KARACHI:
Gender-based violence in Pakistan has been rampant during the Covid-19 pandemic. A major reason for this is the patriarchal mindset prevalent in the Pakistani society, which enables men to dominate women in various ways.
The patriarchal culture is at the helm of many issues facing women — from acquiring higher education to serving as housewives. Women are subjected to torture and violence, which often compels them to end their lives. As a result, many girls are never able to fulfil their dreams. Gender-based violence has an adverse impact on the cognitive functioning and psychological well-being of the victims. However, mental health issues go unacknowledged due to the heavy stigma attached to it. As new cases of violence and abuse against women are unfolding, we have seen recurrent patterns of psychological distress. It is important to take this fact into consideration when dealing with cases of violence and abuse.
Most of the time, the cases are not dealt with effectively, and predators are not held responsible for their crimes. The relevant authorities need to pursue pragmatic policies and strategies to root out gender-based violence from our patriarchal society. It is about time that we empowered women and encouraged them to pursue different fields alongside men.
Mudassir Ahmed
Hyderabad
Published in The Express Tribune, July 29th, 2021.
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