Women rights activists called for ensuring women’s right to property to make them economically stable and reduce their dependence on male heads. Talking to APP, Executive Director Women Organization of Rights and Development (WORD), Aqsa Khan said the women deprived of their due right to land have to depend on male members of their families which not only weaken their financial position but also results in increasing violence against women in the society. She said a recent research study conducted in India has shown that weaker financial position of women caused sharp increase in the incidents of violence against women.
“Ownership of land is always considered as a symbol of power and high status in the society and due to male dominance in our country, the women right to land or share in inheritance is openly denied which has been clearly stated in our religion, “Aqsa said. More than 65 percent of women are working in agriculture sector in the country, out of which less than only one percent own land, she lamented. Aqsa said the equitable distribution of inheritance shares among all family members irrespective of their gender, by following the religious teachings, will not only give confidence to women and ensure their economic empowerment but also help minimize incidents of violence against women Lauding the role of women for passage of Anti-Women Practices Bill and other pro-women legislations, Aqsa said the implementation of these laws is must for ensuring women emancipation in the country.
Anti-Women Practices Bill covers all such traditional practices which hinder women development process by snatching their rights and compel them for marriage to Quran, Wanni, Sawara, Badl-e-Sulah and deprive them from their right to inheritance. Aqsa said depriving women from their right to inheritance is a criminal offence now and there is dire need to implement the law by raising awareness among women at district, provincial and national level and simplify the land revenue process. Besides devising an effective mechanism for implementing the law, the police officials should also be sensitized to play their crucial role because getting share in inheritance is a delayed and tedious process. This law will definitely help women to get their share at its earliest, if implemented in letter and spirit, she said. Prominent women rights activist, Fauzia Saeed also stressed the need to raise awareness among women as well as men to give women their due right to inheritance.
She said computerization of land will help simplify the procedural side of transferring land of inheritance in the name of women which is very complicated process. Fauzia also appreciated the role of Punjab Government for announcing pro-women package recently, which stated that the heir of the family should get the share of their inheritance within three months of the death of the head of family. In case of non compliance of this regulation, the property will be distributed among all the family members by taking data of family members’ registration from National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA). Fauzia said other provinces should also follow the trend and announce similar packages for ensuring women right to inheritance. Media Manager of National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW), Tahira Noor said the commission has filed a petition in Supreme Court of Pakistan for declaring Jirga holding as an illegal act.