By Rabbani Lodhi
ISLAMABAD: The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), referred to as the International Bill of Rights for Women, is the convention adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1979.
Comprising 30 articles and a preamble, signatory states are bound to implement and enforce the convention in their respective states to end discrimination against women within society, ensure the equality of women within their legal system, and establish tribunals to safeguard women from all forms of discrimination at both micro and macro levels.
When we see the current status of CEDAW in Pakistan, we find that Pakistan, which ratified CEDAW in 1996, is facing challenges to implementing it in the society, which is more or less feudal and patriarchal, where discrimination against women is commonplace with women facing honour killings, acid attacks, forced marriages, rapes, selling of brides, etc. Pakistan has, however, taken some important measures to eliminate the discrimination against women since the ratification of CEDAW.
The government set up the National Commission on Status of Women (NCSW) in 2000 to look into policies, programmes, and measures for women’s development and gender equality.
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Since the ratification of CEDAW, Pakistan has enacted and carried out legal reforms such as adopting the Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trial) Act 2021; the Zainab Alert, Recovery and Response Act 2020; Transgender Persons (Protection and Rights) Act 2018; the Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2010; and the Women in Distress and Detention Fund Act 1996, aimed at protecting and promoting gender equality and basic rights.
According to the Global Gender Gap Index Report 2022, Pakistan ranked 95/156 for women’s political empowerment.
However, the Global Gender Gap Index 2024 put Pakistan at 145 out of 146 countries for women’s economic participation, underlining significant gaps that continue to persist.
Basic gender equality and human rights are at the heart of Pakistan Vision 2025, which is in line with the UN Sustainable Development Corporation Framework 2023–2027.
Pakistan acknowledges gender security as a crucial tenet in the Domestic Policy National Security Policy (2022–2026) area to guarantee the incorporation of gender equity into national security narratives by involving women in decision-making.
If we further analyse, despite being a society rooted in patriarchy, the government of Pakistan has successfully taken major steps for the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women by introducing different pro-women laws and expanding the NCSW’s reach to the district level to enhance local advocacy and monitoring efforts.
Similarly, Pakistan has made palpable accomplishments in gender equality as it elected Benazir Bhutto as the first female prime minister and appointed Justice Ayesha Malik as the first female judge of the Supreme Court in 2022. Similarly, the NCSW has been expanded to districts countrywide.
However, there is still a need to adopt a smart approach by the government to overcome the low economic participation of women. Structural reforms are essential to achieve sustainable progress in this regard.
To further strengthen CEDAW’s implementation in Pakistan, experts have suggested establishing women’s political organisations at the grassroots level; increasing the women’s quota in legislatures from the current 22 per cent to 30 per cent, and empowering civil society and women-led organisations to drive gender equity initiatives.
While significant challenges remain, Pakistan’s commitment to CEDAW and its recent policy interventions reflect a determination to address gender disparities and foster a more inclusive society.