UN Commission on the Status of Women: Pakistan
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Sonia Bibi, pictured, died from her injuries after after a jilted suitor set her on fire for refusing his marriage proposal. Hundreds of women are murdered in Pakistan each year in cases of domestic violence or on the grounds of defending family 'honour'. Source: Daily Mail, November 4, 2015 |
Mission of the Commission on the Status of Women: "The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women... The CSW is instrumental in promoting women's rights, documenting the reality of women's lives throughout the world, and shaping global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of women." (
Commission on the Status of Women website, "Overview")
Term of office: 2014-2017 Pakistan's Record on Women's rights: "Rape and Domestic Violence: Rape is a criminal offense, with punishment that ranges from a minimum of 10 to 25 years in prison and a fine to the death penalty... Although rape was frequent, prosecutions were rare. According to data presented by the Ministry of Interior to the Senate, there were no rape convictions in the country over the past five years. Spousal rape is not a crime... According to the Aurat Foundation and others, prosecutions of reported rapes were rare... NGOs reported police were at times implicated in rape cases. NGOs also alleged police sometimes abused or threatened victims, demanding they drop charges, especially when police received bribes from suspected perpetrators or the perpetrators were influential community leaders. Some police demanded bribes from victims before registering rape charges, and investigations were sometimes superficial... Extrajudicial resolutions to rape accusations were common, with a victim often forced to marry her attacker. No specific federal law prohibits domestic violence, which was widespread. Husbands reportedly beat and occasionally killed their wives. Other forms of domestic violence included torture, physical disfigurement, and shaving the eyebrows and hair off women's heads. In-laws abused and harassed the wives of their sons. Dowry and family-related disputes sometimes resulted in death or disfigurement by burning or acid... According to Aurat Foundation statistics for 2013, there were reports that 1,425 women were killed, 2,026 were abducted, 498 were victims of domestic violence, 38 were sexually assaulted, 43 were victims of acid attacks, 42 were victims of burning, and 668 reportedly committed suicide. Aurat reported 7,852 cases of violence against women in 2013... Other Harmful Traditional Practices: At times women were victims of various types of societal violence and abuse, including honor killings, forced marriages, imposed isolation, and being used to settle tribal disputes. There were cases in which husbands and male family members treated women as chattel... The practice of cutting off a woman's nose or ears, especially in connection with honor crimes, was frequently reported, but authorities often did not take action to combat the practice."
(U.S. State Department Country Report 2014, Pakistan)