Available Pro-Women Laws in Sindh-Pakistan; Period of Enactment Explored Between 2010 to 2022

Authors

  • Bilquis Rehman Council for Participatory Development

Keywords:

Rights, Protection, Women Friendly, Parliament, Laws

Abstract

After the democratic process reinstatement in Pakistan, since 2008, many pro-women laws have been enacted by National and Provincial Assemblies, and among all, the Sindh Assembly has proven more enlightened in this context. These laws were meant to improve women and girls' conditions in Pakistan but the indicators of women's progress showed not much improvement, particularly for rural women/girls Pakistan persisted in bottom countries in Gender Gap Index even some surveys claimed Pakistan is least protected for its women population. In this situation, these law's execution and challenges in the implementation of these laws are significant subjects to explore so the evidence could be generated to bring improvement in this process. This study is a step to explore and provide updated information on services for women's rights. It examined laws enacted from 2010 to 2022, their implications, and the structures in place for women's protection. The findings reveal that around fifteen laws directly protect girls and women. However, some structures, like rules of business and district-level committees, are not fully operational despite being notified. This hinders the implementation of laws to protect girls due to the absence of rules or lack of interest from relevant departments.

References

Aftab, N., Khan, M. F., & Ali, S. (2020). Pakistani Bureaucracy: Crisis of Governance, Prospects and Recommended Reforms [Review of Pakistani Bureaucracy: Crisis of Governance, Prospects and Recommended Reforms]. Electronic Research Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2(1). Retrieved January 1, 2020, from www.eresearchjournal.com.

Alston, M. (2014).Women, Political Struggles and Gender Equality in South Asia. Springer.

Analysis The Sindh Commission on the Status of Women Annual Report 2017 – 2018, Available at https://scsw.sindh.gov.pk/storage/resourcePage/KHFE5Vm1hslJ0 9gwa5FOCaF8aS8fKSiNHaP7vOSm.pdf.

Bernauer, J., Bochsler, D., Brubaker, R., Dembinska, M., FulyaMemisoglu, Prasad, K., Roger, A., Edina Szöcsik, Vasilevich, H., Wydra, D., & Christina Isabel Zuber. (2014). New Nation-States and National Minorities. ECPR Press.

Boyden, J., Pankhurst, A., &Tafere, Y. (2012). Child Protection and Harmful Traditional Practices: Female Early Marriage and Genital Modification in Ethiopia. Development in Practice, 22(4), pp.510–522. https://doi.org/10.1080/09614524.2012.672957.

Center for Reproductive Rights. (2018). Ending Impunity for Child Marriage in Pakistan: Normative and Implementation Gaps [Review of Ending Impunity for Child Marriage in Pakistan: Normative and Implementation Gaps, by POLICY BRIEF]. Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act, 2013, no.XX OF 2013 (2013).Hindus Marriage (Amendment) Act, 2018, no. IX, Sindh Assembly (2018).

Colleen Lowe Morna, SifisoDube, Makamure, L., & Al, E. (2014). SADC Gender Protocol 2014 Barometer. Gender Links, Cop.

Demo, D. H., Allen, K. R., & Fine, M. A. (2000). Handbook of Family Diversity. Oxford University Press.

Eldridge, L. (2023). Law and the Medieval Village Community. Taylor & Francis.

Figart, D. M., &Warnecke, T. L. (2015). Handbook of research on gender and economic life. Edward Elgar Pub.

Home-based Workers Act, 2018, no. NO.PAS/LEGIS-B-25/2018, Sindh Assembly (2018).https://clr.org.pk/Labour-Laws/Sindh/Sindh%20Home%20Based%20Wor kers%20Act%202018.pdf.

Jabeen, T. (2016). Child Protection Legislation in Pakistan: Bringing International Child Rights Obligations and Local Values Together [Review of Child Protection Legislation in Pakistan: Bringing International Child Rights Obligations and Local Values Together]. Pakistan Journal of Criminology, 8(3), pp.16–33.

Littlejohn, J. (1972). Social Stratification. London, Allen And Unwin.

Marijke Velzeboer, & Pan American Health Organization. (2003). Violence against Women: The Health Sector Responds. Pan American Health Organization, Pan American Sanitary Bureau, Regional Office of the World Health Organization.

Mary Zeiss Stange, Oyster, C. K., & Sloan, J. (2011). Encyclopedia of Women in Today’s World. Sage Reference.

Maternity Benefits Act, 2018, SENATE (2020). Testimony of Government -Pakistan. https://senate.gov.pk/uploads/documents/1580369887_449.pdf.

Mehdi, R. (2010). The Protection of Women (Criminal Laws Amendment) Act, 2006 in Pakistan. Droitet Cultures, 59, pp.191–206. https://doi.org/10.4000/droitcultures. 2016.

Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). (2017, January 1). Government of Pakistan. https://www.pbs.gov.pk/content/population-census.

Pakistan, D. (2018, November 5). Women in Distress and Detention Fund (WDDF) [Review of Women in Distress and Detention Fund (WDDF)].Defence Pakistan. https://pdf.defence.pk/threads/women-distress-fund-to-be-functional-from-next-month.585227/.

Pakistan, D. (2020, June 17). Women were Ignored in Budget Allocations [Review of Women were ignored in Budget Allocations]. 2. https://dailypakistan.com.pk/E-Paper/lahore/2020-06-17/page-2.

Prevention of Anti-Women Practices Act, 2011, (2011). Testimony of National Assembly.

Punjab Commission on the Status of Women (2011). The Acid Control and Acid Crime Prevention Act, 2011, National Assembly (2011). https://pcsw.punjab.gov.pk/acid.

Recorder, B. (2021, August 14). Domestic Violence: Safe-houses to Be Opened in Each District for Female Victims: Minister [Review of Domestic Violence: Safe-Houses to Be Opened in Each District for Female Victims: Minister]. Business Recorder.https://www.brecorder.com/news/40113393.

Richard Alan White. (2004). Breaking Silence. Georgetown University Press.

Salmons, D., & University of Birmingham. (2011). The Overlapping Of Legal Concepts : A Legal Realist Approach To The Classification Of Private Law (Dissertation). University of Birmingham.

Senate Secretariat (2010).The Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act 2010, Act No.IV (2010). https://qau.edu.pk/pdfs/ha.pdf.

Sindh Assembly (2013). Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act 2013, no., Available at xv,http://sindhlaws.gov.pk/setup/publications/PUB-13-000734.pdf.

Sindh Assembly (2011). Sindh Child Protection Authority Act, 2011, no. XIV OF 2011.

Sindh Commission for the Status of Women. (2020). Annual Report 2019-2020 [Review of Annual Report 2019-2020]. Government of Sindh.

Sindh Government Gazette (2002). Demographic, Socio-Economic And Environmental Determinants Of Utilization Of Antenatal Care In A Rural Setting Of Sindh, Pakistan [Review Of Demographic, Socio-Economic And Environmental Determinants Of Utilization Of Antenatal Care In A Rural Setting of Sindh, Pakistan]. 52(4), pp.138–142.

Sindh Human Rights Commission. (2019). Annual Report 2018-2019 [Review of Annual Report 2018-2019]. Government of Sindh.

Sindh Prohibition of Corporal Punishment Act, 2016, no.VII OF 2017 (2016). http://sindhlaws.gov.pk/setup/publications_SindhCode/PUB-NEW-18-000187.pdf.

The Sindh Prohibition of Employment of Children Act, 2017, no.III OF 2017 (2017). http://sindhlaws.gov.pk/setup/publications_SindhCode/PUB-NEW-18-000183.pdf.

Sindh Assembly (2019). The Sindh Reproductive Healthcare Rights Act, (Amendments), no. XV, Sindh Assembly (2019). http://sindhlaws.gov.pk/Setup/Publications_ SindhCode/PUB-NEW-23-000015.pdf.

World Economic Forum. (2020). Global Gender Gap Report 2020.

Downloads

Published

2024-03-08

How to Cite

Rehman, B. (2024). Available Pro-Women Laws in Sindh-Pakistan; Period of Enactment Explored Between 2010 to 2022. Pakistan Journal of Gender Studies, 24(1), 18–37. Retrieved from https://www.socialsciencejournals.pjgs-ws.com/index.php/PJGS/article/view/737

Issue

Section

Articles