KARACHI: Known lawyer and activist Rashida Patel’s book Women versus Man: Socio-Legal Gender Inequality in Pakistan was launched at a ceremony here on Thursday.
Hosted by the Oxford University Press, the assembly was addressed by barrister Kamal Azfer, former justice Majida Rizvi, Ms Mohsina Bilgrami and also the author. The book carrying several case studies discusses gender disputes, economic disparities and socio-legal inequities affecting the women in Pakistan.
Mr Kamal Azfer briefly referred to the contents found in all the six chapters of the book and emphasized the need for a social revolution to end the ‘tyranny’ against women. He regretted “the age of enlightenment had escaped us” referring to the rapid social development found in other South Asian countries. He felt that another chapter should have been added to the book dealing with literacy and education, which were the most effective way to control population, quoting in the process the examples of China and Kerala (in India), both countries having engaged their womenfolk in socio-economic activities “while we in Pakistan are walking on one foot by keeping our 50 per cent manpower (or women power) confined to the four walls.
Ms Majida Rizvi, who chairs the National Commission on Status of Women, discussed the Hudood Ordinance which, she said, was adding to more rape cases, i.e. Meerwala case, discrimination against women in society and physical abuse and psychological oppression. She felt that the ‘divorce money’ in case of separation was meagre and subsistence allowance for separated women was essential. She also condemned the Jirga system which had added to the miseries of women.
Mohsina Bilgrami, emphasizing the need for a serious effort in population control, quoted figures from the government’s own documents. With a population of 150 million, Pakistan was adding six children per minute to this disturbing figure. With men being 52 per cent and women 48 per cent of the total population, an effective control on population was essential. She regretted that discrimination against women started from day one and quoted the example of a poor mother with twins — a girl child and a boy. When the mother could not feed the both, she opted for the boy and let the girl die.
Ms Rashida Patel, President of the Pakistan Women Lawyers Association, described various forms of violence against women and stressed the need to muster more legal aid for the distressed women. Islam always stood for an egalitarian society, keeping men and women on equal plank, which was sadly most often opposed by the clergy. She, however, welcomed the recent move by the government in authorizing family courts to handle the cases of domestic violence against women. The other decision in favour of a separated woman was sanctioning of the interim maintenance allowance to her as the final decision in the matter took around two years, adding to the agony of such a woman.
At the outset, Ameena Saiyed welcomed the guests.—HA
