Female lawmakers call for greater effort to end VAW

Acknowledge progress made thus far but want objective audit

ISLAMABAD: With studies showing that marginalised women — including poor women and girls — are the most vulnerable to violence while one in three women estimated to directly experience violence, women parliamentarians from both sides of the aisle came together on Monday to demand greater efforts to reduce violence against women (VAW) in the country.

A dialogue between parliamentarians and activists on the status of women protection laws was organised by Oxfam in collaboration with the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (WPC), Bedari and Pakistan Institute of Parliamentary Studies (PIPS).

The event marked an end to the ‘16 Days of Activism’ campaign which raises awareness about gender-based violence at the local, national, and international level.

MNA Tahira Aurangzeb pointed that a change in behaviour coupled with strong legal framework was needed to protect women from violence.

“The population of Pakistan is among the largest in the world while unemployment is very high. Skill-based education and entrepreneurship must be encouraged to promote women’s economic empowerment,” she said.

Balochistan Assembly Speaker Rahila Hameed Khan — who is the first woman from her province to take on that mantle, took the opportunity to talk about violence, including the kind which took place on Sunday in Quetta.

“I condemn violence in all its forms and vow to go to any length to end it,” Rahila said.

“Both the government and civil activists are doing great work to ensure women’s rights in Pakistan but it is time for us to join forces.”

For some lawmakers, despite the pessimism surrounding the state of some women in the country, there was also some optimism.

“There was a time when we could not even talk about domestic violence let alone pass laws to end it,” reminded MNA Suriya Asghar of how far the society had come. “Breaking taboos in setting discourse agendas is the first step which is followed by legislation. Great progress has been made in the way of women protection laws and if we keep the faith we will one-day end violence against women in Pakistan.”

While progress has been made, one lawmaker sought to remind that there was still a long way to go.

“I am proud that Sindh is leading the way in ending early marriages and it is time for other provinces to follow suit,” said Sindh MPA
Rana Ansar.

With Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) continuing to face challenges in curbing violence against women with a recent case of stripping a woman naked and parading her in the streets to the government’s failure to pass women protection laws, MPA Dina Naaz sought to defend the provincial administration.

“Despite strong resistance, the women parliamentarians of K-P have fought for this bill and promise those sitting here today that in the five months which are left [before assemblies are dissolved for the general elections] we will ensure that this bill is passed,” Naaz said, as she explained that the religious lobby was quite strong in the provincial assembly which was delaying the bill.

Senator Sehar Kamran, who had tabled a bill in the Senate calling for an end to marriage under the age of 18, sought to restate her case.

“If the law does not consider someone under the age of 18 to be mature enough to cast a vote, drive a car or even purchase a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) [for a mobile phone connection], they cannot be considered mature enough to bear the responsibilities of marriage,” Senator Kamran argued.

Speaking about the campaign theme, ‘Domestic Violence Hurts Us All’, Oxfam Country Director Mohammed Qazilbash said, “Oxfam views violence against women and girls as one of the most significant barriers to ending poverty. Domestic violence destroys the lives of victims, breaks families and communities, undermines development and the efforts to build strong democracies and just and peaceful societies.”

PIPS executive director said that while the parliament had blurred party lines to work for women’s rights, activists must work with members of the caucus to bring in pro-women laws.

Earlier, Bedari Executive Director Anbreen Ajaib lauded the steps taken by the parliament, the Senate and the provincial assemblies to address violence against women and girls.

“As we come closer to the 2018 elections, it is the right time to reflect upon the performance of these assemblies and to develop a future action plan,” she said.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 19^th, 2017.