Women in prison

The story of a woman in prison is often a story of pain, injustice and shattered dreams. Behind those prison walls, countless women in Pakistan are living a reality that many of us cannot even imagine. For them, every day is a struggle for survival, a battle against a system that seems to have forgotten them. Their voices may be silenced, but their agony cannot be ignored!

“Arbitrary detention is one of the most pressing issues faced by women in Pakistani prisons,” says Samina Shah, an educationist, philanthropist and social worker working for the uplift of women in Pakistan. “Many women are detained without charge or trial, often as a result of cultural and social norms that view women as property and restrict their freedom of movement and association.”

In prisons, discrimination and mistreatment are widespread. Most women are subjected to verbal and physical abuse and denied medical treatment by prison staff and other inmates. In 2020, Shumaila Kanwal, a 27-year-old woman, died in custody after being arrested on charges of drug trafficking. Her death highlights the issue of custodial deaths in Pakistan, which are often linked to mistreatment and abuse by police and prison staff.

Human Rights Watch report states that a majority of women in Pakistani prisons are detained on drug-related charges. These women are not drug traffickers, but rather, low-level couriers or addicts who have been coerced into carrying drugs. The same report found that women in the prisons of Pakistan face significant barriers to access legal representation. This is due in part to a lack of resources and expertise among legal aid organisations, as well as cultural and societal attitudes that view women as unworthy of legal representation.

There is an urgent need to increase access to legal representation for women in detention. This can help ensure that women are not detained arbitrarily and that their rights are protected throughout the legal process. It is also important to address the cultural and societal attitudes that contribute to the mistreatment of women in Pakistani prisons. This requires a broader societal shift towards gender equality and the empowerment of women. This can include initiatives to promote women’s education and economic empowerment, as well as awareness campaigns, to challenge gender-based violence and discrimination.

The unavailability of healthcare services also adds to their misery. This includes providing access to essential medicines and medical equipment, as well as ensuring that women have access to trained medical professionals who can provide quality care. This can help ensure that women are not denied essential healthcare services and that their right to health is protected.

“Police stations must have sanitary products for female prisoners and they must have the equal opportunity to exercise their conjugal rights in the prisons, like male inmates,” said Becky, a prominent lawyer working for the rights of women in prison.

Moreover, the International Committee of the Red Cross states that many women in Pakistani prisons suffer from untreated illnesses and injuries, due in part to a lack of trained medical professionals and inadequate medical facilities. WHO also raised concerns that the women in Pakistani prisons are at high risk of experiencing sexual violence, physical violence and psychological abuse.

The Covid-19 pandemic has further exacerbated the challenges.

According to data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the number of women in Pakistani prisons has increased by more than 20% over the past decade. This trend is a concern, as it suggests that the rights of women in detention are not being adequately protected.

The issue of women in prison in Pakistan is a complex and multi-faceted one, with significant human rights implications. This requires a multi-faceted approach that includes increasing access to legal representation, improving living conditions in prisons, increasing access to healthcare services and addressing the cultural and societal attitudes that contribute to the mistreatment of women in detention. Only through concerted action can we hope to create a more just and equitable society for all, regardless of their legal status and gender.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 26^th, 2023.

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