Violence against Women in Pakistan Emily Hornung Elizabethtown College BSW Student Kutztown University 3rd Annual International Conference : Social Work in the Global Environment: Institutions Responding to Human Needs 11/14/2014

Overview Goal 3 MDG Violence against women (VAW) in Pakistan Gender equality & empowering women Violence against women (VAW) in Pakistan The media reported 65,316 cases of VAW from 2008 to 2011 7,571 cases of VAW were reported in 2008 (The Aurat Foundation) Increased by almost 13% to 8,548 cases in 2009 What will you learn: Different forms of VAW in Pakistan How these are a violation of human rights Cultural-specific considerations to intervening

Types of VAW Anti-customary Practices: Sexual harassment and rape Honor killings Child marriage Sexual harassment and rape Attacks on schools/girls Acid violence Domestic violence

Honor Killings (Karo-Kari) The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP, 2012): 2004-2007: a total of 1,957 honor killings In 2011, at least 943 women were killed in the name of honor “karo” or a “kari” The right to kill a family member in order to redeem the family’s honor Nasrullah, 2009 In 92% of the cases, the major reason for the killing was an alleged extramarital relation About half of the perpetrators were husbands About a quarter were brothers

Child marriage/forced marriage: vani (Punjab province), sang-chatti (Sindh), irjaai (Baolchistan), and swara (Kyber Pakhtunkhwa) Given as compensation Can be an attempt at ending tribal feuds or compensating a family for a crime committed against them Outlawed by Islam and State law Prohibited by other laws governing the age of marriage and consent requirements Still perceived as religiously sanctioned because it aims to bring peace among feuding parties

Acid Violence Form of torture where one throws corrosive acid at the victim’s face or body The Aurat Foundation Estimate that as many as 200 acid attacks occur every year Purpose: As a social weapon to punish women for dishonoring their family or failing to follow gender roles or limitations Long-term Effects: Infections such as septicemia and gangrene Psychological and social trauma Few burn treatment units exist to treat chemical/acid burns

Domestic Violence (DV) In 2011, DV was a factor in nearly 4,500 reported violence cases: HRCP (2012) DV Includes intimate partner violence (IPV) and honor killings Physical, sexual, emotional, financial abuse Perpetrators can be male or female Husband, in-laws, other family members Influences Used as a disciplinary tool Little difference among ethnic or religious groups in Pakistan Generational differences

Origins and Influences Silence Awareness Intersectionality of oppression/discrimination History Stereotypes/Gender Roles Islam Rural Pakistan

Cultural Considerations Recognize patriarchy and male-dominated social institutions as an important structure to target Economic skill-building initiatives/micro-credit: Economic empowerment of women can increase violence in the home and in public as women step out of accepted social roles The domestic sphere for women Consider initiatives which support the family and protect and support women Collectivism and community support Religion Urban vs. Rural characteristics & needs Involving Islam positively in the process

Current Remedies: Government Policy & Law Prohibiting tribal justice systems (panchayats or jirgas) Gender Crime Cell (GCC) Increasing women’s representation in the government 33% of the seats reserved for women locally 17% in National Assembly and Provincial Assemblies 12% in the Senate Ministry on Women’s Development (MoWD) National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) - 2000 Reviews laws, rules and regulations affecting the status of women

Media Increased media coverage Mukhtar Mai Malala Yousafzai: Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan shot her on October 9th, 2012 Broadcasting in Urdu, Pushto, Sindi, Punjabi, & English Some international television programs hosted by women Altering portrayals of women in some TV programs Ministry of Information and Broadcasting: Programs on gender equality, women’s empowerment, rights, and job opportunities PTV (Pakistan Television Corporation): “situation comedies”

Remedies: NGOs/Social Women are becoming more active Increase school enrollment for girls Increase adult literacy Awareness of problems, laws, policies, and available services Accessible & free birth registration Economic skill-building (Hirani et al., 2010) Dastak women’s shelter in Pakistan (1990) (Critelli, 2010) White Ribbon Campaign Pakistan (WRCP)

Thank you!