Dhaka, Jan 30 (IANS) Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman has said that any woman cannot be chief of the radical party owing to religious obligations and “biological limitations”. When asked during an Al Jazeera interview whether a woman could ever lead the party, Shafiqur Rehman responded, “It’s not possible. It’s not possible because Allah made everyone in its own entity. Because you [a man] will never be able to bear a child.”He further mentioned that men will not be able to b…
Latest Gender-based Violence News & Updates
Islamabad, Jan 28 (IANS) Pakistan parliament’s approval of the 2026 Domestic Violence Act is yet another attempt to address an undeniable and deeply entrenched social ill, local media reported on Wednesday. The bill broadens the definition of domestic violence, including not only physical and sexual abuse, but also psychological and verbal conduct, including, the threats of divorce or second marriage on “baseless” accusations of insanity or infertility. People accused of domestic violence can fa…
Islamabad, Jan 24 (IANS) The recent gang rape of a minor girl by policemen in custody in Jacobabad district of Pakistan’s Sindh province reflects a grave procedural failure that warrants serious institutional accountability. The subsequent arrest of six policemen is being touted as evidence that the system works, but accountability limited to junior officers is not true justice, a report highlighted on Saturday. “Female detainees — including minors — were allegedly kept in a private loca…
Quetta, Jan 13 (IANS) A leading human rights organisation on Tuesday expressed serious concern over the sharp rise in gender-based human rights violations across Balochistan in 2025, asserting that the enforced disappearances of Baloch women by Pakistani forces reflect a broader, systematic pattern of repression and collective punishment. In its thematic report titled ‘Enforced Disappearances of Baloch Women in 2025: Collective Punishment and Gendered Human Rights Violations in Balochistan’, the…
Kabul, Jan 13 (IANS) Thousands of Afghan women and families, who have been deported from Pakistan and Iran, face poverty, lack of shelter, and growing human rights concerns, local media reported on Tuesday. Afghan returnees report facing economic hardships, lack of shelter, and limited access to basic services. Many of these female-headed households used to work in Pakistan and Iran, the Afghan news agency Khaama Press reported. However, deportation from Iran and Pakistan has left them without f…
Islamabad, Jan 5 (IANS) Pakistan’s maternal mortality remains alarmingly high, with millions of women deprived of access to family planning services, persistent early marriages and widespread gender-based violence — all factors influencing fertility patterns, female labour participation and development of human capital, a report said on Monday. “In climate-exposed districts, weak health systems and limited access to services deepen vulnerability, reinforcing inequalities. The evidence leaves l…
Athens, Dec 25 (IANS) The gender gap in Pakistan’s labour market and economic opportunities stems from entrenched cultural norms, institutional shortcomings, and structural weaknesses, a report said on Thursday. It added that overcoming these challenges requires comprehensive measures such as strengthening labour law enforcement, improving access to childcare and safe transportation, promoting digital and financial inclusion, and eliminating discriminatory norms that restrict women’s mobility an…
New Delhi, Dec 22 (IANS) The National Commission for Women (NCW) has announced the launch of ‘SHAKTI Scholars: NCW’s Young Research Fellowship’, inviting applications from young students and researchers for policy-oriented research on issues concerning women across India.According to the Commission, the fellowship has been designed to promote multidisciplinary research on a wide range of subjects, including women’s safety and dignity, gender-based violence, legal rights and access to justice, an…