Women rights in G-B: ‘Laws are there, it is time to implement them’

The need for pro-women policies and awareness movement stressed.

To prevent violence against women, several national and international treaties have been agreed upon. Now is the time to implement them. This was stated by the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) Manager Communication and Advocacy Tahira Noor on Thursday.

She was speaking at a seminar on the role of jirga in perpetuating violence against women in Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B), said a press release issued by the commission.

Israr Hussain, from Human Rights Commission Pakistan G-B chapter, presented findings about the violence against women in the region.

He also highlighted the factors that contribute in perpetuating of violence inflicted upon women and girls.  He said, crimes against women like rape, honour killing, forced marriages, murder, suicide and harassment, are rampant in our society but media is not vibrant enough to highlight them and pave the way for law-enforcing agencies to apprehend the culprits.

Justice (retd) Nasira Iqbal, on the other hand, talked about changing the mindset of people and asked women’s studies institutes and universities to play their roles. She spoke about Islam and history of women’s rights. Iqbal also stressed to create awareness movements and to educate the people through radio messages.

Moreover, NCSW’s Sofia Noreen spoke about the role of the civil society, media, lawyers, political parties and religious groups in eliminating violence against women.

Discussing the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act 2010 and Women Protection Act 2006, NCSW Chairperson Anis Haroon urged the G-B government to set up Women’s Development Ministry. She said that this was already in place in Khyber-Paktunkhwa.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 18^th, 2011.