Pakistan

Representation: 'Criminal justice system too patriarchal'

There should be a proportionate representation of women in the lower and upper judiciary.

April 23, 2011

KARACHI: There should be a proportionate representation of women in the lower and upper judiciary, recommended the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW).

NCSW Chairperson Anis Haroon and other members said there was a dire need to start a rational discourse on the lack of female representation within the courts.

They said this deficiency is detrimental to female victims.

The activists expressed reservations against the criminal justice system in the country and regretted that this was too patriarchal in nature.

In cases of complaints, women victims are burdened to provide evidence which is not possible for them, they maintained.

The activists regretted that the methods of recording evidence adopted by the police were biased against women.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 23^rd, 2011.