More power to women?

More power to women?

Two bills were passed in the Senate today, which will aim to protect women against customs and traditions that mistreat women. The bills will also call for punishment for the people involved in implementing customs such as kari, wani or swara.

Such customs, which are in open violation of basic human rights, have been a part of the Pakistani culture for several decades and many a life has been lost to these traditions.

By introducing these bills, the government has taken a welcome step towards improving the state of women’s rights in the country.

How long will it take for these bills to be implement in the rural areas of the country?

Will the rules be followed in letter and spirit or will women continue being mistreated according to traditional customs?

What additional steps should the government take to ensure basic safety and security for women?

Will the passing of pro women’s rights bills bring about a change in the way women are treated in Pakistan?

Dawn.com invites its readers to give their views and suggestions.

 

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18 Responses to “More power to women?”

  1. rahman says:

    i would just like to say regarding women right…. we all under the influence of america and other english countries and they want us to implement this law and let your women to go outside and let them do whatever they want and dont let them to meet with strange… Here in pakistan no one beat their women neither do they want to beat… plz plz plz i am requesting you all … let you children to go to madrasa after school… if we study quran and do accordingly…. i am sure nothing bad will happend… it is all about bad knowledge because we follow english way what they do thats what we follow…

  2. A.R.Shams says:

    It has been observed that in many families that contain influential and upper hand keeping cruel nature brothers to usurp the legal heir-ship share of their respective sisters they often let them continue living with the ancestral family never being married and die unmarried. Hope women’s legal rights would be protected.

    Therefore, women need more power to have protected their ancestral legal and marital rights and marry too on their own choice if needed.

  3. sarmad says:

    This day we all need to recall those women who suffered because of the evils customs and especially those whose lives have been destroyed by acid thrown on their faces. At least we have something to sooth their wounds. Pakistan‘s parliament which is often accused of having feudal its members must be praised for passing the land mark bills. Both the bills address the evil customs mostly being practiced in the areas considered backwards and under feudal lords. Though mere making laws are not going to eradicate the evils customs in a day but at least we have something in place which can go against the same. It is not a small achievement in a society where by destroying girl’s schools, conservative minds are giving a message that how much they hate women’s education which makes them aware of their rights.

  4. Naeem Javid Muhammad Hassani says:

    In want to add a few line more … Besides, As far as I have noticed, the male-dominance trend is still a huge problem within Pakistani society living in Pakistan, but in certain Pakistani communities living outside Pakistan, things have become better. Of course, exceptions are there, and I do not say that things are just oh-so-wonderful ‘out there’, but at least the exposure to other societies has brought about more self awareness and things have slightly improved. However, I do not say that it is just Pakistan: it is all over the world, even in the western world and the western households, that women are treated as second rate citizens. There is an alarming number of statistics of homicides, abductions and rapes (in addition to other crimes against women) in the western world as well. It is a global problem, and we as global citizens should be doing our part in improving things rather than waiting for others to take the first step.

  5. Naeem Javid Muhammad Hassani says:

    It has taken several millennia for man to take “Alpha male” position in the family and in society and HE is not going to let-go his hard earned position easily. The woman subjugation phenomena is of universal level with different degrees of exploitations. Women are subdued under a variety of pretexts and deprived of their rights using various excuses. whenever a voice is raised by or for women-rights activists it is immediately silenced or in most cases given just a cold shoulder.Here I would like to refer to a book written by late professor Mazhar-ul-haq of Peshawar university .In his book he after extensive research on the subject had written how women were deprived of their social and economic rights through the institutions of “PARDA and POLYGAMY”,also the name of the book.The anti-woman social values are so strong that all but one publishers dared to print his book and after the book was printed public response was not only very cold but sometimes abusive.So,I can only wish well for women as they yet have to go a long way to achieve what is their due.

  6. Mrs. Munim says:

    This bill was long overdue. It’s only the fear of the police that will make a person think twice before committing a cruelty.
    This bill may or may not make a great difference in our lifetime, but it will certainly enable our daughters to breathe easier.

  7. Abdul Qayoom says:

    After all it is beneficial step towards the fair freedom of women rights but why does such incidents often happen in Pakistan it is all because of lack of education, ignorance of religion and key factor is non-justification in every walk of life, Government should ensure provision of justice at rapid pace before introducing such sort of bills.

  8. Mohdudul Huq says:

    In 21st century women education and establishment of women’s right is essential in Muslim society that
    leads to move forward of the society. Women is one of the backbone of the family for healthy growth of our children. Never deprive their rights at all. Ameen.

  9. Iftekhar Hassan says:

    Discussion foster independent thinking, discussion and debate on any issue is also very educational. Pakistan may have laws or tradition against mistreatment of women. However, effective implementation of such laws and customs are non-existing among poor and illetrate areas. Can somebody please post herein what is the government budget are for this fiscal year related to education of women right in Pakistan?

    It is true, kari, wani or swara or any of those tribal or backward customs and tradition are not being practice by the educated, rich of Pakistan. However, many middle class Pakistani families still practice these non-sense traditions to keep a women as she was a baby factory, kitchen worker and sex object.

    I have no idea how Pakistan remain so backward in all social issues related to women while the same Pakistan have had women Prime Minister.

    Not only massive education campaign with decent budget is needed but bringing violators to justice. When these cowards see justice handing down harsh sentences. That is call effective implementation of law of the land.

  10. sm roofi says:

    it looks so difficult here to demonstrate the problems of women because it is the burnning issue of many societies. in pakistan, this problem can be overcome only by puting some extraordianry efforts to the educational feild of women.

    in rural areas in pakistan there are so many problems and issues rising day by day but security of women is the major problem which can be manipulated only by good governace and law. unfortunately, pakistan’s law institutions are being derailed by some anti social elements. the most devastating fact is that these elements are being protected by some powerful state elements.

  11. Sabir hussain khokhar swl says:

    Dear its a great step.but in my view its all due to lack of education especialy in rural area where people ve no knowledge about the basic right of human in our religion.so govt also take step.

  12. H. Asghar says:

    Women must be given 10 per cent quota in all jobs esp police. It is a requirement of recruitment and must be ensured. Disbalance ie deficiency be made up. Women Police Stations be established in each Tehsil or Police subdivision. Girls schools be established and made functional esp in KPK eg Kohistan, FATA and Baluchistan. Women be allowed to vote; any election with less than Ten per cent Female vote polled be declared null and void.

  13. Imtiaz says:

    The covered female face is a reminder to the wearer that she is not free and to the observer, that she is a possession. Children and women are not posessions.

  14. imrana says:

    It is of utmost importance that the violation of human rights against women in particular is given a priority and that there are severe consequences for genuine cases and also if we can treat these offences by keeping religion aside and not allowing the hypocritical religious leaders to influence the decision made as we speak of human rights and violations.
    For me it is important that since my children and I are still suffering the trauma of abuse committed 15 years ago, that time lapse not become a hindrance towards bringing justice to women like me and giving us some closure/ peace of mind that men cannot get away with violence, no matter what.

  15. Debbie says:

    If I were a woman in Pakistan I would take my children and animals and leave the country with the barbarians and let them abuse and destroy each other. Only cowards abuse those weaker than themselves. If they refuse to treat woman as equal, then leave them. They are not worthy.

    Praise to the Goddess!

    • G.A. says:

      @Debbie – Pakistan may not be perfect but it does have women fighter pilots and has had a women Prime Minister to give an example. Some segments of British and American societies mistreat women as badly as in Pakistan, especially when men get drunk. That blue-eyed wonder called Israel has women sitting at back of the bus. Societies are not as black and white as you would like to believe and Pakistan with a population of 180 million people certainly is not.

    • ST (UK) says:

      I have lived in Pak as a girl and in UK as a married woman, please spare me the dramatics, I have observed and seen what happens to women in societies bragging about equal rights for women , I’d rather be in Pakistan

      • Iftekhar Hassan says:

        @Debbie,

        Thank you for your concern about women abuse in Pakistan. Please do help educate Pakistani women in terms of understanding their right against men abusing them. @G.A., true there are many instances of violation of women rights in Europe and North America. maybe 1% compare to 80% in Pakistan. However, crimes against women in Pakistan can be describe as abhorrent, such crime in the west is non-existing. Tell me how many women in the west are being murdered for dowry? Its ZERO.

        Do you DD.

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