Economic empowerment of women on October 23, 2017One the biggest tragedy in human history is the origin of patriarchy. Since then, woman has remained de jure slave for the centuries in past and is now de facto slave in most parts of the world. Nowhere in the world is a woman completely free and independent. Every attempt is made by man to […]
Access to justice and women rights on August 23, 2017The recent introduction of laws supporting the rights of women in Sindh like elsewhere in Pakistan, is a welcome development. However, laws operating against the backdrop of a crumbling judicial system coupled with poor access to justice is unlikely to bring about significant change. The women of Sindh, especially those in the rural areas are […]
Access to UN human rights complaint procedures on August 4, 2017Human rights agenda has not stretched out so deep in Pakistan. Many of the policy and practice level human rights issues are either disused or less addressed by the civil society.The question of Pakistan’s non-subscription to the United Nations’ treaty body-based individual complaint procedures on human rights is one among those areas. The treaty body-based […]
SAARC and the case for regional human rights on July 25, 2017Regional human rights mechanisms have internationally established their need and legitimacy. Their role in the promotion and protection of human rights is now widely recognised given their proximity and accessibility to the people and their synchronisation with regional human rights considerations in addition to their adherence to universal human rights norms. Realising such significance of […]
SAARC and the case for regional human rights on July 25, 2017Regional human rights mechanisms have internationally established their need and legitimacy. Their role in the promotion and protection of human rights is now widely recognised given their proximity and accessibility to the people and their synchronisation with regional human rights considerations in addition to their adherence to universal human rights norms. Realising such significance of […]
Preventing child marriage on July 13, 2017Child marriages — one of the worst forms of gender based violence — are rampant across Sindh, especially in rural areas. These marriages also include forced conversions where a girl from a minority religion is married to a Muslim male on the pretext that she converted to Islam. The Sindh Assembly promulgated the Sindh Child […]
In defence of NCHR on July 6, 2017In response to increasing international emphasis on and need of a National Human Rights Institution (NHRI) for the promotion and protection of human rights in the country, the government of Pakistan established the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) under an Act of parliament called National Commission for Human Rights Act 2012. By virtue of […]
Discriminatory draft bill on transgender rights on June 20, 2017The aftermath of the 2012 Supreme Court judgement on the rights of transgender individuals saw a surge in discourse clamouring for better rights for transgender individuals. This sentiment spilled over into the legislative domain as well, with PPP Senator Babar Awan introducing the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill-2017 as private member bill in the […]