental human right and should be promoted by appropriate allocation to achieve this right. He suggested diverting defense budget towards social sector.
All Kohistan girls alive, safe, says KP From the Newspaper | Bureau Report | 1 hour ago 0 PESHAWAR, June 17: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Information Mian Iftikhar Hussain has said that the provincial government is satisfied that all the five girls, suspected of being killed in an honour-related murder case in Kohistan, are alive.
“Ample evidence, collected by a fact finding mission of the provincial government, is available on the basis of which it has been established that all the five girls are alive and safe,” he told a news conference at Chief Minister House here on Sunday.
The minister said that evidence collected during the course of visits to Kohistan established that neither any jirga had taken place nor a religious decree was issued by any cleric to instruct the alleged killing of the five girls at the centre of a controversy.
The controversy emerged after a video surfaced showing five girls clapping with two young men dancing at a private gathering in Kohistan’s Beech Bela village.
Mr Hussain said that the fact finding mission visited Beech Bela again on Saturday to find out the whereabouts of the girls.
The team was consisted of Additional Sessions Judge Muneera, who was appointed by the Supreme Court to visit the area,
MNA Bushra Gohar and social worker Farzana Bari.
He said that the team met with four of the five girls, including Sareen Jan, Begum Jan, Aamna and Shaheen, and interviewed them in detail. The fifth girl, Bazgha, said the minister, was not available and could not be reached for her being on the family way. However, her parents were present on the occasion, he said.
“All those present on the occasion gave evidence, in front of the official team, that all the five girls were alive and safe,” Mr Hussain said, adding that the misleading information about the killing of the girls had defamed the province, Pakhtun culture and the traditional institution of jirga.
He said that provincial government would take legal action against Afzal Khan, the brother of the two young men, for spreading false information about the girls’ murder in an honour-related case at the behest of a local jirga.
The provincial government, said the minister, felt happy on the Supreme Court’s initiative to find out the reality about the girls’ fate.
He said that government had decided to establish a primary school at Beech Bela in addition to reconstructing its basic health unit to improve social services in the under-developed area.
“After two visits to the village, it has also been decided to construct a linking bridge to connect Beech Bela with the nearby villages,” Mr Hussain said.
WAF condemns use of Abusive language against women MPAs
Women's Action Forum Lahore condemns, in the strongest terms possible and demands stern action against Member Punjab Assembly, Sheikh Allauddin of the Unification Block for using abusive and filthylanguage for women members of the house on 20th June 2012. It also condemns those members who supported this behaviour through desk thumping.
Sheikh Allaudin, who is himself a 'floor crosser', has a history of using derogatory language against women including vulgar and filthy gestures. It is a matter of deep concern that instead of condemning his behaviour ruling party MPAs and their allies gave him full support as manifested through the physical assault and harassment of women MPAs on the following day. This behaviour has shamed the nation and bodes ill for the future as it denigrates women and encourages violence against them.
WAF is appalled by the silence of the Chief Minister and his aides who make tall claims about the honour of women and for their protection and rights. When elected women members of the Punjab Assembly are not safe from verbal and physical assault inside the house, what hope is there for the ordinary woman? This behaviour has shamed all Pakistani men both nationally and internationally.
WAF demands registration of criminal cases of sexual assault and abuse against the said members on the basis of the written application already filed with the police by the women MPAs who were subjected to this violence.
WAF expects and demands of the women parliamentarians of the Unification Block to hold Members like Sheikh Allaudin accountable for their behaviour towards women MPAs.
WAF urges the Election Commission to take notice of the fact that in his tirade against women Sheikh Allaudin openly ridiculed the Constitutional provision of reserved seats for women
I am not sure if all the Kohistani jirga women are alive
By. Dr. farzana Bari,
I was a member of the fact-finding team that was sent by the Supreme Court last week to check whether the five women who had been deemed liable for death by a local jirga in Kohistan were alive or not. Their lives had come under threat after a video showing a boy dancing and another in a baseball cap filming and the girls sitting on the floor, heads covered, and merely clapping, was put up on YouTube. Reports began to appear in the national media that their lives were under threat and then it emerged, after two relatives of the men who uploaded the video claimed that the women had been killed.
The Supreme Court took suo motu notice of this and asked the local administration, principally the commissioner of Hazara division and the DPO to bring the girls to Court. They went to the Court expressing their inability to bring the girls citing tribal custom and tradition but said — without any proof — that the girls were alive and well. It was then that the Court decided to send the fact-finding team, comprising four activists (including myself) to the remote area in the Kohistan district via a government helicopter.
The chief secretary of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa asked me to accompany the fact-finding team that was chosen for this purpose. It included Riffat Butt, who is legal adviser of the National Commission on the Status of Women, Shabina Ayaz, member of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Commission on the Status of Women and Dr Fouzia Saeed. We were told that we had to leave right away with no time even to take essentials with us. We all left within an hour after the court hearing on June 6.
As for the women whose status we were sent to check, I can speak of only one, named Amna (out of four shown in the cell phone video) and confirm that she is certainly alive. We met her and verified her identity. We also met another of the women named Shaheen but we didn’t have her photograph to independently verify her identity and hence had to go by what the local people told us and after she herself confirmed her identity. Maulana Javed, who was the head of the jirga that allegedly gave the verdict, was in fact accompanying the team and to us he denied giving such a fatwa. People in the area also denied that any such incident had ever taken place.
That said, it should be remembered that in the presence of the jirga elders, chances that the local residents we met would give us reliable information were bleak. In my view, a far more detailed investigation is required to establish the fact whether such a fatwa was given or not. Also, as of yet, we do not know what could be the motive behind the leaking of the said video on the internet. This is something that the police should investigate.
What was foremost in my mind was that I wanted to see with my own eyes that the women were alive. This is important because this would have been the clearest evidence of their safety. I did not believe the version being given by the government officials because they usually try and cover up such things, either to hide their own inefficiency, or because of political and other vested interests, such as doing favours for the influential people in the area of their jurisdiction.
We landed in Pattan, one of the four tehsils of the Kohistan district. We were not able to fly to the village where the women were because of bad weather. So we decided to explore whether the local people knew about the video and/or the alleged killing of the women shown in it. What we found was that many local men had the video on their cell phones and the majority of the people thought that these women had in fact been killed. Their perception was clearly based on their prior knowledge of the customs of the area where in such cases families invariably kill both the men and women. The next day at six in the morning we left Dassu (which is a small town on the Karakoram Highway) for the village where the women were supposed to reside. When we landed and asked the villagers about the houses of these women, they pointed towards dwellings that were empty and abandoned. We were told that these families had move up in the mountains, which is a common practice in summer.
After four hours of walking, we reached the place where we met a few men; one of them was the father of Shireen Gul (one of the women) and the other said he was Amna’s uncle. We were told that they would bring the women down because their home was further up the mountain. After a few hours, two women Amna and Shaheen appeared. We showed them still photographs, presumably screen shots of the video on YouTube, which we managed to take with us.
We asked Amna to point out who was who in the photographs. She gave us the names of the other women and also pointed out herself in the photographs. She told us that that the video was made more than a year ago and that it was not at a wedding ceremony. She did not understand Urdu and her uncle translated for us. We asked her about the safety of the other women and she pointed towards the mountains and said that they were alive and living up there. Then we requested her uncle to allow us to make a video of her on the cell phone. Initially, he was reluctant but when we told him that it will be shared only with the Chief Justice of Pakistan and not with the media, we were allowed to film both Amna and Shaheen. After that we took them to a room where we checked whether there was any sign of torture on their bodies but we found none.
We were not able to contact the other three women, since that would have required that we stay there for another two days. In any case, the officials accompanying us said that we must return immediately because of the Supreme Court’s order to return and report back the same day.
As for the two women that we did meet, they could have been brought back with us to Islamabad and before the Supreme Court but for some reason the provincial administration was not willing to do that. Perhaps, the reason is that there is hardly any government writ in that area and local officials operate through tribal elders.
Also, I feel that there is now a very real and serious threat to the lives of these women since the video has been widely circulated in the area. Unfortunately, the killing of men and women in such cases is a routine matter. Before we left, we told the jirga elders that the village will be monitored on a regular basis and if anything happens to these women, they will be held responsible. However, my fear is that once the public attention will be off the case, these women could be harmed, that is if they are not already dead.
Published In The Express Tribune, June 12th, 2012.
Aman Ittehad Provincial and National consultations
During the provincial meetings held in December 2011 in connection with Solidarity Day 2012, ,members suggestedthat we should periodically organize events and activities of Aman Ittehad to keep the platform active at the national level. Following up on the suggestion we are proposing 4-provincial events of Aman Ittehad - one in each province and a national event in Islamabad involving friends from across Pakistan. Following is the schedule of the events.
Schedule
Provincial Consultations
Punjab
Arts Council, Multan (confirmed) 2pm on June 19, 2012
Sindh
Hyderabad June 16, 2012
Baluchistan
Quetta
June 23, 2012
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Archive Hall, Peshawar (confirmed) 11 am on June 12, 2012
National Consultation
Islamabad
June 30, 2012
Objectives
1.Introduce Aman Ittehad’s evolution, objectives, and efforts since its inception in 2009, with a view of extending its outreach and attracting more people to it.
2.Expand the constituency of support for the Peoples Resolution, and the agenda for reform it represents.
Kohistan Mission Accomplished
Riffat Butt, one of women representatives of Human Rights Organizations who visited Kohistan with delegations, revealed yesterday that she has met two girls out of five who were ordered to be murdered by a cleric. Amna and Shaheen are safe and alive.
Today, Women representatives will make a press statement on their return.
Threat to Asma Jehangir
Dawn-7th June 2012: PAKISTAN’S top rights activist Asma Jahangir has added to the feeling of fear in the country by speaking out about a plot to murder her. She says she has reason to believe the scheme is not an invention of an individual mind but a conspiracy whose origins can be traced to security operators of the state. Ms Jahangir is respected the world over for taking tough positions in the most trying conditions and reporting on difficult situations at considerable personal risk. As a lawyer she has stood by the principle that every accused has the right to defence in court. Hers has been a journey replete with many dangers, but she is not known for raising too many alarms about her personal safety. That she has done so now is significant and cannot be ignored or speculated upon. This is a serious enough charge for the authorities to undertake an investigation, and an urgent one.
But this is not just about the safety of one person, however valuable she is to the causes she has been pursuing and the people to whom she has given a voice. Ultimately, it is about pluralism and safeguarding the dissent that is vital to all human endeavours. Ms Jahangir vows the progressives in this country shall continue to fight. It will be tragic if those who are opposed to her creed resorted to violence instead of committing themselves fully and infallibly to the interplay between thesis and anti-thesis for forward movement. Since dialogue needs to be the preferred mode, some of the signs following Ms Jahangir’s allegations are positive. Political parties including the Jamaat-i-Islami, MQM, PML-N, PTI and PPP have all slammed the reported threats to Ms Jahangir as have members of civil society. They now need to take the debate to other forums including the media and the elected assemblies
Kohistan Jirga case: SC extends the deadline till 7th June 2012
ISLAMABAD: While adjourning the hearing, the Supreme Court has extended the deadline to present four girls, condemned to death by a jirga, before the court till 1pm tomorrow (June 7).
The court was hearing a suo motu notice of media reports that a Kohistan jirga condemned four girls to death for defying tribal customs.
Earlier, Chief Secretary Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Ghulam Dastagir informed the Supreme Court that a helicopter had gone to bring the girls and asked them to wait till 6pm. However, the girls were not produced before the court. Dastagir and Attorney General Irfan Qadir cited several reasons for their failure to bring the girls to the court, including the rugged terrain and language barrier.
The Supreme Court also stated that if the authorities fail to present the girls, they must then bring the jirga members – those who issued the death decree – to the court.
Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry had ordered the chief secretary K-P to bring the girls to the court in a helicopter.
According to reports, the four girls, along with two other men, were declared ‘ghul’ (fornicators) after they were allegedly caught on video singing and dancing together at a wedding party.
During the hearing, officials from Kohistan’s dictrict administration had appeared before the court, including the chief secretary K-P, Deputy Inspector General of Police Hazara, Commissioner Hazara Khalid Umarzai.
They had informed the court that they had failed to get in contact with the girls despite several attempts, however, they said that the girls were alive.
They had added that the culture of Kohistan does not allow men to contact girls freely.
The court had told the officials that if the girls were alive then they should take someone reputable to the girls in order to record their statement.
When the chief justice was issuing the orders, the two men accused of filming the video and uploading it on the internet – Bin Yasir and Gul Nazar –were brought before the court by the police.
Nazar had revealed before the court that the girls were killed.
The chief justice had expressed concern over the statement and had asked DIG Hazara as to why there were conflicting statements in the case.
He had said that the interior ministry was ready to extend any kind of support required, whether it was helicopters, Frontier Corps (FC) men or army personnel, but the girls should be brought before the court.
The chief justice had earlier adjourned the hearing till 2pm.
The court, however, did not record the statement of the other accused, Yasir.
Civil society members had pleaded to the court that the girls were alive and that the court should gather evidence regarding it.
The chief justice had asked what had happened to the inquiry that Rehman Malik had initiated. Attorney General Qadir had informed the court that the interior ministry had provided a helicopter and that the civil society members “could meet the girls if they wished to.”
He had further informed the court that the families of the girls were not willing to send them. He had added that so far, all the people who have been investigated regarding the video said that the video is forged.
Chief Justice Chaudhry had told AG Qadir: “You always inform us about the code of conduct, apprise us about it in this hearing, too.”
Girls were ‘slaughtered’ on May 30
Speaking to the media on the premises of the Supreme Court, Muhammad Afzal, the brother of Yasir and Nazar had said that the girls were “slaughtered” on the eve of May 30, 2012.
Afzal had said that if required, he was ready to swear by the Quran “a thousand times over.”
He had further revealed that he and his brothers were facing threats to their lives and alleged that the DIG and commissioner Hazara were planning on “killing them”.
“They are carrying out proceedings against us, but what about those who slaughtered those girls?” he had questioned.
“The only relation that I and my brothers have with this whole incident is my brothers filmed the celebrations of our uncle’s wedding,” he said.
He had said that the girls did not dance, only the men danced, while the girls clapped.
Afzal had said that the fatwa against them and the girls was given a month back by Maulana Javed in Mansehra. “After giving out the fatwa, they sent out 40-50 men to hunt us down in different areas including Battagram, Abbottabad and Mansehra.”
Revealing that the girls belonged to the same family, he had said, “Three out of them were cousins, while two of them were closely related.”
He had identified them as Bazgha, Shaheen, Amina and Begum. He could not recall the name of the fifth girl.
Afzal had further revealed that he knew four men who had seen the girls getting slaughtered.
The video had caused a furore in the community, which felt the video had tainted the honour of the tribeswomen. According to sources, elders of the Azad Khel tribe had summoned a jirga at Seertaiy village, which sentenced the four women and two men to death.
DIG Hazara assures brothers of security
DIG Hazara had assured Afzal that he will be provided security by the police and had said that he appreciated that he had stepped up and spoken for justice.
“You come to me, on my responsibility, and get your statement recorded. I assure you that you will be provided security,” the DIG told Afzal.
Jino still struggles to accept that an unsafe abortion killed her daughter, Shamin, last year. "My daughter didn't have to die," the 62-year-old mother of ten from Pakistan says quietly. "I don't know if I can forgive Shamin for her sins, but I also wish she'd given me the chance to help her survive."
Under Pakistan's law, abortion is only legal to preserve a mother's health. It is a highly taboo subject in the 97% Muslim country, where sex outside of wedlock has been punished by stoning. Shamin was not married when she got pregnant. Rather than face the shame of being a single mother in Pakistan, she secretly sought out an untrained birth attendant who gave Shamin anti-malaria pills to induce an abortion. "But part of the baby stayed inside – and my Shimi got an infection," says Jino, who works as a maid in the province Punjab. "That's when she came to me and told me everything. I took her to a clinic but it was too late. She died that same day."
Shamin's story is common in Pakistan, where, according to estimates by the Guttmacher Institute, 890,000 women have unsafe abortions annually. Eight hundred of these women will die and a further 197,000 will be hospitalised due to complications. "However even these figures are a gross underestimation, as so many cases go unreported," says Nighat Khan from the Guttmacher's research team in Pakistan.
"The problem is that there is no legal cover for these procedures," Fauzia Viqar, Head of Advocacy at the Shirkat Gah women's resource centre, condemns the current legal situation. "Women are told upfront: this is your risk, so if you don't make it, that's your problem." Women may take on this risk alone, but the physical price they pay has significant consequences for developing countries as a whole – where the majority of unsafe abortions are carried out. "If a woman is in poor health after having an unsafe abortion, she can no longer effectively contribute to a household, and her family has to bear that extra financial burden," Khan explains. "This lack of active participation is a barrier to achieving national development goals and creates an economic burden for the family and, ultimately, the state."
These profound consequences are why Millennium Development Goal 5 calls for a 75% reduction in maternal mortality and universal access to reproductive health by 2015. Yet this goal is proving hard to achieve. A study published in the Lancet in January 2012 showed that while abortion rates were stable, the proportion of total abortions carried out without trained clinical help rose from 44% to 49% between 1995 and 2008. This paradoxical link between illegalisation and an increase in pregnancy terminations is explained by the fact that countries with restrictive abortion laws tend to invest little in family planning and reproductive health measures – resulting in higher unwanted pregnancy rates and therefore more surreptitious abortions.
Such is the story of Shahnaz. Shahnaz got pregnant after having an affair with a married man. When her mother found out, she beat Shahnaz violently, but agreed to take her then 17-year-old daughter to a birth attendant. Shahnaz recounts the painful experience: "She inserted a wooden stick into me and told me to keep pushing it back in over the next two days should it come back out." The procedure left Shahnaz with permanent uterine scarring, unable to ever have children. To repair the damage to her reputation, Shahnaz was forced to marry a mentally unstable man.
"This is why we feel it is absolutely necessary that safe abortions become recognised as a human right," says, Dr Tabinda Sorush, Manager of Reproductive Health and Rights at Shirkat Gah. "Too often young girls' lives are ruined because of the stigma attached to abortion and premarital sex." In 2010, Sorush's team conducted a study to monitor MDG 5 themes in Pakistan. "Our research showed that even doctors frequently turn away women seeking abortions, because they see these procedures as sinful," Sorush says. "But it is not a question of morality. It is a question of health –and everyone has a right to health."
Special Rappporteur to the United Nations, Anand Grover, released a statement in 2011 calling for the worldwide legalisation of abortion. He argued that the continued criminalisation of this medical practice has led to a systematic abuse of women's human rights – including the rights to life, health and equality.
Gulalai Ismail, Founder of the Pakistani women's group Aware Girls, thinks this is a step in the right direction, but one that does not go far enough. Together with the Dutch NGO, Women on Waves, Ismail's group launched an abortion hotline in June 2010. The anonymous service was met with violent opposition. "We received a lot of threats," Ismail says. "Religious extremism is at its peak in this country and abortion is a very sensitive issue. Now we are very careful not to use mainstream media to advertise the hotline, and only use social media instead." Every week around 200 women phone the hotline for information about safer abortion methods.
Shamin and Shahnaz had also sought a way to help themselves. Yet their efforts to escape stigmatising pregnancies ended up costing Shamin her life and left Shahnaz with irreparable health damage. Theirs are stories that epitomise the dead-end options facing so many women when their only choices are unsafe abortions. "But realistically speaking it would be a security threat for us to have an open campaign about abortions now," Sorush says. Two of her field agents were recently killed researching abortion and family planning in Baluchistan. "International bodies do not have to worry about their staff's safety like we do," Gulalai Ismail agrees. "But they can put pressure on our government by finally recognising the right to abortion as a human right. Only when that pressure comes from above, by bodies like the UN, as well as from below, by groups like us, can change really happen."
President Signs Bill to Establish Human Rights Commission
KARACHI: President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday signed the National Commission for Human Rights Bill 2012 for the promotion and protection of human rights in the country.
Briefing the media, spokesperson for the president, Senator Farhatullah Babar said that the signing ceremony was held at Bilawal House. He said with the signing of the bill into law, Pakistan had fulfilled a core requirement of the two-decades-old Paris Declaration of 1993 calling upon states to set up independent human rights commissions, as reiterated by the United Nations in 2008 soon after the present government took office. He said an international commitment outstanding for nearly a quarter of a century had been fulfilled.
While dealing with human rights violation cases involving members of the armed forces, the commission may either on its own motion or on receipt of a petition seek a report from the federal government. In case a complaint against the intelligence agencies is made, the commission would refer the complaint to the competent authority concerned.
According to the spokesman, the commission, headquartered in Islamabad, would consist of 10 members including a chairperson and a member each from the four provinces, Fata and Islamabad Capital Territory, minority communities and the chairperson of the National Commission on the Status of Women. At least two members of the commission shall be women. He said a person shall be eligible for appointment as chairperson who has been, or is qualified to be, a judge of the Supreme Court or a person having demonstrable knowledge of, or practical knowledge of, or practical experience in, matters relating to human rights.
Under the Act, a member shall not be less than 40 years of age and shall have knowledge and experience relating to human rights. The chairperson and members shall hold the office for a term of four years that may be extended once.
The law signed on Wednesday states that the federal government shall through public notice invite suggestions for suitable persons for appointment as chairperson and members of the commission and, after proper scrutiny, shall submit a list of these persons to the prime minister and the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly. It says that the prime minister shall in consultation with the leader of opposition in the National Assembly forward three names for each post to a parliamentary committee for hearing and confirmation of any one person for each post.
The law says that in case there is no consensus between the prime minister and the leader of the opposition, each shall forward separate lists to the bi-partisan and bicameral parliamentary committee who in turn shall approve the nominations and forward them to the president for appointment.
The spokesman said the law says that the chairman and the member may be removed from office on the grounds and in the manner provided for in article 209 of the Constitution.The commission would perform its functions either taking suo moto or on a petition presented to it by a victim or any person on his behalf for violation of human rights or abetment thereof and the negligence in the prevention of such violation, by a public servant. It can intervene in any proceeding involving any allegation of violation of human rights pending before a court by making an application to become a party to the proceeding before the court.
The commission or any person authorised by it may visit any jail, place of detention or any other institution or place under the control of the government or its agencies, where convicts, under trial prisoners, detainees or other persons are lodged or detained for purposes of ascertaining the legality of their detention as well as to find out whether the provisions of the applicable laws or other provisions relating to the inmates’ living conditions and their other rights are being complied with.
The commission would submit independent reports to the government on the state of human rights in Pakistan for incorporation in reports to United Nations bodies or committees. It would also develop a national plan of action for the promotion and protection of human rights.
The commission would have all the powers of a civil court trying a suit under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (Act V of 1908). It may call for information or report in cases of human rights form government or its organisations.
The News 31.05.2012
Karachi killings ‘naked fascism’
LAHORE, May 23: A number of left-leaning parties and civil society organisations held a demonstration on Wednesday to condemn the killings in an attack on a rally in Karachi, urging the Sindh government to take stern action against those involved in the incident.
The demonstration, held in front of the Lahore Press Club, was organised by the Awami Party and attended by representatives of the Labour Party, National Students Federation and a number of civil society activists.
Carrying banners and placards, the demonstrators chanted slogans against those who opened indiscriminate fire on the rally participants in Karachi.
Those who spoke on the occasion included Awami Party’s Azizuddin and Shazia Khan, Labour Party’s Farooq Tariq and Yousaf Baloch and Shahtaj Qazalbash of the AGHS.
Terming the demand for Mohajir province an ‘anti-Pakistan conspiracy’, the speakers said direct firing on rally participants revealed the real aims of those running the movement and its fascist approach.
They said it was duty of the Sindh administration to eliminate this movement because it could generate a civil war which might prove disastrous for the entire country. This ‘conspiracy’ could be tackled at political level, they said.
They demanded an inquiry into the incident by a high-level commission, saying the people in Sindh were not alone as progressive people and peace-loving civil society members were with them.
WAF Lahore Statement on Forced Conversions and Marriage
Press Release
Date: May 21, 2012
WAF Lahore Statement on Forced Conversions and Marriage
WAF Lahore is deeply concerned about the issue of forced conversions of women from minority communities and being forcibly married to Muslim men. These women are then denied access to family members. The recent rise in reported cases of forced conversions, of which an overwhelming number relates to Hindu population in Sindh indicates an alarming trend of religious intolerance. The role of state authorities in cases of forced conversions and marriages is of particular concern. The police either refuse to register FIR or to cooperate with families subsequently. Family members of women forcibly converted are dissatisfied with the role of the subordinate judiciary also.According to recent media reports, the abductors who are forcing conversions are well-armed and enjoy the support of local influential and religious groups/people. WAF Lahore strongly condemns this trend of rising religious intolerance and growing coercion of Non-Muslim citizens of Pakistan and calls upon the State to fulfill its due obligation to ensure the security and human rights of all citizens including the freedom of belief.
CPD- landmark resolution on Adolescents and youth
Commission on Population and Development, Forty-fifth Session landmark resolution on Adolescents and youth that will be useful for advocacy on SRHR with governments. Also attached is IWHC, DAWN, RESURJ and AI's analysis of the resolution and the process that led to its adoption. This document will be useful in identifying how to use the resolution.
UPR-Shirkat Gah Joint NGO submission on Women’s Rights in Pakistan
Shirkat Gah made a joint submission for Pakistan’s Review in the 14th session of the Human Rights Council. Our report’s title is Women’s Rights in Pakistan- Status and Challenges. This joint submission has been made on behalf of the following civil society organizations of Pakistan: Aurat Foundation, Home Net Pakistan, Bedari, Church of Pakistan-Lahore Diocese, Simorgh, Sudhar Development Organization, Women in Struggle for Empowerment (WISE), Ittehad Foundation and Women’s Organization for Rights and Development (WORD).
(GISA) oral statement at the 45th session of the CPD
Oral statement to the 45th session of the Commission on Population Development by Shirkat Gah Women’s Resource Centre on behalf of our allies in Global Interfaith and Secular Alliance working for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (GISA).
Honorable Mr. Chair
On behalf of the Global Interfaith and Secular Alliance working for Sexual and Reproductive Rights (GISA) and our allies and partners in support of it, I want to thank you and the CPD Bureau for giving us the opportunity to speak at this session and make our voices heard on the issue of religious extremism and its impact on young women’s SRHR. We also take this opportunity to acknowledge the bureau of the Commission for focusing this 45th session on one of the key population cohorts in the world today: adolescents and young people. The world is home to the largest generation of young people in history – more than 1.8 billion people between 10 and 24 years of age.
Now is the most opportune time to create spaces and forums to hear young women’s concerns, to understand the struggles of these times and this generation, to include young women’s voices in decision-making especially in programmes and policies that address the sexual and reproductive health needs of female adolescents and young women, as well as ensure their rights over their bodies which are guaranteed in international documents and which governments have committed to.
In the past few years we have seen new emerging issues affecting the world’s younger population. However, the greatest amongst these is that of ‘religious extremists,’ who support extreme limitations on women and young people’s autonomy over their bodies and their lives. These extremists are bent on imposing an archaic understanding of traditions, cultures and religions when it comes to sexual and reproductive health, perpetuating a cycle of human rights abuses. Because of the fear of backlash, the visible impact of religious extremism on young women is hardly ever debated in a constructive manner.
The policing of sexuality and sexual norms for young girls and women is characteristic of religious extremists of all faiths. Respecting and believing in the diversity of human beings and their religious beliefs, we take this opportunity to highlight one of the most pressing population development issues of young people especially that of adolescent girls and young women: the subjugation of sexuality and rights by religious extremists.
Honorable Mr. Chair,
The extremist values promoted by these movements result in negative consequences for young women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights. Out of the 1.8 billion young people in the world today, half are adolescent girls and young women. Most of them are subject to traditions sanctioned by religious extremists such as early and child marriages, and female genital cutting. Apart from the mutilation some suffer, this makes them vulnerable to early pregnancies, unintended pregnancies and frequent pregnancies along with the accompanying mortality and morbidities such as obstetric fistula, STIs including HIV/AIDs and unsafe abortions etc. For example, about 2.5 million adolescents have unsafe abortions each year, often with complications more serious than those experienced by older women. It is proven that legal restrictions on abortion do not lower the number of abortions .
Such extremist values deny young girls and women their basic human rights including their reproductive rights as recognized in the ICPD PoA and compromise international consensus. Even in countries where early and forced marriages are rare, there are attempts to restrict adolescents’ and young women’s access to contraceptive services, including access to emergency contraception and safe abortion even in the circumstances of rape, and to comprehensive sex and sexuality education. This ultimately results in unwanted births among adolescent girls and young women and puts them at a greater risk of mortality and morbidities.
Moreover, young people around the globe face greater dangers at the hand of extremist groups when they challenge the patriarchal and heterosexual norms of gender and sexual orientation. Some of these extremists even advocate and sanction the murder of service providers and human rights defenders for the LGBTIQ community. Unfortunately, SRHR advocates are working under this duress across the globe. Privacy, bodily autonomy, equality and non-discrimination are some of the most fundamental rights closely connected to ensuring women’s sexual and reproductive health and have been time and again recognized internationally.
Honorable Mr. Chair,
We have only one request of this Commission, that at all times you uphold the sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights of adolescents and young women, and that you protect and promote universal human freedoms, as mandated by many different international, consensus documents such as the Cairo Programme of Action and the Beijing Platform for Action and international conventions such as the CRC, CEDAW and the ICESR. Our organisations work with networks of women’s organisations and we witness and experience first-hand the impact of religious extremism in the lives of women in our countries.
Thank you.
GISA Allies: Action Canada for Population and Development (ACPD) AIDOS - The Italian Association for Women in Development. Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW) ASTRA Network Central and Eastern European Women's Network for Sexual and Reproductive Rights and Health Catholics for Choice Catholics for Reproductive Health – the Philippines David Pollock – the United Kingdom European Humanist Federation – Belgium Spanish Federation of Family Planning – Spain Family Planning Association of Portugal Irish Family Planning Association – Ireland Indonesian’s Women’s Association for Justice – Legal Aid Foundation (APIK) Likhaan Centre for Women’s Health – The Philippines PROMSEX, Centro de Promoción y Defensa de los Derechos Sexuales y Reproductivos – Peru Reproductive Rights Advocacy Alliance of Malaysia (RRAAM) RFSU – Sweden Sex og Politikk - The Norwegian Association for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Sexuality Studies Association – Thailand Shirkat Gah Women’s Resource Centre – Pakistan Southeast Asian Consortium on Gender, Sexuality and Health - Thailand Yayasan Kesehatan Perempuan (YKP) - Indonesia The Rev. Vincent Lachina - U.S.A.
Hum Rokaen Gay
Dear friends,
Recently incidents where people are stopped, identified and killed for their religious beliefs are increasing in Pakistan, the only country where it’s a crime for Ahmadis to practice their religion. Forced conversions, attacks on Christian churches and false cases under blasphemy laws (including against Muslims of various sects) are becoming more and more common. The space for free practice of religion and civil public discourse is shrinking.
It is high time for Pakistanis to unite and raise collective voice against these trends before it’s too late. We must act NOW! We need to make concrete, consistent and focused attempts for our survival, and consolidate the struggle to take our country back. Every little step counts. In this spirit, Citizens for Democracy (CFD) is responding to the call of a public signature campaign and performance by the citizens of Karachi on Saturday, April 14, 2012 in front of Bagh- Ibn-e-Qasim/opp. Park Towers, Clifton, Karachi. The theme is “Live and let Live: Stop violence in the name of religion”.
Program schedule:
Signature Campaign: 12pm – 6pm
Mural Drawing: 4-5pm
Performance by TEHRIK-e-NISWAN “Hum Rokaen Gay”: 5pm, followed by Flash mob dance. Come join us, invite friends and help spread the word.
Understanding the Critical Linkages between Gender-based Violence and Sexual and RH Rights
“Understanding the Critical Linkages between Gender-based Violence and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights: Fulfilling Commitments towards MDG+15” – An Urdu translation of an advocacy brief by ARROW which aims to inform policy-makers and decision-makers on the critical linkages between eliminating gender-based violence and achieving the Millennium Development Goals, particularly Goal 5 on improving maternal health and providing universal access to reproductive health - done in partnership with Shirkat Gah, and published by ARROW.
This is the link of the translation we did for ARROW:
“Safe Age of Marriage” Consultation conducted by Shirkat Gah
On March 28th,2012, Shirkat Gah organized a consultation on “Safe Age of Marriage” to highlight the negative impacts of young age of marriage.
The purpose of this consultation was to prescribe an amendment in the Child Marriage Restraint, 1929. Participants in the consultation demanded to increase the minimum age of marriage for girls from 16 years to 18 years. Other suggested amendments included an increase in jail time from a month’s imprisonment to two years of rigorous imprisonment and the fine should also be increased from Rs 1,000 to at least Rs 100,000.
Our parliamentarians are strongly supporting the raise in the minimum age of marriage to 18 years .Zakia Shahnawaz (Advisor to CM on Women Development) promised to include this amendment in the Punjab Empowerment Package 2012 and Saira Tarrar(MNA) vowed to support this Bill in the National Assembly, respectively. In addition, participants stressed on the need to inform girls about their rights and educate them atleast till secondary level of schooling .Furthermore, emphasis was laid on packaging the idea of marriage with family and health to make this sensitive issue more acceptable.
Shirkat Gah’s consultation was highly appreciated and covered by various newspapers and website. Links have been attached below.
3/21/2012: EMPOWERING women to achieve sustainable development is one vital issue that has been under debate for quite some time.
While the issue continues to be debated across the globe and different shades of opinion have come to the fore on the subject, Elizabeth Thompson of Barbados, the Executive Coordinator of the United Nation`s Conference on Sustainable Development, firmly believes that it is impossible to achieve sustainable development anywhere unless the world is prepared to develop, protect and empower women everywhere.
A very important question that comes to mind vis-Ã -vis the issue under reference is: `What is the role of women in achieving sustainable development?` There is no doubt that despite theBeijing and other women-related agendas that theface of poverty is predominantly female; that women though they are roughly 50 per cent of our population, still 70 per cent of the people who live in poverty across the globe are female; that today the majority of people who remain unemployed remain women; that they are paid on average 17 per cent less than men for doing the same jobs; that they still do not have control of health and reproductive rights; that in most instances, they have little control over family or national assets.
The situation in Pakistan is no less different. Women`s population in Pakistan is over 52 per cent.
A vast majority of this population are unlettered and based in rural areas.
Although in urban areas some havemade their way up in the corporate world and politics, their number is negligible.
It would not be inappropriate to say that much room still exists to accommodate women in all spheres of national development, in greater numbers, to enhance their role in sustainable development of the country.
The situation in rural areas continues to be hopeless. Whatever has been done so far by successive governments could hardly be called significant. Empowering women of bothurban and ruralareasis the need of the hour.
If Pakistan is to attain its goals for sustainable development successfully, it will have to empower its womenfolk in every possible manner.
“Organizational Effectiveness” at Shirkat Gah The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
21/03/2012: Shirkat Gah recently successfully completed an initiative to increase organizational effectiveness by capacity building of staff and management and by increasing organizational cohesiveness through team building.
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation has congratulated Shirkat Gah on the completion of Team Development project, for which it had given us an Organizational Effectiveness grant.
As a result of this project, Shirkat Gah has been able to uncover changes needed to effectively operate organizational systems and processes. It significantly improved English Language skill development; appointed a senior manager for capacity building to develop an integrated capacity building plan for all three offices; improved individual attitudes; and increased staff understanding of the importance of self-awareness and its link to team functioning.
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation highlighted that our experience reminded it of the value of pre-planning and needs assessment for developing a training program relevant to diverse needs and capacity levels.
Furthermore, Organizational Effectiveness team appreciated the time Shirkat Gah has invested in the preparation of this report and wished us the very best for continuing our important work.
KP’s automated birth registration system runs into snags
14/03/2012: Automated birth registration system at union council level in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continues to be far from being implemented to the locals’ disadvantage, it is learnt.
“Purchase of hundreds of computers for introducing the new system does not appear to be a fair deal,” a relevant official told Dawn on Wednesday.
According to a finance official, the department released over Rs70 million to the local government and rural development department last year but computers have yet not been installed in union councils.
The project to introduce automated birth registration system at union council level was conceived around three years ago and the authorities kept reflecting it in the government’s annual development programme for at least two years in a row.
In January last year, the local government department and National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) made an agreement under which the latter was to train secretaries of around 700 union councils on how to use birth registration software.
A tentative schedule for training union councils’ secretaries in 22 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa districts, according to a Nadra official, had also been put in place and the authority had also tasked 113 software experts from its staff with training the secretaries.
“It is going to be on-job training programme which cannot happen unless they (the provincial department) install computers in union council offices,” said an Islamabad-based Nadra official. He said the training schedule was prepared for 22 districts other than Kohat, Haripur and Mansehra.
Birth registration system in those three districts, said the official, had already been computerised and connected with the Nadra database. “Secretaries in Kohat, Haripur and Mansehra had been given training and the system is running quite fine,” said the Nadra official.
He said the district coordination officers of the remaining districts had also been issued a letter by the provincial government last year, intimating them the tentative schedule of the secretaries training.
Meanwhile, the computers, said a provincial official, were likely to take some more months to be installed in union council offices as ‘the local government department is grappling with some contentious issues pertaining to delivery of computers with pirated software.’
When contacted, local government department’s information technology professional Bashir Khan expressed ignorance about project details and said the deputy director (development and monitoring) would be in a better position to answer queries.However, the deputy director was not in her office. Her staff said she had gone to attend an official meeting.
Additional secretary of the department Maqbool also expressed ignorance about project details.
“The local government department,” said the finance official, “had been provided the full amount in November last year and now it is their job to utilise the funds quickly for the purpose they acquired funds from the provincial government.”Local government department officials said a three-member committee had been constituted to examine computers, check system details in an effort to verify that the dealer had provided computers in accordance with the specifications mentioned in the official purchase order.
The committee includes the local government department’s information technology professional (Bashir Khan) and one representative each from the Local Council Board and the Information Technology Directorate.
Mr Khan said the committee had not yet met. He, however, said all computers would be examined.
Tender notice for purchasing some 700 computers had been issued more than once, according to officials. Last year, said an official, the procurement process was abandoned midway by some high-ups without citing any cogent reason.
An international computer firm, among all those who applied for the contract, had quoted the lowest prices. The company’s Peshawar-based representative, Nawaz Khan, did not talk about the matter when contacted over the telephone.
The situation has denied benefits of the project to people as they continue covering long distances to register names of their newborn babies first with local union council staff and then with Nadra.
Human Rights groups concerned at cyber censorship
15/03/2012: The International Federation for Human Rights and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan have expressed concern at an attempt by the ministry of information technology to restrict the freedom of expression on the Internet by projecting an extensive filtering system that is feared to allow the authorities to block up to 50 million “undesirable” URLs in Pakistan, says a press release.
A cell of the ministry released a call in February, inviting academia/research institutions, companies and organisations to submit by March 16 a proposal to set up a cyber filter.
The call claims that access to the Internet in Pakistan is mostly unrestricted and unfiltered, therefore, Internet service providers and backbone providers in the country need a high performance system to block millions of URLs containing “undesirable” content as notified by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority.
“Censorship is already very tight in Pakistan, as 13,000 websites considered guilty of publishing adult and blasphemous content have already been blocked.
On Nov 14, 2011, authorities requested cell phone operators to censor the content of SMSes and ban 1,600 words and expressions. Over the last summer, operators received the order to submit lists of Internet users trying to escape censorship, which corresponds to a system of surveillance,” HRCP chairperson Zohra Yusuf said in the press release.
“FIDH and HRCP request the government of Pakistan to put on hold the filtering system and ensure that the measure does not end up institutionalising the Internet censorship and surveillance, and is consistent with Pakistan’s obligation to protect the freedom of expression,” says the press release.
Letter to HRC President on March 7 UN Panel on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
Letter to HRC President on March 7 UN Panel on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
Khawar Mumtaz Gives the Key Note Address
Sherry Rehman and Pakistani Embassy celebrates International Women’s Day in Washington
Khawar Mumtaz Gives the Key Note Address
This year on the International Women’s Day, Khawar Mumtaz, CEO of Shirkat Gah, was invited by Ambassador Sherry Rehman to speak at the Pakistan embassy in Washington on 7th March 2012.
Khawar claimed that “This day is a reminder of the fact that rights usually have to be struggled for; often such struggles are prolonged; and represent a process that involves awareness, mobilization, identification of issues, garnering of support through informed discourse and creation of an environment for accepting change”. And women in Pakistan have also struggled, and successfully, for their rights despite the myriad socio-cultural, class and other barriers.
Women’s struggle in Pakistan is contextualized by its political development; the country has been under direct military rule for more than half of its life with three decade-long spells each of military dictatorships interspersed with turmoil ridden and fractured civilian rules. As a consequence democratic norms and processes have not taken root and institutions remain weak. The disrupted political process has left many sections of society marginalized, among them women. The shackles of patriarchy still bind women and while the condition of some women has improved that of a large number still needs to be changed.
Khawar talked about the struggles of Pakistani Women in depth where she highlighted the role of Women’s Action Forum (WAF) as well. WAF is an autonomous women’s platform/pressure group not affiliated to any political party but political in action and belief. It protested against the Hudood Ordinance enacted by Zia-ul-Haq in 1983.Khawar along with her 10 year old daughter and approximately 250 other women decided to submit a memorandum to the Chief justice of the Lahore High Court protesting the law. This resulted in many being hurt and a large number bundled into police vans and taken to lock ups. However, WAF’s spirits did not dampen, rather their efforts intensified and Hudood Ordinance was finally amended in 2006.
She further added that while there is much to celebrate there are still many challenges to women’s full equality which need to be addressed. Women’s literacy levels remain low, violence against women and fear of violence is widespread, killing in the name of honor continues, social barriers militate against full participation. Given that in Pakistan a woman’s position, her levels of education and mobility are determined largely by her geographical location and local social norms varied approaches will be required to bring them to an equal level of gender equality. While legislation provides a necessary base for equalization, greater effort will be needed to implement the laws in letter and spirit to achieve the desired results.
The challenges faced by Pakistani women can only be overcome through the combined efforts of government’s affirmative action, courageous women leaders who brave all odds and stand up for justice and fair play, and committed men and women. That alone will ensure that the momentum for women’s rights is not lost and is kept going with women across the board gaining confidence, self-awareness, economic independence and agency.
At the end, Khawar Mumtaz paid her tributes to Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed for her bravery and courage and emphasized that she paid with her life for her beliefs and cause. Shirkat Gah salutes her as we commemorate the International Women’s Day and renew our resolve to continue undeterred.
Empowerment package: Women to get more jobs, their inheritance
13/03/2012: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif announced a series of reforms to inheritance laws aimed at giving women greater protection for their share in inherited property on Thursday, which was also International Women’s Day.
Addressing an event at the Alhamra Cultural Complex, the chief minister also said the Punjab government would institute quotas for women in government jobs and committees and mandate day-care centres at government offices.
The package will be implemented in about three months, said an MNA who was on the committee that formulated the reforms.
Sharif said that the government had decided to withdraw the condition that the heirs submit applications for the transfer and division of land in rural areas. Revenue officers would now have to initiate the process for the transfer of land at the death of its owner without waiting for the application. “The purpose of this decision is to put an end to the unsavoury practice of usurping the legal rights of female owners in the division of land,” he said. The heirs would also have to produce the ‘B’ form in order to check forgery.
He said that provincial government would set up special committees that meet once a month to curb irregularities in the division of land. The committee could recommend legal action against officials involved in irregularities.
The chief minister said that under the new law, immediately after receiving an application for the division of property in urban areas, the court would issue a notice to the respondent, who would be bound to settle the issue with the petitioner within 60 days.
Stamp duty on the division of property would also be withdrawn in order to simplify the process, he said.
Sharif said that the government would provide three- and five-marla plots to landless persons in the Jinnah Abadi Schemes. The proprietary rights to these plots would be awarded jointly to husband and wife. “Now, all lands given by the government will be the joint property of husband and wife and they will have an equal share,” he said.
He announced a 33 per cent quota for women in all government institutions, committees and taskforces, and 25 per cent in the Punjab Public Service Commission. He said that daycare centres would be urgently established in all educational and government institutions so that married women could leave their children somewhere safe while they work.
Sharif said that a Rs2 billion fund was being set up through the Bank of Punjab from which women would be offered soft loans for setting up businesses. He announced the appointment of Iram Qureshi as the secretary for Women’s Development and pledged to appoint a women’s ombudsman. He said a committee would be set up to implement these measures.
The chief minister noted that girls generally performed better academically than boys, saying that 60 per cent of the laptops the government recently distributed had gone to girl students. He urged women who had received higher educations not to give up their jobs after marriage and continue to serve the country.
Addressing a seminar at Beaconhouse National University later in the day, MNA Anusha Rehman elaborated on some of the measures in the chief minister’s “women empowerment package”. Rehman was part of the committee that came up with the package.
She said that the reforms sought to secure women’s inheritance rights by mandating severe punishments for people who deprive women of their lawful rights. She said that all boards and committees set up by the government would have 33 per cent women’s representation, while all public departments with more than five women employees would have to build daycare centres.
The package also ensures the provision of public toilets and prayer areas for women and development of women’s colleges in other districts. “I dedicate this Women’s Day to all those men who have helped formulate this package and resolved to implement it in the next three months,” she said.
22/02/2012: The Senate on Monday unanimously passed a landmark bill making domestic violence against any vulnerable person, including women and children residing in the federal capital a criminal offence and bringing it to public domain.
The bill “Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act 2012″ received support from all the political parties having representation in the upper house forcing Deputy Chairman Jan Mohammad Jamali to put the bill for a vote immediately for its passage instead of sending it again to the house committee concerned.
Introducing the bill as a private member, Nilofar Bakhtiar of the Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) told the house that it was the same bill that had earlier been passed by the National Assembly a couple of years back but could not get through the Senate after objection raised by some of the members.
Ms Bakhtiar, who is amongst those senators retiring next month, insisted that the bill should be passed at once and not referred to standing committee concerned as it had already been discussed at various forums.
The bill seeks to prevent violence against any person with a network of protection committees and protection officers and prompt criminal trials for suspected abusers. The bill has defined domestic violence as “all acts of gender-based or physical or psychological abuse committed by an accused against women, children or other vulnerable persons, with whom the respondent is or has been in a domestic relationship.”
Under the bill, any aggrieved person or any other authorised person can file a petition to the court, which shall fix the first date of hearing within seven days of receiving a complaint. The petition should be “disposed of within a period of 90 days and any adjournment given during the hearing of the petition be granted for reasons to be recorded in writing by the court,” says the bill which has also made it binding on the court “to fix the next date of hearing of the case within a period not exceeding 30 days.”
The bill gives powers to the court to issue “an interim order at any time and stage of the petition” and can pass “protection orders” and “residence orders” under which it can prohibit the respondent from “committing any act of domestic violence, aiding or abetting in the commission of acts of domestic violence, entering the place of employment of the aggrieved person or, if the aggrieved person is a child, his or her educational institution or any other place frequented by the aggrieved person.”
It can also stop the respondents from “attempting to communicate in any form” with the victim “oral or written, electronic or telephonic or mobile phone contact.”
Under the bill, “the court may require from the accused to execute a bond, with or without sureties, for preventing the commission of domestic violence.” The court also has the powers to direct the respondent to pay monetary relief to the victim of the domestic violence.
For committing a breach of protection order, the respondent can face six months imprisonment with a fine of Rs100,000 or more. In case of second violation, the imprisonment will be enhanced up to two years with a fine of Rs200,000.
The Statement of Objects and Reasons of the bill says: “The issue of domestic violence has been a source of public concern for a number of years. Being in the private domain, the gravity of violence in the domestic sphere is compounded. In cognisance of the stress and unbearable suffering of the aggrieved person, it is necessary to criminalise the act.
“Through this bill, domestic violence is brought into the public domain and responds to national policy for development and empowerment of women and convention for the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women of adopting zero-tolerance for violence against women and introducing positive legislation on domestic violence.”
Members from both treasury and opposition benches including Leader of the House Nayyar Bokhari, Tahir Hussain Mushadi of MQM, Haji Adeel of ANP, PML-N’s Raja Zafarul Haq and PML-Q’s Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain fully backed the bill.
The members thumped their desks when Khalid Soomro of the JUI-F also announced the support to the bill.
It may be recalled that earlier it was due to the opposition by JUI-F Senator Maulana Mohammad Khan Sherani that the government defferred the bill in the Senate and later allowed it to lapse.
Ms Bakhtiar expressed the hope that the bill would provide a guideline to the provinces to adopt similar legislations to provide protection to the victims of domestic violence.
IT is said that Hazrat Aisha was six years old when her nikah was performed with Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in Makkah, and nine years old when she moved in to live with her husband in Madina after Hijra.
This piece of misinformation has led to the wrong view that child marriage has the sanction of Islam. It must be noted that establishing the authenticity of hadiths, the narrators’ circumstances and the conditions at that time have to be correlated with historical facts. There is only one hadith by Hisham which suggests the age of Hazrat Aisha as being nine when she came to live with her husband.
Many authentic hadiths also show that Hisham’s narration is incongruous with several historical facts about the Prophet’s life, on which there is consensus. With reference to scholars such as Umar Ahmed Usmani, Hakim Niaz Ahmed and Habibur Rehman Kandhulvi, I would like to present some arguments in favour of the fact that Hazrat Aisha was at least 18 years old when her nikah was performed and at least 21 when she moved into the Prophet’s house to live with him.
According to Umar Ahmed Usmani, in Surah Al-Nisa, it is said that the guardian of the orphans should keep testing them, until they reach the age of marriage, before returning their property (4:6). From this scholars have concluded that the Quran sets a minimum age of marriage which is at least puberty. Since the approval of the girl has a legal standing, she cannot be a minor.
Hisham bin Urwah is the main narrator of this hadith. His life is divided into two periods: in 131A.H. the Madani period ended, and the Iraqi period started, when Hisham was 71 years old. Hafiz Zehbi has spoken about Hisham’s loss of memory in his later period. His students in Madina, Imam Malik and Imam Abu Hanifah, do not mention this hadith. Imam Malik and the people of Madina criticised him for his Iraqi hadiths.
All the narrators of this hadith are Iraqis who had heard it from Hisham. Allama Kandhulvi says that the words spoken in connection with Hazrat Aisha’s age were tissa ashara, meaning 19, when Hisham only heard (or remembered), tissa, meaning nine. Maulana Usmani thinks this change was purposely and maliciously made later. Historian Ibn Ishaq in his Sirat Rasul Allah has given a list of the people who accepted Islam in the first year of the proclamation of Islam, in which Hazrat Aisha’s name is mentioned as Abu Bakr’s “little daughter Aisha”. If we accept Hisham’s calculations, she was not even born at that time.
Some time after the death of the Prophet’s first wife, Hazrat Khadija, Khawla suggested to the Prophet that he get married again, to a bikrun, referring to Hazrat Aisha (Musnad Ahmed). In Arabic bikrun is used for an unmarried girl who has crossed the age of puberty and is of marriageable age. The word cannot be used for a six-year-old girl. Some scholars think that Hazrat Aisha was married off so early because in Arabia girls mature at an early age. But this was not a common custom of the Arabs at that time. According to Allama Kandhulvi, there is no such case on record either before or after Islam. Neither has this ever been promoted as a Sunnah of the Prophet. The Prophet married off his daughters Fatima at 21 and Ruquiyya at 23. Besides, Hazrat Abu Bakr, Aisha’s father, married off his eldest daughter Asma at the age of 26.
Hazrat Aisha narrates that she was present on the battlefield at the Battle of Badar (Muslim). This leads one to conclude that Hazrat Aisha moved into the Prophet’s house in 1 A.H. But a nine-year-old could not have been taken on a rough and risky military mission.
In 2 A.H, the Prophet refused to take boys of less than 15 years of age to the battle of Uhud. Would he have allowed a 10-year-old girl to accompany him? But Anas reported that he saw Aisha and Umme Sulaim carrying goatskins full of water and serving it to the soldiers (Bukhari). Umme Sulaim and Umme Ammara, the other women present at Uhud, were both strong, mature women whose duties were the lifting of the dead and injured, treating their wounds, carrying water in heavy goatskins, supplying ammunition and even taking up the sword. Hazrat Aisha used the kunniat, the title derived from the name of a child, of Umme Abdullah after her nephew and adopted son.
If she was six when her nikah was performed, she would have been only eight years his senior, hardly making him eligible for adoption. Also, a little girl could not have given up on ever having her own child and used an adopted child’s name for her kunniat.
Hazrat Aisha’s nephew Urwah once remarked that he was not surprised about her amazing knowledge of Islamic law, poetry and history because she was the wife of the Prophet and the daughter of Abu Bakr. If she was eight when her father migrated, when did she learn poetry and history from him?
There is consensus that Hazrat Aisha was 10 years younger than her elder sister Asma, whose age at the time of the hijrah, or migration to Madina, was about 28. It can be concluded that Hazrat Aisha was about 18 years old at migration. On her moving to the Prophet’s house, she was a young woman at 21. Hisham is the single narrator of the hadith whose authenticity is challenged, for it does not correlate with the many historical facts of the time.
Asghar Ali Engineer | Opinion | From the Newspaper
13/02/2012: HOW to understand the Quran is an important question. Generally we pick and choose a verse to prove our point. Thus, many Muslims have different positions in understanding the verses of the Quran.
There is nothing wrong with different understandings but this should not lead to anarchy. There has to be a methodology so that the Quran, despite different ways of understanding it, should be understood under certain guidelines. There should be uniformity in the principles of understanding.
I would like to throw light on how under a certain well-defined methodology one can try to understand the Quran so as to avoid arbitrariness. Taking one verse when there are so many other verses on the subject cannot yield a proper result, but this is precisely what is done by many theologians.
Let us take, for example, the question of polygamy. Our ulema generally quote verse 4:3 to justify polygamy unconditionally. But there is another verse on this subject, i.e. 4:129; if both the verses are read together it would yield a different result. The second mentioned verse is so emphatic on the question of justice that taking more wives than one becomes secondary; justice becomes more important and yet our jurists and theologians hardly refer to 4:129.
They keep citing verse 4:3 only. Though 4:3 also puts emphasis on justice, it also says that if you fear you cannot do justice then marry only one woman at a time. If both the verses are read together it becomes the duty of the qazi to make a rigorous inquiry as to why a person is taking another wife and whether the man really needs another wife.
Also, in view of such a strong emphasis on justice definite rules will have to be laid down to define what would amount to doing justice by the wife. This has never been done by our conventional theologians.
Another important question is of wife-beating, referring to verse 4:34, which is cited as Quranic permission to beat one’s wife. But all other verses about women’s rights and women’s treatment contradict this. What is needed in this case too is to read all the verses on the treatment of women, and to read all verses using the word daraba (for beating) in the Quran; and the result would be very different.
This would show that the Quran could never allow a wife to be beaten by her husband. First of all it should be noted that all the verses on women in the Quran emphasise their rights vis-à-vis their husbands, and all verses relating to men emphasise their duties vis-à-vis their wives. If it is so then how can the Quran permit the beating of one’s wife? All verses on treatment of wife, or even after divorce, say that wives should be treated with ihsan and maruf (i.e. good and morally approved behaviour).
Then, the Quran also says that Allah has created love and compassion (mawaddat and rahmah) between husband and wife. If then husband is allowed to beat his wife, love and compassion have no meaning left between the two whatsoever.
One can argue that beating is allowed in case of nushuz (rebellion, uprising) but then if nushuz is rebellion how serious is that rebellion to warrant a beating? The fact is that the Quran does not use any word with nushuz to show its seriousness in the matter. One of the theologians I had a discussion with said it amounted to extramarital relations on the part of the wife. But if it is so, it warrants perhaps a more serious punishment and that punishment cannot be meted out by the husband but by a court of law or a qazi.
There are several other verses in the Quran which use the word daraba in several other meanings. Imam Raghib, a 12th-century lexicographer of the Quran, points out that in pre-Quranic Arabic daraba ala meant a male camel going to a female camel to mate.
If we take this meaning the verse would suggest that if she desists from her ‘rebellion’, the husband could go near her and this seems to be more appropriate, as the previous line of the verse advises the man to isolate his errant wife before resorting to any extreme action. It would mean that after reconciliation between the husband and the wife after she had been isolated, the husband should go near her.
Thus, the verse would yield a very different meaning if we adopt a proper methodology of understanding the Quran. It makes all the difference. So far the theologians, using the pick-and-choose method, have concluded that the Quran permits wife-beating. This is in total contrast to another verse in Quran, 33:35.
This verse equates man and woman in every respect and says both will be rewarded equally for their good deeds; hence the question of one exercising a blanket authority over the other does not arise. Also, one has to keep in mind that the Quran avoids using the words ‘husband’ and ‘wife’; it uses the word zawj (spouse) for both, indicating that both are treated absolutely equally by God.
These are illustrative examples and not exhaustive. If we use this kind of methodology to understand the Quran, many of our problems can be easily resolved; it would be easier to arrive at more comprehensive meanings of the Quranic verses, and many objections hurled at the Quran by non-Muslims can be easily dismissed.
The writer is a scholar of Islam, and also heads the Centre for Study of Secularism & Society, Mumbai
Emergencies as opportunities for change
Addressing Gender-based Violence and sexual and reporudictive health and rights in situation of displacement in South Asia
Impt - statement re Pakistan democratic process, safety of human rights defenders
01/05/2012: Statement of concern re Pakistan democratic process, safety of human rights defenders: http://tinyurl.com/05012012
Citizens and friends of Pakistan express concern for Pakistan democratic process, safety of human rights defenders
We, the undersigned, express our grave concern that Pakistani human rights defenders are being threatened and intimidated for their stance in the ‘memogate’ case. We are also concerned at the danger this crisis poses to Pakistan’s democratic political process that had taken a step forward with the elections of 2008.
No elected civilian government in Pakistan has yet completed its tenure and handed over power to the next government following democratic elections. If the current government manages to do this, it will be a first step in an ongoing process that is essential to Pakistan’s peace, progress and prosperity in the long run.
Those under threat include former Ambassador of Pakistan to the US, Husain Haqqani, who returned to Pakistan and tendered his resignation in order to ensure a free and fair inquiry into the ‘memogate’ matter that he is accused of engineering.
The so-called ‘memogate’ affair revolves around a letter that Amb Haqqani is accused of sending to then US Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mullen allegedly at the behest of Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari, seeking American help to prevent a military coup in Pakistan. Mansur Ijaz, an American businessman of Pakistani origin, delivered the note to former US National Security Advisor Gen. James Jones to pass on to Adml Mullen allegedly at Amb Haqqani’s behest. Amb Haqqani has denied writing any such memo at anyone’s behest or asking Ijaz to deliver it to anyone.
Amb Haqqani has been barred from leaving the country, which is a denial of his fundamental right as a free citizen of Pakistan. Under threat both by the ‘religious’ extremists and the security agencies, he is currently a virtual prisoner confined for his own safety to the Prime Minister’s residence.
Also facing threats is his lawyer, former Supreme Court Bar Association President, Asma Jahangir, who has termed the Supreme Court judgment of Dec 30, 2011 a “victory” for the security establishment that she alleges is behind the case.
Amb Haqqani’s wife, Farahnaz Ispahani, a Member of Pakistan’s Parliament, also threatened, is currently in the US where she had come for medical checkups. Columnist Marvi Sirmed, who has written fearlessly against the ‘religious’ extremists and in support of Amb Haqqani, has also been receiving threats. This is essentially the case with anyone in Pakistan who counters or challenges the narrative of the ideological security state.
Without going into merits of the case, obvious contradictions in the ‘evidence’, or political motivations behind it, it is evident that it is at the crux of a matter vital to Pakistan’s politics, that is, whether Pakistan is going to be run by a civilian elected government along the lines of a parliamentary democracy that ensures fundamental rights, or along the lines of a ideological narrative dictated by the security establishment that holds fundamental rights subservient to its interpretation of ‘national security’.
Too many people in Pakistan have fallen to the ideological monster unleashed by the establishment pursuing a narrow, ideological interpretation of ‘national security’. It is time for a fundamental paradigm shift in Pakistan’s politics, to allow the nation to fulfill its potential as a progressive, forward looking South Asian nation at peace with its neighbours and the world. We urge the Pakistan government, judiciary and security establishment to play their constitutional roles, cooperate with each other and focus on re-establishing the rule of law and in order to make this possible.
In the meantime, be aware that the world is watching to ensure that no harm comes to those who are taking a stand towards this end.
Senate passes two pro-women bills unanimously
13/12/2011: The Upper House of the Parliament on Monday unanimously passed two landmark pro-women bills aimed at protecting women from the negative customs and traditions and seeking severe punishments for the violators.
The bills already passed by the National Assembly were moved one by one by Senator Nilofar Bakhtiar. Both the bills seek to amend the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860 and the Code of Criminal Procedures, 1898.
An Anti-Women Practices bill consisting of five clauses seeks to penalise evils such as the so-called marriage with the holy Quran, forced wedlock and depriving women from inheritance.
The statement of objects and reasons of the bill said that were several practices and customs in vogue in the country which were not only against human dignity but also volatile human rights. Such customary norms, which are contrary to Islamic injunctions, should be done away forthwith and the persons continuing such practices be dealt with severely by providing penal and financial liabilities.
The bill recommends punishment for giving female in marriage or otherwise in ‘badla-e-sulh’, wani or swara. It says, “Whoever gives a female in marriage or otherwise compels her to enter into marriage, as ‘badla-e-sulh’, wanni, or swara or any other custom or practice under any name, in consideration of settling a civil dispute or criminal liability, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years but shall not be less than three years and shall also be liable to fine of five hundred thousand rupees.”
Besides the bill proposed prohibition of depriving woman from inheriting property, prohibition of forced marriage and prohibition of marriage with the Holy Quran. The violators will be handed over either imprisonment or a fine of five hundred thousand rupees for each crime.
The other bill which is aimed at preventing incidents of throwing acid at women recommended that whoever hurt by corrosive substance shall be punished with imprisonment for life or imprisonment of either description which shall not be less than 14 years and a minimum fine of Rs one million
Activism against gender violence highlighted at NAG
07/12/2011: ‘The People Are Demanding’ is the title of the ‘16 days of activism against gender violence’ held here on Wednesday.
The second phase of this year’s international campaign in Pakistan has been organised by Nomad Art Gallery (NAG) in coordination with UNWomen.
This yearly event rose above the international theme of “Peace at home and peace in the world”.
One of the key pieces of this year’s display was an interactive installation that allowed attendees to comment on the issue of gender violence and promote equality for women.
In big red words, the display said, Aman shanakht banao (Make peace the identity).
Director of Nomad Art Gallery (NAG) Nageen Hyat said: “In a time when we are defined by negative things in a geopolitical climate that is turning more and more Islamophobic, we need to make peace our identity.”
‘Violence is unacceptable’ was another highlighted text on the display. On the bottom right of the wall length cloth was a list of things that ‘the people are demanding’ and listed items like ‘to change’, ‘to revolt’, ‘to protect minority rights’, ‘to pass acid crime and prevention bill’ and so on.
Ms Hyat commented that activism against gender violence was not a matter of yearly activism, “This is not one-time struggle for us but happens every day.”
Two young poets won people’s acclaim as they recited their poetry while Ahmad Habib, an artist-cum-poet’s verses were also appreciated greatly by the audience.
The exhibition also included paintings, cartoons and diverse works by 22 artists from all over the country on the theme of violence against women. The works ranged from satire to intricate oil paintings with social commentary which came together to create the figure of a struggling woman. The art work depicted a woman who is always a victim and constantly suffering.
The image of a lone rural woman carrying a garha (pitcher) with immensely sad pair of eyes staring right at you from a painting represents thousands of nameless women crowded together.
At the end, a documentary was screened on women as artists and poets and their unique contribution to this profession because of their gender. After looking at all the victims of society, it was a relief to listen to Attiya Dawood talk about her empowering her writings by her heartfelt feminist writings.
She is not a victim- as she develops her writings, she adopts the character she is developing and becomes one with her, feeling her pain and tears- losing sleep over her agony- and in the process creating the very real characters that make her a successful poet.
“There is no difference between feminism and human rights,” said Ms Dawood in the documentary. In her struggle to win basic rights for women, Ms Dawood does that which all women need to do as she becomes one with the victim and rises over the victim. In this duality, there is a room for change.
Victim rejects offer of out-of-court settlement
Farzana Ali Khan
06/12/2011: PESHAWAR: Despite a reported offer made on the part of the accused cops for out-of-court settlement of the case, rape victim Uzma Ayub has rejected the deal and vowed to continue fighting against them through the court.
Uzma Ayub was allegedly kidnapped a year ago, held captive and repeatedly raped by several persons, including policemen. She escaped from her captors on September 19 when she was six-month pregnant. She has vowed to seek justice come what may.
On December 4, Additional District and Sessions Judge Ihtisham Ali in Takht Nusrati, Karak, did not confirm the bail before arrest of the accused and sent them to jail for five days on physical remand.
In an interview with The News, Uzma Ayub said: “I don’t know what will happen next, whether the criminals will be brought to justice or released after sometime as many influential people are supporting them but today I am happy as they will also realise how one feels when detained.”
She claimed about 30 to 40 elders from Assistant Sub-Inspector Hakeem Khan’s area Gudikhel, including MPA Shah Abdul Aziz, had come to her house on November 2 and told her brother Alamzeb that Hakeem Khan, Pir Mohsin Shah and Ameer Khan had confessed their crime before them and were ready to accept the aggrieved family’s demands.
Again, after asking the judge to adjourn the case till December 2 and then requesting for 24-hour more time, the party had been to the aggrieved family’s house in the evening with the same request but even then Uzma Ayub and her family did not accept any settlement.
“What about the abuse and pain that I suffered during the entire year of confinement?” she said. “Can anything in this world get me back what I missed in one horrible year of my life in captivity, which I was supposed to spend with my family?” she questioned.
She alleged the accused had also threatened her and her family to withdraw the case or get ready to face dire consequences. “What else and worse can they do to me after ruining my life,” she asked.
Uzma Ayub said the last option with the criminals would be to kill her and her family and they were ready for that too. “For me, it will be an honour to die with my head up than to live like a coward having my eyes down,” she added.
To a query that soon she would be a single mother, she said: “It is true that the child I am carrying in my womb will always remain fatherless but what I know is that I am the mother and the most painful stage is yet to come when the child will ask me this question. But I am determined to give birth to this child and bring it up as a respectable citizen.”
She said various non-governmental organisations had approached her for financial assistance but surprisingly not a single penny had been given to her yet.
Uzma Ayub thanked her lawyer Javed Akhtar for fighting her case free of cost and also appreciated the provincial government for investigating the case and finding out the truth. She said that as part of investigation, she was asked by the medical board to visit Peshawar for determination of her age but she could not reach there on time.
“In the letter from the medical board Superintendent of Police Sajid Mohmand was requested to bring me and my family with full security but when we reached Peshawar, he ordered the guards to leave us halfway,” she alleged.
She said that due to ignorance about the city, she along with her brother Alamzeb could not find the exact place in Peshawar where they were supposed to go and that’s why they could not appear before the medical board.
UN climate summit: Pakistan tops climate-risk index
By Farrukh Zaman
01/12/2011: Pakistan has been ranked as number one on a list of countries hit worst by weather extremes in 2010 by Germanwatch, a climate and development organisation. The index, which ranks countries affected over the last twenty years by weather extremes such as flooding and storms, was announced during an address at the United Nations Climate Summit in Durban, South Africa.
“The timely report analytically supports and strongly reinforces our case for extreme climate vulnerability,” said former environment minister Malik Amin Aslam.
“[The index] recognises the now indisputable fact that Pakistan faces climate impacts which are not only happening in real time but in a widely diverse pattern – ranging from extreme events such as cyclones, glacial melting and floods as well as indirect impacts such as droughts, shifting cropping patterns and climate-induced migrants,” he added.
Need for funds
Speaking at the press conference, government official Farrukh Iqbal Khan highlighted that Pakistan incurred an economic loss worth an estimated $9.6 billion from last year’s floods alone, whereas 8 million people were affected and hundreds of lives lost.
Building on Pakistan’s case, Iqbal said that he was frustrated by the ‘unwillingness’ of countries to contribute to the Adaptation Fund for vulnerable countries to deal with climate change impacts. He further explained: “The rising financial costs for coping with climate disasters, highlighted in the report, are also in line with our internal analysis which forecasts these climate finance needs to be in the range of $6-14 billion per annum for Pakistan”.
According to Sven Harmeling, author of the index and team leader of International Climate Policy at Germanwatch, “the current inadequate promises of the world’s governments to fight climate change will push our limits of preparing for disasters and adaptation”. He added, “Durban’s climate summit will be decisive for necessary commitments made by all governments to reverse the global emissions trend”.
Climate disasters will increase
Earlier this month, the UN-convened Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its report “Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation”, which linked extreme weather conditions to climate change. It further predicted that the frequency and intensity of climate disasters will increase, and vulnerable countries like Pakistan will be severely affected.
Unfortunately, Pakistan lacks both the technology and capacity to respond to these climate impacts effectively. Even after experiencing severe floods in 2010, Pakistan was unable to initiate proper disaster management systems which would have helped in dealing with the floods in Sindh this year.
Iqbal explained the government is doing its best to deal with natural disasters, saying “We are working with different entities to build the institutional capacities of Pakistan to respond to these disasters. We have already taken an initial step in the right direction”.
The Germanwatch report will assist Pakistan in making the case demanding urgency of response both locally as well as in Durban during the climate talks.
The Global Climate Risk Index is based on data collected from the renowned database MunichRe.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 30th, 2011.
A great honour: Swati girl nominated for international peace prize
22/11/2011: SWAT: Malala Yousufzai, 13, beat 93 contestants from 42 countries to be nominated for the International Children’s Peace Prize 2011. The class 8 student became the first Pakistani to be nominated for the prize, and if selected, she will be given the award by Nobel Peace Laureate Desmond Tutu.
The prize is presented to a child with exceptional capabilities whose remarkable acts and thoughts have made a difference in countering problems that affect children around the world. The prize was first launched at the Nobel Peace Laureates’ Summit 2005 and was initiated by the Dutch Organisation KidsRights.
The other four nominated for the award are: Liza (17) from Palestine, Michaela (17) from South Africa, Nikolay (17) from Armenia and Winfred (14) from Uganda. One of the five nominees will be rewarded with the prize on November 21 (today) and will become the seventh child to get the prize.
Malala’s was nominated because she alone raised her voice for girls’ education during the mayhem in Swat, in which girls were not only banned from attaining schools and colleges, but their schools were destroyed as well. She successfully used national and international media to let the world know about violations of their rights. She fought bravely for girls’ rights in the militancy-hit Swat, focusing on their right to education.
Desmond Tutu, in a press release announcing the nominees, stated, “The five nominated children are very brave since they are fighting for children’s rights in their country every day, sometimes even in dangerous situations. Children are the future, but often they are not heard, the Children’s Peace Prize gives a voice to these unheard voices.”
Malala said, “I am very happy to be nominated along with four other great girls. I am particularly inspired by Michaela who, despite her physical disability, fights for the rights of children with disabilities.”
She added that her nomination in the top five has “doubled her courage” as her cause is of great importance, “Irrespective of whether I win the prize I will continue my struggle. I hope to set up a vocational institute for the marginalised girls of this area so they can stand on their feet in the future.”
When asked why she started her campaign for girls’ rights, she said that the mayhem in Swat had “a huge impact on my mind”.
“I could not stand such exploitations; I started my campaign with the help of media and forums, which, with the help of God, was successfully completed.” Malala said she wanted the rest of the world to stop terming the people of Swat as terrorists as they were very peaceful and loving people.
Malala credited her father Ziauddin Yousufzai and her teachers for supporting her in her cause.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 21st, 2011.
18/11/2011: In a roundtable meeting held by the Women Parliamentary Caucus recently, in Islamabad, a resolution was passed by women parliamentarians from all political parties to strengthen women’s representation in the political and legislative process. They vowed to build broad based consensus among their respective political parties to demand for a minimum 10 per cent party quota for women on general seats before the next elections. They also opted to preserve the provision of reserved seats for women in the National Assembly, Senate and provincial assemblies by amending the Political Parties Act 2002.
For long, women’s organisations have been demanding enhanced and strengthened female representation for women in political and parliamentary processes. The resolution passed recently has upheld their demands. The consequent legislation needs to be expedited in parliament. There is a dire need to strengthen women’s representation to bring women to decision making levels. This will result in translating women’s voices and concerns from the grass-roots level into policies and laws at the national level.
Before the allocation of 17 per cent reserved seats for women in 2002, their participation in assemblies remained very low. A hundred and eighty six women were elected and nominated in various legislatures between 1947 and 1999. The total number of women who contested and succeeded in general elections till 1977 was only 28. This trend showed that factors operating against women’s electoral role had not changed, though in the first Constitution of 1956, they were granted the right of double vote, one for the general seats and one for women’s reserved seats.
In 2011, Musharraf’s government, accepted an increased proportion of seat for women. It was indeed a major breakthrough. During 2010-2011, various studies show that despite their under-representation, women have remained more effective than their male counterparts in parliament. The National Assembly website also indicates that women parliamentarians have been most active in introducing private member’s bills.
In-depth analysis shows great differences between female and male parliamentarians in choosing the issues they wish to support. Women give greater priority to specific women’s agenda and social issues. This does not mean they are not interested in national and constitutional issues but the fact is that they are viewed with a patriarchal mindset, which confines them to health, education, violence etc.
Women legislators have found themselves constrained due to the indirect method of elections. In every assembly, women often complain that their male colleagues do not give them enough space and their competence and representation is challenged. They are not taken seriously as they do not have any constituency of their own and, in some cases, are deprived of their due share in the development budget. Indirectly elected women members also get a smaller share in the ministries. The solution lies in gradually shifting to direct elections. Parties should give tickets to female candidates themselves. Women’s position in party structures, the method by which they are elected, the absence of a power base and the role of the election commission in promoting their representation are interconnected. They all pose a challenge for women legislators in making their role effective.
These legislators are boldly fighting the prevailing patriarchal mindsets but they have to resolve their own conflicts are emerging out of their multiple complex identities by answering several important questions: What have women parliamentarians learnt about self-identities in parliament? Are they women first or representatives or simply carrying out the work given by the party’s male leadership? Are they able to express their independent voice? Has the time come to integrate women in the mainstream rather than separate wings? Why do they accept the role that the party gives them, which is to work with projects to do with women?
By answering these questions, women can determine the future course of their roles and their effectiveness in the legislatures.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 18th, 2011.
18/11/2011: The passage of the landmark ‘The Prevention of Anti-Women Practices (Criminal Law Amendment) Act 2011’ through parliament marks an historic occasion for women in the country. The new law promises to make society a safer place by putting in place tough penalties, including jail terms and fines, for those who violate their rights, by engaging in practices such as swara, wani, child marriage or other crimes against women, such as ‘marriages’ to the Holy Quran. Forced marriage to settle a dispute, for instance, becomes a non-bailable offence. Similarly, depriving a woman of her right to inheritance carries a prison term of between five and 10 years and also a possible fine of Rs1 million. Forced marriage in cases where a dispute is not involved carries a prison term of three to 10 years and a fine of Rs500,000. Similar punishments have been laid down for other offences so common in our society.
The legislation, authored by Dr Donya Aziz of the PML-Q and tabled three years ago as a private members bill, faced a long, hard struggle before it could be turned into law. The swim has been a hard one, pushing against a tide of resistance, both at the committee level and then within the house itself. This in itself reflects the mindsets that have played such a major part in shaping society and setting in place the mechanisms that play such a huge part in the discrimination suffered by women. The passage of the new law thus comes as a triumph; parliament and its members need to be praised for making this happen — and the words of appreciation that have come from the prime minister, the speaker herself and others must too be welcomed for setting the right spirit and making it clear that the country’s top leadership welcomes the new law. This sends out a message that is positive and signals strong support for the law.
We often speak, sometimes without intention, of women’s issues as marginalised ones. In doing so, we appear to forget that women constitute half of the country’s population. They are certainly not a marginalised group but they suffer high levels of discrimination and as such count among the most vulnerable sections of our society. It is essential that they be better protected and be treated as equal citizens under law. Even today, in this age of so-called civilisation, the bartering of women takes place, as does the ‘sale’ of young girls and women. Many such practices persist in the name of ‘tradition’, passed down from one generation to the next and perpetuated because the essentially patriarchal nature of our society has not changed for centuries.
The new law sets out the road at the end of which change could lie. Tough penalties immediately put in place a deterrent. Of course, our history of implementing laws is not good — but even so, simply having legislation on the books helps create the momentum that is needed to bring change and raises awareness about the issues that exist. The passage of the law also brings right to the forefront the advantages inherent in increasing the number of seats for women in assemblies — even if the majority of female representatives is selected, and not elected. Their presence has generated far greater debate on issues of significance for women, and as a result facilitated a string of laws which at the least makes their legal position stronger.
The latest law in particular goes a significant way towards this. But it needs also to be backed by other steps that can help empower women and make them better able to grasp the equal status granted to them under the Constitution, while escaping practices that result in them being treated as property rather than human beings. Also, while we warmly welcome its passage in the National Assembly, those who think that the fight for equal rights for women, and for an end to the discrimination and harassment they face in their daily lives, is over are fooling themselves. This is but a much-needed first step and in a society as deeply patriarchal and misogynist as ours, changing attitudes and mindsets will be the harder part.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 17th, 2011.
SC orders registering eunuchs for 2013 polls
18/11/2011: During proceedings on Monday in the rights for eunuchs’ case, the Supreme Court directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to enlist eunuchs as part of the voters list by contacting them.
A division bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, also directed the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to expedite the procedure of issuing Computerised National ID cards (CNICs) to eunuchs.
Advocate Aslam Khaki, the attorney representing eunuchs, all provincial advocate generals and President Shemale Foundation Pakistan Almas Bobby appeared before the division bench.
NADRA issues NICs to eunuchs
As per the instructions of the Supreme Court, NADRA has issued computerised NICs to eunuchs, who will be eligible as citizens of Pakistan to cast votes, according to a press release issued by the authority on Monday.
“NADRA centres across the country are already serving eunuchs for registration, which is carried out without any medical proof on their given particulars and details at the time of registration,” said the NADRA spokesman in the statement. He added that as per the Supreme Court’s instructions, third genders can have male transgender, female transgender or “Khunsa-e-mushkil” written on their ID card as per their own will.
However, Almas Bobby told the court, that although NADRA has started issuing national ID cards, eunuchs in rural areas are facing difficulties in obtaining CNICs.
Progress reports
During the last hearing, the apex court had sought a reply from provincial chief secretaries, including the chief commissioner Islamabad, on the subject of innate property rights of eunuchs.
The Punjab government presented its report before the court, stating that 122 eunuchs were transferred their innate properties. The court, however, directed the Punjab government to submit the copies of the transfer.
The Sindh government informed the court that they have allocated a piece of land where a separate colony will be constructed for eunuchs. The court appreciated the Sindh government’s action and asked other provinces to follow suit.
Meanwhile, the court reprimanded the chief secretary of Balochistan for not submitting a report and directed him to appear before the court along with the report at the next date of hearing. Hearing has been adjourned till December 12.
ADDITIONAL INPUT from NEWS DESK
Published in The Express Tribune, November 15th, 2011.
Pakistani girls defy Taliban school bombings
SWABI: Seven-year-old Marwa cried and shook uncontrollably at the sight of the rubble and shattered glass remnants of her classroom. The Taliban had bombed yet another girls' school in Pakistan.
"I had to pick her up and hold her close to my chest. My worry is that we will spend our time helping the girls deal with fear instead of teaching them math and science," said head teacher Razia Begum.
"I hope the parents keep sending their children to school."
Pakistan's Taliban movement, which is close to al Qaeda, has bombed hundreds of schools since launching a campaign to topple the US-backed government in 2007.
Like Taliban militants in neighbouring Afghanistan, the Pakistani Taliban want girls barred from education.
But the Taliban have failed to sell their violent philosophy to the vast majority of Pakistanis, and a campaign to terrify people into supporting militancy has had limited success, as the defiance at Government Girls Primary School No. 3 illustrates.
The students age 4 to 15 are undoubtedly scared, and disappointed about the damage to their school in the town of Swabi, 75 km (46 miles) northwest of the capital, Islamabad.
The bombs set off in the red and white brick school complex on Sunday were so powerful they stopped wall clocks at the time of impact nineteen minutes past midnight.
Instead of listening to lectures at their old wooden desks, the girls will be forced to sit on the grass in a courtyard until workers clean the rubble and shattered glass from classrooms pulverized by the bombs.
Still, they are determined to stay in school, hoping to become doctors or lawyers and leave sleepy Swabi for big Pakistani metropolises, or work abroad, dreams that enrage Taliban zealots.
"We are braver than the Taliban," said Hasina Quraish, 10, who wants to be a college lecturer. "They are brutal people, not good Muslims."
In their ideal world, women are covered from head to toe, only learn how to cook and clean to take care of their husbands, and rarely venture outside the home.
The campaign to bomb girls schools gathered pace several years ago in the former tourist destination of Swat Valley, about a three hour drive from Swabi.
The regional faction of the Taliban, led by Maulvi Fazlullah dubbed FM Mullah for his fiery radio broadcasts was fighting to impose its version of Islam.
It was able to do so after reaching a widely criticised peace deal with the government in 2009 which US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called an abdication to the Taliban.
An army offensive in Swat forced Fazlullah to rebase across the border in Afghanistan. Yet he and his fighters have regrouped, started launching cross-border attacks on Pakistani troops, and have vowed to rule Swat again.
Sympathisers with Fazlullah and other Taliban leaders, meanwhile, frequently attack girls schools.
"I WANT TO BE A FIGHTER PILOT"
That doesn't keep students like Sana Khan, 8, from walking several kilometres to School No. 3.
She is well aware of how ruthless the Taliban can be, often overhearing her parents speak of how the Taliban kidnap and behead people.
"I want to be a doctor and help people. I want to go outside and see the world," said Sana.
Pakistan needs as many qualified students to enter the work force as possible to help its struggling economy, which is heavily dependent on foreign aid.
"Women have to be educated because they have to be part of the economy too," said teacher Mohammad Arif. "Pakistan can't develop if its women do not learn."
But good learning is hard to come by in Pakistan, which spends less than two percent of its budget on education, while pouring huge sums into the military, which has ruled the South Asian country for more than half of its history.
Even hiring more guards for schools seems to be a challenge.
Israr Khan works a 24-hour shift at the school complex. His repeated calls to local authorities for reinforcements have been ignored.
"The Taliban are powerful and they will keep doing this unless the government does something about it," he said.
The Taliban campaign stretches far beyond the classroom.
Suicide bombings meant to destabilise the government disrupt the rhythm of life in big cities, as well as dusty places like Swabi, where vegetable sellers on donkey carts compete for road space with motorcycles, and women in veils bargain for better prices in the bazaar.
In the centre of town, posters of 25 policemen killed by Taliban bombs and shootouts remind residents of their vulnerability.
Yet, the importance of education seems to override fear.
"These people want to destroy society and the best way of doing that is by destroying education," said Nur Waheed, holding the hand of his four-year-old granddaughter outside a butcher's shop.
"She said 'I don't want to go to school because I heard a bomb exploded there'. But we will send her to school," he said.
Sara Ahmed, 9, doesn't need encouragement. The bubbly girl with a white scarf has high ambitions in Pakistan's conservative male-dominated society.
"I want to be a fighter pilot," she said with a wide smile.
CLADEM in solidarity with WLUML on “Sharia” as a source of legislation in Libya
16/11/2011: The Latin America and Caribbean Committee for the Defense of Women's Rights,CLADEM[1] states its deep concern and indignation on account of the public statements made by the National Transition Council (NTC) of Libya on October 23rd last, declaring that the "Sharia" (Islamic Law) shall be a source of gislation for the new regime, establishing the immediate incorporation of polygamy, without any impediments, based on the fact that the Islamic Law does not prohibit it.
We totally agree with the reflections made by Women Living Under Muslim Law (WLUML), who in their statement dated October 25th [2], manifest that in view of this declaration by the NTC, women shall become the direct target of this change in the laws and will lose many of their acquired rights. Likewise, it is necessary to ask ourselves which will be the "Sharia" that will be applied in Libya, knowing that the laws denominated Islamic, laws that are said to be derived from the Islamic jurisprudence or "Fiqh", or onsidered in conformity with the Islam, vary enormously from one country to another. The interpretations of this law on the part of the patriarchal system have managed to legitimize the roles, stereotypes, discrimination and violence, which goes against women's human rights.
Libya has acknowledged the supremacy of the CEDAW Convention over the national legislation, which in the General Recommendation Nº 21 of the Committee on equality in marriage and in the family relationships, sets forth that polygamy violates women's right to equality with men and could have emotional and economic consequences, very serious for them, as well as for their family members and that it should be discouraged and prohibited.[3]
WE INVOKE academia, civil society, social movements, regional and international organizations to remain alert regarding the consolidation of the democratic system in Libya, so that the promotion, monitoring and defense of women's human rights be real, and that the violation of women's human rights be considered an affectation of the rights of society as a whole. Furthermore, we STATE OUR REJECTION, in a timely and categorical manner, vis-à-vis any policy or measure that leads to the systematic violence endured by women, justifying them in the name of Islam, such as the crimes of honor, domestic violence, female genital mutilation, stoning and other corporal punishments, which contravene the international instruments[4] signed and ratified by the State of Libya.
Our solidarity is with the women living under Muslim laws!
07.11.2011
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1 The Latin America and Caribbean Committee for the Defense of Women's Rights, CLADEM, articulation engaged in the promotion and defense of women's human rights, which groups together non-government organizations in 14 countries of the region. We possess Consulting Status, Category II, before the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations since 1995 and in UNESCO since May 2011. International organization that in March 2009 was awarded the Rey de España Prize for Human Rights in its Third Edition and in 2010 received the Gruber Award for Women's Human Rights.
3 It is worth noting that the practice of polygamy had decreased in Libya as a consequence of Law Nº 10 of 1984. The Committee for the Elimination of Discrimination against Women - CEDAW, in the final observations during its 43rd sessions period, in February 2009, had classified as a positive aspect this law, since it constituted a step forward in the abolition of polygamy.
4 The International Pact on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Pact on Civil and Political Rights, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatments or Penalties, the Convention on Children's Rights, the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of all the migrant workers and their families, the International Convention for the protection of all persons against forced disappearance and the Convention on the Rights of the Handicapped Persons.
_____
[1] The Latin America and Caribbean Committee for the Defense of Women's Rights, CLADEM, articulation engaged in the promotion and defense of women's human rights, which groups together non-government organizations in 14 countries of the region. We possess Consulting Status, Category II, before the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations since 1995 and in UNESCO since May 2011. International organization that in March 2009 was awarded the Rey de España Prize for Human Rights in its Third Edition and in 2010 received the Gruber Award for Women's Human Rights.
[3] It is worth noting that the practice of polygamy had decreased in Libya as a consequence of Law Nº 10 of 1984. The Committee for the Elimination of Discrimination against Women - CEDAW, in the final observations during its 43rd sessions period, in February 2009, had classified as a positive aspect this law, since it constituted a step forward in the abolition of polygamy.
[4] The International Pact on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Pact on Civil and Political Rights, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatments or Penalties, the Convention on Children's Rights, the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of all the migrant workers and their families, the International Convention for the protection of all persons against forced disappearance and the Convention on the Rights of the Handicapped Persons.
Need for counselling, skill building stressed
16/11/2011: QUETTA - Shirkat Gah–Women’s Resource Centre in collaboration with Dastak and Rozan organised a one-day provincial consultation at a local hotel in Quetta on Tuesday to promote standardisation of operational procedures for women centres and Dar ul Amans providing support and services to survivors of violence.
Participants noted that shelters and women’s centres are now an important part of strategies to combat violence against women. They stressed that effective service to survivors of violence is difficult in absence of uniform standards of care/procedural guidelines.
The consultation was attended by key figures from the government and civil society organisations and the media, including Minister for Women’s Development, Ms Ghazala Gola, Secretary Women’s Development Iftikharul Islam, Minister for Prosecution Ms Raheela Durrani, Advisor to CM Ms. Zarina Zehri, Senator Surraya Ameenuddin, Shirkat Gah Director Fauzia Viqar, Rozan Director Shabana and Director Dastak Saba Shaikh.
Participants highlighted challenges in adopting uniform standards of care for shelters and, in implementation of guidelines in the three SBB Women’s Centres.
They stressed on the need for counselling and skill building of residents of shelters and women’s centres to help with their rehabilitation and reintegration into the community.
Discussions highlighted strategies for building support for provision of services in an integrated manner that is fully compatible with the rights of women survivors of violence to human dignity and fundamental freedoms.
NA passes Bill against exploitation of women
The National Assembly on Tuesday passed “the Prevention of Anti-Women Practices Bill 2008” to prohibit certain practices leading to the exploitation and discrimination of women in society. The bill seeks to prohibit certain practices against the women, particularly in marriages by making the punishments stringent for the culprits.
Whoever gives a female in marriage or otherwise compels her to enter into marriage, as badla-e-sulh, wani, or swara or any other custom or practice under any name, in consideration of settling a civil dispute or a criminal liability shall be punished with imprisonment of description for a term which may be no less than three years and shall also be liable to fine of Rs 0.5 million.
The bill proposes that whoever by deceit or by illegal means preventing any woman from inheriting any movable or immovable property at the time of opening of succession shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may not be less than seven years and a fine in amount of Rs 1 million.
The bill further prohibits the marriage of females with the holy Quran.
10/11/2011: Most shops in Taluka Chak in Shikarpur were open on Wednesday but there was an uneasy calm. Three Hindu men are dead and no one knows the whereabouts of Seema Bhayo, the girl at the centre of the storm. Residents fear that she may also have been killed. The police have no clue.
It is a simple tale of a love affair that turned tragic. The president has ordered an inquiry into the matter. Not to be outdone, the Sindh home minister has suspended the SHO of the area but neither of these moves brought any comfort to the families who lost their loved ones.
The brutal attack took place on Monday, the first day of Eid, when four armed men on two motorcycles barged into the house of one Naresh Kumar, where he and his friends Dr Ajeet Kumar, Dr Satya Pal and Ashok Kumar were present. The intruders opened fire and killed Ashok and Naresh on the spot, injuring Dr Ajeet Kumar and Dr Satya Pal.
Dr Ajeet Kumar later died of his wounds at a Sukkur Hospital, more so because no one was willing to take him to the hospital. The policemen who were supposed to guard the house were nowhere to be seen. They did not turn up that day, despite the fact that they had been stationed on fear that such an attack was imminent.
The “crime” that these four men apparently committed was that they intervened on behalf of two young men of their community who had been apprehended two weeks earlier and charged with criminally assaulting a Muslim girl. The real story, as told by area residents, was that Seema and Sandeep Kumar fell in love and were caught while they were meeting at the house of Sandeep’s friend, Nakash Kumar.
This correspondent also visited Qazi mohalla where Seema’s home is situated on the right side of the road and the shops of Sandeep and Nakash were on the left side. A neighbour said that Seema and Sandeep used to meet at Nakash’s house. On that fateful day, area residents saw them going in and raided the house and thus the affair was revealed.
It was the promise of a better life which attracted Seema towards Sandeep, said another resident, adding that Seema’s father Nazir Ahmed Bhayo was a mason by profession. When the couple was caught, the Hindu community intervened to settle the matter. President of the Hindu Panchayat in Chak, Prem Kumar, said “We went to the Bhayo elders and told them that we are ready to pay any fine to reconcile the matter.”
Area resident Moulvi Allah Bux confirmed that the Hindu community were trying to reconcile with the Bhayo clansmen and for this they had met Sardar Babul Bhayo, who gave them a positive response and told them that the date of the reconciliatory meeting would be announced on the second day of Eid. But before the meeting could be held, the murders were committed.
While Babul Khan Bhayo was not available, clan chieftan Sardar Wahid Bux Bhayo said that it was the Hindu community which had resorted to aggression by sexually assaulting a Bhayo girl. According to him, the three Hindus were killed in retaliation for that incident. But he added that he condemned both incidents.
On Tuesday, hundreds participated in the last rites of the three men. The rituals were performed near the Sadhu Bela temple in Sukkur.
Following the notice by the president, the Chak police has swung into action. During raids in different localities, they have apprehended more than 25 people. DIG Larkana Sain Rakhiyo Mirani said that the murder was an act of terrorism. But the Hindu community maintains that the real perpetrators of the crime have so far not been arrested.
03/11/2011: Moving forward the legislative process of Acid Control and Acid Crime Prevention (Amendment) Bill, 2010, Senator Nilofar Bakhtiar has submitted the notice for the said amendment in the Senate.
After review by the Law Committee, the bill reached Senate on October 15. The civil society feared that if not taken up in the Senate in time, the Bill will meet the same fate as was met by the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Bill (DVB). The DVB was passed unanimously by the National Assembly in August 2009, but lapsed after the Senate failed to pass it within the three months stipulated by the constitution.
The Acid Control and Acid Crime Prevention (Amendment) Bill, introduced last year by MNAs Marvi Memon, Begum Shahnaz Sheikh and Advocate Anushay Rehman, was passed by the National Assembly on May 10 this year. Following that, the Bill was moved to the Law Committee.
The amendment bill was introduced in the assembly in a bid to prevent growing incidents of violence against women. The statement of objectives and reasons of the bill, mentions that the crime of throwing acid on women is becoming more and more common and recurring day by day. It says that the main cause of it is the absence of proper legislation on this subject.
“Therefore the criminal minded people are constantly using it as a dangerous and devastating arm against women. In view of these circumstances, there is an increasing need to make comprehensive legislation in this regard,” the draft states.
The Acid Control and Acid Crime Prevention (Amendment) Bill is an amendment in Pakistan Penal Code 1860. It increases the punishment of offenders up to life imprisonment and makes it mandatory for the offender to pay a fine of Rs1 million to the victim.
The amendment in Section 336-B states, “Whoever causes hurt by corrosive substance shall be punished with imprisonment for life or imprisonment of either description which shall not be less than fourteen years and a minimum fine of one million rupees.” The new insertion in Section 336-A states, “Whosoever with intention or knowingly causes or attempts to cause hurt by means of a corrosive substance or any substance which is deleterious to human body when it is swallowed, inhaled, come in contact or received into human body or otherwise shall be said to cause hurt by corrosive substance.”
Talking to ‘The News’, Senator Nilofar Bakhtair stressed that a system is required to stop such heinous crimes in the country. “As a first step, the proposed bill will bring required change in the definitions of PPC. The next step will be to introduce a comprehensive legislation as instructed by the Supreme Court of Pakistan.” The senator said that certain mindset could oppose the bill in the Senate but she was hopeful that the Bill will be passed as it benefits both men and women. “More than 50 per cent of the victims of acid crime are men and children,” she said.
Update: Karak rape case police chief directed to suspend officials
02/11/2011: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa home and tribal affairs department has directed the provincial police officer (PPO), health department and director general prosecution to immediately implement the recommendations of a committee, which probed the alleged rape of a Karak girl by several persons, including policemen.
The committee, which was formed by the chief minister early this month, expressed displeasure over police investigation into the case and recommended suspension of the accused policemen.
It also rejected the report of medical examination of the rape victim and directed the department to use modern techniques, including DNA tests of the girl and the accused, for investigation.
Meanwhile, lawyers of Karak condemned the detention and torture of the rape victim’s lawyer by accused policeman, Hakeem Khan, by unanimously passing a resolution.
Later in the day, their 30 representatives met Chief Justice Peshawar High Court Ejaz Afzal Khan in Peshawar and apprised him of the case. A participant said the chief justice heard the lawyers’ point of view on the case and advised them to file a petition with the relevant court in Karak under Section 22-A of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Under the said section, the court enjoying the power of justice of peace could order registration of FIR in a case.
The lawyer, Irfanullah Khattak, alleged that on October 29, he was taken into custody by police before being tortured for supporting the girl and fighting her case. He alleged that policeman Hakeem Khan asked him to abandon the case and on refusal, arrested and tortured him. —Bureau Report
Update: Raped girl’s family says Taliban threatening them
02/11/2011: PESHAWAR: The family members of a teenaged girl allegedly kidnapped and repeatedly raped by several persons, including policemen, have said that they have received threats from Taliban to abort the child as it is illegitimate and un-Islamic and also withdraw the kidnapping and rape case against one of the police officials.
Alamzeb Khan, brother of Uzma Ayub, the 16-year-old girl who was raped by more than a dozen, told The News on Tuesday that some four days ago two Taliban militants visited their house in Marwataan Banda in the Takht-e-Nusrati tehsil in the Karak district and knocked at their door.
Alamzeb Khan said: “The two young bearded men with long hair came on motorcycle and claimed to be members of Taliban. They were speaking in Waziri accent of Pashto. They told me in harsh language to ask my parents to withdraw the kidnapping and rape case against Assistant Sub-Inspector Hakeem Khan.”
He claimed the two Taliban threatened that they would kidnap his other brothers if the case was not withdrawn against ASI Hakeem Khan. “They also told me to tell my sister to abort the child as it was not legitimate and was un-Islamic,” he added.
Alamzeb alleged that the Taliban told him that ASI Hakeem Khan was their supporter and the Uzma Ayub case against him had foiled their plan and disrupted their activities. He said the men threatened him with consequences if the police official was punished in the case.
He said his family would approach the CJ of the PHC to seek security and protection after the Taliban threat as they were passing through traumatic times. The family on October 6 had approached the PHC for taking action against the alleged rapists, but the court didn’t take action on Uzma’s application. Meanwhile, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) said the civil society must come forward in support of the gang-raped girl.
Secularists sign manifesto for secular Middle East, North Africa
03/11/2011: LONDON: At least 76 secularists and human rights campaigners have signed on to a manifesto for a free and secular Middle East and North Africa.
In light of the recent pronouncements of the unelected Libyan Transitional Council for ‘Sharia laws’, the signatories of the manifesto vehemently opposed the hijacking of the protests by Islamism or US-led militarism and unequivocally support the call for freedom and secularism made by citizens and particularly women in the region.
Secularism is a minimum precondition for a free and secular Middle East and for the recognition of women’s rights and equality.
Manifesto for a secular Middle East and North Africa The 2009 protests in Iran followed by the Arab Spring have the potential to herald a new dawn for the people of the region and the world. The protests have clearly shown that the people in the region, like the people everywhere, want to live 21st century lives.
We, the undersigned, emphasise their modern and human dimension and wholeheartedly welcome this immense and historical development. We are vehemently opposed to their hijacking by Islamism or US-led militarism and support the call for a free and secular Middle East and North Africa made by citizens and particularly women in the region.
Secularism is a minimum precondition for the freedom and equality of all citizens and includes:
1. Complete separation of religion from the state.
2. Abolition of religious laws in the family, civil and criminal codes.
3. Separation of religion from the educational system.
4. Freedom of religion and atheism as private beliefs.
5. Prohibition of sex apartheid and compulsory veiling.
Signatories:
1. Mina Ahadi, spokesperson of international committees against stoning and execution, Iran/Germany
2. Marieme Helie Lucas, sociologist, Founder and former international coordinator of women living under Muslim Laws and founder of Secularism Is A Women’s Issue, Algeria/France
3. Maryam Namazie, spokesperson, Equal Rights Now – Organisation against Women’s Discrimination in Iran, Iran/UK
55. Mary Jane Real, Women’s Human Rights Coalition, Manila, The Philippines
56. Edith Rubinstein, Femmes en Noir, Belgium
57. Nawal El Sadaawi, writer, Egypt
58. Fahimeh Sadeghi, Coordinator, International Federation of Iranian Refugees, Iran/Canada
59. Gita Sahgal, Director, Centre for Secular Space, UK
60. Nina Sankari, Secularist and Feminist, Poland
61. Secularism Is A Women’s Issue (International Network)
62. Aisha Lee Shaheed, London, UK
63. Farida Shaheed, Shirkat Gah, Lahore, Pakistan
64. Siba Shakib, Filmmaker, writer and activist, Iran/USA
65. Sohaila Sharifi, Women’s Rights Campaigner, Iran/UK
66. Issam Shukri, head, Secularism and Civil Rights in Iraq, Iraq/Canada
67. Southall Black Sisters, UK
68. Fatou Sow, Sociologist CNRS, Dakar, Senegal
69. Afsaneh Vahdat, Coordinator, International Campaign for Women’s Rights in Iran, Iran/Sweden
70. Lino Veljak, Professor of Philosophy, Zagreb University, Croatia
71. Fauzia Viqar, Director Advocacy and Communications, Shirkat Gah Women’s Resource Centre, Lahore, Pakistan
72. Anne Marie Waters, One Law for All, UK
73. Vivienne Wee, anthropologist, feminist and human rights activist, Singapore and Hong Kong, China
74. Women In Black, Belgrade, Serbia
75. Sara Zaker, Theatre Director, Bangladesh
76. Stasa Zajovic, spokesperson Women in Black, Belgrade, Serbia. pr
Update: Provincial body to probe Karak rape case
07/10/2011: The Provincial Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) and provincial Child Protection Commission have formed a fact-finding committee to hold an independent inquiry into the case of alleged abduction and rape of a teenaged girl in Takhte Nusrati, Karak, complaining that women have not been given representation in the committee the government has constituted for the purpose.
In this regard, a meeting was convened by the PCSW here on Friday, which was attended by representatives of Aurat Foundation, Shirkat Gah, Blue Veins, Khwendo Kor and other civil society organisations.
The participants noted that the provincial government had set up a three-member committee to investigate the case, but no women member or any representative of the provincial government’s commissions for women or children were included in it.
The meeting discussed the case of the girl whose rape story surfaced on Oct 4, 2011.
It noted that the victim had recorded her statement under Section 164 of the CrPC in the FIR No 363 and decided that civil society organisations and the provincial commissions would play a proactive role in ensuring justice to the victim.
The participants also formed a fact-finding committee to hold an independent inquiry by visiting the victim to get to the facts.
Zubaida Khatoon, the PCSW chairperson, said that since it was a sensitive case involving a girl, the commission wanted an independent inquiry into it. She said that there were members at the meeting who showed willingness to provide the victim protection, legal advice and medical examination, if required.
Quoting media reports, she said that the girl was kidnapped a year ago, held captive and raped by several persons, including policemen.
Update: CJ urged to arrange lawyer for family of slain woman
07\10\2011: The civil society organisations on Monday renewed the resolve to help Uzma Ayub, a rape victim in Karak district, and appealed to the chief justice of the Peshawar High Court and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to arrange lawyer for the family of married woman Saba Pervez, who was slain in Peshawar last month.
The resolve was made at a meeting attended by the representatives of the Woment Action Forum, Blue Veins, Shirkat Gah, Noor Education Trust, SPARC, Khwendo Kor, CRSD, Society for Rights and Development and Aurat Foundation.
The participants discussed the cases of Uzma Ayub of Karak and murder of Saba Pervez of Peshawar. A teenager, Uzma Ayub rape story appeared in different newspapers on October 4. The teenage girl was allegedly kidnapped a year ago, held captive and repeatedly raped by several persons, including policemen.
The CSOs representatives expressed sympathy with the victim family and vowed to support the victim girl legally, morally and ethically. The meeting discussed the facts of the case that had surfaced thus far. It was noted that the victim had recorded her statement under Section 164 of the CPC in FIR No 363 and noted that the government had constituted a three-member inquiry committee to probe the facts.
The CSOs representatives discussed the case of Saba Pervez, a married woman who was murdered last month and whose parents were running from pillar to post to find an advocate to plead their case in a court of law against the accused, who himself was a lawyer.
The participants said the father of the slain woman had deplored that no lawyer was ready to plead the case. He engaged a lawyer from Kohat but he too did not appear on second hearing. The father of the slain woman then contacted the local chapter of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, which did not respond to the repeated written requests for legal help.
Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan gave time to the family to find a counsel for the next hearing to be held on 14th of the bail petition of the accused but the family had found no lawyer to plead the case. We have been trying to hire the services of a competent lawyer but some of the lawyers we have tried have refused to accept the case as the accused is from their legal fraternity, the family alleged as was reported in a section of the press.
The participants of the meting said the parents of the woman had no trust in the public prosecutor after they saw lawyers allegedly supporting the accused when he appeared in court for the previous hearings.
Apart from appealing the chief justice of Pakistan and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to arrange a lawyer for Saba Pervez s family, the CSOs representatives demanded the bar associations to go through the matter and stop supporting the alleged murderers.
Breaking New Ground: 11 year old girl drives rickshaw to help family in Tangi
AFP
28/10/2011: In Tangi, a town some 125 kilometres from the capital Islamabad, in the heart of the northwestern region troubled by a Taliban insurgency, 11-year-old Wajiha is the only girl driving a motorcycle rickshaw.
Her father Inamuddin used to be a proud member of the paramilitary but in July 2006 he was badly injured in a Taliban attack on his paramilitary check post in the northwestern valley of Swat.
After two years in hospital, he was discharged from service with a withered leg and bought a rickshaw for 40,000 rupees ($465) with his pension. At first he worked alone, and sometimes Wajiha would sit up front with him for fun. But when she realised how painful he found his wounded leg, she took on solo shifts to earn more money.
Now she goes to school in the morning and helps her father in the afternoon, when he gets tired. “I don’t like my daughter going out to work, but I am helpless,” said Inamuddin. Wajiha said she likes to help.
“I feel good to help my father, I also enjoy the drive, it is easy to drive motorcycle rickshaw and earn some money for the family,” she said.
“I make 150 rupees ($1.70) from three trips a day,” she said as she parked the rickshaw and ran into her home – text and photos by AFP.
Read more about the effect of bombings on children here.
11-year-old Pakistani girl Wajiha drives a three-wheel rickshaw in Tangi, a town 125 kilometres from Islamabad, in the heart of the northwestern region troubled by a Taliban insurgency. Wajiha is the only girl driving a rickshaw to earn.
Update Karak Rape Case: DNA test of girl, accused recommended
DNA test of girl, accused recommended
Javed Aziz Khan
26/10/2011: PESHAWAR: A high-level inquiry committee of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government Tuesday recommended the DNA test of the victim and the accused persons in the alleged kidnapping and rape of Uzma Ayub, a young girl from Karak.
It also recommended the arrest of the police officials concerned, sources told The News Tuesday.
The sources said the committee headed by Home Secretary Azam Khan and comprising the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police (Investigation) Nisar Khan Tanoli and Kohat Commissioner Sahibzada Mohammad Anis submitted its report to Chief Minister Ameer Haider Hoti in the alleged kidnapping and rape of Uzma Ayub who claimed to have been picked up last year after the police raided her house.
The committee was constituted on the directives of the chief minister after the victim approached the media and later moved the Peshawar High Court (PHC) to get justice against “those who had been raping her for almost a year after kidnapping her last year.”
“The committee recommended that the DNA tests of Uzma, three police officials including Inspector Mohsin Shah, Sub-Inspector Amir Khan and Assistant Sub-Inspector Hakim Khan and 13 other accused be carried out to unearth the truth.
“The report also suggested suspension and arrest of the three police officials and constituting another inquiry committee to be headed by an officer not less than the rank of a superintendent of police (SP),” the sources said.
The report suggested formation of another medical board to know about the exact age of the victim, the sources added.
The previous board had said the victim was between the age of 16 and 19, without specifically mentioning whether she was a minor or an adult. The report also recommended action against the previous medical board for not giving the exact age of the girl.
“The report of the inquiry committee suggested amendment in the first information report in the case, saying there were blunders in the report. Proper sections of laws should be mentioned in the FIR,” said the report, which also asked the authorities concerned to file an application in the court for the cancellation of bail of the accused.
Uzma Ayub had told the Peshawar High Court a few weeks ago that she was six months pregnant. She had added that she had been kidnapped by Nazar Khan, Karim and Naseebullah, son of Nazar Khan, on October 9, 2010.
She said that three policemen including SHOs Pir Mohsin Shah and Ameer Khan and Sub-Inspector Hakeem Khan assisted the kidnappers.
She stated in her statement under Section 164 of the CrPC that she was raped by several persons including policemen throughout the time she was kept hostage.
The girl recorded her statement under Section 164 of the CrPC before the Judicial Magistrate Asif Kamal in Takht-e-Nusrati tehsil in Karak district after her escape from the captors on September 19, 2011.
“Police raided our home to arrest my brother over a petty dispute with our neighbour and picked me up and handed me over to Gul Marjan, Sardar Ali Khan, Nazar Khan and Qamar Ali alias Gulay. These people kept me at their house where one Guleena and Shakeel came and spent some time with me. Then Dr Iqbal also came to the room and administered an injection to me and I fell unconscious,” she had stated before the local court.
The victim added that when she regained senses she noticed that she had been shifted to another house. “In that house, Naseebullah, a brother of Gulay, visited me and forced me to marry him. The same night Naseebullah’s son visited me and raped me. Qamar Ali, Karim and Alam also raped me. Two police officials, one named Hakeem, used to visit me frequently to satisfy their lust. I don’t know the name of the other cop but I can recognise him if he is produced before me,” Uzma Ayub had stated.
She claimed that she was sold to other people who were taking her to Dera Ismail Khan when she escaped the captivity
Pregnant rape victim dodges kidnappers and escapes
02/10/2011: A teenage girl, kidnapped one year ago, held captive and repeatedly raped by several persons, including policemen, has miraculously escaped from her captors while being six months pregnant and has now vowed to seek justice, desperately, come what may.
Uzma, the teenager who will soon be a single mother, has gathered the strength and determination to take the known culprits to justice, says she would go to any length, like Mukhtaran Mai who became an icon and inspiration for all violated women in Pakistan.
Parents of the victim, Uzma, 16, daughter of Mohammad Ayub, a resident of Marwataan Banda, Tehsil Takht-e-Nasrati of the Karak district, who dodged her kidnappers and rapists on Sept 19 while being shifted in a car to DI Khan from Bannu, had lodged an FIR soon after she went missing in October last year.
She narrated the escape to The News saying two kidnappers who were taking her in a car stopped over in a crowded place and she jumped out and escaped. Then she called her brother from a public phone and managed to dodge the two.
When she was kidnapped, local police had failed to recover her. Later, her parents moved the Peshawar High Court (PHC) that summoned the police officials and ordered them to recover the girl at the earliest. Sources said the affected girl under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code recorded her statement in the case FIR No: 363 registered on October 9, 2010 under Section 496 of the Pakistan Penal Code at the Takht-e-Nasrati Police Station.
She had stated in her report: “Police raided our home to arrest my brother over a petty dispute with our neighbour and picked me up and handed me over to Gul Marjan, Sardar Ali Khan, Nazar Khan, Qamar Ali alias Guley. These people kept me at their house, where Mst Guleena and Shakeel came and spent some time with me. Then came Dr Iqbal in the room. He administered me an injection and I fell unconscious. When I regained my senses, I noticed that I had been shifted to another location. I did not know anybody there. After some time, Qamar Ali alias Guley and Karim visited me.”
In the statement she alleged: “In that house Naseebullah, a brother of Guley, visited me and forced me to marry him. Same night Naseebullah’s son visited me and raped me. Qamar Ali Khan, Karim and Alam also raped me. Two police officials, one named Hakim, used to frequently visit me to satisfy their lust. I don’t know the name of the other cop but can recognise him if he is produced before me.”
The wronged girl said: “All the people mentioned are involved in my abduction and molestation. I charged these persons with ruining my life and making me pregnant. In the house when I was drugged and raped second time, the people over there told me that I had been sold to them and they were taking me to Dera Ismail Khan and when they stopped at Bannu, I escaped from their captivity and now am here before you.”
Bilqees Begum, mother of Uzma, told The News, “Police is supposed to provide protection to the people but if they themselves become beasts, who will trust them?”
The News learnt that a lady doctor Zakia conducted the medical examination of the girl and declared that she was six months pregnant. It was also learnt that none of the lawyers in the area was ready to plead her case. Some of media men allegedly demanded a huge amount from the affected family members when they requested them to highlight the case as the accused, including cops, were influential.
When contacted by The News, Uzma said though she knew that girls like her had never got justice in Pakistan, yet she would not give up, adding she would demand justice from the Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, President Asif Ali Zardari, Premier Yusuf Raza Gilani and the human rights organisations and would ask one question from all of them: What would they do had their daughter been in the place where I am standing today? I only expect that treatment from them as their daughters would have got.”
On April 5, 2011, a two-member bench comprising Justice Dost Muhammad Khan and Justice Yahya Afridi had directed the district police officer to trace the kidnapped girl when the girl’s mother had alleged that her daughter, then a student of 9th grade, had been kidnapped by police officials including SHO Pir Mohsin Shah, Sub-Inspector Hakeem Khan and Amir Muhammad during an illegal raid on her house. She had sent an application to Chief Justice of the PHC Ejaz Afzal Khan who had later converted it into a writ petition.
The Karak DPO, Sajid Khan Mohmand, had appeared before the court and contended that on the complaint of the female, the police had registered an FIR at the Takht-e-Nasrati Police Station in Karak. Police had raided several places but could not recover the girl. He had added that four persons earlier charged by the complainant had been granted bail by a local court.
A brother of the alleged kidnapped girl, Alamzeb Khan, had told the court that the family had learnt that his sister had been taken to Quetta by an army man, Naseebullah Khan. He stated that although the family had named him but the local police did not arrest him. He had stated that the local police had also implicated him in different cases. The DPO had stated that the complainant had not charged the said person in the initial statement.
The PHC chief justice on April 06, this year had directed the Karak DPO to contact the station commander of the Pakistan Army in Quetta for searching the teenaged girl who according to her family members was illegally being held by a serving soldier after her alleged abduction by the local policemen.
Alamzeb Khan, brother of the kidnapped girl, informed the court that his family had received information from reliable sources that his sister was in illegal detention of the main accused Nasibullah, who was an army man and currently serving in Quetta.
The bench had directed the Karak DPO to record supplementary statement of the girl’s brother against Nasibullah in the case. The bench also directed him to send a senior police officer to Quetta to discuss the girl’s abduction with the station commander, seek her recovery and pursue abduction charges against the soldier. He later fixed April 21 for the next hearing into the case.
Bilqees had told the court that she was at home when SHO Pir Mohsin Shah, Sub-Inspector Hakeem Khan and additional SHO Amir Muhammad raided her residence unaccompanied by any lady constable. She alleged that the cops also took away some cash and gold ornaments from her house.
On April 22, the PHC directed the police officials in Karak to recover the kidnapped girl by May 11 or face suspension from service.
Joint NGOs statement on Presentation of Report by UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health
Joint statement by NGOs on presentation of report by Mr. Anand Grover, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health, to the UN General Assembly on October 24rth 2011. For the complete report click here.
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STATEMENT BY HUMAN RIGHTS, WOMEN’S RIGHTS AND HEALTH GROUPS ON THE OCCASION OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE REPORT BY ANAND GROVER, UN SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON THE RIGHT TO HEALTH, TO THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
24/10/2011: We, the undersigned human rights, women’s rights and health organizations, welcome the report (A/66/254) of the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health, Anand Grover, to the UN General Assembly presented on 24 October 2011 as a milestone in the struggle for the full realization of the right to health for all.
The report exposes the many detrimental effects on individuals’ health, equality, bodily integrity, dignity, and decision-making capacity resulting from criminal laws and other misguided legal restrictions that governments frequently impose in violation of sexual and reproductive rights: restrictions on abortion, restrictions on contraception, the criminalization of women’s conduct on the basis that they are pregnant (such as criminal sanctions for drug use or alcohol consumption during pregnancy) and restrictions on access to full, complete, and accurate information on sexual and reproductive health.
The majority of states which spoke during the General Assembly’s interactive dialogue on the report expressed the view that it makes a useful contribution to existing guidance on implementing the right to health. In a joint statement with the World Health Organisation and UNAIDS, UNFPA stated that the report supports states’ efforts to respect, protect and fulfil human rights. Our organisations welcome such responses in support of the report and its importance within the mandate of the Special Rapporteur.
We believe this report is of fundamental importance in securing the right to health, in particular because:
The report consolidates years of health and human rights legal analysis by many UN experts, who are mandated by UN Member States to promote the full and equal enjoyment of human rights by all persons. These studies jointly support the conclusion that criminal law is often an inappropriate tool for regulating sexual and reproductive health matters.
The report uses empirical evidence compiled by UN technical agencies to support the conclusion that the misuse of criminal laws and punitive policies in the area of sexual and reproductive health cause disproportionate suffering for women; people engaging in same sex sexual conduct; people identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons; those living with HIV or AIDS; and other groups who already suffer discrimination.
The report contains clear and detailed recommendations for States, including a call to immediately decriminalize abortion, ensure access to a full range of modern contraceptive methods, and facilitate access to full, complete, and accurate information on sexual and reproductive health.
Our own research and experience supports the conclusions of this report as well as the validity of its recommendations. We look forward to working with States to further the implementation of these recommendations in the fulfilment of their international human rights obligations.
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Action Canada for Population and Development
AKAHATA
Amnesty International
ARC International
Asian-Pacific Resource & Research Centre for Women
Association for Women’s Rights in Development
Catholics for Choice
Center for Reproductive Rights
Center for Women's Global Leadership
CREA
Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights
Federation for Women and Family Planning, Poland
GREFELS (Research Group on Women and Laws in Senegal)
Human Rights Watch
INFORM Human Rights Documentation Centre, Sri Lanka
International Federation of Health and Human Rights Organisations (IFHHRO)
International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO)
International Planned Parenthood Federation
International Women’s Health Coalition
Ipas
Irish Family Planning Association
Marie Stopes International
National Advocates for Pregnant Women
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
Physicians for Human Rights
Sexual Rights Initiative
Shirkat Gah Women's Resource Centre Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights
Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition
Women Living Under Muslim Laws International Solidarity Network - Africa and Middle East
Women's Learning Partnership International Coalition for Rights, Development & Peace
First Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Report 2011
28/10/2011: The Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) presents the first ever report on the status of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in KP. It concludes that while the province has not been successful in meeting the ambitious MDGs agenda, it hopes to make progress towards these goals in the near future if the security situation remains stable. For full report click here.
International Women Activists Inspired by OWS plan intervention in Friday UNSC Debate
27/10/2011: International women peace activists from Fiji, Georgia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and the Philippines gathered in New York on the heels of the Occupy Wall treet Movement are determined to monitor and intervene in the UN Security Council Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security this Friday. On the eve of the UN debate, a roundtable discussion will reaffirm their claim that it is time to invest in non violence not militarization:
"Friday's Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security must address the fundamental concern that militarization and the maintenance of large military arsenals have intensified since 9/11," says Nighat Said Khan a prominent feminist activist and academic in Pakistan and a founder of the Women's Action F orum, "Increasingly human security is subsumed under national security with the military demanding a blank cheque".
"We support the call from OWS to cut the US military budget of $700 billion to more than half to respond to the urgent need to address the national ec onomic deficit, to provide jobs, health services, education and food security," says Sharon Bhagwan Rolls, the Fiji based Executive Director of FemLINKPACIFIC, "A cut from 700 billion to 300 billion would mean an economy of 400 billion dollars per year. 4 trillion dollars in ten years. That's a lot of money to be able to respond to people first." "Like OWS our Roundtable on Thursday October 27th will be bringing the value of collective activism to the forefront. Friday's Open Debate must address why women's participation, empowerment and inclusion can build more secure, interconnected and just communities "says Canadian community radio activist Sophie Toupin," It is about economic justice and human security. It is about political security and human rights.
We, as members of the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC), are calling for the United Nations and all Member States to enhance implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 in the wake of the recent awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize for 2011. It is time to uphold the non-violent struggle for the safety of women, and our right to full pa rticipation in peace-building.
"This is indeed encouraging. However simply awarding 3 women is not enough, " says Nana Berekashvili from the Georgian based International Center on Conflict and Negotiation, "There must be greater investment in and recognition of women across the world working to make change, to transform violent situations through peaceful means. This Friday's event also reminds us that there is a nexus between peace and human security."
New York Monday 24 October 2011
Women Living Under Muslim Laws Statement on Libya
25/10/2011: WLUML is deeply concerned that the first public act of the Libya's National Transition Committee has been to proclaim on October 23rd, 2011, that henceforth, a number of laws will be considered annulled and that 'sharia law' is to replace them. Libya’s National Transition Committee is an interim government – what it has responsibility for – and what its first action should have concerned, is to put into place a mechanism for elections for the new government after the fall of the Gaddafi regime.
WLUML feels the urgent need to reflect and raise a number of questions regarding this statement on ‘sharia law’:
First, if we accept that democracy means the law of the people expressed through their votes, it is disturbing that the first act of this transitional government (which has denounced and follows a very autocratic one), is governing by decree, rather than by consulting the people through democratic means. Laws should not be annulled by the will of a ruler or rulers; they should be changed after due democratic consultation, by the will and vote of the people. Doing otherwise is to replace one undemocratic ruler by another, and to confuse democracy with monarchy, autocracy or oligarchy.
WLUML will support any move by independent Libyan women organizations to demand that democratic rules be applied.
Second, when we consider which laws have been de facto annulled and changed for religious ones, we see that these are laws that directly affect the rights of women in marriage, divorce, guardianship, polygamy, inheritance, etc... i.e. family codes or laws of personal status. Women are directly targeted by this change in laws and will lose many acquired rights in the process.
Finally, what is this 'sharia law' being invoked in the Libyan statement? WLUML knows from its own research* that laws said to be Islamic, considered in conformity with 'sharia' vary enormously from country to country - hence proving they are man-made rather than God-given. Furthermore they include elements from culture and traditions that have nothing to do with religion, as well as colonial laws when these best suit the interests of local patriarchy. This is how local traditions such as muta'a marriage or FGM (female genital mutilation) are adopted as part and parcel of ‘religion.’ This is also how the newly independent Algeria in the 1960s deprived its women citizens of any access to contraception and abortion, using a long abandoned French law dating from 1922. And, in Mali, the family law voted by the Parliament in 2009, provoked such an outcry by conservative Muslim organizations for alleged non-conformity to ‘sharia,’ that notwithstanding the democratic vote and the support of non-conservative Muslims – including women and secularists, the President suspended it sine die. Here again, what is democracy and 'sharia' in a country that has also signed women's rights international conventions?
From the religious point of view alone, the Qur'an itself can be read in different ways: Tunisia took the historic decision in 1956 to forbid polygyny (aka polygamy), as legislators pointed out that the Qur'an clearly indicated both that equal treatment between wives is required and that it was not possible for a man to treat several women perfectly equally; Algeria in 1962 used the same verse to allow a man to have 4 wives and legitimize polygamy. Which of these contradictory interpretations is 'sharia'?
We denounce the loose use of the term 'sharia' to give a false religious legitimacy to patriarchal interpretations of religion, as well as to patriarchal traditions.
WLUML calls on women's organizations and progressive people around the world to remain alert to the contradictions between pretending to be a democracy and decreeing the application of undefined religious laws.
We also call for the utmost protest when governments and political groups justify their patriarchal moves in the name of 'sharia'.
* Knowing Our Rights: Women, family, laws and customs in the Muslim world - 3rd edition, London, 2006, http://www.wluml.org/node/588
21/10/2011: Under the Commonwealth campaign titled ‘Women as Agents of Change,’ the British High Commission in Islamabad held an event to recognise the unsung heroes of Pakistani society.
Pakistan has many inspirational women, both from its history to those who are active in society today, to bring forth a change and BHC used the event to celebrate these women, recognising their achievements at every level, and from every part of the country.
This year, Commonwealth has launched the project campaign ‘Women as Agents of Change’ in recognition of the continuous struggle of women around the world for their rights and celebrating the great achievements by women. This year, the Commonwealth while celebrating women as agents of change sends out a clear message to the world that by investing in women and girls, countries can accelerate social, economic and political progress.
The British High Commission in Islamabad also
joined in the celebration ahead of the Commonwealth heads of government meeting taking place in Perth, Australia, on October 28. British High Commissioner Adam Thomson hosted an event to recognise the success story of inspirational Pakistani women. The British high commissioner was joined at the event by Australian High Commissioner Timothy George and Hina Rabbani Khar, Pakistan’s foreign minister.
The event held at the British High Commission was attended by a large number of women from every field. A documentary produced by BHC to recognise the inspirational stories of women in Pakistan was also screened on the occasion. From National Assembly Speaker Fehmida Mirza to Zahida Kazmi,
Pakistan’s first woman taxi driver, as well as other exceptional women from politics, sports, business, the NGO sector and the arts and culture, the documentary highlights their contribution to Pakistan and their inspirational messages to women across the country.
Speaking at the event, British High Commissioner Adam Thomson said, “The Commonwealth is an important international forum for the UK, Australia and Pakistan, bringing together over 2 billion people from 54 countries — one third of the world’s population. The UK is committed to playing a leading role in developing our links with the Commonwealth.
Today we are celebrating one of the core messages of this year’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, which is “Women as Agents of Change”.
Eulogising the success stories of Pakistani women, Adam Thomson shared that the BHC has highlighted just a few of Pakistan’s women who are playing inspiring roles across all areas of Pakistani society. This is just a small example of the important role that women play in Pakistan every day and it is vital that Pakistan continues to encourage the involvement of women in all aspects of society, and we continue to support the government of Pakistan in achieving this, he added.
The high commissioner also recognised some of the best entries to the British High Commission’s online competition where it was asked to people from across Pakistan to send stories of Pakistani women who had inspired them or inspired change in their communities.
The British high commissioner said, “It’s important to recognise not just those inspirational women in the public eye, but also those who work hard to bring a better life to those in their communities’.
He said that BHC received many entries to the online competition highlighting many of Pakistan’s inspirational women. Some were teachers who have inspired their students to strive to achieve their potential, some were mothers who worked tirelessly to look after their families and drive their children to succeed, and some were inspirational women working with those less fortunate in their communities to make a better life for those around them.
Women’s rights: Voting on bill deferred mid-debate
19/10/2011: A bill advocating greater social protection for women was shot down in the National Assembly on Tuesday, as some members refused to vote without having received a copy of proposed amendments to the bill.
Interestingly, the objections were raised when Muttahida Qaumi Movement MNA SA Iqbal Qadri was reading out the last of the amendments and the house had already discussed and passed four clauses of the Prevention of Anti-Women Practices (Criminal Law Amendment) Bill 2010.
“How can we (NA members) participate in voting on such an important bill without being provided copies of the bill?” said former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, speaking on a point of order.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Ayaz Amir raised a similar objection, following which Nadeem Afzal Chan, who was presiding over the session, deferred debate on the bill.
PML-Quaid MNA Dr Donya Aziz moved the bill clause by clause after amendments were reported by the National Assembly Committee on Women Development, which had amended clauses 2, 3 and 5.
Earlier, while the bill was being debated, PML-N MNA Mehmood Bashir Virk commented on clause 5 and said that the minimum punishment should be left for the courts to decide.
Party colleague Naseer Bhutta supported Virk’s viewpoint and opined that fixing a minimum punishment term could allow police to misuse the law and falsely implicate people.
According to the amended clause 5, a person found guilty of forcing a woman into marriage under tribal customs or practices, such as wanni and swara, or for settling a dispute shall be imprisoned for at least three years and pay a fine of 500,000 rupees.
Section 498A of the amended clause 3 proposes a minimum jail term of 10 years and a fine of one million rupees for a person found guilty of depriving a woman of inheriting her lawful share in movable or immovable property.
The amended section 498C of clause 3 states that whoever compels or arranges or facilitates the marriage of a woman with the Holy Quran shall be punished with imprisonment of at least three years and also pay a fine of 500,000 rupees.Published in The Express Tribune, October 19th, 2011.
19/10/2011: Women’s cause suffered a big blow in the National Assembly on Tuesday when an apparent gang-up blocked a landmark, pro-women private bill for the second time in eight days, on a day the ruling Pakistan People’s Party recalled the sacrifice of its assassinated female leader Benazir Bhutto.
The Prevention of Anti-Women Practices (Criminal Law Amendment) Bill, seeking to penalise practices like forced marriages and the so-called marriage with the holy Quran mainly aimed to deprive women of property inheritance, was first deferred on Oct 11 for a week due to some last-minute objections to perceived drafting flaws and harshness of the proposed law’s clauses prescribing minimum punishments just as the house was about to vote on its last clause.
This time too, the house had nearly completed the second reading of the long-pending bill and was about to vote on its fifth and last clause that PPP lawmaker Nadeem Afzal Gondal, who was chairing the proceedings of the last day of a 16-day session, deferred the bill until the next session in November after estranged PPP member and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi complained of unavailability of some proposed amendments to the draft.
But while authors and supporters of the bill appeared shocked by the sudden deferment on what was hardly seemed a strong ground as assembly staff were seen handing copies of amendments to members who wanted them, Mr Qureshi successfully diverted the attention of the house to what he called a violation of the Constitution by unspecified parliament members who may be holding dual nationality.
He received endorsement from the opposition PML-N benches and even two prominent lawmakers of the government-allied PML-Q before Water and Power Minister Naveed Qamar ended the row by saying that the Supreme Court, rather than this house, was competent to interpret the Constitution on the issue.
While the bill’s lead author, Dr Donya Aziz, also seemed to be little prepared for a second onslaught against the bill despite its endorsement by a 17-member multi-party house standing committee on women development, unusual objections at this stage seemed aimed at blocking rather than improving the draft.
On Oct 11, when Speaker Fehmida Mirza referred the bill to the law ministry for another vetting to take care of some drafting flaws pointed out by PPP member and a former high court judge, Fakharunnisa Khokhar, she had ruled that the clauses of the bill already passed on that day would remain intact.
But the bill was reopened from the first clause when it was taken up for the second time for what the day’s agenda called “further clause-by-clause consideration” and fresh voting was held on the four clauses with amendments that had already been approved on its first consideration.
The chair overruled objections from two PML-N members to provisions for minimum punishments that they said would limit the powers of courts and complaints of PPP’s Syed Zafar Ali and PML-N’s Ayaz Amir about unavailability of copies of amendments.
And Mr Gondal’s ruling declaring Ms Khokhar’s amendment as rejected in a voice vote seemed suspect as many members inside the house and journalists in the press gallery thought there were more “ayes” than “noes” for her amendments.
And he also ignored a request from some PPP back-benchers for a headcount after the second voice vote by deferring the bill altogether after Mr Qureshi’s complaint about non-availability of copies of amendments.
The bill seeks to amend the Pakistan Penal Code to provide for imprisonment for life or at least 10 years for using deceitful means to deprive a woman of inheritance, up to seven years and a minimum of three years imprisonment for giving a woman in forced marriage to settle civil disputes or a criminal liability and up to seven years in prison for compelling or facilitating the “marriage of a woman with the holy Quran” besides varying amounts of fines.
However, the controversy on this bill was followed by a display of consensus of the house in quickly passing a government bill providing for a comprehensive legislative instrument to curb practices of oil and gas theft and pilferage and abuse of lawful oil and gas connections.
And the government, in a gesture to PML-N, agreed to defer a controversial bill to regulate a DHA for Islamabad until the next session to accommodate serious objections of the opposition party although the bill was put on day’s agenda.
The day was also marked by what Leader of Opposition Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan called a “historic moment” of his presentation of the reports of the house Public Accounts Committee that he heads on federal government accounts for the years 1990-91, 1992-93, 1994-95, 1997-98, 2001-02, 2008-09 and the annual report for 2010.
Stating the presentation marked 10 reports of the committee in two and a half years which Chaudhry Nisar said brought the recovery of Rs115 billion for the national exchequer.
The house also passed a motion authorising the house speaker to form a parliamentary committee to oversee the implementation of a resolution adopted by an all-party conference convened by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani last month and other resolutions passed by parliament.
PPP chief whip Khurshid Shah recalled the sacrifices of PPP workers and party leader Benazir Bhutto for democracy as he spoke about the Oct 18, 2007, bomb attack on a procession in Karachi on her return from exile that killed some 180 people, before chair read out a presidential order proroguing the house.
Mr Shah said the next session would be convened on Nov 14.
14\10\2011: Dozens of women were reportedly injured in Yemen’s second-largest city on Sunday after government supporters attacked an anti-government rally celebrating Yemeni activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Tawakkul Karman.
According to reports, pro-government “thugs” threw stones at women who were taking part in a peaceful women’s march in the south-western city of Ta’izz.
“Yemeni authorities must protect the right to freedom of expression, which includes not tolerating violent attacks on peaceful marches,” said Malcolm Smart, Director of Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Program.
“A full, independent and impartial investigation must be carried out to identify and bring to justice all those responsible for wounding dozens of women at the Ta’izz march.”
Yesterday’s march in Ta’izz was called after last Friday’s announcement that Karman, a young Yemeni rights activist, would be among three women to receive the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize.
As a journalist and President of the NGO Women without Chains, Karman has long campaigned against human rights violations in Yemen. She has called on the authorities to protect freedom of expression and women’s rights as well as to release political prisoners.
The activist was involved in this year’s pro-reform protests in Yemen from a very early stage and was briefly detained for her activism in the capital Sana’a in January.
She shares this year’s Nobel Peace Prize with two Liberian women, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and rights activist Leymah Gbowee. She is the first Arab woman to win the prize.
“These attacks on a peaceful gathering in Ta’izz come just days after the Nobel Peace Prize highlighted the struggle for rights in Yemen,” said Smart.
“The whole world continues to watch as Yemeni authorities fail to act on demands for reform while peaceful protest is being violently suppressed.”
A larger march, involving both men and women, condemning yesterday’s attack and celebrating Karman’s Nobel peace prize on top of its usual anti-government calls also took place in Ta’izz today. A pro-government group reportedly attacked a group of women who were near the Republican Hospital during the march.
Since February 2011, scores of people have been killed and more than a thousand have been injured in protests across Yemen as security forces have repeatedly used excessive force, including by firing live ammunition at peaceful protesters.
** Amnesty International’s press statement was used in this report.
Indian SC gives Hindu women equal property rights
14/10/2011: NEW DELHI: A Hindu woman or girl will have equal property rights along with other male relatives for any partition made in intestate succession after September 2005, the Indian Supreme Court has ruled, the Press Trust of India reported.
A bench of justices R M Lodhaand Jagdish Singh Khehar in a judgment said that under the Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act, 2005, the daughters are entitled to equal inheritance rights along with other male siblings, which was not available to them prior to the amendment.
The apex court said the female inheritors would not only have the succession rights but also the same liabilities fastened on the property along with the male members. “The new Section 6 provides for parity of rights in the coparcenary property among male and female members of a joint Hindu family on and from September 9, 2005. The legislature has now conferred substantive right in favour of the daughters. “According to the new Section 6, the daughter of a coparcener becomes a coparcener by birth in her own rights and liabilities in the same manner as the son. The declaration in Section 6 that the daughter of the coparcener shall have same rights and liabilities in the coparcenary property as she would have been a son is unambiguous and unequivocal,” Justice Lodha, writing the judgment, said.
The term coparcener refers to the equal inheritance right of a person in a property. The apex court passed the ruling while upholding the appeal filed by Ganduri Koteshwaramma, daughter of late Chakiri Venkata Swamy, challenging the Andhra Pradesh High Court’s decision not to recognise equal property rights of women along with their male siblings.
12\10\2011: Some last-minute objections to perceived harshness and drafting flaws blocked what its authors called a historic pro-women bill to penalise practices like forced marriages and so-called marriages with the holy Quran when private draft had nearly been passed by the National Assembly on Tuesday.
On a day it also saw the introduction of another landmark private bill seeking to facilitate access to information, the house was about to pass the fifth and last clause of the Prevention of Anti-Women Practices (Criminal Law Amendment) Bill when objectors forced Speaker Fehmida Mirza to refer the draft back to the law ministry for another vetting within a week so it could be taken up again on the next private members` day on Oct 18.
The five-clause Prevention of Anti-Women Practices Bill, which had been pending before the house since 2008, was sponsored by eight lawmakers of the government-allied Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) and piloted by a party activist Donya Aziz, while the first private members` day of the present session saw former information and broadcasting minister Sherry Rehman of the ruling Pakistan People`s Party (PPP) finally succeeding in introducing her Right to Information Bill after about seven years of efforts, with eight other private bills.
With some amendments moved by S.A. Iqbal Qadri of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), the Prevention of Anti-Women Practices Bill sought to amend the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) to provide for imprisonment for life or at least 10 years for using deceitful means to deprive a woman from inheritance, up to seven years and at least three years imprisonment for giving a woman in forced marriage to settle civil disputes or a criminal liability, and up to seven years in prison for compelling or facilitating “the marriage of a woman with the holy Quran, besides varying amounts of heavy fines.
After a member of the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-N, Chaudhry Mahmood Bashir Virk, called for deletion of provisions for mandatory minimum punishment that he called harsh and PPP`s Fakhrunnisa Khokhar objected to the use of the word inheritance rather than succession for immovable property, calls also came for a consideration of the major clauses from PPP`s Shahnaz Wazir Ali and Nafisa Shah and law ministry adviser Farooq Awan.
This evoked dismay from Ms Donya Aziz who regretted what she called belated objections and adviser Awan “not being well-versed” with the bill while Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Maula Bakhsh Chandio was absent from the house.
However, the PML-Q member, realising her bill could not materialise without PPP support, requested for fixing a time-limit for the law ministry`s re-examination, to which the speaker agreed by setting a deadline up to the next private members` day after passing some of her own strictures against the law ministry.
But the speaker said whatever of the bill had been passed would remain valid.
Earlier, Ms Rehman, while introducing her bill, said the draft would be a fulfilment of what she called a “historic promise” made by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani while he set tasks for the first 100 days of his government and was in accord with the PPP policies and the 18th Amendment passed by parliament last year.
She said the bill would greatly remove hurdles faced by the media and citizens in seeking information from state organisations as well as private companies by setting a 14-day limit for providing the required information with a provision for appeal to a special ombudsman.
She asked the house standing committee on information and broadcasting to give an open hearing to media and citizens` groups while considering the bill.
Other private bills introduced in the house to which the government had no objection included one by PPP member Khurram Jehangir Wattoo seeking a constitutional amendment to provide for a compulsory parliamentary approval of all treaties and instruments relating to defence, one by PML-Q`s Kishan Chand Parwani for a law to regulate marriages of Hindus and members of other non-Muslim minorities, and five from PML-N`s Naseer Bhutta seeking amendments to the constitution and some other laws.
WAF expresses shock at the MC Model Girls High School, Rawalpindi incident
11/10/2011: An Iranian court has sentenced an Iranian actress to 90 lashes for her role in a new Australian-made film portraying social alienation, drug use and political oppression in Iran.
"In an outcome that could have been lifted from the pages of the movie's script"--"My Tehran for Sale"--the film's lead actress, Marzieh Vafamehr, "was arrested in July and received her sentence at the weekend, according to reports quoting Iranian opposition website kalameh.com," the Sydney Morning Heraldreported.
"Vafamehr often appears with a shaved head and no headscarf in the film, which also explores cultural oppression in Iran and taboos such as drug use," the paper said.
Granaz Moussavi, the Melbourne-based Iranian-Australian director of the film, declined to comment to the paper out of respect for the actress' family's wishes. Her portions of the film were "shot on the sly in Iran with a local crew in 2008," the paper said.
Iran's justice system has provoked past controversies over rulings that single out offenders of the country's strict moral codes for draconian punishment.
Last year, for example, Iranian courts approved adeath-by-stoning sentencefor Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, a woman accused of adultery and murder charges. Ashtiani's sentence was stayed, but only after a global outcry from international human-rights groups.
Since its disputed 2009 presidential elections, Iran has intensified a harsh crackdown against those perceived to violate its strict Islamic code, but often sentences are cruel and arbitrary. A moratorium had been declared on stoning in 2002, but the nation's Islamic courts have continued tohand down stoning sentencesin accordance with the strict wording of the law. Reliable numbers are hard to come by, but human-rights groups estimate that scores of women were stoned to death in Iran during the 1980s and 1990s. One documented case of such a stoning wascaptured on a horrifying videoin 1994. In 2009, two men were stoned to death in Iran oncharges of adultery and murder.
Various parliamentary reforms have been mounted to reduce the penal system's harsher sentences, but they are not binding on the country's independent judicia
Family planning and Islam
By Asghar Ali Engineer | From the Newspaper
10/10/2011: MANY people, especially women, have asked me if family planning is permissible in Islam. They say the imams and ulema say the Quran prohibits family planning and quote a verse which says, “And kill not your children for fear of poverty — We provide for them and for you. Surely the killing of them is a great wrong” (17:31).
In no way does this verse refer to family planning because it is talking of ‘killing’ and you kill one who exists. No law in the world will permit killing one who is already born and hence the Quran rightly condemns the killing of children. Some people suggest that the verse in question refers to the practice of burying girl children alive and when asked they would say they could not provide for them and hence Allah responds that He provides for them.
Imam Razi suggests the verse refers to both male and female children being kept ignorant. Thus killing them has not been used as in killing the body but the mind which is as bad as killing the body. The word used here is ‘awlad’ i.e. children, which includes both male and female.
Imam Razi’s suggestion seems to be quite reasonable and in fact a large family means children cannot be properly educated by poor parents and hence parents ‘kill’ them mentally by keeping them ignorant.
They cannot even clothe them properly nor can they provide proper living space. In such circumstances one cannot raise quality human beings, and quantity does not matter much. That said, we should understand that at the time of the revelation of the Quran, the problem of family planning did not exist, nor did the need for population control.
It is a modern problem which has arisen in our time. Most nation states in the developing world do not have the economic means to support large populations, and when we say supporting large populations it does not mean only feeding them but also includes education and the provision of proper health services. These are the basic duties of modern nation states.
In fact, in view of the paucity of resources, it has become necessary to adopt family planning. When the Quran was being revealed there was neither any properly organised state nor education nor health services being provided by a state agency. It is important to note that the Quran, which shows eight ways to spend zakat, does not include education or health which is so essential for the state to provide today. Thus what Imam Razi suggests is not only very correct but also enhances the importance of family planning in modern times as a small family can support better education and health services.
It would be interesting to note that as for verse 4:3 (which is used by Muslims for justification of polygamy) Imam Shafi’i interprets it rather differently. It ends with the words alla ta’ulu, which is generally translated as ‘you may not do injustice’ i.e. do not marry more than one woman so that you may not do injustice. But Imam Shafi’i renders it as ‘so that you do not have a large family’. The Quran has already mentioned that ‘if you fear injustice then marry only one’ woman and so there was no need to repeat it. That is why Imam Shafi’i feels it should be translated as ‘so that you do not have a large family’.
It can be seen that in understanding the Quran even very eminent imams and great scholars differed with one another. One should not impose one single meaning of a verse on all Muslims. The Quran could be interpreted differently by different people in their own context and circumstances, as has historically been the practice. Family planning being a modern need, one should not reject it out of hand and quote Quranic verses out of context.
Family planning does not mean killing children after they are born but to plan the birth of children in a way that parents can bear all the expenses for their education, health, living space, upkeep, etc. in a proper manner. The Quran also suggests that a child be suckled for two years, and it is well known that as long as the mother suckles she may not conceive. Thus, indirectly, the Quran suggests spacing between children.
In hadith literature, we find that the Prophet (PBUH) permitted prevention of conceiving in certain circumstances. When a person asked the Prophet for permission for ‘azl (withdrawal) as he was going for a long journey along with his wife and he did not wish his wife to conceive, the Messenger of Allah allowed him. In those days this was the only known method for planning the birth of a child. Today there are several more methods available.
Imam Ghazali allows even termination of pregnancy if the mother’s life is in danger and suggests several methods for termination. He even allows termination of pregnancy on health grounds or if the mother’s beauty is in danger, provided it is in consultation with her husband. Some scholars referring to the verse 23:14 conclude that one can terminate pregnancy up to three months after conception as the Quran, in this verse, describes the stages of development of the sperm planted in the mother’s womb; it takes three months for life to begin.
However, many ulema today oppose the termination of pregnancy. Whatever the case one cannot declare family planning as prohibited in Islam as it in no way amounts to killing a child. Even the termination of a pregnancy is allowed in order to properly plan the birth of a child according to one’s financial resources.
The writer is an Islamic scholar who also heads the Centre for Study of Society & Secularism, Mumbai.
08/10/2011: Pathani, an anaemic middle-aged pregnant woman, sits in a dingy room of a relief camp of Sanghar — one of the worst rain-affected districts of Sindh — for her medical examination by a mobile team of doctors.
She is expected to deliver her ninth baby. A gynaecologist advises her to take normal and rich diet till childbirth.The advice is not unusual because all gynaecologists give the same advice to expecting mothers for normal childbirth. But for Ms Pathani and her likes it seems extremely difficult because they are facing extraordinary times following a disaster triggered by recent monsoon rains in lower Sindh in August and September.
According to a recent assessment by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), 8.9 million rain-hit people include 240,000 pregnant women and 1.36 million children.
Torrential rains have rendered expecting mothers more vulnerable to malnutrition. They are high risk cases and senior gynaecologists fear that maternal mortality rate might shoot up in Sindh this year because of the conditions these women live in.“You must take regular food daily till you deliver the baby,” Dr Anjum of People’s Primary Healthcare Initiative (PPHI) advises Ms Pathani as she listens to the doctor attentively and calmly in the camp’s room where conditions remain depressing.
”I had normal childbirth so far and hope this one too will be normal. But supply of food remains irregular and we are dependent on what is provided to us here,” she told the doctor.
Under present conditions antenatal (during pregnancy) care of expecting mothers emerges as a big issue for health providers. Pregnant women with rural background even otherwise turn up in hospitals with symptoms of anaemia, hypertension disorder and social neglect that put them at high risk usually. Recent havoc visiting these rural settlements has led to more complications in cases of expecting mothers.
Chairperson of the department of gynaecology, Liaquat University Hospital of Jamshoro, Prof Dr Roshan Aara, said rain-hit women suffered from psychological trauma too. “Now they don’t have access to normal food. I fear pre-term labour cases among them,” she said.
Malnutrition would haunt them seriously and they were not able apparently to handle it on their own unless a serious initiative was taken (by the government and non-government relief agencies), Dr Roshan Aara said.
“There will be cases of newborns with low-weight due to malnutrition on mother’s part,” she added.
She pointed out that facilities even in tertiary hospitals remained below par even if there was no disaster. “Our hospital-based study indicates that we have 1000-1100 mortality per 100,000 live births among women,” she said.
According to her, 40 childbirths are reported daily at the hospital. “We have only six tables for childbirths,” she said.
She feared that mortality rate in Sindh might go up this year because of serious complications among displaced women. “There will be unsafe deliveries and abortions too,” she said.
Dr Pushpa Srichand, a gynaecologist, is of the view that these mothers would not have access to skilled birth attendants in camps or in tent cities set up in different rain-affected districts. They need to be shifted to tertiary hospitals if possible.
“Nutritional deficiency among mothers leads to high chances of low-weight among newborns and preterm labour can’t be ruled out,” she said.
Often, she added, rural women normally had anaemia and high blood pressure. “Bleeding before, during and after childbirth endangers lives of mothers,” she said. According to her, present situation is likely to aggravate conditions of expecting mothers.
Medical experts and health indicators rate Pakistan among the countries having high maternal mortality rate. As many as 276 women die per 100,000 live births in the country. Some doctors claim the figure is even higher in remote areas. According to them, maternal mortality goes as high as 700-1000 per 100,000 live births in remote areas.
Doctors describe postpartum haemorrhage (bleeding), malnutrition, infection and hypertension as main cause of mortality among pregnant women.
The maternal mortality has also become a social issue that society seriously needs to look into.
Expecting mothers like Ms Pathani continue to depend on medical assistance provided by mobile medical teams or any nearby health facilities, though most of the units are said to be dysfunctional. These mothers are hard pressed to fulfil their requirements of nutritional diet at this stage. Besides, their transportation to teaching or district-level hospital is a big issue.
Such mothers, presently homeless, have a tough time in relief camps. Doctors fear a lot unsafe childbirth this year.
Dress modestly: Masked men enter girls’ school, thrash students
10/10/2011: In a first for the garrison city, sixty masked men carrying iron rods barged into a girls’ school in Rawalpindi and thrashed students and female teachers on Friday.
The gang of miscreants also warned the inmates at the MC Model Girls High School in Satellite Town to “dress modestly and wear hijabs” or face the music, eyewitnesses said.
Fear gripped the area following the attack and only 25 of the 400 students studying in the college were present on Saturday. The school employs 30 female teachers.
Attendance in other educational institutions also remained low. After hearing about the attack, all schools in the city shut down, an official of the Rawalpindi District Administration (RDA) told The Express Tribune.
A student of the girls’ school managed to inform the administration of the nearby boys’ high school of the attack. “[However,] the armed gang was so powerful that we could not rescue our teachers and colleagues over there,” Noail Javed, a grade 10 student, said.
In-charge of MC High Schools in Rawalpindi issued a notification to the heads of all girls’ schools to take pre-emptive measures to avoid such incidents in future. According to the notification, a gang comprising 60 to 70 miscreants entered into the school from a gate that was “strangely open”.
All the MC school heads were assigned the responsibility of protecting the students by the notification. A school headmistress wishing not to be named said, “How is it possible for us to protect the students from such elements. The city administration should review its security plan.”
The notification also suggested that the heads should not inform the students about the situation, so that they are not alarmed into skipping school. “Police is investigating the matter,” the notification said. Following the notification, the heads of the schools also shared the numbers of relevant police stations with the teachers in case of any untoward situation in future.
Asjad Ali, a student of class 9 at the nearby boys’ high school, said that his younger brother Awais, a student of grade 5, was also among those who were brutally beaten by the miscreants with iron rods. “The police did not come,” he said.
A police official of the New Town Police Station, asking for anonymity, told The Express Tribune, “We were under strict instructions to do nothing.”
District Education Officer Qazi Zahoor and Rawalpindi Commissioner Zahid Saeed were not immediately available for comments.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 9th, 2011.
A Saudi woman's sentence of 10 lashes for driving has been revoked Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah overturns a court ruling sentencing a woman to 10 lashes for breaking a ban on female drivers, reports say.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding the Watan Cards Phase II for flood affecttees.
The FAQs is an effort by the Humanitarian Communication Team to respond to the queries of the affectees by providing accurate information to aid providers as they are the first point of contact for affectees, besides other communication channels.
The Citizens Damage Compensation Programme (known popularly as the Watan Card Project) is an initiative by the Government of Pakistan to help flood affected persons whose houses were damaged and livelihoods affected in the devastating floods of 2010. The CDCP provides cash grants to targeted beneficiaries in flood affected areas.
16/09/2011: ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court on Thursday, while announcing the judgment on cutting of trees for the Lahore Canal Bank Road widening project, said that the Bambawali-Ravi-Bedian (BRB) Canal and the greenbelt on both sides of it from Jallo Park to Thokar Niaz Baig is a Public Trust.
It should be treated as Heritage Urban Park forthwith and declared so by an Act to be passed by the Assembly as undertaken by the Punjab provincial government. The widening of the road on both sides of the canal bank should be in accordance with the report submitted by the mediation committee and should be implemented in letter and spirit. The court after various hearings had reserved the judgment on August 15, 2011, which was announced by Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, the author judge, at the courtroom on Thursday.
The Punjab government and the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) have been asked to ensure that minimum damage is caused to the greenbelt and every tree cut is replaced by four trees of the height of 6/7 feet, and this replacement when commenced and completed should be notified through press releases for information of general public and the copies of that should be sent to the Registrar of the apex court.
The judgment said that the elaborate measures should be taken to ensure that the canal is kept clean and free of pollution, urging to avoid throwing litter and discharge of any pollutant in the canal, while declaring it a penal offence. The Punjab chief secretary was directed that a comprehensive action plan be prepared in this regard by the department concerned and report should be submitted to the court Registrar within six weeks.
The judgment also stated that the necessary correction/modification of some of the underpasses on the canal road shall be carried out as suggested in the report of the mediation committee. Proper traffic management programme shall be made and given effect to further improvement in public transport system shall be ensured. Where needed and as recommended by the committee, re-engineering of the junctions along the canal bank would be undertaken. The service roads along certain parts of the Canal Road shall be constructed and improved.
The Lahore Bachao Tehrik (LBT) had challenged the project of widening of a 14-km-long section of the Canal Bank Road falling between Dharampura Underpass and Thokar Niaz Baig. The petitioner, LBT, had contended that the project would destroy the greenbelt and park on both sides of BRB, and would also fail to solve the traffic congestion problem at the Canal Bank Road. It argued that the issue of traffic congestion can be resolved by complying with urban town planning and sustainable urban transport, which include public transportation as a major alternative to private transportation.
Staff Reporter from Lahore adds: The Lahore Bachao Tehrik highly appreciated the Supreme Court decision.
LBT Convener Imrana Tiwana, Mediation Committee Secretary Rafay Alam, Lahore Conservation Society President Kamal Khan Mumtaz and WWF Director General Ali Habib, said while giving their reaction that the SC in its decision has recognised the cultural and ecological significance of this landmark area, stating it to be crucial to the wellbeing of the citizens of Lahore.
The office holders of the LBT, which was initiated in 2004, termed their endouvour a landmark citizens’ movement which highlighted critical environmental issues and human rights in the city of Lahore. Spanning six years, the results have reached a wide spectrum of society, mobilising citizens and institution as watchdogs for the sustainable development of this historic city. Due to this movement, the citizens of Lahore were empowered to effect a critical difference to the future of Lahore. The Supreme Court has recognised that “this was a living testimony to a vibrant civil society”, they observed.
They said that the movement looked forward to the government implementing the SC directions with diligence. “We pledge to continue informed and responsible action faithful to the principles demonstrated by the six-year citizens’ movement. The people of Lahore will continue their commitment and efforts to preserve and protect the historic city of Lahore.”
Dr Pervez Hassan, Chairman of the seven-member committee set up by the SC to find out ways and means to protect the trees and the environment of the city thereof in the road widening project of 2009, said the committee is pleased with the SC decision as all the 19 recommendations of his committee have been adopted.
He said his committee has also recommended for observing pedestrians day on the canal from Jallo Park to Tokar Niaz Beg one day a month when no traffic but only people on foot will enjoy the beauty of canal. He said instead of widening the road and cutting down trees in the process, the problem of traffic could be addressed by correcting faulty construction of two underpasses, putting the service roads to better use and ring road areas. He said he also recommended for declaring the canal road for the people instead of the motorists and any development of the same should be undertaken with that consideration. The SC decision has given the canal back to the citizens of Lahore, he concluded.
Movement against dowry launched
15/09/2011: A group of social activists have launched a movement to create awareness among people about the negative impacts of dowry on the society.
“Our movement `Tehrik Sadah Zindagi` (TSZ) is not like other non-governmental organisations rather it is a sort of jirga,” Jawad Jalal, the founder of the movement, told a press conference here on Wednesday.
He said that they would visit various villages to seek cooperation of elders, educationists, elected representatives, journalists, religious scholars, politicians, students and working women against the harmful trend of dowry.
Flanked by Abidullah Khan, the sponsor of the movement, Mr Jalal said that the idea to launch a movement against the menace of dowry came to his mind when he spent about Rs1.5 million on the marriage of his daughter and after few months flash flood washed away her house at Nowshera last year.
“I belong to Charsadda district and my house was also washed away by flood. Now I am unable to fulfil the needs of sons and daughters,” he said.
He added that people avoided marrying off their daughters owing to dowry. “People are forced to get loans on interests and mortgage their properties to marry off their daughters as the families of bridegrooms hardly accept a girl without dowry,” he said.
Mr Jalal claimed that harmful customs like dowry were responsible for many crimes and social evils in the society.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Khan said that it had became difficult for middle and lower middle classes to spend such huge money on those customs but they were forced to do so if they wanted to live with honour in the society.
He said that dowry had taken a shape of extortion because a bride having no or less dowry had to face mental and sometimes physical torture in the house of her in-laws. He said that in some cases couples separated on the basis of dowry. “In the prevailing situation, people will have to choose between feeding their families and purchasing costly items as dowry for their daughters,” he added.
He said that they would hold seminars, public meetings, debates, walks, workshops and open discussions in different areas to create awareness among people about harms of dowry.
“The poor parents, who cannot afford dowry, can contact us and we will request the bridegroom`s family through a group of elders of the area avoid demanding dowry,” he said.
He said that first declamation contest on the topic would be held at Peshawar Press Club soon and students of different educational institutions would attend it.
ISLAMABAD: Due to forced marriages and opposition to love marriages by the parents, the number of runaway marriages is increasing, having far-reaching impact on the socio-cultural and legal setup. The runaway couples have to face dire consequences and approach the courts for protection to their lives.
The same is being witnessed in capital as the index has outnumbered previous records in runaway couples approaching courts for marriages of their own will. An examination of the record at district courts disclosed that in June to September 8, 2011 as many as 98 runaway marriages were registered and statement was recorded under section 164 Cr PC for seeking appropriate legal protection from police and infuriated family members.
Besides, 73 applications were filed under 22-A and 22-B for not registration of FIR to seek protection and solemnising their marriages. While in January to May 2011, 77 runaway couples filed applications at district courts against the life threats by their relatives.
In court of Senior Civil Judge Mahmood Haroon 26 cases have been registered from different cities/ rural areas of country and they recorded their statement under section 164 Cr PC for life protection, of which 18 filed under section 22-A and 22-B for registering FIR against their relatives for teasing and threatening.
Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Yaar Muhammad Gondal’s court recorded 16 statement under section 164 Cr PC of runaway marriage couples, in which 12 applications were for seeking protection of life and to direct the police to restrain from teasing and threatening the runaway marriage couples. In the court of ADSJ Kamran Bashraat Mufti 13 runaway marriage couples recorded statements in July- September 2011 which 10 couples filed applications for registering FIR against their relatives.
Same in the court of ADSJ Judge Wajahat Hussain, 21 runaway marriages were registered and couples recorded their statements for life protection, in which 19 runaway couples filed application for seeking protection of lives and court directed the police to restrain from teasing and threatening the couples.
Meanwhile, in the court of District and Sessions Judge 22 runaway marriages were registered and recorded their statements under section 164, in which the 18 applications were of couples seeking protection of lives. According to Islamic law, the parties of a marital contract should possess discretion, understanding, real consent and puberty. After attaining puberty, a girl and boy has the right and full authority to contract a marriage. Constitution of Pakistan also assures the protection of fundamental human rights of every individual that are guaranteed in constitution and provides bases for legislation. Akhlas Chishti, a Nikah Khawan in local mosque said that our religion Islam provides us a complete code of life and guidance on every issue. He said that Islam permits the boy and girl to contract a marriage on their free consent.
13/09/2011: As more than three months have passed since National Assembly approved Acid Control and Acid Crime Prevention Bill 2010, the civil society fears that the legislation will face the same fate as Domestic Violence Bill which lapsed because it was not taken up in Senate within due period of time.
The Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Bill was passed unanimously by the National Assembly in August 2009 but lapsed after the Senate failed to pass it within the three months stipulated by the constitution.
Similarly, the Acid Control and Acid Crime Prevention Bill 2010 was passed on May 10, 2011 but has not been taken up in the Senate for its approval yet. The concern was expressed in a recently held meeting of EVAW alliance, an alliance of civil society organisations and human right activists.
The Acid Control and Acid Crime Prevention Bill 2010 was introduced last year by MNAs Marvi Memon, Begum Shahnaz Sheikh and Advocate Anusha Rehman in a bid to prevent growing incidents of violence against women.
The bill is an amendment in Pakistan Penal Code 1860. It increases the punishment of offenders up to life imprisonment and makes it mandatory for the offender to pay a fine of Rs1 million to the victim.
The amendment in Section 336-B states, “Whoever causes hurt by corrosive substance shall be punished with imprisonment for life or imprisonment of either description which shall not be less than fourteen years and a minimum fine of one million rupees.”
The new insertion in Section 336-A states, “Whosoever with intention or knowingly causes or attempts to cause hurt by means of a corrosive substance or any substance which is deleterious to human body when it is swallowed, inhaled, come in contact or received into human body or otherwise shall be said to cause hurt by corrosive substance.”
Talking to ‘The News’, legal expert Saadia Mumtaaz said that in past, the procedure was to move pending bills to mediation committee. “The same happened with the Domestic Violence Bill when the Senate failed to pass it within the three months but the situation has been changed after 18th Amendment as all mediation committees were dissolved after the Amendment was implemented,” she added.
She said that the bills that were in the legislative process before the 18th Amendment was implemented but relate to provincial affairs would now be passed by the joint session of National Assembly and Senate or such legislation can be taken to the provincial assemblies. “There are around seven more such bills that were in the process when 18th Amendment was passed,” she added.
Advocate Anusha Rehman, one of the prime movers of the bill, said that she was not aware of the fact that the Acid Control and Acid Crime Prevention Bill 2010 could have been lapsed. “I believe that the legislation passed by the National Assembly should get to the Senate in routine process,” she added. She said that she would push for the legislation if it is the case.
29/08/2011: ISLAMABAD: Seeking divorce and custody of four-year old son, it was Robina Khalid’s first appearance in a district court – a shock she was not ready for.
“Everyone was gawking at me. Their eyes were probing me. It was embarrassing,” Robina told Dawn as she appeared in the civil court of Judge Shabana Hameed Mughal in the capital for the dissolution of her five-year old marriage.
She had only heard about “courts” or saw the “proceedings” in the movies – never thought that one day she would have to appear before a court.
“Any respectable woman would never wish to go to court unless she is forced by circumstances.” For her the court’s environment was unpleasant. “It was overcrowded and one cannot stand there properly.”
When her son Majid saw handcuffed criminals at the premises of district courts, he asked questions for which Robina had no answers.
After her first visit to the court, she demanded “exclusive courts” to deal with the family matters.
But apart from the unfriendly court atmosphere, litigation spread over years in the family cases becomes a source of mental agony for women seeking separation but are dependent on their parents or brothers and sisters.
Facing this predicament, Saba Kamran, a teacher in a private school, now knows reasons delayed litigation.
“Lower judiciary is overburdened. Judges hear several cases in a day and they fix next date of hearing after several weeks.”
But this means adding to the difficulties of women.
For speedy trial, Saba also wants separate courts for deciding family matters.
Her counsel, Advocate Akhtar Mehmood said women face problems in the court because of “uncivilised attitude”, adding that it discourages a woman to approach the court on her own despite a disturbed family life.
“In 70 per cent cases, parents support their daughter in dissolution of marriage cases and accompany them in the court. The remaining 30 per cent face a tough time as they have to manage all the court related activities alone.”
He said in some instances, after filing a case against husband, women are harassed and threatened. “In such a situation, police also declare it a family matter as an excuse and do not take it seriously.”
Supporting her client’s view for separate courts for family matters, he suggested three courts comprising two female and one male judge for exclusively dealing with family cases of Islamabad.
According to statistics, in July there were 11,119 regular suits with ten civil judges of Islamabad’s district courts. During the month, 744 new cases were filed while 932 were disposed of.
Out of the ten, seven judges disposed of 123 family cases from a total of 1,153 in July.
Under section 5 of West Pakistan Family Courts Act, courts deal with seven types of family matters; dissolution of marriage, dower (including dowry articles) maintenance, restitution of conjugal rights, custody of children, guardianship, and jactitation of marriage.
The act gives six months to courts to dispose of a family case but currently it takes several years to decide. The National Judicial Policy (NJP) has also set three to six months to decide these cases. “The civil appeals arising out of family cases, custody of minors, guardianship cases, succession and insolvency cases, if competent, shall be decided within 30 days and for any delay, reasons should be furnished to the high court,” according to the policy.
But as the family cases drag on for years, some parties are forced to withdraw petitions and opt for out of court settlements.
Shazia Saleem, an advocate and vice president Islamabad High Court Bar Association, said when the cases linger on for years, the families on both sides suffer. She said from the association platform, “we have asked the authorities to increase the judges’ strength but nothing has been done.”
She said the NJP wants the courts to decide family cases with three to six months but added that cases are being decided in a year or more time with a view to provide “opportunities for reconciliation”.
She agreed that the current environment in courts was not suitable for women and children and family courts must be established at separate locations.
Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, adviser to the prime minister on human rights, said ideally family courts should be separated from other courts. “But it requires extra funding.”He said district courts are functioning at a temporary location. “We need more buildings for Islamabad judiciary to overcome problems faced by litigants.”
Sindhi women publicly announce free-will marriages
05/09/2011: HYDERABAD: Honour killings and forced marriages in Sindh receive wide attention in the national media. What is less well-known is that young women from the province frequently publish announcements in Sindhi newspapers declaring their intention to marry of their own free will.
As a way of fending off allegations that they have been kidnapped or have committed adultery, it is a bold move by these women but is known to few people beyond the readership of these regional papers.
Shabana Khatoon, 23, of Bhango Behan in Khairpur district, declares in widely circulated Sindhi daily Kawish that her parents wanted to sell her to an older man for marriage. Ms Khatoon’s announcement is a summary of an attested affidavit she had a lawyer prepare for her and explains that she decided to run away and marry another man, Ghulam Murtaza Burero, in accordance with Islamic law.
She adds that no one has kidnapped her and that she is making the declaration as an adult in full possession of her senses. In case her parents register a case against her, her husband or his parents, it should be considered fake. Her statement, she says, is meant for purposes of record in case her parents move against her.
Shakeela Sheikh of Umerkot district also seeks protection through an announcement in the same paper, stating that she is divorced and left her parents’ house to marry Ali Ghulam Chandio when they tried to get her remarried against her will. Guddi of Badin announces that her parents got her engaged to Asghar Ali, who used to bear the expenses of her family, but now want to marry her off to a man offering better compensation.
Couples like Ms Shabana and Mr Burero normally first contact a lawyer who prepares an affidavit based on their story that is attested by a judicial magistrate or notary public. They then have a nikah and announce it by publishing an advertisement commonly titled “dhiyan talab” (“seeking attention”) or “qasam namo” (“sworn affidavit”). Some approach a local court to solemnise their marriages, also asking for protection from their families for fear of being declared karo-kari.
A study carried out by Kawish shows that an average of four to five couples announce these free-will marriages in the paper each day, and an executive in charge of advertisements there says this number can be as high as eight or nine a day. The men and women belong to a wide range of districts, tribes and castes of Sindh, including its Hindu communities, although most do not come from affluent families.
Couples who come to the newspaper’s officers are sometimes too poor to afford regular rates, are often scared for their lives, and sometimes send a relative or lawyer instead of risking a visit themselves. Before publishing the advertisements the newspaper asks for signatures and NICs from the couples, attested affidavits, and photographs of the women involved.
Mayaram Rathi, a manager who handles advertising for daily Ibrat, explains that this is not a new phenomenon and that such advertisements have been published for the last three decades. They include various kinds of cases ranging from teenage girls being forced to marry much older men, women being forced to marry men they don’t know and parents breaking engagements for monetary reasons.
In some instances the announcements are published by Hindu girls who have chosen Muslim husbands. They declare that they have converted to Islam, often adding that they were inspired by Muslim neighbours they had been visiting since their childhoods. One reason for the women to opt for this bold step is to prevent harassment by police or simply to seek the protection of law enforcers and the judicial system from their families, who lodge FIRs of theft or kidnapping, pressurise the couples through their communities or seek the help of jirgas.
But according to social worker Lala Hassan Pathan, who has been working on cases of violence against women and free-will marriages for the last seven years, police seldom take note of these announcements or keep them on record. The couples themselves send clippings to local police officers, who rarely take action based on them and sometimes register kidnapping cases on the parents’ behalf despite the existence of these declarations under oath.
According to Mr Pathan, men who end up in police custody for kidnapping in such cases are often tortured while the women are pressurised and sometimes taken away by parents with the knowledge of police. Judges in lower courts, he says, also tend to be unsympathetic towards the couples in free-will cases.
According to women’s rights activist Arfana Mallah, however, the attitude of the lower judiciary towards women is changing and lawyers are now able to go to court with these affidavits without needing the support of NGOs or influential members of civil society.
On the other hand, she says, the publication of these announcements may provoke parents and other relatives and has been followed by the women’s deaths in some instances. Using the media is a double-edged sword for the women of Sindh; the same declarations that can save them from honour killings can also leave them vulnerable to even more angry reprisals.
Women unseen victims of resource wars linked to climate change
05/09/2011: Experts have indicated that women are more likely to be unseen victims of resource wars and violence directly related to adverse effects of climate change.
Bushra Khaliq, general secretary of the Women Workers Helpline, said the phenomenon in years 1999 and 2000 clearly indicated the vulnerability when thousands of poor families had to flee from drought-hit areas of Balochistan where women and children were seen the most suffered sections of society.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature, in its report, stated that there is a common perception that it is men who are the farmers . Contrary to this perception, women in Pakistan produce 60-80 per cent of food consumed in the house.
A report of the World Bank also showed that in Pakistan, especially in the mountainous regions, men out-migrate for livelihood opportunities (from 50% to 63% of the households) and it is the women who look after the family s agriculture piece of land along with many other responsibilities.
According to an official report prepared by the Environment Wing, climate change could hamper the achievement of many of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), including those on poverty eradication, child mortality, malaria, and other diseases, and environmental sustainability. The report of the Environment Wing said like other poor countries, climate change is harder on women in Pakistan, where mothers have to stay in areas hit by drought, deforestation or crop failure.
Many destructive activities against the environment disproportionately affect them, because most women in Pakistan are dependent on primary natural resources: land, forests, and waters. In case of droughts they are immediately affected, and usually women cannot run away. Men can trek and go looking for greener pastures in other areas and sometimes in other countries.
The prime minister recently disclosed in his speech that Pakistan is the 12th most vulnerable country in the world to environmental degradation that would cost five per cent of the GDP every year. So it is quite clear that much of the damage would come in the form of severe economic shocks.
Lead Pakistan, a non-governmental organization, also in its report said the agriculture is the single largest sector in national economy, contributing 21 per cent to the GDP and employing 43 per cent of the workforce of which female are in majority. When there is deforestation, when there is drought, when there is crop failure, it is the women who are the most adversely affected section of the society.
29/08/2011: Pointing towards widespread gender discrimination in public sector organisations, a Planning Commission study has revealed that none of the ministries is setting aside 10 per cent of the jobs for women as required under the Constitution.
“It is concluded that there exists gender discrimination in public sector organisations. None of the ministries has female employees as per quota decided by (the) government,” said the study titled ‘gender discrimination in job opportunities and impact of gender awareness in public sector organisations’.
The study said it was rare for women working in the public sector to get promotions on time. But for this the women themselves were partly responsible because they generally did not get their ACRs (annual confidential reports) completed in time, except for those working in the district management group.
Similarly, in case of rifts with other colleagues, women employees did not have the fighting spirit and thus let other people get promoted. The report said that people might deny it “but the fact is that gender discrimination against women still exists”.
The report said that it was the male mindset which had to be changed, revealing interesting beliefs even in the top government offices. Quoting one example, the report said that during the course of the survey “one high-level officer (name cannot be mentioned) said yes all this work for women empowerment is fine, but still I will say that the best place for women is at home and not outside home”.
Quoting reasons behind gender discrimination, the report said that most girls were not allowed to work with their male members. Parents and husbands still felt among all professions, teaching, nursing and medical were better for women, it said.
Based on a data of 16 federal ministries and the Planning Commission, the report said there were only 112 women working in grade-15 and below against their male colleagues of 2542. Against 31 male officers in grade-21 and 22, there was not even a single woman officer and there were only three women officers in grade-20 against 44 male officers.
In the Planning Commission itself, out of 1214 employees, only 101 were women or only 8 per cent of the total employees. The maximum strength of 35 women, the report said, was in the administration wing and another 34 in its attached cell.
The report said that in the administration, women were employed in lower grades like posts of assistants, stenographers and computer operators who did not have any career ladder.
Devolution of depts Punjab `refuses to embrace` women crisis centres
24/08/2011: The Punjab government has reportedly refused to accept women crisis centres in the province, asking the federal government to take appropriate action regarding their future. The centres have been devolved to the provinces under the 18th Amendment.But, sources said on Wednesday, all other provinces had accepted them. The viewpoint of the Punjab government was that it was not feasible to run the centres in the presence of its own Darul Amaans performing the same functions.
Sources said there were 12 such centres in Punjab, which were established by the federal government. They said the provincial government had also expressed its reservations about the centres when they were being established on the ground that it was running Darul Amaans having the similar mandate in every district.
“One cannot run two institutions providing the same service,” sources said. Meanwhile, the National Commission on the Status of Women has expressed its concern over what it claimed the Punjab government’s decision to close down women crisis centres in the province, urging the chief minister to reconsider the decision.
In a letter to the chief minister, the NCSW has urged him to retain the centres which are providing highly needed and valuable services to women victims of violence.
The letter says that in most cases, the violence against women is perpetrated by their close family members and occurs at home, therefore, it becomes impossible for the victims to feel comfortable and stay safe at the same place and they have to take shelter at a safe place, patronised by the state where they are provided with required services and support.
Through the letter, the Commission has also highlighted the different roles being played by ‘Darul Amaan’ and crisis centres.
In ‘Darul Amaan’, it says, only those women are kept who are sent through the courts and their cases are pending whereas any woman who becomes victim of violence can go to a crisis centre for help. These crisis centres are working round the clock and providing counseling and legal services at the same time and playing a vital role in providing immediate relief to women.
The commission has also appreciated personal commitment of the chief minister towards promoting women’s rights agenda in his province and urged him to continue to play his vital role in providing relief to women victims of violence.
NCSW raises issue of women crisis centers in Punjab with Chief Minister!
23/08/2011: Expressing grave concern over the Punjab government’s decision to close down women crisis centres in the province, the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) on Saturday urged Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to reconsider the decision.
In a letter to the Punjab chief minister, the NCSW has urged the chief minister to retain the centres which are providing highly needed and valuable services to women victims of violence.
The letter says that in most cases, the violence against women is perpetrated by their close family members and occurs at home, therefore, it becomes impossible for the victims to feel comfortable and stay safe at the same place and they have to take shelter at a safe place, patronised by the state where they are provided with required services and support.
Through the letter, the Commission has also highlighted the different roles being played by ‘Darul Amaan’ and crisis centres.
In ‘Darul Amaan’, it says, only those women are kept who are sent through the courts and their cases are pending whereas any woman who becomes victim of violence can go to a crisis centre for help.
These crisis centers are working round the clock and providing counseling and legal services at the same time and playing a vital role in providing immediate relief to women.The commission has also appreciated personal commitment of the Punjab chief minister towards promoting women’s rights agenda in his province and urged him to continue to play his vital role in providing relief to women victims of violence.
All that’s wrong with women’s shelters
Instead of providing refuge to abused women, shelter homes have become sub-jails for incarcerated women By Fauzia Viqar
“Seventeen girls escape Dar-ul-Aman in Quetta. The inmates managed to flee by cutting window grilles of Dar-ul-Aman on Sunday morning.”
This news appeared in various newspapers on July 4, 2011, conveying the impression to readers that Dar-ul-Amans are jails for women brought in on the orders of courts. The impression is somewhat valid because women are referred to Dar-ul-Amans instead of jails by judges. However, Dar-ul-Amans are meant to be places of protection and solace for women survivors of violence. Admission rules and regulations in Guidelines for Dar-ul-Amans notified by the government of Punjab, Social Welfare, Women’s Development and Bait-ul-Maal Department state that “any woman in distress who is referred through a court, NGO or on her own will, shall be eligible to reside in the Dar-ul-Aman.”
Sindh Minister for Women’s Development, Tauqir Fatima Bhutto, had outlined the function of women’s shelters as places for protection for women facing violence in the name of traditions like ‘Karokari’ in the interior Sindh.
These shelters tend to be looked at as sub-jails for incarcerated women only, despite the fact that globally, a women’s shelter is a refuge for abused women. These shelters must not be meant for preventive detention of incarcerated women and residents should enjoy freedom of movement when residing in shelters due to their own free will. Guidelines for Standardisation of Operational Procedures in 34 DUAs across Punjab provide that “The residents may decide at any time, to leave the Dar-ul-Aman. However, if the resident is someone who has been sent by a court then she shall seek permission from the concerned court in addition to signing a discharge slip in order to be allowed to leave the Dar-ul-Aman.”
By putting women accused of a crime in shelters, judicial decisions are lending to societal stereotypes of shelter residents as criminals. This is despite the Supreme Court’s judgment that has made it illegal to keep women accused of a crime in Dar-ul-Amans. Housing incarcerated women in the DUAs sends the signal that all women in a Dar-ul-Aman are criminals. This attitude not only pervades the mentality of the DUA staff, but also the society which tends to stigmatise women residing there. The result is that women victims of domestic violence find themselves in a double jeopardy whereby the institution meant to protect them becomes a means of their exploitation. These perceptions in turn result in victims of abuse avoiding DUA as an option, to escape societal stigmatisation. Shelter staff confirms the fact that housing women involved in criminal cases distorts the environment of the shelter and results in creating a negative bias against all the residents of the shelters.
Guidelines for operating DUA in Punjab outline the functions, structure, management and guiding principles of these shelters. Apart from protection to residents in a manner that ensures their dignity and self respect, a shelter is required to provide essential services such as food, legal support, counselling and mediation, capacity building, medical facilities, psychological therapy, education for children, informal adult education and proper diet.
Unfortunately, these standardised guidelines and rules of business protecting the rights of residents of Dar-ul-Aman and their freedom of movement do not govern women’s shelters functioning across Pakistan. Rules and practices vary widely across provinces and shelters. In some shelters, the inhabitants are allowed to move about freely but not in others. Similarly, several shelters provide free services to the women while others charge a set fee that must be submitted prior to leaving the premises, even if they go to the market.
Even where prescriptive rules are available, their implementation is not uniform across the province. During a recent National Consultation on Standardisation of Operational Procedures for Survivors of Violence in Women Centers and Shelters (Dar-ul-Amans and private shelters), a former private shelter resident revealed that she was treated like a criminal, searched and kept locked up in that shelter. This woman had left her abusive spouse who wanted to burn her, with two young children and took shelter in a Dar-ul-Aman in the hope of support and help with rehabilitation. Instead, her treatment and that of other residents was harsh, and attitude of the staff lacked basic humanity and compassion to an extent that she preferred the alternative of being burnt by her husband to the Dar-ul-Aman.
The shelter resident recalled that the staff refused to help her despite her appeals when one of her children was sick, and needed medication. In the end, women at the centre gathered money to buy antiseptic to clean the child’s wounds.
According to the former shelter resident’s testimony, individuals were forced to reconcile with abusive family members or spouses. She found herself confined and was only able to leave the facility after paying Rs2000 to the staff for her release.
However, her experience in another private shelter was completely different where, she said, she felt she was ‘amongst humans again’ and where she found humanity and compassion.
With high incidence of domestic violence in Pakistan, shelters assume a special significance. Families of most abused women are unable to provide material and emotional support and insist these women continue living with their abusive spouses. In such circumstances shelters become the only resort and hope for women fleeing abusive situations.
To protect the rights of the residents of Dar-ul-Amans and to improve the functioning of shelter homes, it is imperative that standard rules and standards of care be adopted across all shelters in Pakistan.
Some guiding principles must also be adopted to govern women’s shelters. These include respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms of women seeking protection, full protection of law for these women; respect of their right to the freedom of movement, residents’ participation in decisions affecting them, their right to informed choice and voluntary consent to any actions taken on their behalf, accountability and transparency of shelters, and privacy and confidentiality of the residents. These principles must govern the operation of shelters and must be respected at all times.
Basic standards for treatment and care of women in distress must also be provided. These include, providing women with refuge against violence, abuse and exploitation; facilitating their access to justice; ensuring that protection and services to such women is provided in a manner that recognizes and respects their right to security, liberty and dignity; ensuring that women are assisted for relief and redress against violence or threat of violence; and that rehabilitation programmes for psychological, social and economic recovery and empowerment of women are provided.
Domestic violence (Prevention and Protection) Bill, August 2009 failed to pass through the Senate. It contained a comprehensive definition of domestic violence which included physical, emotional and financial abuse of victims. If passed into legislation, the resultant definition of abuse will lend much support to women victims of abuse in women’s shelters and impose greater hardship on abusive spouses.
“Women’s role crucial in sustainable development” - CEO Shirkat Gah Khawar Mumtaz
24/07/2011: Women s development plays a vital role in sustainable development, said the climate change and sustainable development experts in a media discussion forum on Inspiring leadership for sustainable development held here on Sunday.
According to a press release, the discussion was a part of three-day action lab organised by Lead Pakistan. News Analyst Dr. Moeed H Pirzada moderated the discussion whereas Dr. Akmal Hussain, Professor of Economics, Beaconhouse National University, Khawar Mumtaz, CEO, Shirkatgah, Lahore, Dr. Adil Najam, Member Board of Governors of Lead Pakistan and Lead Pakistan Chief Executive Officer Ali Tauqeer Sheikh participated in the discussion. More than 200 participants including international and national climate experts, media people and students attended the discussion.
Lead CEO Pakistan Ali Tauqeer Sheikh said that whether there is development or a disaster, women are central to this. Women are sidelined in both cases and marginalisation of women cannot bring about development in a larger sense.
Akmal Hussain said, The way we use our current resources like land and water in terms of agriculture need to be treated better.
Qamar Zaman said climate change is also part of sustainable development. We need to create such machines that take into account the dangers of climate change. The interesting thing is that poor countries are more vulnerable to climate threats. They do not have the means to adapt to severe climate changes. On a national level, the poor are the ones who are most vulnerable to floods, he added.
Adil Najam said that disaster is man made. A disaster is a roof collapsing; because it is weak, not because of nature. Also it is not only that women are vulnerable in Pakistan, they are also closer to nature. In the sense that they have to manage the households so they need to be taught how to deal better with nature, he added.
Khawar Mumtaz said that everyone plays an important role in sustainable development, women, men, poor and rich. Whoever has the most power, will make the decisions related to such objectives.
21/07/2011: Maryam Majd, a women’s sports photographer, arrested on her way to film the Women’s Soccer World Cup in Germany, has been released on bail, of 100,000 US Dollars, because of poor health. Maryam Majd disappeared on her way from Tehran, Iran, to Dusseldorf in Germany on the 17th of June 2011. She was held in Tehran's notorious Evin prison, in ward 2A, controlled by the Revolutionary Guards. Ms Majd was expected in Germany for two months during the Women's Soccer World Cup 2011, in order to produce a photographic record of the different soccer teams.
Actresses Marzieh Vafamehr and Pegah Ahangarani were arrested within the past two weeks on unspecified charges. Documentary filmmaker Mahnaz Mohammadi, also a women's rights activist, was arrested in June by Iranian security forces. Pegah Ahangarani, 27, was scheduled to go to Germany to participate in TV programmes about the Fifa tournament, but was picked up from her home in the capital by security officials on Sunday 10 July. See the Guardian newspaper for further information.
Source: Iran Daily Brief; The Guardian; Radio Zamaneh
Celebrating 20 years of Shirkat Gah in 1997, Khawar Mumtaz explains the vision and work of the organization. She believes in keeping a low profile and letting Shirkat Gah’s work speak for itself.
Manzur Ahmed Sarwar Bano Benevolent Trust donates to Shirkat Gah
05/07/2011: Former Federal Secretary Gulzar Bano donated Rs. 50,000 to Shirkat Gah in recognition of our work.
After a recent introduction to SG work and publications on women's empowerment and women’s issues, former poet, Auditor General and the first woman to reach the esteemed post of Federal Secretary in Pakistan, Ms. Gulzar Bano decided to donate to Shirkat Gah. This contribution was made from her family Trust Fund, the Manzur Ahmed Sarwar Bano Benevolent Trust.
We are very grateful for Ms. Bano’s acknowledgement of Shirkat Gah’s work and the confidence she has reposed in our organization. This acknowledgement means a lot coming from a woman who has served women’s cause since the creation of Pakistan and has an insight into the work of NGOs. This generous donation will allow Shirkat Gah to continue on its mission of creating a just, vibrant, progressive and democratic society.
Reproductive Health Poster : Sehatmand Maan – Sehatmand Muaashra
07/08/2011: This is a poster highlighting the precautions to be taken during pregnancy and after delivery.
Size: 17 x 22 – 2011 — Price Code: I — Language(s): Urdu
UN report urges governments to implement laws regarding women
07/08/2011: UNITED NATIONS: More than half the world’s working women are trapped in insecure jobs, often without protection from labour laws. Some 600 million women live in countries where domestic violence is not a crime. And just 28 countries have parliaments where at least 30 per cent of the lawmakers are women.
Female journalists continue working despite threats in burgeoning Afghan news media
07/08/2011: KABUL: Farida Nekzad has faced threats of kidnapping, acid attacks and a plot to blow up her apartment since she founded her first news agency in Afghanistan seven years ago.
Punjab tops list of most reported cases of violence against women
05/07/2011: Of the total 8,000 cases of violence against women in Pakistan 650 cases were reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the year 2010, said Aurat Foundation in its annual report released here on Tuesday.
The report titled `Violence against Women (VAW) in Pakistan 2010` was launched here at the Peshawar Press Club wherein the foundation`s project director Shabeena Ayaz gave details of the report.
Giving breakup of the 8,000 VAW cases in the country, she said that 5,492 cases occurred in Punjab, 1,652 Sindh, 650 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 79 Balochistan and 127 cases in Islamabad.
Flanked by programme manager Shereen Javed, Ms Shabeena said that the ratio of violence against women in the country had increased by 33.17 per cent from January to December 2010.
She said that these cases included 2,236 of kidnapping/abduction, 1,436 murder, 486 domestic violence, 633 suicide, 557 honour killing, 928 rape, 74 sexual abuse, 32 acid throwing, 38 burning and 1,580 cases of miscellaneous nature of violence against women.
Ms Shabeena said that Punjab province topped the list with most VAW cases, which included 1,890 kidnapping, 758 killing, 246 domestic violence, 424 suicide, 233 honour killing, 741 rape and gang rape, 39 sexual assault, 20 acid throwing, 33 burning and other 1,108 cases of minor nature.
She said that Sindh reported the second most VAW cases that included 246 cases of kidnapping, 308 murder, 136 domestic violence, 140 suicide, 266 honour killing, 157 rape and gang rape, 34 sexual abuse, three acid throwing and 362 cases of miscellaneous nature.
The foundation official said that in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 77 cases of kidnapping, 328 murder, 89 domestic violence, 54 suicide, 22 honour killing, five rape and gang rape, one acid throwing, three burning and 71 cases of miscellaneous nature were reported. However, she said that no case of sexual assault was reported in the province.
She said the in Balochistan, two cases of kidnapping, 15 murder, four domestic violence, eight suicide, 36 honour killing, six rape and gang rape and five acid throwing cases were reported, but no case of sexual abuse was recorded in the year 2010.
Ms Shabeena said that 21 kidnapping/abduction cases had been reported in Islamabad in 2010 besides 27 cases of murder, 11 domestic violence, seven suicide, 19 rape and gang rape, one sexual assault, three acid throwing and one case of burning.
She stressed the need for proper legislation to prevent the growing incidents of violence against women in the country and urged the parliamentarians to play their due role for curbing the menace from the society.
Sexual harassment at workplace remains unchecked despite recent law
05/07/2011: A national committee that watches the implementation of the law against sexual harassment at workplaces passed last year has observed that many social, cultural and technical obstacles still stand in the way of implementing the law.
Participants at a review meeting of the national implementation watch committee (NIWC) held in Islamabad on Tuesday regretted that woman workers continue facing intimidation, bullying and verbal attacks.
They regretted that military, judiciary, certain government departments and media houses did not respond to the NIWC`s queries about implementation of the law in their establishments.
“We sent several letters to the army and even the judiciary, several media houses and the Pakistan International Airlines but there was no positive response to our requests for formation of committees which could address the complaints of women related to sexual abuse,” Dr Fauiza Saeed told Dawn .The speakers said that because of traditional methods of data collection, the implementation of the law remained a dream.
Those who spoke on the occasion included Chairperson National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) Anees Haroon, human rights activist Jamil Yousuf and member NCSW Dr Fouzia Saeed.
The NIWC, representing all provinces, was formed by the NCSW on May 10, 2010. It is operating through the regulatory bodies and key umbrella institutions like State Bank of Pakistan, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) and the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to facilitate the implementation of the legislation.
The law against sexual harassment, which was passed with a great zeal on March 9, 2010. Women however continue suffering condemnable incidents of harassment every day. They suffer more so because they lack awareness of the law and avenues to express themselves.
The NIWC has evolved a web-based mechanism where organisations will generate information about their compliance with the law. They will make compliance with the law by setting up their inquiry committees and announcing a code of conduct.
“This database will enable us to document the implementation of the law in more systematic and calculated way. It will also point out the loopholes where we will further provide advocacy,” said Dr Fouzia Saeed.
This database is an important development towards providing women a more secure environment at their workplaces. The speakers appreciated the role of all partner departments and institutes which were on board and added that the Prime Minister Secretariat was the first one to comply with the law. Four media organisations have also adopted the code and set up inquiry committees for addressing sexual harassment issues.
“We used the conventional methods for assessing the implementation level of this law but it failed to deliver. We cannot gauge the actual parameters by using these old fashioned methods which are in practice for so many years in Pakistan,” said Jamil Yousuf.
The speakers said implementation of the law against sexual harassment would help in ensuring participation of women in national development. “Dynamics of family economics will change if we give women honour, protection and dignity at workplaces.”
WAF speaks out in support of Punjab University students protesting the IJT's ruthless behaviour
30/06/2011: Last week, Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba activists tortured a male student, Kashif, found sitting and conversing with a female class fellow in the Philosophy department. The incident set the wheel in motion as the University campus has been abuzz since then. Following the attack, female students of the Philosophy department protested against the IJT's hooliganism. Soon, male students, teachers and students from other departments joined in as well.
The IJT responded with a strong-worded statement saying that they will not support or allow any immoral activity from students or teacherson campus. However, the University administration and students alike maintain that the IJT has no right to torture other students. The administration has taken this opportunity to purge the hostels of IJT supporters. Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran has said: “The IJT vigilantes should know that they are no more recognised on the varsity campus and all of their offices, including those on Hostel No 1 and Hailey College, have already been sealed.”
On Monday night (26th June), two dozen IJT activists, some armed with firearms, stormed Hostel No 7 and dragged out sleeping students to torture them. A guard was injured in the raid and the assistant superintendent of the hostel was held at gunpoint. Several students were injured and two had to be hospitalised.
Several civil soceity groups, including the HRCP and WAF, have spoken out strongly against the IJT.
27/06/2011: With global temperatures set to rise by 3 degrees as opposed to the previous estimate of 2 degrees, the displacement of people as a result of worsening climatic conditions is now a bigger concern than ever before. The term 'environmentally displaced person' has thus entered our vernacular. People most at risk of suffering because of this include women, children, the elderly, handicapped and the poor.
The Nansen Conference on Climate Change and Displacement held at Oslo recently highlighted the need for contingency planning in this regard. The Nansen Principles adopted at the end of the conference pointed to the need for the cooperation between national goverments, international bodies, foreign governments, local goverments, civil society and the private sector in predicting and minimising the damage of phenomenons like floods and droughts.The need for prevention by prediction, planning and timely intervention was stressed greatly.
CHARSADDA, June 25: With increase in intensity of heat wave, the public anger over the unabated power outages in different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has also gone up with women in Charsadda taking to the streets for the first time against prolonged loadshedding and low voltage on Saturday.
Fed up with the hours-long unannounced power cuts, women from different localities staged a protest demonstration at Farooq Azam Chowk here on Saturday and blocked all the link roads passing through this main square for over three hours in intense heat. Social activist Safia Noruz and Lala Rukh advocate of Pakistna Tehrik-i-Insaf led the protest rally.
They chanted slogans against the Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) for what they called creating subhuman conditions for the people to live in during the hot weather conditions. Speaking on the occasion, they criticised the parliamentarians from the area, saying they had got settled in Islamabad and were least bothered about the problems of people of their constituencies.
Later, Assistant Coordination Officer Naeem Khan reached the venue and persuaded the angry protestors to end the blockade of roads, which caused worst traffic jam. On the ACO`s assurance that their demands would be conveyed to the commissioner Peshawar and Pesco authorities, the protesting women ended their protest and dispersed peacefully.
In Swat, police baton-charged and fired tear gas shells to disperse a protest demonstration against power outages at Barikot tehsil. The PTI had organised the protest demonstration.
The protestors blocked the main highway linking Swat with parts of the country which saw the police swinging into action resorting to baton charge and firing tear gas shells at the protestors. The police also briefly detained six local PTI activists, including Fazal Ahad, Aman Jan, Qasim and Naeem Khan.
The people ended their protest after army officers in the area assured them that the problem of unannounced power loadshedding would be resolved in five days.
In Mansehra, hundreds of people blocked the Mansehra-Oghi road on Saturday against the prolonged and unscheduled loadshedding. The angry protesters also took out rallies in Jabory and Barkund areas and blocked roads for over two hours.
The traffic between Mansehra and Oghi and Mansehra and Jabory remained suspended for quite some time. The blockade was lifted when the police officials reached the spot and assured the protesters that their grievances would be communicated to the Pesco chief.
In Lower Dir,the Jamaat-i-Islami, Jandol chapter, held a demonstration against the rampant power outages and threatened to launch a long march towards Timergara if the problem was not solved. The protesters blocked the Peshawar-Bajaur road at Munda and chanted slogans against the rulers. Zonal chief of the JI Izazul Mulk and others on the occasion said after 18 hours loadshedding it seemed there was no provision of electricity in the area.
Provincial Commission on the Status of women, KP condemns the tragic stoning of a young woman
Provincial Commission on the Status of Women, KP (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa)
Press Release
24/06/2011: The Gender Based Violence Committee of the Provincial Commission met to take note of the violent death of a young women stoned to death by her husband and a group of friends or relatives in the village of Bairoch village in Mardan.
The Commission condemned the act in the strongest possible terms as barbaric and inhuman. That a such an incident should take place in the twenty first century in our province and country is extremely disturbing and is a sad and tragic commentary on the state of affairs in our province regarding prevailing mind sets, social and cultural backwardness and weakness of our institutions, be they educational, related to law and order or justice, for bringing about a positive change.
The Commission calls upon the government to take appropriate steps to curb alternate systems of justice such as the local jirga that passes inhuman judgment against women for issues related to family and honour. It should take notice of the horrendous act of stoning a woman to death and provide exemplary punishment to the culprits to set a precedent and serve as deterrence to such violence against women.
Female students at PU protest against IJT
23/06/2011: Female students of the Punjab University (PU), on Wednesday, boycotted their classes and held a protest demonstration against Islami Jamiat Talaba to condemn the torture of a male class fellow by an IJT nazim in addition to using abusive language for female students.
The female students organised themselves in front of the Vice Chancellor’s (VC) office and staged a protest, demanding the administration to launch an anti-IJT operation in PU hostels to vacate rooms held by IJT non-student affiliates. Some IJT activists who had previously tortured several students, on Wednesday, again physically attacked a student from Geology department, namely Kashif, for committing the “sin” of sitting with his female class fellows.
After this incident, female students from different departments gathered and organised themselves to launch an anti-Jamiat rally. The students were carrying placards inscribed with anti-IJT slogans. They also chanted slogans like “Go Jamiat Go” and “Taliban Murdabad”.
Later, they also held a protest in front of the VC’s office and demanded the VC to take action against IJT and provide protection to the students from the illegal IJT activists.
PU Resident Officer, Javaid Sami, said that IJT activists Adnan Rathor and Abrar had abused the female students, after which the varsity’s administration sent their case to the disciplinary committee.
A large number of female students from different departments, including political science department, Institution of Education and Research, biochemistry and biotechnology, geology, stats and geography department gathered inside the varsity and staged an anti-Jamiat protest. Some female students also condemned the Punjab CM Shahbaz Sharif and said that the CM never bothered to take notice of IJT’s hooliganism at the varsity.
A student, Rabia, said that female students had been receiving threats from local Talibans who were living in the varsity’s hostels. She said it was condemnable that the CM, who made high claims for good governance in the province, failed to take any steps in this regard and the female students were no longer safe and institutions had become a hub of extremism. She said that students were tortured in the past but the CM did not take any action despite being briefed about the entire situation by the VC himself.
Another student, Ayesha, said that they expected their male colleagues to also protest against the abusive attitude of the IJT towards female students, however, they feared the brutal consequences of taking part in the protest. Nevertheless, we the female students are not afraid to raise voice against this injustice, she added.
She said that the hypocrisy of these IJT activists was evident from the fact that they openly practiced all kinds of illegal activities, including thefts and dacoities, but beat innocent students just for talking to or sitting with their female colleagues.
Meanwhile, another student Maria, said that the IJT had brutally tortured some students last week who had to be hospitalised. “These Jamiat activists have no respect for humanity as well as women,” she said, adding that they had crossed all limits today by using abusive language for female students, which compelled the students to come on roads to record their protest.
The protesting students demanded for a meeting with the VC, however, they were unable to approach him and Resident Officer (RO) Javaid Sami consequently listened to the students’ grievances. Sami said that the administration would take serious notice of the incident and will bring the culprits to the book. He assured the students that the case would be taken seriously and proper action would be taken against those involved in the shameful act.
NCSW shocked at Mardan incident and urges authorities to register FIR against Jirga
NCSW Press Release
23/06/2011: The National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) is shocked and horrified at the recent incident in Mardan, where a young girl was first brutally stoned and later shot to death. This is the most gruesome act of violence against women in the country. This violent action was taken on the behest of Jirga, which decided this penalty for the unfortunate young woman, who wanted to live life of her own choice.
The NCSW considers this an extreme act of brutality and urge the authorities not only to punish the culprits who took part in this heinous crime but also the Jirga which has been the main driving force behind such biased, brutal and wild decisions against women. Such decisions of Jirga’s are so rampant and there is no anybody to challenge their authority.
The Commission strongly appeals to the government of Khyber Pukhtun Khuwa to show same commitment and resolve which it has shown in the case of Neelor Bala incident. To prevent such heinous crimes against women in society, the law has to take its due course on the Jirga’s and eliminate its illegal judicious role which has resulted in gross violation of women’s rights.
-- With greatest wishes,
Tahira Noor, Manager Media/Communication/Advocacy National Commission on the Status of Women-Pakistan Government of Pakistan
House 39, Street 56, Sector F-6/4 Islamabad - Pakistan 44000 Phone: +92-51-9224875,9209885 Fax: +92-51-9224877
Rare reflections – Shirkat Gah’s Fauzia Viqar article in The News on Sunday
Rare reflections Instead of endless discussions, little personal acts can contribute to a much better societ
By Fauzia Viqar
“So, what do you think is going to happen to Pakistan?” This is the question being asked across Pakistan by the rich and the poor, across the ethnic and across geographical divide. Even though, similar concerns were expressed in drawing room discussions for as long as I can remember, the question is asked now with a sense of impending doom and in all seriousness.
People are concerned about the galloping poverty where Pakistan ranks 125 out of a total of 169 countries in terms of the human development index (HDI), down two points since 2005. For those who may be new to the term, HDI is calculated on the basis of three dimensions, namely a long and healthy life which is reflected in statistics on life expectancy at birth; access to knowledge which looks at the mean years of schooling and expected years of schooling instead of adult literacy and gross enrollment ratio; and a decent standard of living measured by the GNI per capita (PPP US$). In Pakistan, life expectancy at birth is 67.2 years, mean years of schooling are 4.9 years, per capita income is USD 1051 and Pakistan ranks 112th in gender inequality in the world.
Shirkat Gah condemns the murder of Professor Saba Dastyari in Quetta, Baluchistan
Press Release
TORONTO – June 01, 2011: Baloch Human Rights Council (Canada) expressed deep sorrow over the targeted killing of Prof. Saba Dashtyari in Quetta today. Prof. Dashtyari was shot dead by unknown assailants, allegedly members of the military intelligence death squad, while he was on his way to Balochistan University where he taught Islamic history and theology.
UPDATE: Saudi Arabia: Al Sharif released, 17 June Women to Drive campaign continues
Saudi authorities on Monday freed a woman jailed nine days ago for her role in promoting the right to drive for Saudi women. Manal Al Sharif, a 32-year-old computer security specialist employed by the oil giant ARAMCO, was detained May 22 after she defied the kingdom's ban on female drivers and posted a video of her action on YouTube, as part of a national campaign.
The divorced mother of a 5-year-old son was charged with “inciting women to drive” and “rallying public opinion.”“Another chapter has been added to the Saudi women's struggle for freedom and equality with a great young new hero called Manal Al-Sharif,” veteran women's rights activist Wajeha Al Huwaider wrote in an email. “As the Arabs say, ‘The dogs bark but the caravan continues moving ahead.'” Another Saudi female expressed relief at Al Sharif's release and quickly added that “we will continue this (driving) campaign.” (Source: http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/999652--saudi-woman-who-drove-home-her-point-is-released)
Congratulations to Ms. Fathimath Dhiyana Saeed on becoming the 1st Women Secretary General of SAARC
H.E. Uz. Fathimath Dhiyana Saeed Secretary – General South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) SAARC Secretariat PO Box 4222, Tridevi Marg, Kathmandu, Nepal
31 May 2011
Dear Uz. Dhiyana Saeed,
Re: Greetings from the South Asian Women’s Health and Rights Advocacy Partnership (WHRAP)
Warm greetings from the South Asian Women’s Health and Rights Advocacy Partnership (WHRAP)!
We would like to extend our sincere and heart-felt congratulations to your appointment as the Secretary General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
It is a seminal achievement for the region to have appointed its first woman and the youngest member to occupy this prestigious position and we wish you all the best for your leadership.
We welcome your strong background in legal reforms, human rights and gender issues as well as the consolidation of democratic governance in the Maldives. We look forward to meeting you and working with you as a part of Women’s Health and Rights Advocacy Partnership (WHRAP), an initiative in South Asia that brings together more than 10 national women’s rights and health rights organisations across the 8 countries of the SAARC Sub-region, to collaborate on the realisation of the sexual and reproductive health and rights agenda, of both the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) as well as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The Women’s Health and Rights Advocacy Partnership is a regional strategy of the Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW) which promotes marginalized women’s sexual and reproductive health in the region. WHRAP in the South Asian sub-region is implemented as a partnership project between the Danish Family Planning Association (DFPA) as the international partner, ARROW as the regional partner, five leading national women’s organizations including the Beyond Beijing Committee (BBC) in Nepal, Naripokkho in Bangladesh, Shirkat Gah in Pakistan, Centre for Health Education, Training and Nutrition Awareness (CHETNA) and SAHAYOG in India as national partners. Enclosed is the list of the organisations with more details.
Another significant part of this partnership is the thirty eight (38) Community Based Organisations which are partners of the national organizations who work directly with the women on the ground. WHRAP-South Asia mobilizes and empowers women and communities to actualize their rights and demand accountability which helps to make it sustainable. The immediate objectives of WHRAP – South Asia for the next three years are:
Increased demand for quality health services
Increased civil society participation and advocacy at all levels for policy and programmes attention to SRHR.
Organization and management of WHRAP is strengthened.
WHRAP was first implemented in 2003 in four South Asian countries: Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan. Its success has led to expansion of the modality in China in 2008 and in six countries in South East Asia in 2009. From 2011, WHRAP-South Asia is expanding to Afghanistan, Bhutan, Maldives and Sri Lanka to cover the whole of South Asia.
In its Phase II (from 2006-2010), WHRAP-South Asia has reached out to 9 broad categories of stakeholders from local to the global level to achieve results like grassroots women beginning to demand accountability, increasing responsiveness of the health care providers and health systems, greater public visibility of SRHR and maternal health issues, monitoring role being played by media, alliances and partnerships at various levels for SRHR, Maternal Health and many others. In the same phase it has directly reached out to more than 160,000 women on the ground building their capacity in monitoring the heath systems and to articulate their demands more confidently. This has forced the health systems to begin respecting these community groups and start paying attention to the issues that they are raising.
As a result of the meetings we held between WHRAP-South Asia and the SAARC Secretariat in 2008 and 2009, our national partners in Pakistan, Shirkat Gah was officially invited to participate within national level committees of the intergovernmental and SAARC Gender Info Base project. We were also honored to have the former SAARC Secretary General H.E. Dr. Sheel Kant Sharma launch one of our publications entitled “Advocating Accountability - Status report on maternal health and young people’s sexual and reproductive health and rights in South Asia” in 2009 in Kathmandu.
Through our further engagement with SAARC during your tenure, we hope that WHRAP-South Asia will be able to contribute more effectively in cooperation with your esteemed office, towards an improved quality of life through strengthened sexual and reproductive health and rights of marginalised women as well as accountability in health governance.
We look forward to meeting you and working with you soon. Sincerely,
Saira Shameem Executive Director Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW) On behalf of the Women’s Health and Rights Advocacy Partnership South Asia
Danish Family Planning Association - DFPA based in Denmark is working to promote worldwide sexual well-being, wished-for-children and no sexually transmitted diseases for everyone. Health concerning sexuality, pregnancy and birth is a human right, regardless of nationality, age, gender, religion or marital and social status. For more on DFPA, please visit www.sexogsamfund.dk
Asian Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women - ARROW based in Malaysia is committed to advocating and protecting women’s health needs and rights, particularly in the area of women’s sexual and reproductive health. ARROW relies on effective partnerships and collaborations. For more on ARROW, please visit www.arrow.org.my
Naripokkho based in Bangladesh is a membership-based, women’s activist organization working for the advancement of women’s rights and entitlements and building resistance against violence, discrimination and injustice since its founding in 1983. For more on Naripokkho, please visit: www.naripokkho.org
Centre for Health Education, Training and Nutrition Awareness – CHETNA in India raises nutrition and health consciousness among disadvantaged social groups through capacity enhancement of Government and Civil Society functionaries. For more on CHETNA, please visit: www.chetnaindia.org
SAHAYOG in India works with the mission of promoting gender equality and women’s health using human rights frameworks through strengthening partnership-based advocacy. For more on Sahayog, please visit: www.sahayogindia.org
Beyond Beijing Committee- BBC in Nepal is dedicated towards a nationwide campaign to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women, and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights is one of the principal issues of the organisation. For more on BBC, please visit: www.beyondbeijing.org
Shirkat Gah (SG) in Pakistan is a Women’s Resource Centre formed in 1975 and aims to promote women’s empowerment through a rights based approach that ensures that women have access to the rights and services they are entitled to. For more on Shirkat Gah, please visit www.shirkatgah.org
Reclaiming Space: From Victimhood to Agency: A South Asian Conference by Rozan in Pakistan, Sept 11
A three day South Asian conference on issues of violence against women, and emotional health of children youth and women is being organized in Islamabad in September 2011. The conference aims to review policies, activism and institutions in South Asia with the onjective of bridging the gap between theory and practice and conditions. For details and the call for abstracts, please follow:
NCSW Lauds the Government for Filing Appeal against FSC Judgment regarding WPA2006
30/05/2011: The National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) welcomes the filing of appeal by the Federal Government against the judgment passed by Federal Shariat Court (FSC) dated: 22-12-2010, whereby, several sections of the Women Protection Act 2006 were declared illegal and unconstitutional.
A delegation of the NCSW comprising Chairperson Ms.Anis Haroon and members of Law Committee Justice(R)Majida Razvi, Justice(R)Kalash Nath Mehta, Ms.Nasreen Azhar,Ms.Raashda Anwar and Lawyer Ms.Saadia Mumtaaz met the Law Minister Mr.Maula Bakhsh Chandio in connection with the judgment of the FSC.
The delegation was informed by the Law Minister that the appeal has already been filed by the Federal Government on 26-05-2011 against this judgment.
The Law Minister also assured his full cooperation to the Commission for the advancement of women's empowerment.
Shirkat Gah supports Anjuman-e-Muzareen Punjab
17/05/2011: Anjuman-e-Muzareen Punjab (AMP) took out a peaceful protest against the illegal occupation of their lands that they cultivated for years by military. The protest took place at a time when an important meeting regarding the ownership of these lands was taking place at Chief Minister’s office on Mall road, Lahore.
Shirkat Gah supports AMP movement and demands the Punjab government to fulfill its promise of giving ownership rights to landless peasants of Punjab.
UNCPD adopts Resolution on 'Fertility, Reproductive Health and Development' at it's 44th Session
05/05/2011: The United Nations Commission on Population and Development (UNCPD) held its 44th session from 11-15th April 2011 in New York. The theme of this session was “Fertility, Reproductive Health and Development’. A report by the Secretary General on fertility, reproductive health and development was reviewed by the commission on this occasion. The report presented by the General Secretary noted that while fertility rates across the world have declined, the speed and timing of the decline varies considerably. The commission also adopted a resolution on “Fertility, reproductive health and development’. For a copy of the resolution, please detailed report
The Commission on Population and Development also decided that the special theme for the forty-sixth session of the Commission on Population and Development in 2013 will be “New Trends in Migration: Demographic Aspects” and the theme of its forty-seventh session in 2014 will be devoted to an “Assessment of the status of implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development.”
Women’s Action Forum expresses disappointment at the Supreme Courts verdict in Mukhtar Mai’s case
Women’s Action Forum expressed deep regret and disappointment at the Supreme Courts decision to acquit five out of six accused in the Mukhtar Mai case.
Mukhtaran Mai had filed appeals against the order of the LHC, Multan Bench, commuting the sentence of one accused and acquitting the abettors involved in gang-raping Mukhtaran Mai on June 22, 2002. The rape occurred on the orders of a Punchayat (village council) convened by the influential Mastoi tribe in the village of Meerwala in southern Punjab. The Punchayat was called to seek punishment for Shakoor, the 12-year-old brother of Mukhtaran Mai. It was suggested that Shakoor marry the girl with whom he was accused of having an affair and Mukhtaran Mai marry a man of the Mastoi tribe. But the Mastois rejected this and insisted that the offence of adultery be settled with adultery. Mukhtaran Mai was called by the Punchayat to apologise for the conduct of her brother who had already been sodomised by the Mastois. She was allegedly dragged to a nearby hut and raped by four men.
A case was registered against 14 accused under the Pakistan Penal Code, the Anti-Terrorism Act and the Hudood Ordinance. Four of the accused were charged with raping Mukhtaran and the rest for abetting the crime. In August 2002, an anti-terrorism court sentenced six men to death (four for raping Mukhtaran and two for being part of the punchayat). The remaining eight were acquitted. Mukhtaran Mai filed separate appeals in the LHC’s Multan Bench against the acquittal of the eight men.
Shirkat Gah joins civil society to show solidarity with Mukhtaran Mai
22/04/2011: Shirkat Gah – Women Resource Centre along with dozens of other human rights organizations staged a demonstration at Lahore Press Club to express its shock and disappointment on the Supreme Court decision to uphold Lahore High Court’s verdict into Makhtaran Mai case.
The protestors carried banners and slogans inscribed with slogans protesting biased and inefficient nature of the criminal justice system. The protestors expressed that this decision will further strengthen the anti-women parallel legal and judicial system and mechanisms in the country. The protest was attended by a large number of civil society members.
SG CEO highlights the need for advancing FP & RH for achieving ICPD agenda by 2014 & MDGs by 2015
Ms. Khawar Mumtaz, CEO- Shirkat Gah (Khawar) was part of a government delegation to New York to attend the 44th UN Session on Population and Development.
Ms.Mumtaz was also invited to speak as a CSO representative from South Asia for a UN Foundation and USAID hosted Delegate Luncheon on “Advancing FP and RH for achieving ICPD agenda by 2014 and MDGs by 2015”. The luncheon meeting was chaired by Executive Director UNFPA, Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin and co-chaired by Dr. Marleen Temmermen, Member of Belgian Senate. In her 7 minutes remarks, Khawar highlighted women rights framework for achieving MDG/ICPD goals and focused on girls education and SG’s work regarding standardization of age of marriage as a key lever for development and empowerment of women.
For details regarding the Pakistani delegation's presentation at the 44th session ofthe UNCPD, please click here .
NCSW expresses shock at verdict in Mukhtar Mai Case
NCSW Press Release Islamabad
NCSW and members of IHI disappointed at the verdict of Supreme Court in Mukhtaran Mai case
21/04/2011: The National Commission on the Status of Women and members of Insani Huqooq Ittehad, including PODA, Women's Action Forum, Mehergargh, Aurat Foundation, Rozan, Sungi, Bedari, Ethno Media, Pattan and SPO convened an emergency meeting to express deep shock and disappointment at the verdict given by the superior court in the Mukhtara Mai gang rape case today. Although the judgment did prove that Mukhtara was raped because one accused did get life imprisonment, while others were acquitted; we are surprised to see why only one accused was punished and others were acquitted when it was a case of ‘gang rape’.
The Commission and members of civil society felt that the entire legal process was a reflection of a biased and inefficient criminal justice system. This case has been a classic example of how the facts were distorted and documentation of the evidence was tampered with at all levels.
The group expressed concern at the long delays to dispense justice. The victim was raped in 2002 on the instructions of the local Panchayat. In 2005 the Chief Justice of the superior court took suo moto notice of the case. Despite the intervention it took more than nine years to come up with this decision, which is a source of concern for the women of Pakistan. It is feared that this decision might further strengthen the anti women parallel legal and judicial systems and mechanisms in the country. We feel that the criminal justice system too is not pro women and is patriarchal in nature. Impunity seems to be the order of the day.
In cases of complaints women victims are burdened to provide a series of evidences which is not possible for them. It is the responsibility of the police to do the investigation and come up with the requisite evidence. Currently, methods of recording evidence by police are biased against women; and that is one reason why they do not get justice from the courts. Cases that are registered reflect faulty investigation by the police and loopholes are left, perhaps intentionally, to be exploited by the power brokers.
There is also an urgent need to look at the issue of representation of women in all systems and mechanisms dealing with matters of crimes and justice. The absence of women in the lower and upper judiciary is paving the way for verdicts against women victims, and there is a dire need to start a rational discourse on the lack of women’s representation within the courts.
Today’s judgment has shaken the confidence and sense of security of women in Pakistan to stand up for their rights. The outcome of the Mukhtara case discourages survivors of rape and gang rape to report these crines. However, we are proud of Mukhtara Mai, who stood bravely against all intimidation and harassment and has refused to buckle under life threats. She has given a message of courage and hope to all women victims of the country, and we consider her a role model for the women of Pakistan.
Finally, we also condemn the insensitive and chauvinistic attitude of some sections of the media, who were showing their approval of the verdict by grinning and clapping after they recorded the responses on the judgment. The owners and editors of these media houses are urged to inculcate a sense of responsibility in their representatives when covering sensitive women's rights issues.
Supreme Court’s detailed judgement on Mukhtar Mai’s case
Supreme Court’s detailed judgement on Mukhtar Mai’s case
The Supreme Court of Pakistan has upheld the Lahore High Courts verdict on the Mukhtar Mai case. This means that five out of the six accused are acquitted and one will complete the life imprisonment sentence given earlier.
For a detailed reading of the Supreme Court’s verdict in the Mukhtar Mai case, please follow the following link:
Lahore, April 17: Ms. Zohra Yusuf and Mr. Kamran Arif were today elected chairperson and co-chairperson respectively of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. The other office bearers of HRCP elected are: Treasurer Mr. Zafar A. Chaudhry, Vice chairpersons: Balochistan, Mr. Tahir Hussain, Punjab, Ms. Salima Hashmi, Khyber Pakhtunkhaw, Mr. Sher Muhammad Khan, Sindh, Mr. Amarnath Motumal. The other members of the council elected are: Dr. Tahira Kamal, Mr. Zahoor Ahmed Shahwani, Ms. Nasreen Azhar, Mr. Saleh Zada, Mr. Jarar Hussain, Ms. Shahida Parveen, Ms. Asma Jahangir, Ms. Hina Jillani, Mr. M. A. Joseph Fransis, Ms. Nazish Ataullah, Mr. Attiqur Rehman, Mr. M. Irshad Chaudhry, Mr. Nadeem Anthony, Dr. Mehdi Hassan, Mr. Abdul Rehman Jan Sarhindi, Mr. Muneer Ahmed Memon, Mr. Ronald deSouza, Mr. Akhtar Hussain Baloch, Mr. Asad Iqbal Butt, Dr. Mohammad Ali Siddiqui, Mr. Ghazi Salahuddin, Ms. Parveen Soomro, Mr. Badaruddin Soomro and Ms. Uzma Noorani. The election was conducted by an Election Committee headed by Ms. Neelum Husain and Mr. M. I. Khan and Mr. Nasar Ali Shah as members.
Violence Is Not Our Culture – Film Screenings at Universities
08/04/2011: As part of the Violence Is Not Our Culture campaign, screening of documentaries made by students for Shirkat Gah’s film festival have been organized in Punjab University and Lahore College for Women University.
On April 5th, screening of the winning documentary, Decade, was held at Punjab University. The aim of the screening was to involve the larger student body in order to highlight the use of culture and religion to perpetuate violence against women. In the discussion that followed the screening, students asked numerous questions to the filmmakers which led to a healthy discussion. Punjab University is notorious for being the stronghold of Islami Jamieth Talba (IJT), the student wing of religious-political party Jamat-i-Islami. For this reason, some questions asked by members of IJT were of political nature including Shirkat Gah’s stance on Raymond Davis, Dr. Aafiya Siddique and drone attacks. Overall, the event was successful in the sense that it was attended by more than 50 students students and faculty members, and also because of the fact that discussion on women rights is not common in Punjab University.
Screening of two documentaries, Apna Haq Pehchano and Burn Life, was held at Lahore College for Women University on April 8. The event was attended by more than 250 students of different departments of the university. In the discussion that followed the screenings, various forms of violence against women including physical, emotional, sexual and financial were discussed. The role of culture and religion to justify violence against women was also discussed.
A screening of the winning documentary, Decade, was also organized for women TBAs at Shirkat Gah office. The film was received well by audience. The women said the documentary closely narrates reality in rural part of Punjab and many could easily relate to it. Many were of the view that education has enhanced understanding of women rights and subsequently empowered women.
Aman Ittehad Network presents a ‘New Social Contract’
The Aman Ittehad Network, a group of almost 200 NGOs from across the country, presented a ‘New Social Contract’ on the occasion of a National Convention held at Lok Virsa on 31st March 2011. The new social contract has been compiled after a series of people’s assemblies and provincial conventions and introduces a set of reforms that must be introduced for a peaceful state.
This event was preceeded by a press briefing on 22nd March 2011 to discuss the new social contract designed after more than 15 peoples assemblies and conventions to elicit views from all segments of society.
Mumkin EVAW Alliance holds consultation with parliamentarians on Domestic Violence Bill
04/04/2011: Mumkin EVAW Alliance, a network of 15 civil society organizations, held a “Provincial consultation with parliamentarians and political parties on domestic violence bill in Punjab” at the Mall hotel on Thursday 30th March 2011.
Network members include Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, AGHS Legal Aid Cell, Strengthening Participatory Organisation, South-Asia Partnership, Action Aid Pakistan, ASR Resource Centre, Aurat Foundation, Shirkat Gah Women Resource Centre, Medecins du Monde-France, WAR against Rape, Women Empowerment Group, National Commission on Justice and Peace, Pakistan Catholic Women’s Organisation and Women Workers Helpline besides a representative of UNIFEM.
Najma Sadeque’s “An Untold People’s History” unveiled in Islamabad
31/03/2011: Shirkat Gah –Women’s Resource Centre launched the documentary “An Untold People’s History” by Najma Sadeque at the Margalla Hotel in Islamabad. The event was attended by people from all walks of life including civil society organizations and film makers.
Shot in Sindh and Punjab, “An Untold People’s History” is the story of the ordinary people of Pakistan through their experiences- what their expectations were and what ultimately happened. The film takes a closer look at the modern day Pakistani’s knowledge and perceptions of his/her country’s origins and history. The film depicts that to be a part of the progress or to understand relevant and contentious issues, especially in troubled times, it is necessary to know one’s history. In a nutshell, the documentary successfully describes the policies and decisions that, despite Pakistan’s vast resources and rich potential have led to the country’s present state.
PRHN in collaboration with WAF condemns the stance of the Government regarding LHWs
29/03/2011: Statement from Pakistan Reproductive Health Network (PRHN), in collaboration with Women’s Action Forum (WAF) on violence against Lady Health Workers (LHWs)
Pakistan Reproductive Health Network (PRHN) in collaboration with Women’s Action Forum (WAF) condemns the stance of the Government regarding LHWs and urges authorities to fulfill their demands.
LHWs represent Pakistan’s commitment to the health of women, specially under-served rural women. This commitment came at the time of the 4th World Conference on Women (Beijing 1995), and Benazir Bhutto, as the Prime Minster of Pakistan, took the historic decision to develop this cadre of health care professionals and special funds were allocated for the programme. This was a two prong approach for women’s development – improve women’s health through women community based workers . Rural women, otherwise deprived of opportunities for development and well being, became the primary beneficiaries as thousands of LHWs were recruited and trained to provide house to house services. This was also a giant step towards honoring the 1978 Declaration of Primary Health Care that proposed health as a fundamental right.
LHW programme has been evaluated by donors and researchers alike. It has made significant contribution to the health of women and children. LHWs as women have also benefited thereby fulfilling the goals of women’s development departments of Pakistan.
Today, LHWs have been abandoned by the Federal and Provincial Government s of Pakistan. Their basic and reasonable demands have been met with violence and indifference. We support their demands of payment of their dues, and regularization of work as just and reasonable. We believe Government is obliged to respond amiably and rationally, and not violently as has been demonstrated by the DCO of Ghotki .
It has been reported that FIRs have been filed against 800 lady health workers and they are to be tried in anti terrorist court. 29 women, 4 kids and 8 men were given the remand by ATC and were sent to jail within few hrs.
PRHN and WAF condemn this brutal treatment of LHWs, and urge you to ensure the following:
Release all LHWs, their children and men, from jail
Withdrawal of all cases against the LHWs
Acknowledge the importance of LHWs for women’s health, especially in rural and remote areas, and integrate this cadre in the health system.
Declare a moratorium on the LHWs programme for five years whereby the programme functions as a Federal Programme. The five years to meet the following goals:
Transition of LHWs programme to Provinces (in two years)
Transition of LHWs programme to districts (in three years.)
Without any delay announce a Task Force to make a five year transition plan.
Violence against Punjab’s landless tenants must be curtailed and compensation delivered!!
29/03/2011: Anjuman Mazareen Punjab (AMP) is a movement of 1 million landless tenants based in 10 districts across Punjab. The movement seeks to get ownership rights over lands they have cultivated for generations. The movement originated against the Punjab governments decision to sell 500,000 acres of prime agricultural land to foreigners and multinational companies. The allotment would have affected over 10,000,000 local tenants and peasants whose livelihoods depend on this land. Last year as a result of protests by AMP the Government of Punjab promised to give ownership rights to tenant farmers. However, very little progress has been made since then. As part of their struggles, the farmer had planned a long march to Lahore on 29th March 2011. This was undermined by police brutally attacking the peasants and inciting violence through baton charge and use of tear gas. More than 60 kissans were injured during this incident and some are still missing. AMP demands that persons arrested during this time be released immediately and the false charges leading to farcical court cases be dropped. Furthermore, the farmers must also be compensated for loss of and damage incurred to their various properties during the violence.
Peoples Joint Action Committee (JAC) joins AMP in condemning the highhanded tactics and rigid stance of the Punjab Government and urges it to fulfill the peasants demands. JAC also expresses solidarity with women who will bear the brunt of dislocation resulting from a confrontation with the government.
LUMS and Shirkat Gah conference on ‘Rebuilding Pakistan after crises’ concludes
28/03/2011: The Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at the Lahore University of Managements Sciences (LUMS) and Shirkat Gah organized the 6th Annual Humanities and Social Science Conference on the 25th, 26th and 27th of March, 2011. The Conference was titled ‘Global Transformations and Local Mobility: Rebuilding Pakistan after crises’ and aspired to comprehend and analyze Pakistan’s growing significance on the international stage of politics and within the realm of academic inquiry. The conference was attended by Bushra Aitezaz, Bettina Robotka, Marta Bolognani, Mikkel Rytter, Richard Ganis, Farida Shaheed, Khawar Mumtaz, Rasul Baksh Rais, JV Hemandez, Amina Samiuddin, Dr. Sean McLoughlin and other renowned international and national speakers.
Shirkat Gah relief and rehabilitation activities in the village of Tindodag
22/03/2011: Shirkat Gah's relief and rehabilitation activities in in the village of Tindodag for families of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) covered
in Words of Peace Global (WOPG)- an international charitable foundation blog
16/03/2011: The second event under ‘AN ACRE FOR EVERY WOMAN’ took place on 16th March, 2011.
It was designed mainly for government and CBO school teachers on the request of Prof. Anita Ghulamali. It was a shorter, tighter programme (3 hours) than the first (5-1/2 hours) for a much bigger audience (181) than the last (123), but included four new items – a short-short film on ‘jumpstarting’ a tree, demonstrated by Mr. Fatehali; photo slideshow on the 'living pharmacy', Aloe Vera; photo slideshow on "16 square feet" (to produce enough leafy veges for a year for one person); and a live, animated presentation on engaging and teaching children to grow plants and discover nature by Farah Ali, a teacher specialising in doing exactly this.
Shagufta Alizai, Collective Member, who was supposed to be moderator, was unable to attend as she was down with pneumonia, and Tahira Khan took over a dual role as moderator and Urdu voice-over.
The audience was a very different one from the previous one. Of the 181 participants, 111 were teachers, mostly from government schools invited by the Sindh Education Foundation. Twelve of the teachers were from private English medium schools (including 3 from Beaconhouse). Inviting a few private schools was a last minute thought as we did not have a list of them handy; in any case, we wouldn’t have been able to accommodate many more. The rest were NGOs and individuals.
The event was dedicated to late Saneeya Hussain, much-missed member of the Shirkat Gah Collective. A short photo-based film on her life was screened. Mrs. Najma Hussain, Saneeya’s mother, spoke on the Saneeya Hussain Trust set up with Saneeya’s finances to help underprivileged women students. Mariam and Hilda attended. Meher (Marker), a member of the Saneeya Hussain Trust, also came.
The event ended with Prof. Anita Ghulamali, chief guest, sharing her thoughts with the audience, and plenty of praise for GEI-Shirkat Gah. Visibly touched, she made a personal donation of Rs. 100,000/- to the Saneeya Hussain Trust there and then.
Feedback was gratifying from all quarters. It brought the usual requests for repeat performances at schools and other institutions. For most government teachers, it was a first-time exposure. The downside was that although the chicken patties and jalebis were very good (and the samosas OK), the sandwiches were not, and the tea was somewhat cold. The caterer has been warned.
Women, Religion and Politics: Two-day International Confernce to mark 100 years of Women's Day
Lahore, March 18, 2011: Heinrich Boll Stiftung and Shirkat Gah – Women’s Resource Centre held an International conference on “Women, Religion and Politics” at a local hotel in Lahore, to mark 100 years of International Women’s Day. The two day conference is the last in a series of events exploring the gendered dimensions of various religious and political paradigms and their impact on women’s’ lives in Pakistan and across the world.
Distinguished international scholars including Ms. Yesim Arat from Turkey, Ms. Magdalena Mosiewics from Poland, Dr. Hema Goonatilake and Ms. Homa Hoodfar from Iran, Professor Deirdre Good from USA, and Roshan Dhunjibhoy from Germany presented papers on challenges faced by women in relation to religion and politics. Speakers from Pakistan included Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Social Sector Ms. Shahnaz Wazir Ali, MNA Bushra Gohar, Heinrich Boll Stiftung Country Director, Britta Petersen, Shirkat Gah CEO Khawar Mumtaz, Shirkat Gah Research Director and UN Independent Expet in the field of cultural rights, Farida Shaheed, Sheen Farrukh, Sahar Gul, Ayesha Tammy Haq, Neelam Hussain, Dr Rubina Saigol, Nabiha Meher Sheikh, Dr. Ayesha Siddiqa, Nishat Kazmi, Justice (Retd) Metha Kailash Nath Koli, Dr Anita Mir and Naeem Shakir. The conference was attended by people from all walks of life including academics, current and former government representatives, national and provincial parliamentarians, civil society representatives, students, media personnel and human rights activists.
On the last day of the conference, Khawar Mumtaz chaired the session on State and the Citizen which examined the dynamics of state and citizen interactions, and the role of religion in fostering or repressing conflict between religious groups. Professor Deirdre Good presented her study titled “Church and Politics: Implications on Gender Equality” and argued religion tends to enforce social norms and cultural values. In this session, Neelam Hussain explored ways in which women dars teachers in Pakistan use language and authoritative sources to legitimize their own position.
Dr. Ayesha Siddiqa presented her paper called Red Hot Chilli Pepper Islam and concluded that there is absence of intelligent thinking and an alternative narrative discourse in the society which would allow the youth to think ‘out of the box’. Rubina Saigol discussed emphasis on content differentiation for men and women’s education within faith based organizations resulting in a sexual division of labour, and difference in views on educating between secular and religious groups in a session on youth, religion and education in Pakistan.
On the first day of the conference, Ms. Anne Jenichen from Germany presented findings of a UNRISD study, focusing on the functions religion assumes in different national and cultural contexts, their implications for women and the role of democracy in helping women defend their rights against conservative interpretations of religion.
Farida Shaheed from Shirkat Gah delivered the key note address exploring the challenges posed to gender equality by the contemporary privileging of particular religious institutions and notions of religion in state and society across the world -to women’s detriment.
Yasim Arat and Homa Hoodfar examined the gendered implications of the intertwining of Islam and politics in Turkey and Iran followed by an examination by Dr. Hema Goonatilake of the contemporary inequality of women in Buddhist countries of South East Asia leading to refusal of full ordination of women. Negative impact of Catholic Church on democracy and women’s rights in Poland was highlighted by Magdalena Mosiewicz.
The two-day conferences ended with musical performance by Zeb and Haniya and poetry recitation by renowned feminist poet Kishwar Naheed. Zeb and Haniya performed “Chal diye” and a Turkish song called “Dalaar” while Kishwar Naheed recited her poems including “The grass is really like me” and “I am not that woman”.
16/03/2011: CEDAW is an acronym for the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. It is the first international treaty that addresses discrimination against women comprehensively in all areas. Consequently, it is also referred to as the international bill of rights for women. It was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1979 and came into force on 3 September 1981. It calls on states to respect, protect, and fulfil women’s human rights, and requires states to expressly consent to taking on obligations to implement the treaty through the act of ratification. The ratifying state is referred to as a state party to the Convention.
The Convention has been ratified by all South Asian countries. The act of ratification is an acknowledgement of the commitment of the South Asian countries to eliminate discrimination against women from private and public spheres of life through the implementation of the provisions of the treaty. Ratification signals an agreement to submit periodic reports to the UN on the progress made in respect of compliance with the treaty obligations and a willingness to receive recommendations for enhancing and improving the implementation of the treaty.
This website seeks to facilitate the advancement of the implementation of CEDAW in South Asia by making resources dedicated to the region available more widely. It facilitates the regional sharing of information, knowledge resources, country updates, announcements of capacity building and learning opportunities, and updates on developments relating to CEDAW within the UN aimed at strengthening the implementation of CEDAW. It provides a brief but comprehensive overview of all dimensions of CEDAW, along with links to additional information and details on CEDAW.
S Gah CEO, participates in workshop on ‘Feminist Political Ecology and Global Environmental Justice
15/03/2011: Shirkat Gah CEO, Ms. Khawar Mumtaz participated in ‘Feminist Political Ecology and Global Environmental Justice: A workshop in feminist studies’, from March 7-10, 2011 sponsored by the Henry J.Leir Academic Conference Luxemburg Program-Clark University at Am Klouschter in Mondorf-les-Bains, Luxemburg.
Other participants and panelists on this occasion included Ms Wendy Harcourt, Editor, Director, Society for International Development, Italy, Niclas Hallstrom, What Next Forum, Sweden, Giovanna Di Chiro, Director Environmental Programs at Nuestras Raices, USA, Anita Nayar, Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era, India, USA and Yvonne Underhill-Sem, Centre for Development Studies, University of Auckland, New Zealand. The convener was Dainne Rocheleau from Geography Department, Clark University, USA.
Citizens Charter for Sustainable Rehabilitation of Flood Affectees
14/03/2011: The National Humanitarian Network and Civil Society Representatives, in an effort to help the Government of Pakistan streamline its flood rehabilitation activities have developed a Citizens Charter for Sustainable Rehabilitation of Flood Affectees. This document highlights the issues which the Government of Pakistan must address if its citizens are to make a full recovery from the devastating 2010 floods and to avoid repetition of this disaster. Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) working alongside flood affectees have identified a range of failures of national political management which heightened people’s vulnerability to the surge of water passing through the country’s river system. The paper collates concerns which CSOs have raised at multiple forums and presents a draft charter of demands for improvements to disaster management in Pakistan.
SGah participates in the proceedings of the 16th session of the Human Rights Council at UN Geneva
14/03/2011: The Violence is Not Our Culture (VNC) Campaign in association with the Women Reclaiming & Redefining Culture Program (WRRC) launched its publication, ‘Control and Sexuality: the revival of Zina laws in Muslim Contexts’ on 11th March 2011 during the 16th session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) at the UN in Geneva, Switzerland. A panel discussion on Zina Laws, Human Rights and State Accountability was also held on this occasion.
Participants included international intellectuals and scholars such as Prof. Heiner Bielefeldt, UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Ziba Mir-Hosseini, Legal Anthropologist, London Middle East Institute, Vanja Hamzic , Researcher at School of Law, King's College London, Turkey– Seval Yildrim, Law professor at Whittier Law School, and Zarizana Abdul Aziz, Chair, Women Living Under Muslim Laws and Adviser, VNC Campaign.
Shirkat Gah, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Khawar Mumtaz, spoke in a panel discussion on ‘The lived realities of women under Zina.’ Madhu Mehra, IWRAW Asia Pacific Executive Director, Partners for Law and Development (India) was the moderator on this occasion.
The publication addresses zina laws, the laws in Muslim contexts that criminalize any illicit sexual activity outside of marriage such as adultery and fornication. It presents five (5) case studies i.e. Iran, Pakistan, Indonesia, Turkey, and Nigeria, where zina and zina laws had taken root but manifested in varying forms and degree of application in Islamic jurisprudence.
Similarly, UN Independent Expert for Cultural Rights and Shirkat Gah Research Director, Farida Shaheed presented a paper on ‘Unpacking ‘culture’ from a human rights perspective' during a panel discussion on ‘Cultures, Traditions and Violence against Women: Human Rights Challenges’ during the 16th session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) at the UN in Geneva, Switzerland. This discussion was organized in collaboration with like-minded organizations and networks working on similar issues at national, regional and international levels. The organizing team comprised of VNC together with Partners for Law in Development (PLD) and International Women’s Rights Watch Asia Pacific (IWRAW AP).
Other presentations at this event included ‘The intersections between gender-based discrimination, violence and ‘culture’ and the multiple impacts these have on women.’ by Madhu Mehra of International Women’s Rights Action Watch- Asia Pacific and Partners for Law in Development, “The Violence is not Our Culture Campaign: A perspective on ‘culture’ and VAW.” presented by a VNC partner and “Contestation around ‘culture’ and rights from within and without: A perspective from the indigenous women’s struggles in Latin America.” by Karmen Ramírez Boscán, a leader of the Epinayu clan of the Wayúu indigenours community in Colombia.
The discussion sought to present a feminist human rights standpoint on the ongoing debate on universalism vs. cultural relativism at the UN, to continue to address the issue of the intersections between ‘culture’ , gender –based discrimination and violence against women and to broaden alliances through networking with Geneva-based NGOs, UN agencies and like-minded missions. A summary statement based on the panel discussion will be prepared and published by the organizers as a contribution to the ongoing debate in the UN human rights system on ‘culture’ and human rights.
International Conference on ‘Women, Religion and Politics’ on 17th -18th March 2011
14/03/2011: On the occasion of 100 years of International Women’s Day, Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung and Shirkat Gah- women resource center have organized an International conference on Women, Religion and Politics to be held on 17-18th of March, 2011 in Lahore.
Heinrich- Boll- Stiftung and Shirkat Gah have in the past held a series of activities in relation to Women, religion and politics. Our first event was the launch of Farida Shaheed's country study “Gender, Religion and quest for Justice in Pakistan”: This was then followed by a second event in form of a National conference on this subject.
This International conference is the third and the last event under the series and scholars, activists, and academics from USA, Thailand Germany, Poland, Iran, Turkey, Sri Lanka, and Singapore will present papers on this occasion.
Women’s Action Forum (WAF) strongly condemns the murder of Federal Minister for Minorities Affairs
07/03/2011: Women’s Action Forum (WAF) condemns in the strongest terms the brutal murder of Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Minorities Affair, Shahbaz Bhatti who took a principled stand for justice to those victimized by misapplication and misuse of the law. The slain was one of the few political leaders who continued to resist radical forces and speak up against extremist elements. His murder is the latest in a series of events attempting to silence the voices of all those not in agreement with their views by using illegal and violent means to impose militant religious ideology undermining democratic dialogue. It is part of a malicious campaign for deliberately misusing religion to provoke and incite violence. Such actions are a gross violation of the rights of minorities as embodied in the Constitution of Pakistan and make them more vulnerable to violence and aggression.
WAF urges that such actions must not be tolerated. These forces must not be allowed to thrive and prosper. They must be held accountable for their actions and stopped immediately and effectively, from making a mockery of the state, its legal system and its law enforcement agencies. The state must formulate a strategy to punish perpetrators of such actions and break the cycle of impunity. This is absolutely critical to safeguarding the life, livelihoods and sanity of all citizens of Pakistan.
It is high time for political forces to play their expected role and not avoid responsibility to steer the nation on a saner path rather than succumbing to pressure from mischievous elements. No nation can survive in an environment where debate, discussion and dialogue are not possible because of fear, and where intimidation is used as a political tactic for the furtherance of interests harmful to the country. The media in particular must use its influence to inculcate a culture of peace and intolerance in society.
WAF expresses its heartfelt support for the aggrieved family, the Christian community and all those victimized by such actions. We appeal to the Pakistani nation to not be influenced by destructive forces that use religion or politics to further lower the potential for peace and prosperity in our country.
Convener WAF
An Acre For Every Woman
22/02/2011: The Green Economics Initiative launched its "An Acre for Every woman" Campaign with a full-day advocacy and demonstration workshop on 22nd Feb, 2011, at the PACC Auditorium in Karachi. 123 people from 20 NGOs, 18 CBOs, 7 trade unions and 2 universities, plus some in individual capacity attended the event.
The event included presentations in the form of short documentaries and photo-slideshows, as well as live demonstrations and Q&A by 85-year old Mr. Futehally (organic farmer for 55 years) and Rahat Haque (horticulturist). The documentaries included SG-Green Economics films "UNSUNG PEASANT (by Shireen Pasha), LIFESTYLE FROM THE LAND (by late Nazo Jamil Haq - on the work of Mr. Futehally), and borrowed films from Deneb Sumbul on how peasant women work and what they earn ("A WOMAN'S HARVEST"); and a filmed demo of growing foodcrops in containers ("MINI-FARMING WITH RAHAT HAQUE").
Naween Mangi, head of Bloomberg Int'l News Agency in Pakistan, made a presentation on cheap, indigenous, low-maintenance waste treatment systems for villages, developed by OPP and successfully implemented for only Rs. 5 lac each (no forex).
The event was meant for women exclusively but 4 gentlemen requested invitations. At the end of the workshop, starter kits (baskets of prepared soil, packs of ipil ipil compost, and assorted seeds) were given to the audience who had registered in advance as would-be practitioners.
Shirkat Gah holds Inter-University Film Festival ‘Violence is not our Culture’
03/03/2011: Shirkat Gah (SG) organized an inter-university film festival on Thursday, 3rd of March 2011 at the Ali Institute of Education, as part of its campaign titled ‘Violence is not our Culture’. This event also marked 100 years of International Women’s Day (1911-2011). The event was attended by university students, Civil Society and NGO members as well as people from all walks of life.
The film festival was a joint initiative of Shirkat Gah and WLUML-Women Reclaiming and Redefining Culture (WRRC) program and sought to dispel societal misconceptions regarding violence against women (VAW) and cultural and religious justifications for it. Under Shirkat Gah’s assistance and technical guidance, students from four leading universities made short films on the prevalence of violence against women in our society and its various forms. Participating institutions included Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Lahore College for Women University (LCWU), Punjab University and Beacon House National University. These films raise awareness about gender based violence and advocate for the eradication of VAW among the youth of Pakistan through the medium of film-making.
The films were judged by a jury consisting of independent filmmakers and women rights activists. Ms. Bushra Mateen, Former Vice Chancellor LCWU was the Chief Guest upon this occasion. 1st prize was awarded to Mr. Atif from Punjab University while 2nd prize was won by students of LCWU. The film festival not only showcased the work of these students but also provided an opportunity to encourage and recognize the efforts of the students. Screening of each film was followed by an interactive question & answer session. Addressing the audience on this occasion, Ms. Bushra appreciated the efforts of the students. CEO SG Ms. Khawar Mumtaz also spoke about the prevalent misuse of culture to perpetuate violence against women in Pakistan and highlighted the efforts of the students in portraying various forms of violence through their documentaries and films.
Blasphemy law and women's rights in Pakistan by Fauzia Viqar
08/02/2011: Asia Bibi, a Christian woman and mother of five, was sentenced to death in November 2010 for blasphemy in Pakistan, the first conviction of its kind for a woman. Ms Bibi was accused by a group of female Muslim labourers who complained that she had made derogatory comments about the Prophet Mohammed.
The Governor of Punjab, Salmaan Taseer, supported Ms Bibi and asked for a presidential pardon for her. He was murdered on 3 January 2011 by his own bodyguard for what is thought to be his public support for Ms Bibi. His murderer was hailed as a hero, not only by religious fundamentalist elements of society but many others including lawyers who garlanded him when he appeared in court.
Sherry Rehman, a Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) parliamentarian, who submitted a bill in December 2010 seeking to repeal or at least review blasphemy laws, with proposed amendments including consideration of the intent of the accused, must now fear for her life.
Blasphemy laws in their current draconian form are very different from their original form in the Indian Penal Code, under which damaging or defiling a place of worship or a sacred object was deemed a criminal act. Pakistan’s Criminal Code extended the ambit of the law by adding sections that dealt with enraging religious feelings in the people and defiling the Qur’an.
However, it was under the Islamisation of Pakistani society and the military dictator, Zia ul Haq, that a section was inserted in the Criminal Code to criminalise defamation of the Prophet Mohammad, and make it unishable by life imprisonment. Zia added the death penalty as an option for this conviction. Nawaz Sharif, Zia’s prodigy, made death mandatory in 1990 for punishment under this section.
Since 1986, blasphemy law has somehow become a rallying point for Islamists and Muslim vigilantes, who oppose any amendment to the law with threats of anarchy. When Sherry Rahman proposed her bill on blasphemy laws, thousands rallied across the country, calling for ‘jihad’ and pledging to sacrifice their lives to protect the honour of the holy Prophet Mohammad.
Mullahs and religious leaders have used skewed interpretations of Islam to establish their personal power and control over society since the creation of Pakistan. They have therefore leveraged all opportunities to garner support for religionbased laws in Pakistan. Religion has also been used by leaders across the political spectrum to further their political power.
Leaders like Zia, Nawaz Sharif and even Bhutto and Zardari have promulgated or supported retrogressive laws like the Hudood Ordinances, legislation declaring the Ahmadis to be non-Muslims, and Nizam-e-Adl legislation (April 2009) that formally established shari’a law in the Malakand division and would have led to ‘Talibanisation’ of the region. Support from leaders who were not particularly inclined to the conservative ideology forming the basis of these laws demonstrates the political utility of religion and the extent of the hold of militant religious groups in Pakistan.
Individuals and groups have also used laws like the blasphemy law for personal gains and private vendettas. According to the Independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), the allegations of blasphemy tend to be “premeditated”, levied against others for reasons of personal enmity, economic rivalry or political motivation. However, the citizens of Pakistan have historically not supported militant or conservative Islamic groups in public polls and have condemned unfair legislation like the hudood laws that punish the victims of rape. Thousands of lawyers came forward to defend a misinformed notion of blasphemy and its punishment.
It is ironic that 500 lawyers signed up to defend Taseer’s killer while none of them protested the killing of 32 victims accused of blasphemy since 1986. Many of these victims had been acquitted by courts and others were killed in horrifying incidents of vigilante justice, even within jails.
Women’s rights have generally been perceived as a Western issue and contrary to Pakistani culture and tradition. It has therefore been an uphill battle to ensure that women’s rights to equality and nondiscrimination are understood as part of all fundamental human rights. The extreme and almost universal support of misinformed notions of blasphemy shows the level of religious intolerance prevalent in society. This coming together of people from across society including so-called moderate Pakistanis raises serious doubts about the future of human rights and especially women’s rights in Pakistan.
Women’s Action Forum (WAF) condemns murder of Governor Punjab Salman Taseer
Press Release
6 January 2011
Women’s Action Forum CONDEMNS in the strongest terms the brutal murder of the Governor Punjab Salman Taseer
Lahore, Jan 6, 2011: Women’s Action Forum condemns in the strongest terms the brutal murder of the Governor of Punjab, Salman Taseer, whose principled stand for justice was deliberately and maliciously distorted by extremist elements in the country in the pursuit of their own political ends. Incitement to violence in the name of religion has become widely prevalent in the country and the state has failed in its duty to curb this mischief. The murder of Salman Taseer is part of a strategy adopted since the time of Zia ul Haq to misuse religion in order to undermine democratic dialogue and to establish religious autocracy. This is unacceptable in a Muslim majority country no particular group should be allowed monopoly over religious views.
This must stop now! There must be a strong and effective law in this country to hold accountable elements that are deliberately provoking and inciting violence in the name of religion. This is critical for safeguarding the right to life and security of the people of Pakistan is safe guarded.
It is high time for political forces to play their expected role and not avoid responsibility to steer the nation on a saner path rather than succumbing to pressure from mischievous elements. No nation can survive in an environment where debate, discussion and dialogue are not possible because of fear, and where intimidation is used as a political tactic for the furtherance of interests harmful to the country. The real issues before us are those of economic stability, peace, security and well being of the people. These issues are being overshadowed by campaigns of hatred that are pitting citizens against each other.
The media has a great responsibility to adopt policies encouraging freedom of expression and public debate. At the same time, they must restrain elements within themselves who are misinforming and misleading the public on events and issues.
We appeal to the Pakistani nation not to be influenced by destructive forces that use religion or politics to further lower the potential for peace and prosperity in our country. WAF Working Committee
Shirkat Gah joins Civil Society to lobby for peace in Pakistan
01/01/2011: Rallies were held in 108 cities and town across Pakistan under the auspices of Aman Ittehad, a campaign aimed at creating a peaceful Pakistan. For details regarding the rallies, please follow the following links:
Aman Ittehad Rallies to be held across the country on 1st January 2011
NGOs to hold peace Rallies across country tomorrow
* Rallies expression of solidarity with those suffering violence in any form
* NGOs urge govt to end military operation in Balochistan
Staff Report (Daily Times, Friday, December 31, 2010)
31/12/2010: LAHORE: The Aman Ittehad (Unity for Peace), an alliance of several leading civil society organisations against terrorism in Pakistan, has given a call to hold 108 rallies across the country on Saturday (tomorrow) afternoon as an expression of solidarity with those suffering from violence in any form, including suicide attacks, bomb blasts, targeted killings and kidnappings.
Representatives of some of the non-government organisations, including Khawar Mumtaz of Shirkat Gah, Muhammad Tahseen and Irfan Mufti of South Asia Partnership-Pakistan, Mumtaz Mughal of Aurat Foundation, Asma Rehman of Labour Resource Centre and Salman Abid of Strengthening Participatory Organisation, announced this at a press conference held at the Lahore Press Club on Thursday. They said thousands of people would participate in these rallies to urge the government to focus their policies on security and well-being of masses.
They said they had sent invitations to all the stakeholders, including politicians, lawyers, journalists, traders and businessmen and NGOs to participate in the rallies. Some prominent personalities had confirmed their participation in the rallies, but due to security reasons, their identity could not be disclosed before the rallies, they added.
They said the participants would condemn the use of political, military or economic power for oppression or exploitation of the people and demand an end to the protections of state and non-state actors to those who violate laws and encourage militancy and extremism by their words and actions. They demanded urgent action to resolve the Balochistan issue and ensure security of life and livelihood to the Baloch people.
They urged the government to refrain from use of force and immediately end military operation in Balochistan. They also called for mechanisms that provided effective recourse to those who were suffering at the hands of state institutions, extremists and terrorists.
Media Coordinator Farzana Mumtaz told reporters about the Aman Ittehad, which was a citizens’ platform striving for peace, democracy and justice in the country and calling for a shift in Pakistan from a security to a welfare and secular state as envisioned by Quaid-e-Azam.
About the ‘Solidarity Day’, she said the day was an expression of power of ordinary citizens, and a call to exercise their choice and free will. About the rallies, she said Aman Ittehad would hold 12 rallies in Balochistan, 30 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, nine in FATA, 34 in Punjab, 16 in Sindh, three in Gilgit-Baltistan, two in Azad Kashmir and one in Islamabad.
JAC for People's Rights calls for abolition of Federal Shariat Court
Daily Times - Site Edition
Parliament urged to abolish Shariat Court
* JAC for People’s Rights calls it parallel justice system
* Shariat Court trampling on parliament, higher judiciary
Staff Report
31/12/2010: LAHORE: The Joint Action Committee for People’s Rights (JAC for People’s Rights), a major alliance of prominent civil society organisations working for human rights in Pakistan, has urged parliament to abolish the Federal Shariat Court as “it is a parallel justice system”.
Representatives of different non-government organisations in JAC, including Khawar Mumtaz, Hina Jilani, Shah Taj Qazalbash, Mehnaz Rafi, Tanveer Jahan, Bushra Khaliq, Madiha Gohar, Naseem Zahra, Muhammad Tahseen and Farzana Mumtaz, told reporters at the Lahore Press Club on Wednesday that the Supreme Court and high courts were addressing all the issues so there was no need of another system.
They expressed serious concerns over the Shariat Court’s recent decision on four clauses of the Women’s Protection Act 2006 and declared it against the rights of women and the political atmosphere prevailing in the country.
They said the Shariat Court had tried to encroach upon the jurisdiction of the higher judiciary as well as the powers of parliament through its December 22 decision in which it declared four clauses (11, 25, 28 and 29) of the Women’s Protection Act unconstitutional, while parliament had passed them after a consensus.
They said if the governments failed to take appropriate steps, the civil society would play its role and move the Supreme Court against the Shariat Court’s verdict.
They announced that they would start a campaign if parliament and governments did not play their roles.
About the consequences of the Shariat Court’s decision, JAC members said that by striking down clauses 11 and 28, it reintroduced the Zina and Qazaf Ordinance, which the Women Protection Act had removed. “It also confuses the issue of rape and zina that the act had established. The verdict of the Shariat Court will certainly cause confusion in the administration of criminal justice,” they added.
They said the court’s verdict was both political and anti-women. In order to expand its own dwindling powers and encroach upon the jurisdiction of the higher judiciary as well as the powers of parliament, the court has used Women’s Protection Act as a means to pursue its objective, they continued.
Declaring the verdict unacceptable as it was against the vision of Quaid-e-Azam, they said, “The concern of the Shariat Court is with procedural requirement of the Women’s Protection Act or other legislative instrument. The court’s jurisdiction is only to determine whether a law or the provisions of a law is repugnant to Islam.”
Shirkat Gah’s preliminary analysis on Federal Shariat Court verdict.
Summary
29/12/2010: The judgment seems to be an attempt to:
Expand its jurisdiction and oust the jurisdiction of the superior courts
To revert the relief that the Women Protection Act 2006 provided to women and undermine the protection of women on the basis of fundamental rights
Undermine the legislative powers of the parliament
Bring a narrow version of sharia from the back door
The implications of the law are indeed a setback to women and the struggle that women, women parliamentarians and all just minded people had waged for almost 3 decades
Federal Shariat Court judgment on the Women's Protection Act, (WPA) 2006
The judgment has struck down four sections (section 11, 25, 28 and 29 ) of the said Act. These sections had introduced the following amendments in the Zina and Qazaf ordinances 1979 and in Dissolution of Muslim Marriages Act, (DMMA) 1939.
Section 11 of the WPA omitted section 3 of the Zina Ordinance. Under this section, Zina ordinance had overriding effect on all other laws. WPA finished this.
Section 25 of WPA amended section 14 of Qazaf Ordinance, 1979. This section relates to lia’n (imprecation) procedure. WPA deleted subsections 3 and 4 of section 14 of Qazaf ordinance. These dealt with the situations if the husband refused to take oath alleging wife of committing zina or the wife refused to take counter oath after husband having taken oath four times on Quran and fifth oath of inviting wrath of Allah if he falsely accused wife. The FSC verdict orders to reinsert these provisions.
Section 29 of WPA, omitted section 19 of Qazaf Ordinance. This section gave Qazaf ordinance overriding effect upon all other laws enforced in the country.
Section 29 of WPA introduced lain’an (defined as: if husband accuses his wife of zina and wife calls that allegation false) as a ground of divorce in the DMMA. FSC had struck it down.
Note: FSC has jurisdiction to examine a law (apart from the laws kept out of its jurisdiction) for its repugnancy to the injunctions of Islam as mentioned in Quran and Sunnah. This judgment is not on this ground. The provisions of WPA mentioned above have been struck down for being in violation of article 203 DD of the Constitution. This article of the Constitution describes the revision jurisdiction/authority of the FSC in cases related to Hudood laws.
It is not understandable that how the deletion by WPA of the clause that gave Zina ordinance overriding effect on other laws falls in violation of revisional jurisdiction of FSC.
In addition to striking down the above specific sections of WPA and two other laws (Anti Narcotics Act and Anti Terrorism Courts Act) the judgment has pronounced verdict on some other issues which would have many negative consequences:
FSC has expanded its jurisdiction (encroached upon High Courts jurisdiction) and brought under its ambit ‘offences’ not mentioned in any statutory law of Pakistan, e.g. : It has stated that FSC has exclusive jurisdiction of revision in matters related to Hudood and has ousted the jurisdiction of the High Courts in those matters. Though in the verdict only two laws have been mentioned (Anti Narcotics law and Anti Terrorism Courts law) where the FSC has declared that this court shall have exclusive jurisdiction of revision, appeal and other matter instead of the High Court. However, by defining offences to be covered by the term Hudood for the purposes of article 203 DD of the Constitution it has listed 10 offences, some of which ‘offences’ are not mentioned in any statutory law of Pakistan, like Irtdad (apostacy). Its description of Zina to include adultery, fornication and rape is extremely problematic and will have negative effects. WPA had taken rape (termed zina bil jabr) out of the Zina Ordinance and inserted it back into the Penal Code which meant that rape was not a form of zina as understood under the Zina Ordinance and was liable to hadd punishment only if proven through testimony of four eye witnesses.
The verdict seems to mean that FSC will be the appellate court for all the “offences” mentioned for the term Hudood irrespective of the law that covers them. Such offences include, baghy (treason) theft simplicitor, and qisas. In this way FSC has ousted jurisdiction of the High Court and expanded its own control and scope of jurisdiction.
WPA had to a great extent separated Hudood and non Hudood offences, this verdict has ‘nullified’ that separation in para 117 (i) of the judgment and has made unwritten law a part of the law. It states,
“That all those offences whose punishments are either prescribed or left undermined [not sure if the word undetermined was to be written here], relating to acts forbidden or disapproved by Holy Quran, Sunnah, including all such acts which are akin, auxiliary, analogous, or supplementary to or germane with Hudood offences as well as preparation or abetment or attempt to commit such an offence and as such made culpable by legislative instruments would without fail be covered by the meaning and scope of term Hudood”
This paragraph not only blurs the separation of Hadd and tazir which was one major problem with the Zina and Qazaf Ordinances before their amendment through WPA, but also is creating offences for which there are no statutory provisions. In simple terms the attempt is to enforce a particular brand of sharia based system that by-passes existing legislative instruments.
Reinsertion of section 3 in Zina Ordinance and giving it overriding effect on other laws will directly affect section 375 of the Penal Code (that gives definition of rape). The Penal code definition sexual intercourse with a female of less than 16 years of age with or with out her consent is rape. In Zina Ordinance a female is defined as an adult on being 16 years of age or on reaching puberty which ever is earlier. Now these two provisions will be in conflict and in fact statutory rape provision will be negatively effected.
Description of term “proceedings” for the purposes of Article 203 DD of the Constitution in the verdict, para 117 (iii), includes granting or refusing bail. While Article 203 DD relates to subordinate courts, but given the ambiguity of the FSC judgment related to Hudood as defined by it seems to imply that any other court including a High Court shall not have jurisdiction to grant or refuse bail and it shall be exclusively in the ambit of FSC.
Federal Shariat Court declares sections of the Women's Protection Act, 2006 against Islamic Sharia
23/12/2010: The Federal Shariat courts ruling in favor of petitions challenging several sections of the Women Protection Act, 2006 is a great setback to the women’s empowerment initiative. The judgment declares articles 11, 25, 28 and 29 of the WPA, 2006 in violation of article 203DD of the constitution of Pakistan. For details regarding the ruling and the reaction of the National Commission on the Status of Women, please follow the following links:
Najma Sadeque’s “An Untold People’s History” screened in Lahore
06/12/2010: Shirkat Gah- Women’s Resource Centre and Heinrich Böll Stiftung organized the launching ceremony of Najma Sadeque’s “An Untold People’s History” at Dorab Patel Auditorium, HRCP. The documentary in a nutshell is a story of the ordinary people of Pakistan through their experiences and builds upon the roots of the country’s problems, the policies and decisions that have led to Pakistan’s present crises.
Following is the link to the coverage of the event by Dawn:
Shirkat Gah celebrates International Women Human Rights Deffender Day
03/12/2010: Shirkat Gah along with a large number of human rights activist organizations and civil society members staged a solidarity rally at Lahore Press Club at the occasion of International Women Human Rights Defenders Day. The solidarity rally was held in connection to 16 Days of Activism Campaign against Gender Violence.
Pakistan elected to United Nation's gender equality body
11/11/2010: UNITED NATIONS: UN member states, on Wednesday, elected countries to serve on the Executive Board of the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women). The newly elected members include Pakistan. The elections will enable the new board to come together prior to the official establishment of the body on 1 January 2011. APP
* Published in Daily Times’ Thursday, November 11, 2010 edition. Web link to the news is given below:
11/05/2011: In a forced marriage, one or both parties are forced into wedlock without his or her consent or will. However, in the great majority of cases it is the woman's consent which is dispensed with. It is part of a societal setup where women are denied equality in the enjoyment of human rights, including the right to marry. This phenomenon is just one facet of a male-dominated society, where women are perceived as the property of the male members of the family. They are considered a symbol of honour for the men. To quote a character in Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew:
"I will be master of what is mine own: She is my goods, my chattels; she is my house, My household stuff, my field, my barn, My horse, my ox, my ass, my any thing.
The concepts of male status and of family status are of particular importance in such cultures. Men consider themselves protectors of the status and of family honour. A woman or girl who indulges in, or is suspected of committing, an act which is contrary to the male concept of the family status or honour could be a target of intimidation, violence and, at times, of death. Murders so committed are euphemistically called "honour killings".
According to American psychologist Phyllis Chasler, 84 per cent of honour killings in the West from 1989 to 2009 were carried out by Muslims. Yet, the fact remains that honour killings exist all over the world. They are primarily outcomes of a tribal, feudal, caste-ridden and gender-biased mindset. A recent case of caste-based honour killing took place in India in May. Nirupama Pathak, 22, a New Delhi-based journalist, was allegedly murdered by her own mother. Because the girl had wanted to marry a fellow journalist who belonged to a lower caste, and she was pregnant.
Activists say dozens of people, both women and men, are killed for "honour" every year, falling victim to the deeply entrenched caste system, which dictates an individual's social standing based on the caste they are born into. In India, the majority of these killings take place in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, where land ownership and caste go hand in hand and an honour culture thrives by maintaining caste and gender hierarchies. "The upper castes fiercely guard their hold over land and power in the community," says Ranbir Singh, a Haryana-based sociologist who is currently a consultant with the Haryana Institute of Rural Development.
"These crimes against women occur in countries as varied as Bangladesh, Brazil, Ecuador, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Morocco, Pakistan, Sweden, Turkey, Uganda and the United Kingdom. The United Nations Population Fund estimates that the annual worldwide number of 'honour' killing victims is 5,000 women. In a study on murders of females in Alexandria, Egypt, 47 per cent of the women were killed after the woman had been raped. In Jordan and Lebanon, 70-75 per cent of the perpetrators of these 'honour' killings are the women's brothers." ("Facts and Figures on Harmful Traditional Practices, 2007," compiled by the United Nations Development Fund for Women, UNIFEM.)
Pakistan is a society in transition. In the traditional segregated society where potential brides and grooms do not get a chance to meet. Most marriages are arranged by elders, but these are not necessarily forced marriages. Social mores are undergoing change and forced marriages are a falling trend in modern and educated families. However, in traditional, tribal and feudal communities, for a woman to express a desire to have a partner of choice may be considered an act of defiance or a deviant behaviour. "Fathers bring charges of zina (unlawful sexual relations) against daughters who have married men of their own choice, alleging that they are not validly married. But even when such complaints are before the courts, some men resort to private justice. According to local press reports, an adult woman (Shehr Bano), for example, was murdered outside a court in Peshawar. She had earlier eloped with a man she wanted to marry but was arrested on charges of zina. On Aug 6, 1997, when she emerged under police guard from the courtroom after submitting her bail application, her brother shot her dead." ("Pakistan: Honour Killings of Girls and Women," by Amnesty International, September 1999.)
The executive/legislative response to such acts of violence against women has been slow and at times been influenced and conditioned by tradition, custom and tribal prejudices. The following incidents are reflective of this attitude:
• On 13 July, 2009, young women aged 16, 18 and 20, were reportedly abducted and taken in a car bearing a government number-plate to Babakot, in Balochistan's Jaffarabad district, where they were killed apparently for wanting to marry men of their own choices. Post-mortem examinations of the two recovered bodies revealed that the victims had died of head injuries inflicted with a blunt weapon. The third body was never found. A Baloch senator defended the killing as a "tribal custom." Locally influential figures reportedly hampered the police investigation.
Although the Senate unanimously passed a resolution condemning the incident and sought action against those guilty of the act, the culprits were never brought to justice. The father had a case registered against his own brother, but it was never pursued because of family pressure. The citizens of the area were either party to a conspiracy of silence, which betrayed an implied approval of the crime, or were afraid of feudal wrath. Equally shocking was the conduct of the acting chairman of the Senate, Jan Mohammad Jamali, himself from Balochistan, who opposed even the raising of this issue by a woman senator, asking her to "go to our society and see for yourself what the situation is like there and then come back to raise such questions in the House."
• In October, three girls aged between 12 and 14 years, were forced into marriage by a jirga (informal tribal council) in Drighpur, Shikarpur district, Sindh, to settle a dispute over an honour killing which had taken place two months earlier. No one was arrested.
• To deprive a married woman the right to seek divorce under the law is yet another mode of violence against woman, which turns a conjugal union into a forced marriage. One of the most unfortunate and gruesome acts of such a violence is the case in April 1999 of Samia Imran, a young married woman who was shot dead in the office of the lawyer helping her to seek a divorce from her violent husband, despite the strong opposition of her own family.
The 28-year-old woman arrived at the law office of Hina Jilani in Lahore. She had recently engaged Ms Jilani to seek a divorce from her violent husband. Samia settled on a chair across the desk from the lawyer. Minutes later, Samia's mother Sultana entered the room with a male companion. As the young woman rose in greeting, the man, Habib-ur-Rehman, grabbed her and put a pistol to her head. The first bullet entered near the victim's eye and she fell. "There was no scream. There was dead silence. I don't even think she knew what was happening," Ms Jilani said. The killer stood over the body, and fired again. Then the killer and the victim's mother left. "She never even bothered to look whether the girl was dead," Ms Jilani recalled, referring to the mother. No political leader condemned the murder. Instead, members of the Senate demanded punishment for Ms Jilani and her sister Asma Jahangir. Some members of the clergy asked for the lawyers to be put to death for trying to help the victim secure a divorce.
This murder was a classic example of how such killings are generally condoned by the public because of traditional mores and the mandate of the rule of law is flouted. Such mores have led to a myopic interpretation of certain tenets of Islam, including those related to a woman's place in society and her right to marry, to seek divorce and even to inherit property.
The Human Rights Watch in their 1999 report explain how such customary practices sometimes even influenced the court's verdict: "The Court explained that the Quranic verse 34 of Sura Al-Nisa establishes men as the "custodian of women"; hence a man who kills another man for defiling the honour of his wife or daughter is protecting his property and acting in self-defence. Quoting Sura Al-Nisa, the judge concluded, "I am of the view that the appellant, as the custodian of honour of his wife, had the right to kill the deceased while he was engaged in [a] sex act with his wife and he had not earned liability of qisas or tazir or even diyat, and is hereby acquitted .""
The afore-referred opinion reflects a misinterpretation and not a correct understanding of the religious tenet on the issue. Because Islam does not stand for taking the law into one's hand. The practice of 'honour killing' is a form of murder without trial, which is contrary to Islam. Islam upholds the sanctity of human life, as the Holy Quran declares that killing one innocent human being is akin to killing the entire human race. "In reality, honour killings are a direct outcome of forced marriages and have nothing to do with Islam.
Indeed, one of the first acts of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was to condemn and forbid such practices. In Islam, honour is connected with virtue, with righteous behaviour, obligations to one's parents and the elderly, good works and community development. It is all about human dignity and how that dignity should be upheld. For many Muslims, however, Islamic ideals are often subservient to tribal custom. Honour killings and forced marriages are tribal practices. Among certain tribes in Asia, honour is associated with women: izzat, as honour is called in Urdu, is quite literally located on the female body ." The victim of honour-based crime is stigmatised and therefore isolated. This crime is distinct from other forms of violence because of its collective nature – actions are often condoned and kept secret by the family and community. Young people are particularly vulnerable ."
The right to marry – a vindication: The United Nations describes the practice of forced marriages as a "contemporary form of slavery". Forced Marriages and crimes in the name of honour cannot be separated from one another. Both practices are forms of violence which primarily affect girls and women and are grounded in a patriarchal image of family honour. Forced marriage is a complete negation of the Islamic concept of marriage. Instances are not lacking from Hadith (sayings and deeds of Holy Prophet Muhammad) where consent of a sui juris woman was held to be a sine qua non for a valid marriage in absence of which the marriage was declared void. Once a woman complained to the Holy Prophet that her marriage had been enacted against her consent. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) annulled the marriage.
There is yet another well-quoted incident. A woman by the name of Qaylah bil Makhramah had several daughters. After the death of her husband, the latter's brother-in-law seized all the daughters and declared that he would marry them to men of his choice. The widow, accompanied by her eldest daughter, went to Prophet Muhammad and reported her grievance. The Holy Prophet commanded, "Qaylah and daughters of Qaylah should not be oppressed or forced to marry. Every faithful Muslim should offer them help." As a consequence the widow's brother-in-law Althub had to let her daughters go and they ultimately married of their own free will.
In Pakistan tribal and feudal customs relating to women's rights particularly marital rights are undergoing a change through progressive legislation and liberal interpretation of the law. "The Muslim Family Law Ordinance (MFLO) is the main body of law regulating marriage in Pakistan. The MFLO mainly deals with the procedural aspects of marriage, meaning that the courts enjoy wide discretionary power to decide what the substantive, uncodified Muslim personal law says. It follows that unlike legislation in many other Muslim countries, Pakistani law is silent as to the right of an adult woman to marry a person of her choice and as to whether her consent to marriage is sufficient or even required as a prerequisite for its validity." This void is being filled by the Judge-made law.
One of the onerous functions of the courts established under the constitution, particularly the Supreme Court, has been to bridge the gap between the law and the dynamics of social change. In holding that a marriage in Islam is a consensual arrangement and a civil contract, the courts have made women equal partners in marriage. In the case of Mst Khurshid Bibi v Baboo Muhammad Amin, the Court declared, "As is well-settled, marriage in Muslims is not a sacrament, but in the nature of civil contract. Such a contract undoubtedly has spiritual and moral overtones and undertones, but legally, in essence, it remains a contract between the parties which can be the subject of dissolution for good. In this, Islam, the din-al-fitrat, conforms to the dictates of human nature and does not prescribe the binding together of a man and a woman to what has been described as "holy deadlock".
In Hafiz Abdul Waheed v Asma Jehangir , the Court candidly held that an adult woman can enter into a marriage of her own choice without the consent of any guardian.
In Mst Humaira Mehmood v the State , the court unequivocally declared that a forced marriage is neither recognised in religion nor in law and that a woman's consent is imperative for a valid marriage
Law and social change: Humaira's case got a lot of public attention both in the county and abroad. I heard the case and authored the judgment. A brief overview of the socio-cultural milieu in which the judgment was delivered and the causational factors which influenced the verdict may be of some interest in jurisdictions where similar issues are brought to the court for resolution. Broadly speaking, there were three factors which influenced the opinion.
First, Humaira was the daughter of a sitting member of the Legislative Assembly and there was strong circumstantial evidence to suggest that her life was in danger. Not only from her own kith and kin but also from state functionaries, who were neither providing her adequate security nor were honestly investigating the false criminal case registered by her father against her on the basis of her fake marriage to a cousin, to erode the validity of her marriage of choice. It was not merely the case of a single woman facing persecution. There were several others in society who either had suffered the fate which she apprehended or were undergoing similar agony.
Unless the court had given a declaration that the earlier marriage was not valid in the eyes of the law, she would not only have faced criminal prosecution for adultery but her marriage of choice would have been voided. Creating fake documents of a prior marriage is a practice typically followed to frustrate marriages of choice. The court, while holding that the marriage without the consent of the bride was not legal, declared that: "Marriage with a woman during the subsistence of an earlier marriage with some other man is illegal and void."
The court also dilated on the emotional, social and moral dilemma of the girl and her father when it observed: "At a socio-moral plane the case had certain disconcerting overtones. Humaira was to be given in marriage to Moazzam in exchange for the latter's sister, who was married to Humaira's brother. On the one hand, there was the anguish and pain of a father whose daughter had rebelled and refused to marry a person of his choice and had left her hearth and home to join someone with whom she had contracted a marriage. The father called it a sinful act and was not prepared to accept her under any circumstances. On the other hand, there was a girl in distress, who lost the prime of her youth waiting for parental permission to join a husband of her choice. She was in a critical dilemma – i.e., of facing the social consequence of going back to a family where she stood eternally stigmatised or to go back with Mehmood whom she was married to.
The former course was full of tension and uncertainty and carried a death threat, whereas in the latter course, although there was still a death threat, it meant the fulfilment of her desire, where she dreamt of security and, if she survived the death threat, she hoped for ultimate release from the high walls of feudal bondage. She chose the latter course and wanted society to accept it. Perhaps she was not asking for too much, but she was refused. On the disclosure of her marriage she was beaten up, taken to the surgical theatre of a governmental-run hospital where her entire body was bandaged and she was detained there for a month. But she persevered. A mock drama of her marriage with Moazzam was staged, where she cried and sobbed but the parents could not persuade her to join him."
Second, it was a case in which two major issues concerning women's rights were intertwined – i.e., the issue of a forced and fake marriage and an adult woman's right to marry a person of her own free will. Torn between medieval and modern mindsets, Humaira brought the generational conflict into public focus and wanted the court to resolve it. It reflected a poignant conflict of values between the right to marry and family honour, between gender equality and a patriarch's insistence on having his own way, between the force of custom and the constitutional mandate, betweens a conventional and retrogressive interpretation and a liberal view of a woman's right to marry in Islam. Norms sanctified by custom and tradition were being perceived as religious commands. The court was called upon to comment on such issues, as well as to interpret the law. In such situations, the court had to act as a catalyst and make the law responsive to societal change. "Indeed, when social reality changes, the law must change too. Just as change in social reality is the law of life, responsiveness to change in social reality is the life of the law. It can be said that the history of law is the history of adapting the law to society's changing needs.
A thousand years of common law are a thousand years of changes in the law in order to adapt it to the needs of a changing reality. The judge is the primary actor in effecting this change." The individual grievance of a damsel in distress was enlarged to a constitutional debate on human rights. The court held that in Islam women have equal rights in the choice of partners and marriage; that those rights are compatible with the fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution and that the issue raised primarily related to enforcement of those rights, rather than any theological controversy.
Exposing the tribal and feudal barriers for women in Pakistani society, the court observed in Humaira’s case (which has already been discussed in this series):
“Male chauvinism, feudal bias and compulsions of a conceited ego should not be confused with Islamic values. An enlightened approach is called for. Otherwise, obscurantism in this field may break the social fabric.”
Exposing the dichotomy between professed beliefs and empirical realities insofar as women’s rights were concerned, it remarked:
“As Muslims we loudly proclaim our commitment to the lofty ideals of an Islamic Ideology. The advent of Islam was a milestone in human civilisation. It came at a time when women were treated as serfs and chattel. Men used to bury their daughters alive. It was Islam which declared equality between a man and a woman. In matters of marriage a woman was given equal right to choose her life partner. After obtaining the age of puberty she could exercise her option and choice. Unfortunately, in our practical lives we are influenced by a host of other prejudices bequeathed by history, tradition and feudalism.”
Chiding state functionaries and reminding them of their obligations to uphold the rule of law under the Constitution and the state’s obligations to international instruments of human rights, the court said:
“...The police officials who handled this case passed orders, and acted in a manner, which betrayed total disregard of the law of the land and the mandate of their calling. Articles 4 and 25 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan guarantee that everybody shall be treated strictly in accordance with the law. Article 35 of the Constitution provides that the state shall protect the marriage, the family, the mother and the child. As a member of the comity of nations we must respect the International Instruments of human rights to which we are a party.”
Pakistan is a member of United Nations and a signatory to the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women, which in Article 16 enjoins all the member-states as follows:
“1. States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in all matters relating to marriage and family relations; and, in particular, shall ensure, on the basis of equality of men and women:
a. the same right to enter into marriage;
b. the same right freely to choose a spouse and to enter into marriage only with their free and full consent;
c. the same rights and responsibilities during marriage and at its dissolution.”
The police officer who defied the High Court’s order by arresting Humaira and handing over her custody to her brother who was after her blood, was convicted and sentenced to one month’s imprisonment and fine.
The judgment led to a societal introspection, generated a healthy debate and a national seminar on enforcement of fundamental rights, with particular reference to women. Commenting on the judgment, the English newspaper The Nation said:
“The Humaira case is not just limited to two people or two families, but is a telling comment on the way in which the rights of individuals as granted under the Constitution are being flouted by the influentials, with full help from a state machinery sympathetic to cultural standards contradictory to those constitutional rights.”
Criticising the role played by the state functionaries, the newspaper Dawn said in its editorial comment:
“There are two vital social/political issues which have been thrown into focus by this case. One is that of safeguarding the institution of the family in a patriarchal society like ours... The second aspect of the matter is the propensity of men with political clout to exercise their influence to attain their unlawful and immoral goals. In Humaira’s case, her father, who is a Muslim League MPA from Okara, mobilised the Punjab police to force his daughter to return home, even though she feared for her life.”
Terming the judgment as a catalyst in changing social norms, The News said in its editorial:
“It has been seen that fables of threatened couples on the run always evoke a wave of general sympathy in what is believed to be a highly repressive, gender-biased society. The LHC verdict reinforces this propitious trend by granting legal and religious cover to changing norms, replacing an unreliable medieval ethos.”
In yet another instance, the Muhammad Siddique case, the court criticised the incidence of honour killings, called it a negation of Islam, and refused to sanctify the compounding of the offence, permission of which was sought by the legal heirs of a convict father who had killed his daughter, her husband and the child born out of the wedlock in the name of “family honour,” as the girl had married without the consent of the parents. The court observed that:
“A murder in the name of honour is not merely the physical elimination of a man or a woman. It is on a socio-political plane a blow to the concept of a free, dynamic and egalitarian society. In the great majority of cases, behind it at play, is a certain mental outlook, and a creed which seeks to deprive equal rights to women – i.e., inter alia, the right to marry or the right to divorce, which are recognised not only by our religion but have been protected in law and enshrined in the Constitution. Such murders, therefore, represent deviant behaviours which are violative of the law, against religious tenets, and an affront to society. These crimes have a chain reaction. They feed and promote the very prejudices of which they are the outcome, both at the conscious and sub-conscious levels, to the detriment of our enlightened ideological moorings.”
Although the number of forced marriages in Pakistan has decreased, women are still being subjected to forced marriages in situations where the victims receive no support from the family or the community to resist such a fait accompli. Such marriages may take many forms. Some marriages are performed when the bride is underage; some are performed as a trade-off to effect a compromise in a murder case; some are performed as exchange marriages. In the absence of any specific provision criminalising such modes of marriage, the Supreme Court of Pakistan has been taking suo moto notices and providing relief to the families.
It was on account of such court interventions that some of these inhuman, illegal practices were made criminal offences through the insertion of specific sections in the Penal Code. Section 310 prohibits trading off a female for marriage...and the sentence prescribed is 10 years, but not less than three years. On account of gender bias and misconstruction of certain religious tenets, there was a tendency among state functionaries, and at times even the courts, to sanctify honour killings and to treat the offenders leniently.
For the curbing of this tendency, two important developments are noteworthy: first, the Council of Islamic Ideology, a constitutional body in Pakistan, has categorically stated that such killings are not in conformity with Islamic injunctions; and, second, through the amendment of Section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code, a murder committed in the name of honour has been made punishable with death or imprisonment for life.
* This article, which was published in The News, is Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani’s keynote address in the session on forced marriages and Gender-based Violence at the International Bar Association Conference in Vancouver, Canada. The writer is a judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and co-chair of Hague Conference mediation committee in family and international law.
Growing Fundamentalisms: A Grave Apprehension For Women's Rights in Pakistan by Shirkat Gah
"Growing Fundamentalisms: A Grave Apprehension For Women's Rights in Pakistan" by Shirkat Gah, Pakistan"
“Federal Ministry of Human Rights faces 40% cut in funds”
ISLAMABAD: The government has cut 40 per cent of the budget allocated for the federal ministry of human rights, disbursing 60 per cent the remaining funds for employees’ salaries, officials said on Wednesday.
An official source told The Express Tribune that the ministry was previously allocated Rs20 million in annual budget for fiscal 2010-11 to meet its expenditures in terms of salaries and for launching various public awareness schemes.
He said that Rs12 million would be disbursed for salaries, adding that the government had cut Rs8 million needed for initiating other projects.
The official said the reduction in ministry allocations was part of the austerity drive ordered by the prime minister to meet extraordinary expenses to overcome devastations caused by recent floods, adding that the ministry could not initiate any project because of a lack of funds.
“The ministry cannot even organise five seminars planned to sensitise people in various public and private sectors about various human rights issues in the federal and provincial capitals,” he said. “The ministry is not even in a position to send its representatives to areas like Sialkot where two brothers had been killed recently by an angry mob in the presence of police officials,” he said. “The ministry and its projects do not seem to be among government’s priorities.”
He said that the ministry had been assured by the prime minister’s office about the release of funds which the ministry needed to initiate various human rights projects. The funds are still frozen and are yet to be released.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 28th, 2010.
Shirkat Gah - Women’s Resource Centre (SG), Pakistan, is actively engaged in providing relief to those affected by the recent floods, particularly focusing on women’s special needs. Coordinating with various partner community-based organizations (CBOs), SG is focusing on areas where it has previously worked, including: Nowshera, Charsadda, Swat in Khyber Pakhtunkhawa (KPK); Muzaffargarh, Bhakkar and Rajanpur in Punjab; Shahdadkot and Jacobabad in Sindh; and Usta Mohammad, Quetta and Sibbi in Balochistan.
“Keeping the Faith: Overcoming Religious Fundamentalism” – An Urdu translation of AFC
“Keeping the Faith: Overcoming Religious Fundamentalism” – An Urdu translation of AFC Vol. 14 Nos. 1 & 2 - done in partnership with Shirkat Gah, and published by ARROW.
The Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW) produces translations of ARROWs For Change (AFC) in various Asia-Pacific languages in order to make the bulletin accessible to non-English-speaking readers, and to increase its reach and impact.
This Urdu translation of AFC Vol. 14 Nos. 1 & 2 on “Keeping the Faith: Overcoming Religious Fundamentalism” is aimed to be distributed in Pakistan and other countries with Urdu readers. It was done in 2010 in partnership with Shirkat Gah, Women’s Resource Centre, and is published by ARROW.
SKSW Statement on Human Rights and Traditional Values
Statement The traditional values underpinning international human rights: How can they contribute to promotion and protection? Room XXI, Palais des Nations, Geneva 4 October 2010
Thank you , honourable members of the panel, friends and colleagues in the international human rights community, good afternoon.
On behalf of the Global Campaign to Stop Killing and Stoning Women, we welcome the opportunity to participate in the discussion on the relationship between human rights and traditional values.
UN Women - Perspectives from Pakistan Rights Activists
The UN has, over many decades, taken steps and established mechanisms to promote gender justice and equality and women’s empowerment, both in terms of human rights and economic development. Despite some progress, socio-economic and political gender inequalities persist in every society and Pakistan is no exception. Global challenges faced by the UN’s efforts for women have included the absence of a single entity, adequately resourced and strongly mandated with directing the UN’s women focused activities.
"…but they are not formally implemented" - Farida Shaheed
-- Farida Shaheed, women's rights activist and Director, Shirkat Gah
By Sarah Sikandar
The News on Sunday: What kind of action, policy or systems do we need to ensure an enabling environment for working women, particularly mothers? It appears that paid maternity leave is not enough. What more do you think could be done? What sort of affirmative actions or positive discrimination ought to be undertaken?
Farida Shaheed: Labour laws only apply when you have ten or more labour workers under one roof. Most of the women in the private sector are part-timers or featured so that they are paid by the piece. Since they are not even registered employees, no labour laws apply to them. In other words, the laws are there for things like separate toilets and maternity leave, but they are not formally implemented.
One big problem we find in Pakistan is the lack of women's collective bargaining power, the lack of recognition [of women] in the non-formal sector. In farm work, for instance, women are not even counted as labourers. You have to redefine who a farmer is or who a labourer is (including women working in the houses). The affirmative actions that have been taken are poorly implemented and for that we need mass education. Especially in agriculture we need to recognise that women are farmers and, therefore, the training programmes for farmers must be extended to women.
TNS: Do we need a broad policy framework and legislation which can then be followed by the organisations? From your experience, what do you think are the possibilities of its implementation?
FS: Pakistan has ratified the ILO Convention 100 of Equal Remuneration for men and women but we made no domestic provision of the law to ensure that it is applied. And, when it is not implemented there is nothing with which you can hold an employer accountable because there is no domestic provision that could translate it into something concrete. Women need to be included in the major economic policies and not just as add-ons in women's policies in a ministry.
The policy framework of the poverty-reduction strategy now has actually a good analysis but the actions go back to microeconomics. The problem for women is not microcredit; it is access to economic production which in rural economy rest with the man. There you need to have many more -- where women are actually given land so that they can do two types of farming; one is the kind being started in Sindh on experimental basis in which women are given four to 25 acres of land with some kind of support which needs to be assessed.
Then there is food security in which you give much smaller plots -- 2 to 3 acres -- where women are able to cultivate entirely by themselves so that you address the very severe issues of food insecurity.
TNS: Do you agree that it's the cultural stereotypes that have led to a gender-insensitive working environment? How can we push for positive societal perceptions?
FS: The patriarchal structure states that women are subordinate and that this is justified by culture and kept in place. Then they are internalised by women and men. Some of the recent research that we have done [in Vehari] shows that women's work is considered to be an attribute of poverty and not a solution to it, which means that only women whose men cannot fulfil their obligations are obliged to work outside the home. So, even when women do earn, they are not able to translate that earning into decision-making power. For that you need to have mass education programmes that re-conceptualise gender roles. It is very important to work with men, especially with younger men because that's where the hope for transformation would come about. Women's issues shouldn't be looked as women's issues, rather as society's issues.
TNS: As a sociologist, do you agree that the move away from joint to nuclear families has put women in a more vulnerable position, because now, especially in urban environments, there are no grandparents to look after children etc?
FS: The actual impact of moving from extended to nuclear family needs further study. The only research that reflects concretely on this suggests that women are more susceptible to violence in a nuclear family. Issues like childcare and sharing responsibility are along with the issues of economic survival and sharing resources. But extended families leave a very negative effect on their ability to make independent decisions, because here you are very often dependent on the male patriarch who may be your husband or son or the father or father-in-law.
TNS: It seems that the working women in the public sector find it easy to manage their role as mothers along with their work. But the situation does not look so good in the corporate sector. We have also seen that some NGOs as well as Pakistan chapters of international NGOs which do have gender as an important component of their programme do not facilitate women and mothers. How can we create a consensus in society regarding a supportive environment for women?
FS: There is no exact answer because there hasn't been any study. The only difference is that the public sector is generally considered to be more relaxed in terms of regulations and, therefore, you don't have the pressure of staying on late if you need to fulfil something, etc.
On the other hand, it works as a cycle because then the woman will not take promotions thinking they'll get more administrative work and longer working hours so they opt out. For me this is an open question. I personally cannot say if you have it or not. What you do have is a greater sense of security among women who are working in the public sector and they often report greater sense of respect (not within their own working environment because sexual harassment is common in both public and private sectors but going unnoticed). Women employed in the federal government are all concentrated in the lowest tier and those in high ranks have very few women; hardly any decision-makers. They may be there in great numbers but hardly in any significant position. In the private sector, gender relations are actually used to exploit the workers or higher productivity.
“Without human rights, Millennium Goals will fail,” say UN Human Rights Experts
NEWS RELEASE
17 September 2010
GENEVA – “The Heads of State gathering in New York next week should bear in mind that, if they really want to eliminate poverty, they must be guided by human rights,” said 24 experts* of the UN Human Rights Council in anticipation of the High Level Summit on the Millennium Development Goals.
“The agreed Summit Outcome Document** makes several references to human rights. Its implementation must have a stronger focus on human rights not only to ensure the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, but to also make them meaningful for the billions of people who need them most,” the experts argued.
“We have to move from a top-down, statistics-driven, charity-based approach to one that focuses on rights and entitlements.”
Key to achieve the Millennium Goals Compliance with human rights standards is not only an obligation for States, but it is also crucial for the achievement of the Goals (MDGs). “Meaningful participation and empowerment, equality and non-discrimination, accountability and transparency are central features of the human rights-based approach to development, which emphasizes sustainable progress.” the experts said.
“Strong national legal frameworks, built through participatory processes, would remove the stigma of charity and empower the poor to be full actors in development, rather than passive recipients of aid. Accountability mechanisms must allow victims of human rights abuses to hold those responsible to account for their actions, or their failure to act.”
“All of the Goals, and especially those on gender equality and maternal mortality, require full realization of women’s human rights, including to justice and protection,” emphasized the experts. “Ensuring the right to social security contributes to progress towards multiple Goals, by enabling people to access food, healthcare, housing, water, sanitation, and education.”
Going beyond the Goals The experts pointed out that several Millennium Goals only aim to reduce by half, or by two-thirds, the number of people suffering. “Human rights demand constant efforts to ensure everyone enjoys rights without discrimination - we cannot be satisfied with half measures.”
For instance, halving the proportion of people who suffer from hunger by 2015 is the first goal. “There are more people hungry today than when the Goals were adopted,” the experts warned, “but even if this target were met, over 400 million people would still be undernourished. They cannot be left behind.”
“Focusing on aggregate progress risks masking inequality. Averages and aggregates give States incentives to focus on those easily reached rather than on marginalized people. This could exacerbate exclusion. Progress towards the MDGs should aim to correct discrimination, not reinforce it.”
Some groups – children, minorities, indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, internally displaced persons and those who face racial or religious discrimination – too often find themselves forgotten. Poverty gaps will increase unless programmes such as those to achieve the MDGs address the unique circumstances of these groups and the causes and effects of the discrimination that limits access to education or jobs.
“Development efforts must respect cultural rights and diversity,” argued the experts. “Only close monitoring of their situation can reveal the disadvantages faced by such groups so programmes can be shaped in response.”
Filling the gaps The Goals also fail to capture improvements urgently needed. The MDGs target on water, for example, measures whether people have access to an improved water source, but does not measure water quality. “Nearly a billion people still lack access to an improved water source, but 2 to 3 billion may be drinking unsafe water,” noted the experts. Equally, universalizing primary education would be insufficient if quality remains poor.
The MDGs also foresee “improving” the lives of slum dwellers, but this is often translated into slum clearances. “Security of tenure for slum dwellers should be the key approach, not forced evictions,” they argued.
Human rights, not charity “Significant progress has been made on the achievement of a number of MDGs, but much more needs to be done. A focus on human rights is needed to tackle the structural problems – at both national and international levels - that underpin and sustain the poverty and underdevelopment whose effects the Goals try to alleviate,” the experts noted.
“The Millennium Goals are laudable political commitments and have been useful in mobilizing money and energy. But States can achieve these goals sustainably only if they are guided by human rights obligations that define which actions should be taken by whom,” emphasized the experts.
“All human rights are relevant,” the experts said. “Good governance and the rule of law at national and international levels are critical. Those living in poverty as well as those working in support of MDG implementation and on development problems must be able to speak freely and participate in decision-making without fear. “
“Addressing the structural causes of poverty and underdevelopment also improves global security” encouraged the experts. “Placing human rights at the centre of strategies to achieve the Millennium Goals would tackle the conditions that contribute to social unrest and terrorism.”
“The Millennium Development Goals create clear targets, and this is their appeal. But the challenge is in the details of implementation, and that is where human rights are crucial” the experts concluded.
HRCP blasts handing over Balochistan to FC - HRCP Press release
Press release
HRCP blasts handing over Balochistan to FC
Lahore, September 9: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has expressed serious alarm at the decision to give police powers in Balochistan to the Frontier Corps (FC) and blasted the decision as a "retrogressive step" and "suicidal madness".
A statement issued by the Commission on Thursday said: "The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan disagrees with the decision in the strongest possible terms. This is a retrogressive step and reliance on the rule of Danda in the present age is nothing short of suicidal madness.
The situation in Balochistan is certainly extremely grim but it has been made so by a consistent failure to address the grievances of the people in an imaginative, rational and democratic manner, and pinning instead all hopes on the effectiveness of an admittedly discredited administration. The FC does not have a good reputation in Balochistan and even those who do not sympathise with the radical nationalists will not like to be thrown at the mercy of an organisation which has been responsible for alienating a large number of people in the first instance. It is frighteningly disturbing that the state can not come up with any response other than a reversion to coercive force to settle quintessentially political matters.
HRCP calls upon saner elements in the government and outside to ensure that fuel is not added to the fire in Balochistan and this decision is reversed immediately and political initiatives taken to address the situation.
The ban announced on militant outfits is meaningless because if their members are conducting any llegal activity they are liable to be proceeded against under the law irrespective of a ban. The government should have known from its failure to control extremist militant organizations through imposition of repeated bans that such tactics are of little avail."
Dr Mehdi Hassan Chairperson
The Living & Live MDG Report campaign
Shirkat Gah- Women's Resource Centre is part of the campaign to capture and spotlight alternative information on progress/ lack of progress on the challenges on MDGs 3 & 5. This website compares and contrasts national numeric reporting with data, local evidence, local research, audio and film files to show what the MDGs mean to the people they are meant to serve. Women are watching their governments to see if they will deliver on their promises. For more information, please visit: www.mdg5watch.org
Shirkat Gah CEO condemns brutal murder of Quetta Senator Habib Jalib
Dear friends from Quetta,
I am writing with great sadness to express Shirkat Gah’s and my deepest condolences on the untimely, brutal and totally unwarranted murder of Habib Jalib Baloch who a lot of us knew as the voice of sanity in these troubled and difficult times. His death is a great national loss and an event of mourning and grief for the people of Balochistan. I would like you to know that his murder has provoked deep anger among a large number of people who believe in peace and justice. I am pasting below some of the expressions of protest in case they have not reached you (Sorry for cross posting). There are many many more.
LHC orders judicial inquiry into Christians’ murder
Wednesday, 21 Jul, 2010
LAHORE: Lahore High Court Chief Justice Khwaja Mohammad Sharif ordered on Wednesday a judicial inquiry into the murder of two Christian brothers on the premises of the Faisalabad district courts. The brothers who faced blasphemy charges were being taken out of the court by policemen when they were gunned down on Monday.
The chief justice issued the order at the request of the Punjab government. Faisalabad Labour Court District and Sessions Judge Sheikh Mohammad Yousaf was appointed to conduct the inquiry.
Faisalabad Regional Police Officer (RPO) Aftab Ahmad Cheema submitted a report during the suo motu hearing of the incident by the chief justice.
He admitted that the incident had taken place because of negligence and inefficiency of police officers who had been asked to make stringent security arrangements.
He said Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ashique Ali and the inspector in charge of investigation, Mohammad Hussain, had been transferred and criminal and departmental actions were being initiated against them for ignoring the directives about providing protection to the accused.
The RPO said police had got a lead and the killers would be apprehended soon.
The chief justice said it was unfortunate that because of police negligence people were taking the law into their own hands and not waiting for the results of cases pending in courts. The suo motu case was disposed of.
Rashid Emanuel and Sajid Emanuel, accused of writing a blasphemous pamphlet, were shot dead by a man on Monday. A police official was also injured.
Meanwhile, the federal government has directed provincial governments to provide extra security to under trial blasphemy accused to protect them from extra-judicial killing, adds our reporter from Islamabad.
Federal Minister for Minorities Affairs Shahbaz Bhatti told Dawn that a communication had been sent to all provincial governments to protect the lives of blasphemy accused.
“They should be provided protection in jails as well as on the occasion of their production before trial courts,” he said.
Mr Bhatti said nobody would be allowed to resort to the law of the jungle and kill innocent people on the basis of false accusations. He said it was the job of courts to try the accused and decide the case in accordance with the provisions of the law.
Earlier, speaking at a press conference the minister said there were plans to introduce amendment to obviate the possibility of misuse of the blasphemy law. He said those who put the life of someone in danger by levelling a false charge of blasphemy should also be punished.
The society should play its role to bring an end to misuse of the blasphemy law. He said his ministry would move a summary for legislation against hate literature and hate speeches.
The minister said that a hotline would soon be established at the ministry to provide swift access to justice to people belonging to religious minorities feeling insecure. He said the 24-hour hotline would be connected with police stations, hospitals and other relevant places.
About the Faisalabad incident, the minister said investigations were in progress and expressed the hope that the killers would be arrested on the basis of the clues. He said the probe would take view of various aspects of the case — who printed the literature, who instigated violence and who provided shelter to the accused.
FAISALABAD: Two alleged blasphemers were killed and a sub-inspector was injured by the firing of two unidentified persons near the CPO office on Monday.
Sub-Inspector Muhammad Javed was bringing Sajid Masih and his brother Rashid Masih back to the Civil Lines police station after producing them before a magistrate in a blasphemy case when the assailants (one of them wearing a black coat) opened fire at them. As a result, Sajid and Rashid were killed on the spot while Sub-Inspector Javed was injured seriously. The injured policeman was shifted to a hospital.
After the incident, Christians took out a rally and blocked Aminpur Bungalow and Eidgah Roads for an hour. They also burnt tyres. They forced shopkeepers and motorcycle dealers of Narwala Road and Eidgah Road to close their shops. The protesters were chanting slogans against the incident.
Our Lahore Correspondent adds: Inspector General of Police, Punjab, Tariq Saleem Dogar has suspended SP (Investigation) Faisalabad, Muhammad Hanif and DSP Civil Lines Ashiq Jutt on account of negligence of duties and ordered departmental proceedings against them.
According to a handout issued on Monday, the disciplinary action has been taken by the IGP against the SP and DSP due to their failure in protecting the two Christians. The Regional Police Officer, Faisalabad, had given written instructions to the police for protection of the Christian brothers.
Source: The News
Outrage at Kala Dhaka Jirga's Rajm “Judgement”
KHAWATEEN MAHAZ-E-AMAL – WOMEN’S ACTION FORUM - NATIONAL
OUTRAGE AT KALA DHAKA JIRGA’S RAJM “JUDGEMENT”
8 July 2010 – Khawateen Mahaz-e-Amal (Women’s Action Forum – National) is outraged at reports of yet another “judgement” (sic) of Rajm (stoning to death) for “illicit relations” (sic), pronounced by a self-styled Jirga in Kala Dhaka, on an accusation that a man and a woman were seen walking together in a field in Madakhail.
WAF strongly condemns the Jirga and its verdict; as also the fact that while the accused man, Zarkat, escaped on hearing the Jirga’s “verdict” of Rajm, the accused woman was “captured” by the Jirga members and reportedly is being held at a secret place in Manjakot, pending the Rajm punishment. As usual, it is the woman who is made to bear the brunt of such atrocious barbarism, injustice, and inhuman, unIslamic “sentences”.
WAF appreciates a few locally-based religious scholars, who went against the Jirga’s “judgement”, declared the woman innocent, and are now trying to save her life. We see this as a ray of hope, and we stand staunchly in solidarity with the woman and her supporters, including the commendable progressive sections of the print and electronic media.
WAF asks the KPK Government: why is the provincial law enforcement system neither de jure nor de facto functional? Where are the women’s protection mechanisms and institutions?
WAF notes with grave concern that the federal and provincial Governments did not heed the higher judiciary’s pronouncement of Jirgas and Punchayats to be illegal and parallel systems of “justice” and instructions to the Government to eradicate them, to punish those who participate in them, and to disallow their so-called “judgements” to be implemented (vide Sindh High Court and Supreme Court landmark judgements). This is still happening with total impunity all over the country, showing the Governments’ lack of political will and commitment, a disregard for the sanctity of the Constitutional trichotomy of powers, and the helplessness of the law enforcement agencies and legal systems in the face of continuing arrogant political feudal and tribal patriarchal dispensations.
WAF demands that the KPK ANP Government should immediately take notice of this heinous incident, and take urgent action to save the woman’s life. We demand that the Chief Minister and Governor apprehend and punish the Jirga members as a deterrent to future Jirgas.
WAF calls upon the Prime Minister and President of Pakistan not to patronize those who convene Jirgas and Punchayats, and to take immediate action to eradicate the scourge of these self-styled, illegal and unconstitutional “judicial” systems permanently from Pakistan, thereby restoring the writ of the State, the supremacy of the Constitution, and the law of the land.
The WISE Network
The WISE (Women’s Islamic Initiative in Spirituality and Equality) network has been established to empower Muslim women by promoting gender equality in the Muslim world.
One of WISE’s key objectives is to increase education on Muslim women’s issues among a wide and diverse audience and hence collaborates with key partners in reaching this goal. The link to the WISE Muslim Women’s Web Portal is www.wisemuslimwomen.org. This Web portal is a bold new initiative and a first-of-its-kind site, serving as a clearinghouse for information relating to Muslim women, culled from both established news sources and individual Muslim women around the world. Among its many features, the site includes a database of historic and contemporary Muslim women, a Talent Bazaar featuring the artistic work of Muslim women worldwide, and information on today’s current issues affecting Muslim women.
UN Women Born: Civil Society Celebrates Creation of Gender Equality Entity after 4 Years of Advocacy
The Gender Equality Architecture Reform (GEAR) Campaign celebrates the United Nations General Assembly resolution, agreed to on 30 June and to be formally adopted by the General Assembly on Friday, 2 July, to establish “UN Women”—the new gender equality entity at the UN. This move has been sought by women’s organizations and other civil society organizations around the world since the UN established a System-Wide Coherence Panel for UN Reform in 2006.
Charlotte Bunch of the Center for Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL) at Rutgers University, a founding member of the GEAR Campaign, stated, “We have high expectations for this new agency to be a solid foundation for advancing the human rights of women as central to global policy efforts to reduce poverty and move toward greater realization of peace and democracy in the world. The coalition of women’s groups and other social justice, human rights and development organizations that played a pivotal role in this effort will now turn its efforts toward ensuring that the new body has the human and financial resources necessary to succeed.”
Particularly notable in the resolution are the paragraphs regarding the importance of civil society participation in the new entity. The body must have increased operational presence at the country level including engagement with women’s groups and other civil society organizations invested in gender equality and the empowerment of women.
The GEAR Campaign’s global, regional, and national networks will be contacting UN representatives at all levels to work with the transition process and the new Under Secretary-General, once appointed, to ensure they are connected with organizations on the ground ready to provide their expertise and support.
As Patricia Licuanan of the Philippines, GEAR focal point in Asia and previous Chair of the Commission on the Status of Women at the time of the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing says: “The new gender equality entity will assist countries in their efforts to carry out commitments made in Beijing. Working through the One UN system, we hope to see UN Women taking the lead in engendering the programs of the UN at the country level.”
As the new entity is developed, GEAR supporters will continue to advocate for four major elements critical to its implementation:
Meaningful, systematic and diverse civil society participation at all levels
Strong, country-level operational capacity and universal coverage
Ambitious funding with stable and predictable resources aimed at reaching $1 billion within a few years
Strong leadership at the top with an Under Secretary-General who combines a global vision with gender equality expertise on the ground
“We know that this is only the beginning,” stated Rachel Harris of the Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO). “We must continue to ensure that we are building a United Nations that really works for all women!”
Background
The GEAR Campaign is a network of over 300 women’s, human rights and social justice groups around the world that have been working for four years to gain UN Member State and UN Secretariat approval for creation of a larger more coherent coordinated UN agency that can advance further the UN’s mandate of working for gender equality as a crucial component of development, human rights, humanitarian concerns, peace and security.
The new Gender Equality Entity to be headed by an Under-Secretary General, will consolidate the four existing UN bodies on women, increase operational capacity at the country level and have gain increased funding for work on women’s empowerment and advancement. The UN currently has four separate entities dedicated to women’s issues which will be combined in the new entity: the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW), the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW), and the Office of the Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women (OSAGI). Bringing these together and coordinating their work more with gender mainstreaming throughout the UN system should the UN and governments to deliver more effectively on their obligations and many commitments to advance gender equality, women’s empowerment and women’s human rights.
THERE was an increase in marriages involving underage Muslims in the Federal Territory last year. This goes against the assumption that child marriages are now on the decline due to changing cultural trends.
Last year, 49 Muslim girls under 16 years of age and 39 boys under 18 tied the knot.
According to the statistics provided by the Federal Territory Religious Department, this number was higher compared with the previous year.
Under Islamic family law, only girls and boys aged at least 16 and 18 and above respectively, can marry. Only the syariah court can grant permission for younger children to marry.
In 2008, 40 girls and 28 boys below the permitted age registered their marriages.
Chief Syariah Judge and Malaysian Syariah Judiciary Department director-general Tan Sri Ibrahim Lembut said, however, that the Syariah court does not "simply grant" its consent for marriages involving individuals aged 16 or below.
He said the conditions for Muslim marriages differed from that for non-Muslims and the syariah court would protect the interests of minors in marriages.
He added that chances of approval for children below 16 to marry were slim, and that applicants would have to meet strict criteria to prove that they were capable of building a solid and lasting marriage.
"We conduct an interview with both sets of parents present. We ask questions and find out if the child is mature enough to enter into marriage mentally and physically.
"We deliberate for a week before we give consent. Some girls, even at the age of 16, look frail. We will disallow the marriage as she may not be able to handle the burden of pregnancy and marital duties," he said when contacted.
Last week, the New Sunday Times reported that 479 Muslim children below 15 were found to be ready to tie the knot last year as revealed by the premarital HIV screening conducted by the Health Ministry, raising concern as to whether the concept of child marriages was alive and well in the country. Of the 479 children, 32 were below 10 years old.
Ibrahim said, however, that such cases were rare.
"Sometimes, in a year, there are no cases at all. In fact, when I was working in Malacca, there was only one such case.
"There are various reasons for young marriages. Some parents see it as the only option their daughter has"
Ibrahim said the procedure for underage couples who want to get married was similar in other states.
However, it has been reported that while most states require the consent of the girl and do not allow marriages by compulsion, the Kelantan enactment allows a Muslim girl's marriage to be solemnised without her consent, when the wali is her father or paternal grandfather.
Ibrahim warned Muslim parents that they could be charged if they married their children off without the syariah court's permission.
Selangor Islamic Religious Department director Datuk Mohd Khusrin Munawi said underage children who wanted to get married needed to go through the same procedure as other couples.
However, the couple's marriage application can be approved only by the syariah court.
"The couple need to fulfil the criteria -- an agreement from both sides and the consent of the girl's father. With these, the court will know whether the couples are entering into the marriage willingly."
Khusrin said the department had recently received an application from a 14-year-old girl from Hulu Langat and the court permitted her to tie the knot as she was the one who wanted to get married.
"We also had a case where a boy below 18 applied to get married and his application was granted by the court.
"However, such cases are rare because today, couples cannot be forced into marriage."
He said the main reason for early marriages was that "it is the request of the couples themselves".
It was also reported last week that, according to the 2000 Census, there were 11,400 children below 15 years of age who were married -- 6,800 girls and 4,600 boys.
Of the 6,800 girls, 2,450 were Malays. The remaining were non-Malays, comprising 1,550 other Bumiputeras, 1,600 Chinese, 600 Indians and 600 others.
Empowerment, Women’s Bodies and Freedom: In conversation with Khawar Mumtaz and Jacqueline Pitanguy
A conversation was published in SID journal, Development where Wendy Harcourt, editor of Development, talked with Khawar Mumtaz and Jacqueline Pitanguy about how they understand empowerment in relation to their national and international work for women’s human rights.
Cultural Rights, International Law, Human Dignity, Diversity Gender
Ms. Farida Shaheed's Report Submitted on 22 March 2010 to Human Rights Council of United Nations General Assembly on "Cultural Rights, International Law, Human Dignity, Diversity, Gender"
In this report to the Human Rights Council, UN Independent Expert in the field of cultural rights Farida Shaheed stressed that at “the heart of this mandate is the relationship between cultural rights, cultural diversity, and the universality of human rights.”
CII chairman’s possible appointment causes concern
Shirkat Gah fully endorses the statement issued by Women’s Action Forum (WAF). As members of the civil society working for development of women, we feel that appointment of the JUI leader to chairmanship of CII will yield negative results specifically for women. The Council of Islamic Ideology was conceptualized as a review body of experts in Islamic Jurisprudence, which are distinct from theologians and populist political leaders using faith-based identities. We feel that appointment of an office-bearer of a religious political party is therefore in contravention of the principle and spirit of neutrality necessary for effective functioning of CII operating in a country with serious sectarian divisions. Additionally, we are concerned that the reported decision will relieve Dr. Mohammad Khalid Masud, a widely acclaimed scholar known for rational interpretation of Islamic injunctions as chairman of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII).
WAF statement:
KARACHI
We note with alarm and grave concern the probable appointment of Maulana Sherani of JUI to the Council of Islamic Ideology. We would like to register our serious reservations in reference to the influential mandate the CII wields. The Council of Islamic Ideology was conceptualised as a review body of experts in Islamic jurisprudence, which are indeed distinct from theologians and populist political leaders using faith-based identities. It is imperative that members of the CII are not associated with any political party and Maulana Sheerani’s chairpersonship be disqualified on this count.
We have the historic example of the General Zia era when the council was populated with traditional maulvis and was used politically to institutionalise discriminatory and repressive laws through ordinances. WAF can volunteer to compile the regressive rulings of the council. The stewardship of the CII in the hands of religio-political parties would negate any gains Pakistani society has made and ensure that civil society groups remain enmeshed in defending the status quo.
We understand that the government can be held hostage to coalition threats of withdrawing support but we are also emphatic that politically expedient decisions cannot be made at the expense of those who are marginalised, such as women and minorities. We have seen this pattern earlier in Swat as well, through untenable and unviable peace deals. WAF requests the government to not renege on its commitment to people of Pakistan, and its efforts to end violence against women. WAF hopes that the president will cancel Maulana Sherani’s appointment and that the citizens of Pakistan will not have to challenge a people’s government on grounds of being anti-people.
Working Committee – Women’s Action Forum
Published in the Express Tribune, June, 15th, 2010.
Change in UK Immigration Policy to Impact South Asian Women
The new Conservative government in the UK is passing a legislation to require spouses from non-European Union countries to be proficient in English before arriving in the UK. This had been developed under the previous government, and groups at that time had protested against it, please see the article here:
Now it is going through, and feminist/anti-racist groups here are mobilizing to launch a court case arguing the law is discriminatory on the basis of class, gender, ‘race’, etc. The fact that spouses from European Union migrating to the UK do not need to have this English proficiency, is dreadful. You can read the news in the link below.
A large proportion of migrants to the UK are from South Asia, and women who come as spouses face various challenges, this language requirement is an additional burden upon the potential migrant to ‘learn English’ while in her home country rather than as part of a citizenship programme upon arrival. This development may have impacts upon women’s (and men’s) realities in South Asia.
Shirkat Gah joins protests against killing of Ahmedis in Lahore and Karachi
Shirkat Gah staff and network members participated in protests against killing of 95 innocent Pakistani who lost their lives in attacks on two mosques of the Ahmedi community on Friday, May 28th. These demonstrations took place on Monday, 31 May, 2010 and included a candle light Vigil at the Liberty Roundabout in Lahore and a protest by WAF and JAC members at the Press Club Karachi.
Protesters carried banners and placards with messages condemning the violence against religious minorities of Pakistan and demanded the state to protect the lives and provide security to its citizens. Over 600 members of civil rights organizations, singers and students participated in the protest demostrations to pray for the victims and show solidarity with their families.
Shirkat Gah condemns the brutality against Ahmadis at the Lahore Press Club
The Joint Action Committee for People’s Rights (JAC) condemned the act of terrorism where 95 Pakistani’s lost their lives in Lahore on 28 May 2010. JAC held a press conference at the Lahore press club on Saturday, 29 May 2010 where members of the civil society across Lahore including Shirkat Gah, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), Simorgh, South Asia Partnership (SAP -Pk ) and Women’s Action Forum (WAF) attended.
Hina Jilani (HRCP), Muhammad Tehseen (SAP), Khawar Mumtaz (Shirkat Gah) and Madiha Gohar (Ajoka theatre) expressed their solidarity with the families of the victims and demanded the state provide foolproof security to all its citizens including religious minorities from terrorism acts by religious extremist elements.
Khawar Mumtaz urged civil society organizations to express solidarity with the Ahmedi community and demanded that the government should take serious actions against all those spreading hate and violence against Ahmadis.
At this press conference the Joint Action Committee shared a statement condemning this incident and demanding the state to fulfill its responsibility to provide its citizens security irrespective of religious or a minority status in Pakistan.
We urge to the sections of the civil society that have been sympathetic to militants to raise their voice at this inhuman act and express solidarity with Ahmadi community.
THE STATEMENT:
Joint Action Committee for People’s Rights (JAC) strongly condemns this act of terrorism against innocent and defenseless Ahmadi Pakistanis in Lahore yesterday. This is the latest in a series of vicious and devastating attacks on Ahamdis who are particularly targeted with hatred. The Perpetrators have complete impunity to kill citizens and minorities.
We see this as a total failure of government to protect and safeguard its citizens. We are angered and horrified government’s inaction despite credible intelligence reports, repeated requests and reminders from the Ahmadis and civil society groups to provide security to them.
We are also deeply concerned at the increasing militant attacks by members of one sectarian group against all others and consider these as threats to the entire society. We show full solidarity with families and relatives of those who were injured and killed in the barbaric terrorist attacks and demand that the government must provide foolproof security to all its citizens.
The governments’ apathy and criminal negligence in probing and arresting the culprits in the recent terrorists incidents especially in Gojra, has encouraged the terrorist in our country and increased insecurity of all citizens.
We demand an immediate and independent enquiry into why necessary security measures were not taken on the intelligence reports and the findings of such enquiry should be made public. We also demand that the government should share all the details about the militant outfits and forces involved in such terrorist acts and those that harbor or support such forces.
The government should also provide full compensations to the families who lost their beloved and full medical treatment to the injured must be guaranteed. We also demand that government should take serious actions against all those spreading hate and instigating violence against Ahmadis’.
Afghanistan - Child Brides Escape Marriage, but Not Lashes
Alissa J. Rubin/The New York Times
Sakhina, 15, was sold into marriage to pay off her father’s debts when she was 12 or 13. She is one of four fugitive child brides at a shelter in a secret Kabul location.
Alissa J. Rubin/The New York Times
Sumbol, 17, a Pashtun girl, said she was kidnapped and taken to Jalalabad, then given a choice: marry her tormentor, or become a suicide bomber.
By ROD NORDLAND and ALISSA J. RUBIN KABUL, Afghanistan — The two Afghan girls had every reason to expect the law would be on their side when a policeman at a checkpoint stopped the bus they were in. Disguised in boys’ clothes, the girls, ages 13 and 14, had been fleeing for two days along rutted roads and over mountain passes to escape their illegal, forced marriages to much older men, and now they had made it to relatively liberal Herat Province.
Instead, the police officer spotted them as girls, ignored their pleas and promptly sent them back to their remote village in Ghor Province. There they were publicly and viciously flogged for daring to run away from their husbands.
Their tormentors, who videotaped the abuse, were not the Taliban, but local mullahs and the former warlord, now a pro-government figure who largely rules the district where the girls live.
Neither girl flinched visibly at the beatings, and afterward both walked away with their heads unbowed. Sympathizers of the victims smuggled out two video recordings of the floggings to the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, which released them on Saturday after unsuccessfully lobbying for government action.
The ordeal of Afghanistan’s child brides illustrates an uncomfortable truth. What in most countries would be considered a criminal offense is in many parts of Afghanistan a cultural norm, one which the government has been either unable or unwilling to challenge effectively.
According to a Unicef study, from 2000 to 2008, the brides in 43 percent of Afghan marriages were under 18. Although the Afghan Constitution forbids the marriage of girls under the age of 16, tribal customs often condone marriage once puberty is reached, or even earlier.
Flogging is also illegal.
The case of Khadija Rasoul, 13, and Basgol Sakhi, 14, from the village of Gardan-i-Top, in the Dulina district of Ghor Province, central Afghanistan, was notable for the failure of the authorities to do anything to protect the girls, despite opportunities to do so.
Forced into a so-called marriage exchange, where each girl was given to an elderly man in the other’s family, Khadija and Basgol later complained that their husbands beat them when they tried to resist consummating the unions. Dressed as boys, they escaped and got as far as western Herat Province, where their bus was stopped at a checkpoint and they were arrested.
Although Herat has shelters for battered and runaway women and girls, the police instead contacted the former warlord, Fazil Ahad Khan, whom Human Rights Commission workers describe as the self-appointed commander and morals enforcer in his district in Ghor Province, and returned the girls to his custody.
After a kangaroo trial by Mr. Khan and local religious leaders, according to the commission’s report on the episode, the girls were sentenced to 40 lashes each and flogged on Jan. 12.
In the video, the mullah, under Mr. Khan’s approving eye, administers the punishment with a leather strap, which he appears to wield with as much force as possible, striking each girl in turn on her legs and buttocks with a loud crack each time. Their heavy red winter chadors are pulled over their heads so only their skirts protect them from the blows.
The spectators are mostly armed men wearing camouflage uniforms, and at least three of them openly videotape the floggings. No women are present.
The mullah, whose name is not known, strikes the girls so hard that at one point he appears to have hurt his wrist and hands the strap to another man.
“Hold still,” the mullah admonishes the victims, who stand straight throughout. One of them can be seen in tears when her face is briefly exposed to view, but they remain silent.
When the second girl is flogged, an elderly man fills in for the mullah, but his blows appear less forceful and the mullah soon takes the strap back.
The spectators count the lashes out loud but several times seem to lose count and have to start over, or possibly they cannot count very high.
“Good job, mullah sir,” one of the men says as Mr. Khan leads them in prayer afterward.
“I was shocked when I watched the video,” said Mohammed Munir Khashi, an investigator with the commission. “I thought in the 21st century such a criminal incident could not happen in our country. It’s inhuman, anti-Islam and illegal.”
Fawzia Kofi, a prominent female member of Parliament, said the case may be shocking but is far from the only one. “I’m sure there are worse cases we don’t even know about,” she said. “Early marriage and forced marriage are the two most common forms of violent behavior against women and girls.”
The Human Rights Commission took the videotapes and the results of its investigation to the governor of Ghor Province, Sayed Iqbal Munib, who formed a commission to investigate it but took no action, saying the district was too insecure to send police there. A coalition of civic groups in the province called for his dismissal over the matter.
Nor has Afghanistan’s Interior Ministry replied to demands from the commission to take action in the case, according to the commission’s chairwoman, Sima Samar. A spokesman for the ministry did not respond to requests for comment.
Forced marriage of Afghan girls is not limited to remote rural areas. In Herat city, a Unicef-financed women’s shelter run by an Afghan group, the Voice of Women Organization, shelters as many as 60 girls who have fled child marriages.
A group called Women for Afghan Women runs shelters in the capital, Kabul, as well as in nearby Kapisa Province and in the city of Mazar-i-Sharif, all relatively liberal areas as Afghanistan goes, which have taken in 108 escaped child brides just since January, according to Executive Director Manizha Naderi.
Poverty is the motivation for many child marriages, either because a wealthy husband pays a large bride-price, or just because the father of the bride then has one less child to support. “Most of the time they are sold,” Ms. Naderi said. “And most of the time it’s a case where the husband is much, much older.”
She said it was also common practice among police officers who apprehend runaway child brides to return them to their families. “Most police don’t understand what’s in the law, or they’re just against it,” she said.
On Saturday, at the Women for Afghan Women shelter, at a secret location in Kabul, there were four fugitive child brides. All had been beaten, and most wept as they recounted their experiences.
Sakhina, a 15-year-old Hazara girl from Bamian, was sold into marriage to pay off her father’s debts when she was 12 or 13.
Her husband’s family used her as a domestic servant. “Every time they could, they found an excuse to beat me,” she said. “My brother-in-law, my sister-in-law, my husband, all of them beat me.”
Sumbol, 17, a Pashtun girl, said she was kidnapped and taken to Jalalabad, then given a choice: marry her tormentor, or become a suicide bomber. “He said, ‘If you don’t marry me I will put a bomb on your body and send you to the police station,’ ” Sumbol said.
Roshana, a Tajik who is now 18, does not even know why her family gave her in marriage to an older man in Parwan when she was 14. The beatings were bad enough, but finally, she said, her husband tried to feed her rat poison.
In some ways, the two girls from Ghor were among the luckier child brides. After the floggings, the mullah declared them divorced and returned them to their own families.
Two years earlier, in nearby Murhab district, two girls who had been sold into marriage to the same family fled after being abused, according to a report by the Human Rights Commission. But they lost their way, were captured and forcibly returned. Their fathers — one the village mullah — took them up the mountain and killed them.
National Convention of Women Parliamentarians May 24-26, 2010
27/05/2010: National Convention of Women Parliamentarians May 24-26, 2010
Shirkat Gah and other organizations working for women’s development and gender equality welcomed the initiative of Pakistani women parliamentarians to launch the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (WPC). This was the first time that women got together regardless of party affiliations to promote the interests of women collectively. The Caucus contain s a great potential for consensus building on issues from women's perspective and provide an important opportunity to strengthen women's voices while engaging with male counterparts, to advocate for women sensitive legislation, policies and programmes in Pakistan.
The WPC organized a three-day “National Convention of Women Parliamentarians” to examine the role of Women Parliamentarians in peace building and reconciliation. It provided a significant opportunity for members of National Assembly to interact with provincial parliaments and women activists.
The National Convention of Women Parliamentarians aimed at bringing women parliamentarians from all parts of the country to join hands for pursing a collective vision on national agenda. The Convention aimed to develop partnership with the civil society and create networks on the regional level with women parliamentarians of the neighbouring countries. Delegates included women members of the Senate, National Assembly, Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Baluchistan, AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan assemblies. The convention’s guest list included senior women government officials, leading women’s rights activists, NCSW, members of the civil society, diplomats and leading women media personalities.
Heinrich Böll Stiftung & Shirkat Gah National Conference on Women, Religion & Politics in Pakistan
Heinrich Böll Stiftung and Shirkat Gah- Women’s Resource Centre “Women, Religion and Politics in Pakistan”
Lahore, 21-22 May, 2010, Heinrich Böll Stiftung and Shirkat Gah- Women’s Resource Centre held a national conference on “Women, Religion and Politics in Pakistan” at Holiday Inn Hotel, Lahore. The sessions discussed challenges pertaining to women’s participation in politics in Pakistan. Distinguished speakers and session chairpersons included Khawar Mumtaz - CEO Shirkat Gah, Sherry Rehman – Former Federal Minister for Information, and Bushra Gohar - MNA. About 200 participants from all provinces of the country included academics, current and former government representatives, national and provincial parliamentarians, civil society representatives, media personnel and human rights activists. The conference started with Gregor Enste, Resident Director, HBS introducing the organization and its commitment to continue working in Pakistan for sustainable development and the process of democratization by supporting research.
Khawar Mumtaz, CEO, Shirkat Gah welcomed the guests and acknowledged HBS partnership with Shirkat Gah for research and capacity building. She introduced Shirkat Gah and highlighted key achievements in a challenging environment.
Khalid Ahmed shared the history of the rise of religious right in Pakistan highlighting the current use of fear to spread an orthodox, militant Islam. He provided an example of Friday sermons at many mosques in Pakistan currently using fear to promote their version of Islam. He also discussed the myth spread by Islamists that Islam discourages democracy and freedom of women and shared that in such an orthodox environment, women get marginalized. He outlined Pakistan’s path towards becoming an ideological state and the move towards revisionist nationalism which required the use of non state actors. Farida Shaheed from Shirkat Gah examined at length how a revisionist Islam has displaced a more tolerant, pluralist attitude. She discussed citizenship and the social dimension of movement building in Pakistan. She said that unless the challenge of providing women adequate space is addressed, great revolts and small rebellions are not possible in Pakistan.
Sherry Rehman chaired a session on militancy and retreat in women’s rights. She said it was wrong to put the responsibility of fighting oppressive policies and legislation on women parliamentarians alone and men should be urged to play a stronger role. She also urged members of civil society to provide spaces for women to reflect on discriminatory laws and cultural practices in order to fight religious militancy in Pakistan and be a part of the national discourse. Later during the conference, Samar Minallah presented a documentary highlighting the need for religious tolerance; it showed how religious extremism and the military operations were impacting local women.
The second day’s proceedings were chaired by Bushra Gohar where Dr. Farzana Bari talked about the impact of terrorism in Pakistan. She shared her research findings in terms of women’s limited mobility during the talibanization process which also impacted men in completing day to day tasks at home and businesses. She concluded with a concern that women suffered the impact of terrorism disproportionately. Neelum Hussian talked about women’s spaces in a patriarchal context. She made references to her research on the philosophy of “Dars” and the “Mazaar” culture and how both provide public spaces and authority to women in different ways. Humeira Iqtidar examined two basic questions viz: why do women join Islamist parties and what is the impact on women’s life when they join Islamist parties. She gave instances of some women’s personal choice to observe “Purda” (veil) and how that had affected their home lives and their relationships with the men of their family. She further spoke about her interaction with the women think tanks in Jammat –e- Islami and Jamaat-ud- Dawa as part of her research. She concluded by saying that while secularization has so far been viewed as measuring the increase or decrease in religion, it is important to analyze the changes in the quality of religious belief.
The two-day conference ended with a round table discussion on women’s experiences in politics moderated by Ayesha Tammy Haq. In this session, personal experiences of women in mainstream politics and the challenges they face to engage other women in policy making platforms was discussed at length. Shaheen Attiq ur Rehman appreciated the independent and collective work that NGO’s like Shirkat Gah are doing and stressed that women’s issues need to be highlighted more publically. She urged participants to pressure political parties to fix at least 10% seats for women. In response to questions from the audience, Amar Sindhu from Women’s Action Forum – Sindh shared that that some women activists forget about promoting women’s issues once in public office. Aqeela Naz from Anjuman e Mazareen Pakistan demanded that political parties support women to get elected rather than selected and urged for inclusion of women from a diverse background to ensure adequate representation for addressing women’s issues. Shaheen asked the forum to galvanize youth to get into politics and social work. Bushra Gohar urged women in politics and in public spaces to use every opportunity to introduce women’s perspective and requested women to join hands in cross party alliances on women’s issues. The 2-day conference ended with speakers sharing their thoughts on politics within politics and a demand for women to support each other in every position they occupy.
Khawar Mumtaz concluded by thanking participants and speakers for a very productive conference.
A 2-day national consultation on The Beijing Platform of Action for Equality
April 30- 1 May 2010: A 2-day national consultation on The Beijing Platform of Action for Equality, Development and Peace was organized by Shirkat Gah – Women’s Resource Centre and the ASR Resource, Training and Advocacy Centre on the 30th April to 1st May 2010 in Lahore.
Around 200 participants attended from urban and rural organizations all over Pakistan including Gilgit Baltistan and AJK. Shahnaz Wazir Ali, MNA and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Social Sector, Raheela Durrani, Minister of Law and Public Prosecution, Baluchistan, Yasmin Rehman, Advisor to the Ministry of Women Development, Mehnaz Rafi, former MNA, Hina Jilani, Khawar Mumtaz, Nighat Khan, Shagufta Alizai and other leading women addressed sessions.
This consultation reviewed progress on commitments made in connection with the Beijing Platform of Action 1995, Pakistan National Plan of Action for Women’s Development, Millennium Development Goals and CEDAW. Progress made on Pakistan’s commitments was assessed in view of the new local and global changes such as economic crisis, climate change, conflict and its impact on the lives of women.
The forum concluded with specific demands of the government of Pakistan for improvement in the status of women. These included the demand to strengthen Ministry of Women’s Development with appointment of a full time minister; making National Commission on Status of Women fully autonomous with provincial and district level offices; developing one consolidated National Plan of Action addressing all women’s concerns; giving representation to women peasants and workers in parliamentary bodies and restoring local government system with an early announcement of elections.
Importance of the media’s role in creating awareness on women’s issues was highlighted with a demand for a responsible and responsive media. Reported endorsement of parallel judicial mechanisms (Jirga) by the Chief Justice of Pakistan was universally condemned
The group expressed dismay over curtailment of the freedom of expression under current democratic government and rejected the absolutely unjustified ban on Ajoka Theatre performance (Burqvaganza) imposed by PNCA.
Shahnaz Wazir Ali and Yasmin Rehman appreciated the civil society organizations role in women’s development and assured the current governments and the Prime Minister’s confirmed commitment to support such progressive efforts. The meeting resolved to continue its commitment to struggle for women’s rights as equal citizens and to strengthen linkages with other social movements and allies for achievements of its objectives.
A People’s SAARC summit meeting in New Delhi
April 20-23, 2010- A People’s SAARC summit meeting in New Delhi was attended by Fauzia Viqar and Aijaz Malik from Shirkat Gah. This was a gathering of civil activists and parliamentarians (current and former) from the South Asian region. Objective of the two day conference titled ‘Assembly towards Union of South Asian Peoples’ at Jawaharlal Nehru University was to discuss the vision of a united South Asia and formulate strategies to achieve this vision.
The programme of Peoples’ SAARC 2010 focused on the following seven themes: Freedom of Movement: Right to Residence and Work Politics of Hate: Terrorism & Militarism Climate Crisis, Ecological Justice & Livelihoods Building South Asian Unity: Nationalism, Federalism & Democracy Water Sharing & Water Scarcities in South Asia Fighting Imperialism, Deepening Democracy Trade & Economic Cooperation
Shirkat Gah’s participation was seen to be important and committed to organize activities in future in the areas of Food Security and Land Rights; and on Minority Rights.
Teenage girl abducted, raped and disrobed
Update on: UPDATE: Pakistan: Teenage girl abducted, raped and disrobe
16/08/2007: Due to pressure from women's human rights activists in Pakistan, the gang-rape case of Nasima Labano has been ordered to be transferred to the Court of District and Sessions Judge of Karachi.
Iranian-American academic Haleh Esfandiari released on bail
Haleh Esfiandiari and other Iranian-American citizens unlawfully arrested and detained 22/08/2007: Detained Iranian-American academic Dr. Haleh Esfandiari was suddenly released from a notorious Tehran prison Tuesday after spending months behind bars on charges of endangering Iranian national security — allegations her family vehemently denies. However it remains unclear if Haleh Esfandiari, 67, will be allowed to leave the country.
Source: http://wluml.org/node/5859
Petitions against the violent crackdown on peaceful protestors in Burma
Myanmar: Petitions against the violent crackdown on peaceful protestors in Burma 28/09/2007: Myanmar's military regime has faced weeks of peaceful protests sparked by a staggering increase in fuel prices in August. Buddhist monks and nuns, along with students and human rights activists, have emerged as leaders of the protest movement, which has now escalated into the biggest challenge to the junta in nearly two decades. The protestors are being subjected to daily violence, arrests and repression and the fatalities are rising.
: Joint NGO statement supporting Human Rights Defenders in Burma
Update on: Myanmar: Petitions against the violent crackdown on peaceful protestors in Burma
10/10/2007: Human rights organizations from around the world are concerned for the safety and freedom of human rights activists within Burma following the brutal crackdown on peaceful protestors.
15/1/2010: Winston Blackmore, the leader of a polygamous community in southeastern British Columbia who has admitted to having multiple wives, is suing the provincial government for violating his rights when he was charged last year. Mr. Blackmore and James Oler, both leaders of separate factions in Bountiful, B.C., were arrested in January 2009 and each charged with practising polygamy, two decades after police first starting looking into the community near the United States border. The charges were thrown out last fall after the men's lawyers successfully argued in court that the decision of a previous special prosecutor not to lay charges was final.
Protest against the state of emergency in Pakistan and brutal attacks on civil society
Urgent Alert: Protest against the state of emergency in Pakistan and brutal attacks on civil society General Pervez Musharraf declared a state of emergency in Pakistan on Saturday November 3, 2007 and imposed the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) that suspends the Constitution and the fundamental rights of citizens, gags the media and forbids any form of dissent. This has drastically upset the already frail political setup prevalent in the country.
Protest the Sentencing of Gang-Rape Victim to 200 Lashes
Saudi Arabia: Protest the Sentencing of Gang-Rape Victim to 200 Lashes 22/11/2007: A judge in Saudi Arabia has ordered a victim of gang rape to receive 200 lashes - more than double her original sentence for being alone with a man who was not a relative - after she appealed against the lenient sentences given to the men who attacked her.
More women's human rights defenders arrested (WLP)
Iran: More women's human rights defenders arrested (WLP)4/12/2007: The latest in a string of arrests, One Million Signatures campaign member Jelveh Javaheri was imprisoned on Saturday, December 1 after undergoing interrogation at the security branch of the Revolutionary Courts.
UPDATE: Saudi Arabia: Rape victim pardoned by Saudi King 17/12/2007: Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has pardoned a female rape victim who had been sentenced to 200 lashes for being alone with a man at the time of the attack who was not related to her. Saudi Justice Minister Abdullah bin Muhammed al-Sheik told al-Jazirah newspaper that the pardon does not mean the king doubted the country's judges, but instead acted in the ''interests of the people.
Legal attacks and harassment of women's human rights defenders
Nicaragua: Legal attacks and harassment of women's human rights defenders 11/01/2008: An open letter from Nicaraguan feminists calling for letters of support from regional and international groups.
Stop the Stoning to Death of Zohreh and Azar Kabiri
Iran: Stop the Stoning to Death of Zohreh and Azar Kabiri! 4/02/2008: The Women Living Under Muslim Laws international solidarity network, and the Global Campaign Stop Killing and Stoning Women! urges all concerned citizens to immediately contact the Iranian officials by phone and/or fax to request them to stop the scheduled stoning to death of Zohreh and Azar Kabiri in Iran.
Iran: Protest the closure of Zanan women's magazine
12/02/2008: Zanan Magazine, a reform-minded feminist magazine has been active in promoting women's rights for the last 16 years. Authorities revoked its license and friends in Tehran worry there's will be no avenue for appeal. Read the petition and sign on
Protest the death threats against human rights defenders
Kenya: Protest the death threats against human rights defenders 13/02/2008: Women Living Under Muslim Laws is gravely concerned to learn of death threats brought against our friend and colleague, Lynne Muthoni Wanyeki. She and her colleagues have been receiving death threats because of their human rights work and statements during the current crisis in Kenya.
Ensure Safety and Protection for Adivasi Migrant Workers-INDIA
Human Rights groups express their grave concern over the plight of Adivasi migrant labourers in India, who move from their area of residence to others parts of the country, in search of employment opportunities. It has been learnt that recruitment process is rarely followed properly, resulting in a lack of any form of documentation. This renders migrant workers vulnerable to all forms of abuses and cases of death and disappearance among these migrant workers have been reported.
UPDATE: Iran: Mokarrameh Ebrahimi released from prison! 19/03/2008: We are delighted to announce the release of Mokarrameh Ebrahimi and her son Ali from Choobin Prison, in Takistan, Qazvin, in Iran, where she has been awaiting execution by stoning for adultery for the past ten years.
Iran: Campaign to free Khadijeh Moghaddam 8/04/2008: Khadijeh Moghaddam, a women's human rights activist, was arrested at her home on April 8th. She is a member of the One Million Signatures Campaign calling for equal rights between men and women in Iran. Many members of the Campaign have been harassed and arrested. A non-violent advocate of change, Ms. Moghaddam is currently being detained in solitary confinement, on charges related to propaganda, influencing public opinion and threatening national security.
UPDATE: Iran: Khadijeh Moghaddam released from prison 21/04/2008: Khadijeh Moghaddam member of the Mother’s Committee of the One Million Signatures Campaign, and a member of Mothers for Peace, was released on the afternoon of Wednesday April 16, after spending nine days in detention.
12/05/2008: Four women's rights activists, Nasrin Afzali, Nahid Jafari, Zeinab Peighambar-zadeh, and Minou Mortazi, have been given suspended sentences of whipping (10 lashes) and six months imprisonment.
29/05/2008: Through WLUML networkers, the Algerian 'Collectif des familles de disparus' (CFDA) and the OMCT, we have learned of the unfair dismissal of Ms. Cherifa Kheddar from
her position of employment at the prefecture of Blida. Kheddar is the president of the
Djazairouna association, a group which defends the victims of terrorism.
Indonesia: Paramilitary groups hijack Islam (Jakarta Post) 9/06/2008: ""Islamic" paramilitary groups claim constantly that they are the true defenders of Islam, saying Allahu Akbar (Allah is great) while at the same time lashing women with bamboo.
Women's Minister fired for speaking out against mining company
Bougainville: Women's Minister fired for speaking out against mining company
12/06/2008: On Monday 3 June 2008, the Women’s Minister of the Bougainville Autonomous Government was sacked from her Cabinet position. Magdalene Toroansi was the lone voice in the Cabinet to oppose President Kabui’s signature to a mining contract with Canadian mining company, Invincible which would reopen the Panguna Mine in Central Bougainville, taking 70 per cent of the profits offshore.
Iran: Nine more women’s rights activists arrested 13/06/2008: On June 12th, the occasion of the National Day of Solidarity of Iranian Women, nine women’s rights activists were arrested outside of the Rahe Abrisham Gallery just prior to a small, peaceful assembly planned to commemorate the day.
Nepal: Women human rights defender murdered16/06/2008: The National Alliance of Women Human Rights Defenders (NAWHRDs) requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Nepal. NAWHRDs is shocked and appalled about death of Ms. Laxmi Bohara, 28, a member of Women Human Rights Defender Network, Kanchanpur and a resident of Champapur, Ward No. 8, Daji Village Development Committee in Kanchanpur district. She was severely beaten and physically injured by her husband and mother-in-law and later died in the zone hospital.
Kurdistan: Woman stoned to death for eloping17/06/2008: "In the latest killing, or at least the latest to come to public attention, Kurdistan Aziz was 16 years old when she escaped her family with a man she knew they would not accept, and courageously following the ancient tradition of 'radu kauten' they eloped together to Arbil, the capital city of Iraqi Kurdistan. They planned to start a life together. But her father had other ideas for her; not of love, happiness or choice but that she must die for this rebellion against the patriarchal order.
Nigeria: Protest the proposed law on 'indecent clothing'
4/07/2008: BAOBAB for Women’s Human Rights has issued an alert regarding the “Bill for an Act to Prohibit and Punish Public Nudity, Sexual Intimidation and Other Related Offences in Nigeria.
Iran: Six leading members of the Bahá’í faith detained 10/07/2008: Six leaders of a group managing the Baha'i community's religious and administrative affairs in Iran were arrested at their homes by officers from the Ministry of Intelligence on 14 May 2008, and are now detained in Evin Prison in Tehran. A seventh person, acting secretary for the group, Mahvash Sabet, has been in detention since 5 March. The Baha'i community has long been persecuted by the Iranian government, especilly since the Iranian Revolution.
Polygamous communities persist on grounds of 'religious freedom
Canada: Polygamous communities persist on grounds of 'religious freedom' 17/07/2008: The polygamous communities of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) - a branch of Mormonism - have openly practiced forced and underage marriages, incest, and abuse for decades. Under the clause of 'religious freedoms', however, this practice has been permitted to continue in the Canadian province of British Columbia and lengthy court cases have been further delayed by repeated appointments of special investigators.
Local women's groups protest bill on 'indecent clothing
UPDATE: Nigeria: Local women's groups protest bill on 'indecent clothing' 8/08/2008: The following is an update provided by BAOBAB - For Women's Human Rights, a women's rights organization based in Nigeria. This is a brief report on the Public Hearing held in July 2008 regarding a proposed bill which, if made into law, would regulate styles of clothing on the grounds this would curb sexual intimidation and other sexual offences. The women who conducted research, presented their findings and demands, spoke out at the public hearing and aired their concerns with the world are to be commended for their actions and commitment to fighting discriminatory laws.
France: Ensure police protection for Mohamed Sifaoui
11/08/2008: Mohamed Sifaoui - an Algerian journalist, writer and director living in exile in France - was violently attacked by Islamists in Paris on Friday, June 13th 2008. Why? For his tireless and courageous struggle against fundamentalisms and his defence of secularism. Since 2003 he has benefited from police protection, but since January 2008 it has been withdrawn.15/1/2010: Winston Blackmore, the leader of a polygamous community in southeastern British Columbia who has admitted to having multiple wives, is suing the provincial government for violating his rights when he was charged last year. Mr. Blackmore and James Oler, both leaders of separate factions in Bountiful, B.C., were arrested in January 2009 and each charged with practising polygamy, two decades after police first starting looking into the community near the United States border. The charges were thrown out last fall after the men's lawyers successfully argued in court that the decision of a previous special prosecutor not to lay charges was final.
11/9/2008: Human Rights Groups express their grave concern for the incident happened in Baba Kot, a remote village of Balochistan where three to five women were brutally shot and apparently buried alive: three for trying to exercise their fundamental right to determine their own lives and to marry men of their choice, the other two for supporting them and trying to save their lives.
people sentenced to prison for breaking Ramadan fast
Algeria: 4 people sentenced to prison for breaking Ramadan fast 9/10/2008: For the first time, 6 people in Southern Algeria have been sentenced to four years in jail and a $1300 fine for breaking the Ramadan fast.
Release of those sentenced for breaking the Ramadan fast
UPDATE: Algeria: Release of those sentenced for breaking the Ramadan fast 13/10/2008: On 29 September, a court in Biskra sentenced 6 men to 4 years in prison and a 1000 euro fine, for eating in public during the fasting hours of Ramadan. The verdict has since been overturned and the prisoners have been freed.
Woman sentenced to 10 years for allegedly damaging a Quran
Algeria: Woman sentenced to 10 years for allegedly damaging a Quran 23/10/2008: According to Algerian Newspaper El Watan, last September a young women aged 26 was sentenced to 10 years in prison in Biskra, southern Algeria, where she is already detained for previous offence. She is accused of having damaged a Quran.
UPDATE: Algeria: Samia Smets acquitted 30/10/2008: Samia S., accused of having damaged a Quran and sentenced last September to 10 years imprisonment, was acquitted on 28 October 2008 by the judge of the criminal division of the Court of Biskra.
4/11/2008: 13-year-old Aisha Ibrahim Duhulow was killed on Monday, 27 October 2008, by a group of 50 men who stoned her to death in a stadium in the southern port of Kismayu, Somalia in front of around 1,000 spectators. She was accused of adultery in breach of Islamic law but, her father and other sources told Amnesty International that she had in fact been raped by three men, and had attempted to report this rape to the al-Shabab militia who control Kismayo, and it was this act that resulted in her being accused of adultery and detained. None of men she accused of rape were arrested.
Canada: Canadian polygamist leader arrested 13/01/2009: The leader of a polygamous community in western Canada who has admitted having numerous wives and dozens of children was arrested Wednesday [7 Jan. 2009] and charged with practicing polygamy, according to court documents and local officials.
Harassment of women’s human rights defender, Ghada Jamsheer
Bahrain: Harassment of women’s human rights defender, Ghada Jamsheer
26/01/2009: Front Line reported, on 17 January 2009, that Ghada Jamsheer, a woman human rights defender in Bahrain, had become the target of a harassment campaign. Ghada Jamsheer and her family have received threats, including many threatening text messages, and have been followed in a car.
Iran: Call for immediate release of Alieh Eghdam-Doost
5/02/2009: Dozens of women’s and human rights groups condemn the recent arrest and imprisonment of Iranian women’s rights activist Alieh Eghdamdoust. She will serve a sentence of three years imprisonment for participating in a lawful and peaceful demonstration in June 2006/1385 in Haft-e Tir Square in Tehran.
Pakistan: Interference in the case of Mukhtar Mai 9/02/2009: The Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML) international solidarity network is deeply concerned by the fact that a sitting Federal Minister, Mr. Qayyum Jatoi, has pressured Mukhtar Mai, the well-known women’s human rights defender, to drop charges against the accused in her case.
Pakistan: Supreme Court adjourns hearing of Mukhtar Mai's case indefinitely
UPDATE: Pakistan: Supreme Court adjourns hearing of Mukhtar Mai's case indefinitely 12/02/2009: Mukhtar Mai's counsel, Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, had moved an application for adjournment, which was considered the best course of action in the current circumstances. With no right to a further appeal, Mai's rapists will stay in jail. However, the threat to the safety of Mukhtar Mai, and her family, from those implicated in the interference in her case remains.
African Feminist Forum joins Malagasy women to condemn bloodshed
Madagascar: African Feminist Forum joins Malagasy women to condemn bloodshed 18/02/2009: Since 26 January more than 100 unarmed civilians have been killed in protests. AFF urges the African Union Commission to appoint a high-level African woman to be part of the team that will facilitate the resolution of the political crisis in Madagascar and to ensure the equal participation of Malagasy women and their organizations in the subsequent political processes, including elections.
Pakistan: Grave doubts over independence of judiciary in Mukhtar Mai case
UPDATE: Pakistan: Grave doubts over independence of judiciary in Mukhtar Mai case
3/03/2009: Mukhtar Mai’s case has been scheduled for Wednesday, March 4th, 2009 at the Supreme Court of Pakistan at Islamabad. Ms Mai was just informed by the office of her council Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan. This is an astonishing move. Since 2005, Mukhtar Mai’s case was pending before the Supreme Court without any hearings being scheduled. There continues to be political influence in this case and regular serious threats to her life and the lives of family members in an attempt to pressure her to drop the charges against her perpetrators.
Mukhtar Mai's case adjourned for third time in a month
UPDATE: Pakistan: Mukhtar Mai's case adjourned for third time in a month
6/03/2009: With clear evidence of political interference in Ms Mai's case it is uncertain when her case will be heard again, and her legal team are only advised in the last minute by the judiciary. Please see the letter of thanks for the support Ms Mai and her family have received.
Saudi Arabia: Imprisonment and Whipping of 75 year-old Woman 30/03/2009: WLUML, and its allies, demand that Saudi Arabia demonstrate its commitment to human rights and release Khamisa Sawadi, Fahd al-Anzi, and Hadiyan bin Zein and revoke the order of deportation.
UPDATE: Sudan: Lubna Hussein's case postponed to 4th August
29/07/2009: As Lubna Ahmad Hussein works for the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), the judge today said that she has immunity so the case could be cancelled. Hussein refused, however, and said that she will resign from UNMIS so she will be dealt with as a Sudanese citizen. The decision was reached to postpone the case to another session on Tuesday 4th of August.
URGENT appeal for intervention to stay sentence of caning
UPDATE: URGENT appeal for intervention to stay sentence of caning 21/08/2009: The Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML) international solidarity network is deeply concerned to learn that the Syariah High Court in the Malaysian state of Pahang Shariah Court has ordered that Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno be remanded at the Kajang women’s prison in the state of Selangor from Monday, 24 August. Madam Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno, 32, has been sentenced to six strokes of the cane and fined RM5,000 (approximately US$ 1,400) after she pleaded guilty to consuming beer two years ago at a hotel in Pahang.
UPDATE: Malaysia: Kartika temporarily released, caning sentence postponed 24/08/2009: On 20 August, the Syariah High Court in the Malaysian state of Pahang Shariah Court ordered that Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno be remanded at the Kajang women’s prison in the state of Selangor from Monday, 24 August. Madam Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno, 32, had been sentenced to six strokes of the cane and fined RM5,000 (approximately US$ 1,400) after she pleaded guilty to consuming beer two years ago at a hotel in Pahang. Madam Kartika has since been released, but the sentence of caning is still due to be carried out and has reportedly been postponed until after the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
26/08/2009: Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML) International Solidarity Network calls for the government of Pakistan to repeal its laws on blasphemy. The urgent need for law reform has been highlighted by the recent deadly attacks on a Christian community in Punjab, Pakistan, whose members were accused of desecrating the Qur'an. Members of a banned Islamist group, Sipah-i-Sahaba, took the law into their own hands and it is reported that policemen present did not try to control the mob and protect the citizens.
Court ratifies guilty verdict on 75 year old women
UPDATE: Saudi Arabia: Court ratifies guilty verdict on 75 year old women
2/09/2009: On 25 August the court of Al-Shamli, north of Hail, found Mrs Khamisa Sawadi guilty of the charge of "khilwa" (mingling with two young men to whom she was not immediately related), and the higher court in Riyadh ratified their verdict. One of the two young men who was tried alongside Sawadi may face additional charges for filing a law suit against the religious police. This is in spite of the fact that in May the Court of Cassation refused to ratify the verdict and returned the case to Al-Shamli court with several observations on the previous verdict, including the rejection of her breastfeeding claim and the fact that she is old.
Flogging sentence dropped and fine paid against Hussein's will
UPDATE: Sudan: Flogging sentence dropped and fine paid against Hussein's will
7/09/2009: Lubna Hussein had been released after a day in prison after the government backed Journalists Union paid her fine. They did so without her consent. It is believed the government hopes that by closing this case, the pressure to repeal the discriminatory laws with die down. The sentence of flogging was dropped in the case of Lubna Hussein who was charged under article 152 (Indecent and Immoral Acts) of the 1991 Sudanese Penal Code for wearing trousers in a public place. However, the guilty verdict has not been overturned and she had to choose between paying a fine of 500 Sudanese pounds or facing one month in jail. On Monday evening, Lubna Hussein was taken to jail to begin her sentence. Ms. Hussein did not want to lend any legitimacy to the verdict by paying the fine, and had intended to appeal the guilty verdict in both the Court of Appeal and the Constitutional Court. Lubna Hussein had previously pointed out that this charge falls under ‘immoral’ or ‘indecent behaviour’, a charge which will remain on her record and that of the other women arrested. Although she she will not be flogged, this offence on her record is associated with prostitution and other 'immoral' behaviour.
Source: http://wluml.org/node/5859
Investigation into massacres of Christians
UPDATE: Pakistan: Investigation into massacres of Christians
9/09/2009: For the first time the Pakistani assembly has discussed the need to amend the Blasphemy Laws, and there's a constitutional review committee in the parliament. Many civil society groups are pushing for a secular basis to the constitution. On August 28, 2009, the investigation report of 48 detained accused were submitted before the Anti-Terrorism Court. All the detained accused in Korian case will be produced before court again on Sep 11, 2009.
New law in Aceh makes adultery punishable by stoning
Indonesia: New law in Aceh makes adultery punishable by stoning 17/09/2009: The Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML) international solidarity network and the Global Campaign to Stop Killing and Stoning Women (SKSW Campaign <http://www.stop-killing.org/> ) are gravely concerned to learn of a set of regressive new laws introduced in Aceh, Indonesia on 14 September 2009. Indonesia's province of Aceh has passed a new law that imposes severe sentences for consensual extra-marital sexual relations, rape, homosexuality, alcohol consumption and gambling. Previously, Aceh's partially-adopted Sharia law enforced dress codes and mandatory prayers. "This law is a preventive measure for Acehnese people so that they will avoid moral degradation," said Moharriyadia, a spokesman for the Prosperous Justice Party.
UPDATE: Malaysia: Contradictory statements over caning sentence 22/09/2009: Sisters in Islam (SIS) of Malaysia has submitted an application for revision and stay of execution of the caning sentence passed on Madam Kartika. SIS is asking the court to revise the sentence on several grounds, reminding the Malaysian government of its obligations under international law, constitutional and legal issues, and sentencing guidelines. Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno was sentenced by the Pahang Syariah Court to be lashed six times and fined RM 5000 as punishment for drinking beer with her husband in a hotel nightclub in Cherating (Pahang state) on 12 July 2007. The mother of two was charged under Section 136 of the Pahang Islamic and Malay Traditional Practices Enactment (Amendment) 1987. We have recently learned that the same judge has passed five other sentences on Muslim men and women for alcohol consumption.
Court of appeals upholds the caning sentence of Kartika
URGENT: Malaysia: Court of appeals upholds the caning sentence of Kartika 28/09/2009: The International Solidarity Network, Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML), and the Global Campaign to Stop Killing and Stoning Women! (SKSW) are greatly concerned that the caning of Madam Kartika will take place in the next few days, possibly in secret. The caning sentence was upheld in the Malaysian court of appeals on 28 September in spite of clear statements from government authorities casting serious doubt upon the wisdom of such punishments. WLUML and SKSW support the Malaysian Bar Council's call for Zero tolerance for caning as a cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment.
Civil society groups advocate for repeal of Qanun Jinayah (Islamic Criminal Legal Code)
UPDATE: Aceh: Civil society groups advocate for repeal of Qanun Jinayah (Islamic Criminal Legal Code) 18/12/2009: The Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML) international solidarity network and the Global Campaign to Stop Killing and Stoning Women! (SKSW Campaign) join their allies in Indonesia in continuing to call for the repeal of a law (or 'qanun') passed by the Aceh Legislative Council (DPRD) on Monday 14 September 2009, that expands the range of violent punishments for alleged moral and sexual transgressions, including stoning to death for “adultery” and 100 lashes for homosexuality.
Saudi Arabia: Sentence on 75-year-old woman not yet carried out
UPDATE: Saudi Arabia: Sentence on 75-year-old woman not yet carried out 8/1/2010: The Hail Emirate has received official orders to implement the recent sentence handed down against the defendants in the case of Khamisa Sawadi, issued by members of the Committee to Promote Virtue and Prevent Vice in the City of Shamli (170 kilometers south of Hail), which was known in the media as 'The case of the elderly woman of Shamli'. Saudi sources have confirmed to Emirati newspaper, Gulf News, that the woman is still in her house and the sentence has not been carried out yet.
UPDATE: Canada: Polygamist leader suing B.C. government
15/1/2010: Winston Blackmore, the leader of a polygamous community in southeastern British Columbia who has admitted to having multiple wives, is suing the provincial government for violating his rights when he was charged last year. Mr. Blackmore and James Oler, both leaders of separate factions in Bountiful, B.C., were arrested in January 2009 and each charged with practising polygamy, two decades after police first starting looking into the community near the United States border. The charges were thrown out last fall after the men's lawyers successfully argued in court that the decision of a previous special prosecutor not to lay charges was final.
URGENT call to authorities to stop imminent executions
Iran: URGENT call to authorities to stop imminent executions
7/2/2010: Please write to the Iranian authorities calling on them to halt executions of nine people arrested in relation to protests following the disputed presidential elections. The Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML) international solidarity network urges the Islamic Republic of Iran to halt the executions of political prisoners sentenced to death. The prisoners’ trials did not meet international or even national legal standards set up by the laws of Islamic Republic. The accused faced ambiguous charges of Mahrab, meaning “enmity against God.” Moreover, after the officially confirmed deaths of at least two while in detention, the Iranian public and the international community are greatly alarmed about the extent of torture used against Iranian political prisoners in an attempt to coerce confessions.
United Kingdom: Take Action in Support of Gita Sahgal 25/3/2010: The Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML) international solidarity network expresses its solidarity with Gita Sahgal, a longstanding ally of the network who is active in various organisations, collectives, and movements committed to upholding universal human rights. WLUML has learned that she has repeatedly raised internal inquiries into Amnesty International’s association with the organisation Cageprisoners, headed by Moazzam Begg, around the Counter Terror with Justice Campaign. On 7 February 2010, Sahgal was suspended from her position as Head of the Gender Unit at Amnesty International.
National Plan of Action Shirkat Gah – Women’s Resource Centre (SG) has been closely involved in the Beijing process since the drafting of Pakistan’s official National Report for Beijing in 1995.
Shirkat Gah’s Initiative on the IDPs Situation Intense fighting between Government forces and militants in Swat, Pakistan, resulted in the mass exodus of people in NWFP and the adjoining tribal areas. This displacement of almost three million Pakistanis from their places of residence developed into a situation termed as the largest humanitarian and displacement crisis in recent times.
Colloquium on “Forced Marriages” The National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) and Shirkat Gah (SG) -Women’s Resource Centre, Pakistan, jointly organized a Colloquium on “Forced Marriages” to commemorate the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence on 2nd December, 2009, at Pearl Continental, Lahore.
Statement to the 54th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women New York, USA
Statement to the 54th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women New York, USA The Beijing Conference on Women was an extraordinary moment in the history of transnational women’s movements. Its outcome document, the Platform for Action, has become a watershed in the lives of countless women and girls all over the world for the past 15 years. The document is infused with a strong sense of optimism and remains a significant resource, placing women’s empowerment at the centre stage of global agendas towards gender equality. The adoption and implementation of the various elements of the Platform for Action continue to stand as essential reference points for ensuring more democratic, egalitarian and free societies in the future, with gender equality and rights-based women’s empowerment as requisites for the empowerment and advancement of humanity in general.
Long March Protest against Allotment of Agricultural Land to Foreigners
Long March Protest against Allotment of Agricultural Land to Foreigners
March 9, 2010: Shirkat Gah expressed solidarity with landless peasants, especially women of Anjuman-e- Mazareen Punjab (AMP) in their protest rally and sit-in at the Punjab Assembly, Lahore on March 9th, 2010. This demonstration was supported by members of civil society, NGOs, lawyers, human rights organizations, teacher’s organizations, trade unions and other local farmer organizations, to press for the long standing and now non negotiable demand of AMP for land rights to landless peasants.
Shirkat Gah Press Release on International Women’s Day
Shirkat Gah Press Release on International Women’s Day March 9, 2010: On the occasion of March 8th, International Women’s Day, Shirkat Gah - Women’s Resource Centre, Pakistan, renewed its commitment to social justice through promotion of women’s rights. It remains committed to female empowerment in Pakistan with the underlying precepts of equal access of the Pakistani woman to employment, educational opportunities, increased access to information, resources, skills and participation in the decision making process.
Peoples Assemblies in Kahna, Faisalabad and Beaconhouse National University, Lahore
Peoples Assemblies in Kahna, Faisalabad and Beaconhouse National University, Lahore Shirkat Gah organized People’s Assemblies in Kahna, Beaconhouse National University Lahore, and Faisalabad to enable citizens to reflect on the original spirit of the 1940 Resolution and to develop a new social contract that will be termed People’s Resolution. These activities were planned by Shirkat Gah as part of Aman Ittehad, the national peace network. These dialogues were successful in engaging all segments of the public especially women and youth to elaborate on what peace m
