Protection of Women A Note on Recent Initiatives

Liaquat Ali Khan Niazi

Women in Pakistan have been subject to violence and exclusion. Incidents of
rape, honour killings, fire and acid burning, dowry-abuse, trafficking, under-age
marriage, trade of young girls among tribes for settlement of their disputes, killing of
innocent women under harsh tribal code of Jarga and working women show that
plight of women in Pakistan is deplorable. Every year International Women’s Day is
celebrated on March 8 all over the world including Pakistan but there is difficult
th time for Pakistani women. Pakistan ranks 66 out of 75 on the Gender
th Empowerment Measure Index. Pakistan held 127 place among 130 nations in a
2008 global ranking by the World Economic Forum of women’s social and
economic status. Women’s access to employment, health, education, property and
justice has been severely restricted for years. The media and the NGOs are putting in
various efforts to protect rights of women.