How ****ing ignorant.
We Pakistanis were shown the light of Islam to end the darkness of jahalat.
Disgusting to know we have such ignorant people existing in our country today.
it will take few thousands years further to bring some sense . But surely change will come
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Monday, November 25, is International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. The U.N. says gender-based violence is a serious violation of human rights and increases the risk of HIV infection.
The Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS – UNAIDS – says every hour 50 young women become newly infected with HIV. Many of those infections are related to violence.
“Lots of the gender-based violence [is] sexually related. There is a lot of data right now showing that most of the violence against women happens in the context of intimate partner violence – domestic violence. And many times it takes the face of non-consensual sex, which is a polite way to say rape,” said Dr. Mariangela Simao is UNAIDS Director of Rights, Gender, Prevention and Mobilization.
Simao said gender-based violence is strongly linked to HIV/AIDS.
“In some countries where there’s a high prevalence, it’s been shown that women who are subjected to intimate partner violence, sexual violence, are 50 percent more likely to be HIV positive than other women. The gender inequality, the gender disparity also, [do not] allow women to negotiate, for example, for safe sex. If, for example, they think that their partner’s been fooling around or being unfaithful in different situations, they [cannot] ask for him to use a condom.”
Many sexworkers are also frequent victims of violence and are unable to have safe sex.
“There’s a recent report from WHO [World Health organization] that shows that one in every three women – that’s a global report, ok – experience physical or sexual violence by a partner in their lifetime. One out of three women. So it’s not a localized problem in developing countries or least developing countries. It’s a global problem,” she said.
The World Health Organization report also said up to 45-percent of adolescent girls globally say their first sexual experience was forced. Violence against women includes coerced abortion and forced sterilization.
The UNAIDS official said that many times sexual or gender-based violence happens under the guise of culture or tradition.
“The right of women to live free of violence and inequities is a human right. And it shouldn’t be bound by culture and by norms that rule society that are unjust.”
She said empowering women would help end the violence. That begins with girls through education and an awareness of their rights. But she also says men must play a big role in solving the problem.
That’s the other aspect because this is not a feminist battle. We should be fighting for social justice for a better society. And gender equality is paramount for a better society.
Dr. Simao joined UNAIDS in 2010. She is the former Director of Brazil’s Department of Sexually Transmitted Diseases and AIDS.
UN Expresses Concern on International Day to End Violence Against Women
PAKISTAN:
Gender equality: Draft bills related to women’s rights yet to become laws
ISLAMABAD:
Despite passing several gender-based laws over the past decade, a number of laws remain pending with the women parliamentary caucus.
These were the words of Senator Nuzhat Sadiq at a press conference organised by End Violence against Women and Girls Alliance (EVAWG) on Monday. Sadiq said new legislation such as Prevention of Anti Women Practices Bill laws and anti-sexual harassment at work places, serious incidents of violence against women continue to occur regularly in the country.
A member of the WPC told
The Express Tribune that bills pending with the WPC include those related to Child Sexual Abuse, Domestic violence and minimum representation for women in political and legislative process.
According to Sadiq the delay for some laws lapsed has been due to the change of government and the WPC General Council Meeting, scheduled for the currently week, will take up the challenge of working on the bills.
“For better understanding of the issues, help from a number of parliamentarians with legal expertise will also be sought,” she added.
Alarmingly, the state of women in Pakistan remains just a slot above Yemen in international ranking and a large number of female parliamentarians are working together to assure that the concerns of women are addressed through these legislation, Sadiq said.
The implemented legislation continue to be the light at the end of the tunnel though many women in Pakistan are still not aware of policies on gender and international conventions introduced in the country in this regard.
The senator further implored that not a single reliable source existed to gather gender-specific data for better research and analysis of the issue at large.
As the 16 Days of Activism to End Violence against Women and Girls campaign kick starts here, EVAWG presented its own set of recommendations for the government to act upon. It suggested that the government reform discriminatory laws and procedures that currently govern the criminal justice system, law enforcement and investigations, prosecution, medico-legal examination, forensic testing, and witness protection.
Sisters Trust’s Rehana Hashmi, who has been working for women’s rights since the past 26 years, suggested that the government establish a women’s ministry again while strengthening the National Commission on the Status of Women by establishing provincial commissions.
A baseline survey on gender disparities conducted in 48 flood-affected locations of eight districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Sindh earlier this year shows that out of the 4,068 women and 3,964 men of 8,032 households surveyed, almost 100 per cent of Muslim men don’t give equal rights to their women. Even with legislation in place, more than 60% female and 50% male respondents agreed that men in their households use violent means against their womenfolk, said a press statement issued by Pattan Development Organisation.
The Ending Violence against Women and Girls Alliance in Pakistan, in collaboration with Insani Huqooq Ittehad, initiated a number of activities including consultations, a signature campaign, media campaigns, and a press conference to demand effective prevention and response services for survivors of violence.
The activities will conclude on 10 December.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 26th, 2013.
