ISLAMABAD – Pakistan, like the rest of world, has been celebrating the International Women’s Day for years to promote gender equality, but still it is far from achieving the goal as 8,000 incidents of violence against women were reported during the past one year across the country. This day was first observed 100 years ago, and the idea was to celebrate women and promote gender equality, especially access to education and work.
In Pakistan, women are still marginalised and number of incidents of violence against women is high, as 2,236 were abducted, 1,436 women were murdered, 557 were killed for honour, 928 were raped, 633 women committed suicide, 32 were made victim of acid attacks and 38 were the targets of stove burning. Like every year, a large number of civil society organisations, NGOs, women’s rights activists and government celebrated the special day for women on Tuesday.
Speaking at a function to mark the 100th anniversary of the International Women’s Day, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said the government was fully cognisant of the existing issues and problems being faced by women ranging from domestic to national life. The prime minister said a draft Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) bill was also in the process of enactment.
“Discriminatory laws are being amended with the collaboration of National Commission on the Status of women, NGOs and members of the civil society,” he said adding.
National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza, Information Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan and BISP Chairperson Farzana Raja also attended the event. Meanwhile, ActionAid launched a campaign for women rights on the occasion of 100th International Women’s Day.
It said the campaign was launched to help landless women farmers secure right to land. Women’s right to land includes their access, control and ownership of the land and other productive resources. The campaign launch was announced in a press conference attended by landless women peasants, civil society representatives and development workers.
Women’s right to land campaign in Pakistan has its roots in “Hunger Free Women Campaign” launched back in 2007. “Women work three times over men farmers, but are still not recognised as farmers. We can counter rising hunger and food insecurity by supporting women farmers who grow more than 80% of food in Pakistan. They are subject to multi-faceted injustice – they are paid no reward against the farm labour and household chores they do on a daily basis,” said ActionAid Pakistan Country Director Jemal Ahmed.
A rally to celebrate the day was also organised by various civil society organisations under the platform of Insani Haqooq Itehad (IHI). Dr Farzana Bari, women right activist strongly demanded the passage of the “Domestic Violence Bill” that was pending in parliament.Theatre group ‘Lok Nattak’ presented theatre performance on the problems being faced by flood-hit women.
