Book ‘Women’s Access to Justice’ launched

Islamabad 

Speakers at a book-launching ceremony have underlined the need for empowering womenfolk in all walks of life, so that they could equally contribute into the building of a peaceful and prosperous society in a rapidly changing world.

The book titled “Women’s Access to Justice”, jointly authored by advocate of women and human rights, Shazia Shaheen, and a lawyer and social activist, Khadija Ali, reflecting a socio-legal perspective of the womenfolk in Pakistan, was launched here at the National Press Club Wednesday.

Speaking on the occasion, Naseer Memon, SPO Executive Director, said that the decision-makers had confined the womenfolk of Pakistan only to the education and social welfare sectors for imparting education to the students and doing social work. He said women should be taken into the policy and decision-making forums in the larger interest of the people and the country. Memon said that it had been a common complaint that women were not heard properly even in the cases of family and sexual harassment and abuses.

He said these rights needed effective movements to get them solved, but unfortunately the socio-political movements had been degenerated into the NGOs. He urged the social and political activists to revive the political process for replacing outdated system and solution of people’s rights.

Benazir Jatoi, a legal expert, also highlighted the lacunae in the criminal justice system, which hampered the early disposition of justice at lower level. She said that the book under discussion had unearthed weaknesses of the criminal justice, which need a complete overhauled. Dr Khalid Noureen, deputy team leader of AAWAZ program, also spoke on the gender sensitivity issues, especially for women survivors of violence.

During the preliminary session, chaired by Dr Fauzia Saeed, Executive Director Lok Virsa, also spoke on the analytical and critical evaluation of women’s access to justice in the light of existing legislative network and issues linked to the legal rights of womenfolk. She also spoke on the social impediments that women were confronting in seeking justice. Dr Maliha Hussain moderated the session.

The authors also spoke on the contents of their effort and urged the participants to send them feedback on the issues contained in the book.