Pakistan:Crimes against women

Daily Times
Aurat Foundation has presented its first bi-annual report covering cases of violence against women in the country from January to June 2011. According to the report, crimes against women constituted three percent of total crimes, and on average, 28 crimes against women took place each day in the reporting districts. Regions of Punjab and Sindh reported more crimes against women compared to those of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan. The most frequently reported crime against women was abduction in addition to early/forced marriages, rape, honour killings, acid attacks, burning, domestic violence, trafficking, harassment, sexual assault, torture and injury.

Not a day goes by without reports of criminal activities against women, which seem to be steadily increasing in volume. Perhaps the increase in volume is because more crimes are reported now compared to previous years. In a patriarchal society like ours, women have historically been subjected to sexual harassment, domestic violence, inhumane treatment and brutalities like acid attacks and honour killing due to the deep-seated bias against them. Even today, the situation of women in Pakistan has not improved much. Women belonging to the lower and middle classes are subjected to ill treatment at the hands of their employers, husbands, in-laws, brothers, and sometimes even their parents. They have to suffer harassment and discrimination whenever they step outside their homes, which leaves them highly vulnerable to being harmed physically, sexually or psychologically by the men in their communities.

Although the present government has passed a law against harassment of women at the workplace, there is still a long way to go. Regrettably, the government did not pass bills on acid attacks and domestic violence and a bill proposing amendments in the criminal law to protect women. Unjust traditional practices like vani, sawara (marriage of women to settle disputes) and karo kari (honour killing) are being handed out and implemented by illegal panchayats (informal courts). There is a need to improve women’s status by upholding their rights. Their engagement in mainstream politics by allocating them 17 percent seats in the national and provincial assemblies and Senate and 33 percent in local bodies and their appointment on a few important assignments is laudable, but we still lag far behind in improving the status of women in our society. Our women constitute more than half of the country’s population. We cannot progress meaningfully until they are provided due respect and rights.