Daily Times

In the presence of ample laws, the authorities have failed to provide protection and rights to women in Sindh.

The laws include: The Domestic Violence (Prevention and protection Act) 2013, Sindh Commission on the Status of Women Act 2015, Anti-Sexual Harassment Law (Protection Against Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2010), Amendment in Criminal Procedure Code (and PPC) (Third Amendment) Act 2011, Anti-Women Practices (Criminal Law Amendment) Act, 2008 and The Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act 2013.

The data obtained from different NGOs working for women’s rights portray a horrific state of women’s rights in Sindh as 257 women have been victim of various types of violent acts which were reported to local police stations. Out of these 257 cases, 70 women were subjected to physical assault, 46 were raped, 29 were kidnapped, 38 women faced domestic violence, 29 were kidnapped, 41 were killed and four women lost their lives in Karo-kari across Sindh during last three months.

Despite the decision by Sindh High Court that if killing of women in the name of honor occurred in any part of the province, responsibility will be on the police officials of that area, still incidents are being reported. As many as 123 people, mostly women, were killed during the last six months in the name of honour killing or ‘Karo Kari’ in interior parts of the province, revealed a study conducted by a women rights organization, Sindh Suhai Sath (SSS). In 2021, over 128 women were brutally murdered across the province by their blood relatives in the name of (Karo-kari) honor killing. In Sindh as many as 49 women faced physical assaulted and 19 women were raped in the month of July 2022, revealed the data compiled by the Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO) and the Centre for Research, Development and Communication (CRDC) through cases reported in the mainstream media.

As per details, the Sindh government had to set up women protection cells in 15 districts of Sindh but no cell was established so far anywhere except Karachi.

Daily Times learnt that the government was also supposed to appoint a woman protection officer, a psychologist and a legal expert at women protection cells in every district but still no steps were taken in that regard.

The revelation is alarming in Sindh, a woman has allegedly committed suicide after failing to get protection from her ex-husband in Larkana and before committing suicide she has exposed the lawlessness in the province through a video message. Another case of harassment reported by Sindh University’s student Almas Bhan, who quit her studies due to alleged harassment and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University Larkana’s students Dr Namarta Kumari and Dr Nousheen Shah found dead in their hostel rooms, Maria Shah (in Shikarpur) and Qurutulain Baloch (in Hyderabad), shocked the civil society and sparked nationwide protests.

Provincial Women Development Minister Syeda Shehla Raza said that Sindh took the lead in legislating laws for women’s rights and protection adding that there were issues in the province and the government is working to facilitate and protect women.

She added that the concerned police should register a case immediately as they receive any complaint regarding women but sometime the police becomes biased in such cases.

The minister told that the helpline service 1094 of the Sindh government’s women development department receives complaints related to excesses committed against women round the clock, adding that the department established this platform to immediately lodge complaints because incidents of violence and mistreatment against women have been on the rise. She assured that the department would provide the best possible legal counseling to women facing injustices and various forms of cruelty.

Mahnaz Rahman, feminist and activist, who works for women’s rights, said that radicalization is a serious problem that prevents women from going out and working, adding that making a law is not a solution to any problem after making a law, we cannot say that this problem is solved as socio-social problems of our society are the biggest obstacles. After legislation, the most important thing is to implement it, for which institutions have to be created, money is required and manpower for administration but the government is not ready to spend money for it. She said that as long as the law is not uniformed, we women cannot have legitimate rights and justice.

Hiba Khan, a social activist, pointed out that sexual violence and rape constitute the most serious forms of violence against women and girls as women weren’t aware of laws that provided them protection and justice. “Then how will they lodge complaints?” she said, emphasizing the need to raise awareness about laws among women. However, the practice continues in rural areas of Sindh, with instances of women being handed over to rivals to settle disputes and end hostilities between two tribes, forced marriages, wani and other such criminal practices being reported in rural areas adding that we need to teach our youngsters since their schooling by this we can somehow tackle the situation.

Uzma Noorani, activist from HRCP stated that despite the legislation, the government is failing to provide protection to women adding that the main reason for this is our society, the law is a protection, but, due to the weakness of the law, the punishments that should be given are not practiced and the criminals get away with it. Noorani shared her experience that she was working with a girl who was a victim of acid attack. This girl said that even if a criminal gets punished, my face will not be as it used to be. Noorani told that we have observed in many cases that after raping any woman, a man agrees to marry the same woman in order to save his life. She said that in our society neither women are given rights nor given values, women are insecure. We need to improve the justice system and for that we are working and will continue to do so.

Aurat Foundation, Chief Mahnaz Rehman asked that the government make sure that laws against domestic violence, rape, sexual harassment and other gender-based violence gave enough fortification to all women, and respect their integrity and dignity and apposite protective and support services were provided to the victims.