UPR Sexual Rights Database

National Report:
Para 40) … KP during fiscal year 2015–16, disbursed funds among 465,000 girl students. … Three thousands scholarships were given to girls’ students of Torghar and Kohistan districts. … Government of Sindh also ... provided stipend to 420,000 Girls and amount was increased from Rs.1000 to Rs. 2500 and Rs 2400 to Rs.3500 for girls.
Para 70) In order to curb harmful customary practices and eliminate violence and discrimination against women, a number of laws have been passed in the last few years including, among others, Anti-Rape (Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill and Anti-Honour Killings (Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill 2016; the Protection of Women from Harassment at Workplace Act 2010; Criminal Law Amendment Act 2011 (Prevention of Acid Crime); Prevention of Anti-Women Practice Act 2011; Protection of Women (Criminal Laws Amendment) Act 2006 and the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 2004.
Para 71) In October 2016, Anti-Rape (Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill and Anti-Honour Killings (Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill have been passed to tackle the issue of honour killings and to increase rape convictions by reforming existing laws. Under the new laws, relatives of victims would only be able to pardon the killer convicted of capital punishment in cases of honour killings, but the killer would still face a mandatory life sentence of 25 years.
Para 72) The provinces have enacted their own laws for women protection and promotion of their rights which include, inter alia, The KP Elimination of Custom of Ghag Act, 2013.The Balochistan Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act, 2014, The Punjab Protection of Women Against Violence Act 2016 and The Sindh Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act 2013. Measures to eliminate violence and discrimination against women:
• National Action Plan for Human Rights focuses on elimination of gender-based violence.
• National Commission on the Status of Women is playing an instrumental role in addressing the issue of violence against women.
• The Gender Crime Cell (GCC) of National Police Bureau gathers collates and analyses data on violence against women.
• To investigate cases of harassment at the workplace, Ombudsman offices at Federal and provincial level in Punjab and Sindh have also been established under the Harassment at the Workplace Act 2010.
• For providing speedy access to justice to women victims, 20 women police stations have been established.
• 26 women crisis centres have been established across the country to provide shelter and legal aid to women victims of violence.
• Draft National Policy on Ending Violence against Women and Girls has been prepared by the Ministry of Human Rights. It outlines prevention, response, protection and rehabilitation mechanism for gender based violence. It also establishes coordination and cooperation mechanisms among the relevant agencies with respect to the cases of gender-based violence.
• Ministry of Human Rights conducted research study which would lead to designing Men Engage Model for the elimination of gender-based violence.

UN Compilation:
Para 76) [CEDAW] expressed concern at the high prevalence of domestic violence and marital rape and at the absence of clear legislation criminalizing such acts.
Para 77) CRC expressed serious concern about the increasing number of infanticides targeting girls. Para 78) While noting the adoption of the Anti-rape Law (criminal amendment bill) in 2016 and the Anti-honour Killing Law (criminal amendment bill), the Committee against Torture was concerned about the reportedly high level of violence against women, including murder, rape, acid crimes, kidnappings, domestic violence and so-called “honour” killings. It was also concerned about the extremely low conviction rates for those crimes and at reports that parallel justice systems (jirgas and panchayats) had sentenced women to violent punishment or even death, including by stoning, and had provided lenient punishments for perpetrators of so-called “honour” crimes and other cases of serious gender-based violence.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 79) JS7 noted marked gender inequalities in access to education and health care. Most of the schools in the rural areas did not have a toilet, which made it nearly impossible for girls to attend school once they started menstruating, hence increasing the drop out ratio.
Para 81) Concerning recommendations on the right to education, JS19 stated that the situation had not improved, especially within the context of access to quality education for all, regardless of social class, gender or ethnicity.
Para 86) HRCP stated that recommendations on violence against women and domestic violence had been partially implemented, as the Punjab Protection of Women against Violence Act, 2016 had been passed into law in March 2016. Para 87) HRCP noted the adoption of the Offences in the Name or Pretext of Honour Act 2016 and Anti-Rape Law. However, HRCP and ODVV indicated that the law had many loopholes which left room for perpetrators to escape punishment. UH Law School also noted continuous challenges that could prevent honour killing convictions, such as underreporting, lack of evidence, and a perceived religious justification.