In the past three years, The National Assembly has reported more than 60,000 cases of violence against women

20-10-2022

Catherine Yu 

Pakistan & Human Rights Researcher

Global Human Rights Defence

On Wednesday, October 19th, representatives from the Ministry of Human Rights informed the National Assembly that 63,367 incidents of violence against women had been recorded in the previous three years. Of the total amount of reported acts of violence, 11,160 of these cases were rape/gang-rape related. A list of violent cases from 2019 to 2021 were requested from the Inspectors General of Police (IGPs) and the National Police Bureau. Separate from rape/gang-rape related incidents, this list revealed that 3,987 murder cases and 34,376 kidnappings were reported in the last three years. The Minister of Human Rights of Pakistan, Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada stated that “the government was committed towards ensuring promotion and protection of women’s rights as envisaged under the Constitution as well as international commitments by adopting all possible measures” (Shahid, 2022). In reaction to the ongoing violence against women, the government has initiated a "Human Rights Awareness Programme”. The main goal of this newly formed project is to raise awareness about the rights of both women and children. Furthermore, the Ministry of Human Rights, in collaboration with the Government, established a specialised institution called the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW), its primary objective is to promote and preserve women's rights, while collaborating closely with “law enforcement agencies at the national level for effective implementation of the above-mentioned pro-women laws” (Shahid, 2022). Finally, the Ministry of Human Rights has made further work toward establishing a toll-free Helpline (1099) that will provide legal advice and aid victims in need via law enforcement. 

Sources and further reading:

Shahid, J. (2022, October 20). Over 60,000 cases of violence against women registered in last three years, Na told. DAWN. Retrieved October 20, 2022, from https://www.dawn.com/news/1715929/over-60000-cases-of-violence-against-women-registered-in-last-three-years-na-told