Human Rights Regime Strengthened

HIGH COMMISSION FOR PAKISTAN

WELLINGTON

PRESS RELEASE

Human Rights Regime Strengthened

To strengthen the human rights regime in Pakistan, the government of Pakistan recently adopted certain concrete measures to criminalize anti-women practices. A National Commission on the Status of the Women has been established to safeguard women’s economic, social, political and legal rights.

Details of the actions taken by the government are as under:

             –    A National Commission on the Status of the Women Bill 2012 was signed by the President in March 2012. The Commission has been made Independent and Autonomous. It has been empowered to protect economic, social, political and legal rights of women.

             –    The Parliament has passed the National Commission for Human Rights Act 2011, which may take suo-moto action with regard to violation of Human rights.

             –    The Parliament also passed the  following Acts in December, 2011:

           (i)    The Criminal Law (Second Amendment) Act, 2011, (Acid Control and Acid Crime Prevention Bill 2010). This Act has criminalized acid attacks and the offence has been made punishable by imprisonment for life or imprisonment not less than fourteen years and a minimum fine of one million rupees.

           (ii)    The Criminal Law (Third Amendment) Act, 2011 (Prevention of Anti-Women Practices (Criminal Law Amendment) Bill 2008).  The key points of the Act are as follows:

                  o    It has criminalized several offences against women and prescribed punishment for instance giving a female in marriage as badal-e-Sulh, wanni or swara.

                  o    It has prohibited depriving women from inheriting property, forced marriage and marriage with the holy Quran.

PR No. 06/2012

Wellington