No country for women

Women in Pakistan face numerous issues, including domestic violence, gender disparity, scarce employment and educational opportunities, spousal supersession, and rigid social mores. Pakistani society, based on patriarchy, is fraught with injustices being perpetrated with women disdainfully. The United Nations Fund Population Agency (UNFPA) estimates that around 32 per cent of women experienced physical violence and 40 per cent endured spousal abuse in 2023 in Pakistan.

These issues tend to disproportionately affect women in rural areas, where socioeconomic deprivation is more prevalent. It is incumbent upon the state and all other stakeholders to work towards solutions, including legislation, that better protect the rights of women throughout the country.

Waseem Murad

Sohbatpur