Protection of Women from Violence in Punjab

Islam teaches equality of all persons. Over fourteen hundred years ago,
Islam gave women rights-that-were considered revolutionary. These included
the right to property, right-to-inheritance, right to seek and receive
knowledge, rights in marriage such as the right to choose a spouse and right
to dignity and respect of women.
Constitution of Pakistan which is the fountain of rights and responsibilities for
citizens ensures equal rights and prevention of discrimination against
women. Chapter I of Part II of the Constitution of Pakistan contains
fundamental rights of people. This chapter makes no distinction between
men and women and gives rights to men and women equally. Similarly,
articles 25 and 34 reinforce equality, permit special laws to promote
protection of women and children and make it a responsibility of the State to
ensure full participation of women in national life.
Government of Pakistan and Government of Punjab have passed special laws
to promote empowerment of women and to end violence against women.
However, women continue to suffer various forms of violence.
What is violence against women?
The United Nations defines violence against women as:
"Any act of gender-based violence that results in, or can lead to physical,
sexual or mental harm to women, including threats of such acts, oppression
or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private
life."
Violence against women directly and indirectly violates many human rights,
Including:

The right to life;

The right to liberty and security of person;
The right to equal protection under the law;
The right not to be subjected to torture, or any other cruel, inhuman or
degrading treatment, or punishment;
The right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental
health;
The right to equality;
The right to be free from all forms of discrimination;
The right to just and favorable conditions of employment and freedom
from harassment;

Forms of Violence against women

The main types of violence against women include physical, emotional and
economic violence.
Physical violence:
Physical abuse may include spitting, scratching, biting, grabbing, shaking,
shoving, pushing, restraining, throwing, twisting, slapping (with open or
closed hand), punching, choking, burning, and/or use of weapons (e.g.,
household objects, knives, guns) against the survivor. The physical assaults
may or may not cause injuries.
Many of these forms of violence are not permitted by Islam and our law but
is done in the name of negative culture and customary practices. We notice
such violence against women in the form of:
Traditional Practices & Customs:
Harmful traditional practices are forms of violence which have been
committed primarily against women and girls in certain communities and
societies for so long that they are considered, or presented by perpetrators,
as part of accepted cultural practice. It includes:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Honour Killing
Dowry related Violence
Watta Satta
Deprivation of Property and Inheritance Right
Forced and Early marriage

Violence within the Home:

Domestic violence is "the intentional and persistent physical, emotional or
psychological abuse of anyone in the home in a way that causes pain,
distress or injury". It assumes two forms:
Psychological violence
Psychological violence is an action or set of actions that directly impairs the
victims psychological integrity. It includes insulting, belittling, taunting
someone constantly, telling them they are inferior etc.
Measures to Promote Empowerment of Women and Ending Violence
Against Women
A comprehensive women's empowerment policy titled Punjab Women
Empowerment Package (PWEP) was announced by the Chief Minister Punjab

Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif

International Women's Day.

during

8 th

March,

2012

celebrations

of

PWEP 2012 declared that women empowerment and gender equality are
among the main priorities of Government of the Punjab. This policy
reaffirmed the commitment of Govt. of the Punjab to continue to strive for
achievement of internationally agreed Millennium Development Goals and
objectives related to gender equality and empowerment of women in the
Punjab; particularly in the areas of poverty alleviation, universal primary
education, reduction of child mortality, improvement of maternal health,
elimination of gender-based violence, mainstreaming of gender perspective
in policies and programmes, enhancing training opportunities for women and
girls, and increasing the participation of women in leadership and decisionmaking. PWEP 2012 contained specific aims to safeguard women's rights for
social empowerment and targeted expansion of economic opportunities for
women's economic empowerment. Some measures included in PWEP 2012
are:
Economic Empowerment

Increased quota for women's jobs in public sector organizations to 15

percent
Enhanced women's participation in government boards and
committees to 33 percent
Improve workplaces by adding washrooms and separate prayer areas
for women
Establishment of Day Care Centers at workplaces to support working
women
Providing low cost housing in hostels to low income salaried Working
Women to improve their mobility and provide them decent work
conditions.
Women's vocational skills training
Increasing women's access to loans
Increasing women's business skills

Laws and Institutions for Women's Empowerment and Social Justice

Punjab government has passed a special law called "The Protection Against
Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act" for preventing and punishing
harassment of women at the workplace.
Punjab for Protection of Women from Harassment at the Workplace

Office of the Qmbuds person Punjab is created to deal with complaints of

harassment of women at their workplaces.
Laws are promulgated by the government to eliminate women's deprivation
of inherited property and protect their right to inheritance?? add law
Laws Related to Marriage
Punjab Muslim Family Laws (Amendment) Act 2015 and The Punjab Marriage
Restraint (Amendment) Act 2015 make it mandatory for Nikah Khawans to fill
all columns of the Nikahnama properly for all Muslims. The law has increased
the terms of imprisonment and fines for marriage with a girl under the age of
16 years and a boy under the age of 18 years of age. It is now mandatory to
fill the Nikah Nama with consent of the bride and the groom.
Punjab Commission on the Status of Women
Office of The Punjab Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) was
established in 2014 under the Punjab Commission on the Status of Women
Act 2014 to promote empowerment of women and gender equality in Punjab.
This office can be approached if there is any complaint of discrimination
against women in Punjab.

Punjab Women's helpline

SPEAK UP!
Know your rights

0800-93372
INQUIRIES & COMPLAINTS

Government of Punjab also runs a toll free helpline to provide information

about rights of women, refer women to concerned authorities and institutions
and to address inquiries and complaints regarding:

Violence against women including physical violence, domestic violence

and workplace harassment
Property disputes and inheritance rights
Facilities for working women
Increased women's participation in government decision making bodies
Women's employment related issues Various other economic and social
issues
Help desks are also established in police stations of Punjab where only
women may be posted for providing assistance to women
complainants

Societal Change

Societal change comes through education. It is essential for changing

mindsets and ending stereotypes and norms that create hindrances for
women's empowerment.
Punjab Protection against Violent Bill 2015 Brief
Chief Ministers Special Monitoring Unit (Law & Order)s initiative of the
Punjab Protection of Women against Violence Bill 2015 has been passed
unanimously by the Punjab Assembly on 4th Feb. 2016.
Salient Features and Implementation Mechanism
For the first time in the history of Pakistan, this bill that aims to provide
justice to women victims of violence includes comprehensive protection from
crime including abetment of an offence; domestic abuse; emotional and
psychological abuse; economic abuse; stalking; and cybercrime.
This bill introduces for the first time an in-built implementation mechanism
through the establishment of Violence Against Women Centers (VAWCs) in all
districts, court orders (residence, protection and monetary orders),
introduction of GPS tracking electronic
bracelets-anklets to enforce
protection orders, creation of District Women Protection Committees with the
power to force enter any place to recue women victims, and encompassing
cyber-crimes, domestic violence, emotional, economic and psychological
abuse within the ambit of violence against women crimes.

EXERCISE
1.

Give short answers.

i. Define the term Violence against women.
ii. Give four examples of physical violence.
iii. What are the forms of harmful traditional practices?
iv. What is a psychological violence?
v. Write the name of the act which was introduced to protect
women at the workplace.

2. Fill in the blanks.

i. The main types of violence against women include physical,
emotional and __________ violence.

ii. The

Punjab

Women

Empowerment

Package

(PWEP)

was

introduced in __________.
iii. The office of the __________ is created to deal with the complaints
of harassment of women at their workplace.
iv. The Punjab Womens Helpline number is __________.
v. The office of the Punjab Commission on the status of Women
(PCSW) was established to promote __________ of women and
gender equality.
3.

Give answers in details.

i. What measures were taken by the Punjab Government to provide
Economic Empowerment to the Women?
ii. Describe the salient features of the bill Women Protection
against Violence introduced by the Punjab Assembly in 2016.
iii. Describe the forms of violence against women with the help of
examples.

4.

Write a note on the following:

a) Punjab Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW)
b) Laws Related to Marriage