Stakeholder Summary >> Pakistan, Review Documentation, 28th Session November 2017

Implementations

• National Report

  Para 21) Pakistan has continued to enhance efforts to ensure that women across Pakistan are aware of their rights as well as the legal remedies available to them. The MoHR and NHRIs, such as NCHR, NCSW and NCRC, are collectively working to ensure implementation of the CEDAW through legislation, policy measures, research, and awareness-raising. For instance, NCSW raised awareness through dissemination of information posters in Urdu and English including on electronic media on laws related to acid crime law, underage marriage, workplace harassment and rape. Para 22) At the provincial level, Punjab CSW developed advocacy material regarding awareness of laws including inheritance and property rights of women, birth registration, and prevention of early and forced marriage. Awareness sessions were conducted in educational institutes and brochures were distributed in 36 districts of Punjab. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) CSW arranged campaigns for awareness raising on laws and workshops in collaboration with CSOs and religious leaders. KP CSW is also providing technical support to the provincial Ombudsperson on harassment. Moreover, Women Development Department (WDD) in Balochistan, with support of UN WOMEN, has conducted awareness sessions on responding to gender-based violence. Para 95) In addition to policy measures, Pakistan has also enacted various legislations to address VAW including harassment, deprivation from inheritance, domestic violence, acid throwing, and rape. In January 2022, the Parliament amended the Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2010 to broaden the definition of employees to include non-conventional workplaces and increase definition of workplace harassment to include gender discrimination at work. Additionally, the State promulgated the Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trial) Act 2021 and the Enforcement of Women's Property Rights Act 2020. Para 97) In order to effectively implement criminal laws and provide speedy justice to victims of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in a gender-sensitive manner, the National Judicial Policy Making Committee (NJPMC) in 2019 directed all provincial High Courts to establish special Gender Based Violence Courts. Pursuant to the directions of NJPMC, 36 GBV courts have been designated in Punjab, 27 in Sindh, 29 in KPK, 1 in Balochistan and 2 in ICT. Additionally, 36 judicial officers are assigned to GBV cases in Punjab, 46 in Sindh, 32 in KPK and 1 in Balochistan and ICT respectively. The same requirement is also mentioned in the recently enacted anti-rape legislation. Para 98) The efforts of the GoP also include administrative and institutional interventions. A Gender Protection Unit (GPU) was established at the Islamabad Police Facilitation Centre in May 2021 to encourage women victims of sexual harassment, rape, and bonded labour to report offences in the presence of a well-trained team of female police officers, legal officers, psychologists, and medical officers. Para 99) To improve reporting, helplines have been set up across Pakistan. In 2019, Punjab established 186 helpdesks managed solely by female police staff, and by 2020 32% of all police stations in Punjab had helpdesks. The Punjab Police has also set up 03 women police stations in Lahore, Rawalpindi and Faisalabad to exclusively facilitate reporting of crimes against women. The PCSW has also administered the Punjab Women’s Helpline (1043) to provide legal guidance, raise awareness, and register formal complaints. In 2019, 1308 complaints were received through the helpline, while 567 complaints were received in 2020. In January 2021, the Balochistan Women Helpline was launched for registration of complaints against women harassment at home and at the workplace. Para 100) In Balochistan a One-Stop Complex for Victims of Crimes against Women has been set up to provide in-house services including 24/7 helpline, medical examination, legal consultation, psychosocial support, referral service to long-term shelters, and policy protection to survivors of GBV. The Punjab Social Welfare & BM Department has established a model Protection Center in Multan that received 2684 complaints till 2020. Additionally, 12 Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Crisis Centres for Women exist in Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Mianwali, Sahiwal, Faisalabad, Muzaffargarh, Khushab, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Mutlan Sialkot and Vehari and three additional centers are under construction in Rawalpindi, Gujranwala and Faisalabad. In these centers 7400 women were provided redress between 2019 and 2020. In KP, there are 8 Dar-ul-Aman (Shelter Homes) and 5 new Dar-ulAmans are being established for providing rehabilitation services to the victims of violence. Para 101) The WDD Balochistan in its Annual Development Plan (ADP) of FY2021-22 has provided for several development schemes like Women Business Incubation Centres, Women Bazaars, and Working Women Hostels at Divisional Headquarters. Three Crises Centres and Shelter Homes are under construction in different districts and SOPs of the Crises Centres and Shelter Homes operating are being revised to harmonize them with the essence of the SDGs and other best practices. Para 103) The MoHR is in the process of drafting a National Policy on Ending Violence against Women and Girls. The Ministry is also engaged with the UN Women as well as with all stakeholders in the country including at provincial levels. Para 104) Legislation on domestic violence exists in all provinces. The Sindh Domestic Violence (Protection and Prevention) Act was passed in 2013, the Balochistan Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act in 2014, the Punjab Protection of Women against Violence Act in 2016 and the KP Domestic Violence Against women (Prevention and Protection) Act in 2021. Under these laws, institutional mechanisms have been set up to protect women from abuse. District level protection committees are organized to ensure access to legal, psychological and shelter services of women survivors of violence. At the federal level, a similar bill has been drafted and introduced in the National Assembly.

  National Report

  Link to Pakistan National Report

  UN Compilation

  Link to Pakistan UN Compilation

  UN Compilation

  Para 50) CEDAW noted with concern the fact that marital rape was not recognized as a criminal offence under the Criminal Law (Amendment) (Offences relating to Rape) Act, 2016, the high prevalence of gender-based violence against women and the social acceptance of domestic violence, the underreporting of gender-based violence against women and impunity for perpetrators, the lack of awareness and training, the insufficient capacity of shelters for victims of gender-based violence and the lack of rehabilitation services.

• National Report

  Para 12) Recently a National Gender Policy Framework was launched in 2022. For mobility and empowerment of women, the Government of Pakistan (GoP) approved a project worth PKR. 400 million for provision of motorbikes on subsidized rates to working-women and students initially in ICT and then across Pakistan. A project has also been developed in line with Government’s commitment to advance women empowerment and comply with United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights to prevent, address and remedy human rights infringements in business operations. Para 34. At provincial level, the Government of KP has introduced a number of reforms and the current development strategy places an emphasis on improving governance – especially … gender equality and inclusion; … Para 84) All Provincial Education Departments have developed their respective Education Sector Plans for the period of 2019/20–25, drawing special focus on girl child to reduce gender disparity in enrollments. Para 88) The Federal and Provincial governments have also introduced financial incentives and schemes to ensure access to education. In Punjab, the Government initiated the Zever-eTaleem Programme in 2017 to improve enrolment, attendance, and retention of secondary school girls. Under this program a monthly stipend of PKR 1,000 is given to female students of grade 6–10 who comply with 80% attendance rate in public sector middle and secondary schools of 16 low-literacy districts of Punjab. 813,123 girls have received cash benefit from this programme since 2017. Additional incentives include provision of free textbooks up to matric level, no fee at matric level just FTF of only 20 rupees per month, and provision of uniform to needy students. In Sindh stipends totaling up to 1,500 million rupees for over 350,000 Girl Students are being provided to support transition in secondary classes through branchless banking. Girls of public and private institutions in KP are also being given scholarships on equality and merit basis. Para 90) The Government of Sindh has upgraded 54 girls’ schools, and completed construction of 29 schools with further 25 girls’ schools under construction. Other initiatives include Girls’ Right to Education Program by UNESCO being implemented by School Education & Literacy Department Sindh in district Tharparkar; a Girls’ Transition Program in Mithi, Diplo, Kaloi, Nagarparkar & Islamkot; a Girls’ Can project by AZCorp and Wins by UNICEF. Para 93) The Federal Government has enacted a number of laws, policies, programs and other measures to remove gender disparity and empower women. At the policy front, Kafaalat Program was introduced in 2020 to reform the existing BISP by adjusting the transferred amount for inflation. This increased women beneficiaries from 4.6 million to 7 million. Furthermore, the Ehsaas Emergency Cash (EEC) program was also established to deliver one-time emergency cash assistance to the poor and vulnerable households that were most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and 3.7 million (48.9%) women benefitted from this initiative. Para 94) The Government of Punjab published the Punjab Women Development Policy, 2018 which mandates all public sector entities to ensure a minimum of 33% representation of women. Balochistan implemented the Gender Equality and Women Empowerment Policy in 2020 to protect, advance and implement women rights through equity-based socio-economic opportunities including decision-making role in public and private sectors. Mainstreaming gender, gender-responsive governance, pro-women legislation, access to justice, and improved socials services are priority areas under the Policy. Para 96) The Punjab province promulgated the Domestic Workers’ Act 2019 to regulate the working conditions, hours, and holidays and overall employment of domestic workers. The Government of KP also enacted key legislation pertaining to protection against discrimination, protection against harassment, provision of day care, maternity leave, and equal pay for equal work. The KP Home Based Workers (Welfare and protection) Act 2021 was enacted to address the rights, duties and problems of home-based workers. A Women Protection Bill is also under consideration in KP that comprehensively covers all aspects of women related crimes, reporting cognizance, prosecution as well as victim and witness protection. Para 101) The WDD Balochistan in its Annual Development Plan (ADP) of FY2021-22 has provided for several development schemes like Women Business Incubation Centres, Women Bazaars, and Working Women Hostels at Divisional Headquarters. Para 102) Under the Punjab Skill Development Fund (PSDF), skills training was provided to approximately 40,180 rural females. During 2019–20 the Punjab Livestock and Dairy Development Department distributed 78,872 poultry units to rural women across Punjab and provided poultry raising training. Through the Technical Education & Vocational Training Authority, 55,000 female students have been provided skill development courses along with a stipend worth PKR 1,000 per month. Other initiatives by the Government of Punjab include establishment of Mediation and Rehabilitation Wing; conducting awareness campaigns, establishment of an online central storage system for timely service delivery and monitoring mechanism, and provision of legal aid.

  National Report

  Link to Pakistan National Report

  UN Compilation

  Link to Pakistan UN Compilation

  UN Compilation

  Para 6) CEDAW expressed concern that, since the devolution of powers in the area of women’s rights, governance challenges had continued to exist in the integration and coordination of policies for the advancement of women. It also expressed concern about the lack of resources allocated to the provincial commissions and women’s development departments and about the limited resources available to the National Commission on the Status of Women. Para 43) CEDAW expressed concern that an estimated 22.8 million children aged between 5 and 16 were out of school, including 12.6 million girls; that girls with disabilities and girls living in rural areas had limited access to education owing to insufficient investment in education, lack of accessible facilities and parents’ preference to enrol their daughters in girls-only schools; and that the primary-to-secondary retention rate of girls was 52 per cent. Para 56) [CEDAW] reiterated its concern about the low level of participation of women in political and public life. Para 57) [CEDAW] noted the stark gender pay gap, the very low labour force participation rate for women, the high concentration of women in the informal economy, the very low level of women in senior and middle management positions and the very low percentage of women entrepreneurs.