Achieving Gender Equality in Pakistan and India

Pakistan and India are the most important leading countries in South Asia. With the progress of time and the dawn of the 21st century, violence against women persists in Pakistani and Indian society. According to the National Commission on Human Rights of Pakistan (NCHR) and UN Women, it has been established that 90% of Pakistani women have experienced domestic violence at some point in their lives. Similarly, according to UN Women India, 24% of women faced violence from intimate partners in 2022, and another 29.3% faced sexual violence from their partners. Therefore, statistics prove a need to combat violence against women in India and Pakistan. Both governments need to do more to maintain women’s equality and make efforts to combat violence against women.

Pakistan and India both came into existence after a partition in 1947. The environment for women in Pakistan has been shaky due to different instabilities in society due to political upheavals. The worst era for women was the 1980s when draconian laws like the Hudood Ordinance were drafted, which called for the identification of rapists and the testimony of four witnesses. Hence, many rape cases were turned into adultery cases, and the victims, mostly women, were penalized. One such instance is the story of Safia Bibi, a blind adolescent who was raped and later required to identify her attacker and produce four witnesses. As a result of failing to do so, she was penalized and sentenced to lashes. Later on, to combat violence, the government introduced laws to combat violence against women. These laws include the Pakistan Workplace Act (2016), the Punjab Protection of Women Against Violence Act (2016) and other laws against honor killing. Such pro-women laws positively address women-based discrimination in Pakistan as they aim to empower women and build a just and equal society. However, these laws have created less impact due to cultural norms and poor enforcement methods. Thus, this calls for raising awareness in people as the deeply rooted patriarchal attitude is very difficult to change in society.

India as compared to Pakistan, has a secular basis of democracy. Regardless of a secular constitution, it also witnessed violence against women. Nirbhaya’s case was the worst example of gender-based violence in India. Nirbhaya was a 23 year old lady, who was sexually assaulted on a moving bus. Due to the intensity of the assault and the death of the victim, numerous protests were held in India. The protests called for women's safety and protection in India. It led to the passing of the Nirbhaya Act, which strengthened the penalties for sexual offences against women. Apart from that, to combat sexual violence, India’s major acts include The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act of 2005 and the Act of 2013 for the Prevention, Prohibition, and Redress of Sexual Harassment of Women at Work. Such pro-women acts aim to uplift and protect women, but there is also a need for appropriate enforcement and raising awareness for a shift in public attitudes.

The issue of women’s rights is a major issue in Pakistan and India that needs to be addressed. This issue is no less because women are an integral part of the society. There can be no progress in a society, if the gender role of women is restricted. Moreover, Pakistan and India may be arch rivals, but their collaborative call to fight against gender-based violence against women is needed. These nations can resolve the issue of gender equality by holding bilateral dialogues in which civil societies participate and discuss the solutions for women's empowerment. Both nations can learn from eachother truimphs and collabratively come on forum to exchange views and help in promoting gender equality. The role of media is important in influencing society and forming public opinion regarding violence against women. On both sides, the media must try to raise awareness regarding women’s rights and the dignity of women. Violence must be condemned, and talk shows on news channels can help at least by dedicating one day to debate and discussion on social issues like women’s rights, the fight against patriarchy, women’s legal rights, etc. Moreover, the portrayal of women should be positive in media by promoting women as equal to men. It should be portrayed that women are no less than men but can compete equally in many fields of life and, in most instances, can be better than men.