Daily Times

The World Day for International Justice is observed each year, on the 17 of July since the historic adoption in 1998 of the Rome Statute and the establishment of the new system of international criminal justice. The International Criminal Court (ICC) is officially meant for establishing peace and the rule of law. Strangely enough, even peace has much to do with the wars and conflicts and the notion of the rule of law is mostly an angel of political correctness and inequality before the law that ironically is mostly the darling of the accused. Interestingly and sadly the Crimes against humanity, as per many reliable reports including the ones from the UN, have not yet been systemized in a dedicated treaty of international law, unlike genocide and war crimes, although there are efforts to do so. The newest consensus among the international community on this matter is specified in the document of the Rome statute. Article 7 of the Rome statute says that the ‘crime against humanity’ when committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population (with knowledge of the attack ) includes any of the following 11 acts namely: murder; extermination; enslavement; deportation; imprisonment; torture; rape; sexual slavery; enforced prostitution; forced pregnancy; enforced sterilization, or any other form of sexual violence of comparable gravity; Persecution against any identifiable group or collectivity on political, racial, national, ethnic, cultural, religious, gender, or other grounds; Enforced disappearance of persons; The crime of apartheid and other inhumane acts of a similar character intentionally causing great suffering, or serious injury to body or to mental or physical health.

Strangely enough, even peace has much to do with wars and conflicts.

I am neither a lawyer nor an influencer on the new age media therefore, I have dared to appoint myself as a nonqualified specialist to share my thoughts on this day. To me, inhumane acts mentioned in the 11th act include and embrace all other acts forementioned. Some words are widely if not loosely used in political speeches not by the politicians but by the decision makers and paid employees of those organizations that not only champion human rights but commit inhumane acts with poor people of countries of rich rulers. The Rome Statute established 4 core international crimes: genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression. Whether these are connected or not but these words that are also concepts are for sure interlinked and interlocked. Some examples include social justice, access to justice, humanity, women, marginalized communities, upward mobility and empowerment. Working against some crimes against humanity like dowry violence, discrimination against women who are single but not widows, ageism practised in competition for fellowship and jobs, the duality of many power platforms when it comes to harassment and bullying of nonelite women and attempts to create empathy for #strandedPakistaniBiharis &#rapedBihariwomenwerenotthecollateraldamage taught me that these are all nonmarketable issues like. Living, existing, surviving and periodic attempts to thrive in Pakistan as an odd citizen eventually made me realize that discriminations are dangerous and even more perilous is the unqualified discreetness of certain inequalities that are kept purposefully hidden or atleast not mainstreamed.

I often wonder ( and wonder why I still wonder) that are we as Pakistanis bearing some serious illness yet to be named, diagnosed and treated? What do you term a critical mass of apparently human beings who find salvation in slavery and look at ending hunger, illiteracy, unemployment, poverty of opportunities, homelessness and inequalities from those who have actually caused it? Which right phrases can give an account on the assessment of the mental health and stability of millions of people who believe that the people who have never searched for any job, never stood in a queue, never experienced denial of rights/living in a state of uncertainty/ insecurity and continued humiliation would create jobs for them and ensure that they too possess human dignity, self-esteem and freedom of choices? What could be the title of the transgression where personalities who are dual nationals, have their children and loved ones settled abroad comfortably are placed in civil bureaucracy and media to decide not about human rights, women’s rights, child rights etc. but at times also about the authenticity of patriotism and piety of any helpless and non-elite Pakistani with a singular nationality? What is the solution to the livelihood-related issues of youth, the largest cohort of the population other than becoming delivery boys/girls or “entrepreneurs ” driven by necessity? Has anyone ever measured the extent of misrepresentation and misleading models of empowerment? According to a report by the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, over 31% of our youth ( 51% are females, 16% are males )are currently unemployed, with many of them holding professional degrees. There is a conspicuous dearth of data on people beyond the binary division of sex and gender identity and yet the consecrated, celebrated and controlling ones continue claiming inclusiveness and out-of-box solutions. How long this sleight would continue? Maybe an expert in artificial intelligence or probability law can forecast but to me, it seems perpetual. I hope and pray to be wrong.

While closing this piece I have no conclusion but a call for action. All those who care for this country must read and reread and internalize the theme of international justice day 2022 that says Achieving Social Justice through Formal Employment and try to comprehend that what is the impact of Pakistan’s rank of 145/146 countries on global gender gap index.

The writer is an author, activist, entrepreneur, podcaster and student of life.