‘Behind the veil:

 

Abuse of women in Pakistan’

 

BACKGROUND:

        With a population of 140 million people – 40 %being women- Pakistan is still denying the rights women should have.  Women in Pakistan live in a world structured around strict religious, family and tribal customs that literally forces them to live in submission and fear. They are subjected to discrimination and violence on a daily basis because of cultural and religious custom that Pakistani society has been experiencing.

         They are confined to “char divari,” or a term translated literally to mean “the four walls of the house.” This implies that Men are the decision-makers, especially in family matters such as marriage and divorce. Pakistani women just cannot argue against their husbands due to their strict family, tribal and traditional Pakistani Islamic values or, ‘Shari’ a”, which dictate women being considered as the property of male family members.

          Women's lack of freedom and outright abuse is a fundamental feature of Shari’ a - the system of law many Islamic governments use. Shari ‘a comes from the Koran, the sacred book of Islam, which Muslims consider the actual word of God.

           Some examples of the laws state that a woman must only leave her house if she has a real need to do so and with a consent of her husband, When she is out, and a woman  must not look left or right but keep her head bowed down as she walks. 

              Secondly, there is huge variance in the interpretation and implementation of Islamic Law in Muslim societies today. Liberal movements within Islam have questioned the relevance and applicability of Shar’ia from a variety of perspectives; Islamic feminism brings multiple points of view to the discussion. Pakistan has large secular constitutions and laws, with only a few Islamic provisions in family law. An example of a controversial Shari ‘a laws that favor Muslim men is the practice of polygamy.

 

           Their law generally is the possible factor why violence is happening against Pakistani women. If men believe that women are just ‘property’, then of course they are more inclined to feel that they can do anything they want to ‘their’ women.

 

 

The Issue

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            Today, most women in Pakistan receives a typical violent act that include, but are not limited to, murder in the name of honor, rape, abuse from their husbands including marital rape, acid attacks, and even being burned by family members (often labelled an accident by family members).

           Over 5000 women and girls are killed every year by family members in so-called 'honor killings', according to the United Nations.  These crimes occur where cultures believe that a woman's unsanctioned sexual behavior brings such shame on the family that any female accused or suspected must be murdered. Reasons for these murders can be as trivial as talking to a man, or as innocent as suffering rape.

Therefore, if family members, especially a male family member, view that a woman’s action is “dishonorable,” he feels that in order to restore that honor to him or his family he must kill her. The woman, of course, has no right to say anything since she simply cannot.

         Lastly, because of these, women in Pakistan- almost making up half of the population- cannot enjoy their lives. In a year 49.4 % of them are slapped, kicked and punched by their husbands. They live in the shadow of their homes and cultural views and endure physical abuse from their husbands who at their marriage supposedly promised to ‘protect’ them.

            They cannot even go to their local police since most of the cases of abuse were done by these ‘law enforcers’. They cannot go to their mothers because it is seen as ‘dishonorable’. If you were born knowing you’re going to be a woman in Pakistan, would you even welcome the embrace of your father who, in the end would give you away to a life filled with misery? Would you kiss your mother who would turn her back away from you as you cried to take you back home? No. You have no choice. You’re a woman.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Solutions

 

1. Shirts that support human rights

Allow students to create their own design for their purchased white shirt choosing from a number of categories about human rights violations. They would be given a number of materials that may help them create an opportunity to be creative and be able to wear their self made shirts during human rights day.

The MAP class needs to pay for the plain white shirts plus the materials needed for decorations. Examples would be permanent stick on letters, amnesty logos, peace logos and so forth. Interested students need to buy a shirt though before they are free to do whatever they want with it (designing). MAP students are needed to support this by wearing a self made shirt already and encourage their friends to join in. if possible, readymade shirts with cool designs should be plastered in front of the booth for inspiration.

Teenagers are trendsetters. We follow what is ‘in’ and what the ‘cool’ people are doing and listening to. I think that having to do this solution would help spread its value by slowly letting young people purchase it first (for the profit), Then realize what the big deal really is about. Creativity also tends to help the idea stay longer on people’s heads because it’s not boring (like a lecture or a documentary about it). Using the same way teenagers’ process information today is a sure way to let them get interested and get involved. I know because that’s how I think.

To earn money to pay for the T-shirts, i decided to have a small scale bakesale with my friends. I'm going to use the funds to pay for the shirts when it's ready. My friends and I went to the middle school, primary school and intermediate school staff members to sell what we bake. We were successful and happy with the proceeds.

      2.      Bookmarks

      Self made bookmarks that have the human rights topic written and displayed on it. It has to be done pretty well since they will be sold for profit. The design does not need to be dark and depressing but bright and colorful too. Students are suppose to see the material as an everyday thing and are in disposable so that they can use it for a long time.

      Since bookmarks are use for convenience, they would help create a lasting impression of the human rights issue written unto it to people who purchased them. It is also a learning tool (used for books) which can be seen every day by the users as they read their books. Other than that, it’s easier to make, people would be more willing to buy them and it can also be sold outside school.

 

 

 

 

 

  Resources:

 

·         Facts’ source , Javeria, Ameera . "Violence Against Women: The High Price of Honor and Dignity in Pakistan." The journal of the international institute. Fall 2005. The university of Michigan. 2 Oct 2007 < http://www.umich.edu/~iinet/journal/vol10no1/ameera.htm >.

·         Images,  Burney , Ansar . "WOMEN'S RIGHTS -Our Struggle to fight for the rights of women." Ansar Burney Trust. 2005. ansarburney.org. 2 Oct 2007 <http://www.ansarburney.org/womens_rights-violence.html>.

·         Info and images "world vision international." Pakistan : poverty unveiled. 2007. meero.worldvision.org. 2 Oct 2007 <http://meero.worldvision.org/sf_pakistan.php>.

·         Info and image BBC news, "Pakistani women march in rape row ." BBC news UK. 29 September 2005. bbc nwes. 2 Oct 2007 <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4294840.stm>.

·         Important information, Jehanzeb Noor, Muhammad . "DAUGHTERS OF EVE:Violence against Women in Pakistan." Massachusetts Institute of Technology. May 7 2004. 2 Oct 2007 <dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/1721.1/32771/1/57570690.pdf>.

·         Book reading (extra source) Jacobs, Harriet . Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl . London: Richard Barret, 1861. (Jacobs 12-13)

·         Internet resource, different authours, "PAKISTAN Honour killings of girls and women." amnesty international pakistan. 1 September 1999. amnesty international. 15 Oct 2007 <http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/engASA330181999>.

·        Web journal,  BBC news, "Pakistani women speak up on rape ." news.co.uk. 26 September 2005. BBC news South Asia. 15 Oct 2007 <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4271504.stm>.

 

 

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violence to our fellow women : www.hrcp-web.org