The Aurat Foundation has hailed the unanimous adoption of two landmark bills providing for deterrent punishment for anti-women practices and acid crimes in the country.
“The parliament’s unanimous passage of the bills to protect women’s rights is indeed a great achievement,” Aurat Foundation Karachi Resident Director Mehnaz Rehman said on Wednesday.
“It is an acknowledgement by the state that, indeed, there should be legislative measures to protect women,” she added.
The activist said both bills amend the Pakistan Penal Code 1860 and the Code of Criminal Procedure 1898.
The prevention of anti-women practices bill prohibits several practices and customs that are not only against human dignity but also violate human rights and are contrary to Islamic injunctions.
“Under the amendments introduced in the law, those who force a woman into marriage through “wanni” or “swara”, deprives her of property rights or forces her to get married with the holy Quran will have to face imprisonment and fine,” Rehman said.
“Aurat Foundation, a nongovernmental organisation working for women’s empowerment, is equally keen for the adoption of laws against domestic violence and regularisation of home-based workers.”
She said her NGO is actively involved in the passage as well as implementation of laws that violate human rights.
“One of our primary objectives at the policy level is to enhance the knowledge of female parliamentarians and politicians on specific women right issues.”
