The act of honour killing is used to suppress the rights of the female population through fear and intimidation
LAHORE: The violence and abuse committed by men against the female gender, is a violation of human rights. Women are tortured and abused physically and emotionally. One extreme example of this gendered violence is honour killing. This entails the murder of a female family member who disgraced her family’s name in society, usually as a consequence of a girl choosing to marry of her own free will. This act is culturally accepted and prevalent in some parts of South Asia, particularly in India and Pakistan. Some high-profile cases include the murder of Qandeel Baloch, who was killed for her online content; and 28-year-old Samia Shahid, a British national of Pakistani origin, was allegedly killed by her parents in the name of honour in Gujrat. These cases show the impact of patriarchy in our society and how lethal it is for half of the country’s population. In 2017, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan reported 460 cases of honour killing, out of which over 376 victims were females.
The act of honour killing is used to suppress the rights of the female population through fear and intimidation. By doing so, women are scared into submitting to family pressures regarding their lives. This is a clear violation of human rights. These continuous violations isolate women and affect them economically, causing fewer females to enter the workforce; hence negatively impacting our country’s GDP.
Social media platforms, especially Facebook, have caused an increase in these inhumane acts, as unfiltered hate comments and threats are acted upon, as can be seen in Baloch’s case. Despite the ratification of relevant laws against honour killing, our state continues to ignore these acts of violence. The government should show zero tolerance for honour killing by getting involved in the cases as a prosecutor. It should also work to create a safe and inclusive society for all.
Muhammad Rafay Waqar
Published in The Express Tribune, May 31st, 2019.
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