COMMITTEE : United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the
Empowerment of Women (UNWOMEN)
DELEGATION : Pakistan
AGENDA : 1. Rights of women in the crises stricken zone
2. To resolve critical eradication of women's health
and Sexual Labour in society
NAME : Shreya Das
Conflicts or post-conflict societies can result in higher levels of gender-based
violence against women and girls, including torture, arbitrary killings, sexual
violence, forced marriage, trafficking and other inhuman activities. These
conflicts and wars are a toxic combination of fragile institutions, inequality,
discrimination and social conflict with other factors such as intensity of
natural disasters, food crises, increasing threats posed by climate change,
terrorism and record numbers of the displaced. A few decades ago, women
and girls in crises stricken situations were forced to endure brutal incidents
of sexual violence, had fewer resources for protection and survival, lost their
loved ones and had to take responsibility of their families taking any
measures provided or were forced to join the combatants, or to flee leaving
everything behind completely. Today these risks are not just real but
compounded by fact becoming a threat to their identity and their security.
Access to essential services such as health care, including sexual and
reproductive health services can be disrupted resulting in conflict related
sexual violence.
Pakistan is the fifth most populous country in the world with a population of
227 million people, comprising of 49.2 percent female (strategic note
UNWOMEN PAKISTAN). It is one of the largest young populations in the world
and has also been ranked as one of the top 10 countries most affected by
climate change in the past 20 years. Despite these challenges, Pakistan has
taken steps towards formulating policies and laws to protect human rights,
ratifying core international human rights conventions and introducing pro-
women legislation including National Gender Policy Framework (2022), Anti
Rape Ordinance (2020) and Domestic Violence against Women Act in all four
provinces of Pakistan. It has voiced its commitment to the framework that
views women and youth as the cornerstone of peacebuilding. Additionally, it
remains one of the sixth largest contributors to UN peacekeeping, including
female engagement teams and troop contribution. Pakistan has hosted 2
million of the world’s refugees and other people in need of international
protection (Refugee Data Finder) making it the fourth largest host country in
the world. Under the 5 year plan (2018-2022), UNWOMEN in Pakistan has
supported the government and its partners to ensure in gender responsive
plans, policies and systems of governance being more accessible and
delivering equally for women and girls, creating a safer violence free
environment, with survivors to access quality essential services and creating
income security and socio-economic development (Country Profile 2018-
2022). Benazir income support program, Gender based violence courts and
women police stations advance gender equality and empower the women in
the country.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was presented first in 2008
and appreciated by the UN (National Report of Women Status). The country
lent a strong support to the Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA) in 1995 signed
the Beijing Declaration in the same year, committing to the achievement of
the 12 areas delineated in the BPfA. The country ratified Convention on the
Elimination of all Forms against Women (CEDAW) in 1996 and the recent
reports submitted has presented progress on policy reforms undertaken in
compliance with the treaty obligations. National Health Vision (NHV) 2016-
2025, Vision 2025 and Sehat Saluhat Program (SSP) launched in 2015 are
initiatives taken by the government to improve access of good quality
medical services to its citizens (National Report of Status of Women).
Women and girls should not only been seen as victims of conflict and
instability because historically noted, they have been active in both formal
and informal peace building and recovery process. Pakistan with its own
issues regarding different geopolitical situations and climatic problems,
understands the importance of full, equal and meaningful participation of the
women and is working hard in creating a safer and better society for them in
future.
Possible solutions:
● Taking responsibility for complicity in systems of
oppression and contribute to the betterment of the
women.
● Strengthening the existing UN coordination
mechanisms and advocate on ending sexual violence
against women with governments
● Establishing monitoring, analysis and reporting
arrangements in poor countries
● Working in a Framework of Cooperation to reaffirm
common commitments through joint programs, joint
efforts at National and International Level promoting
women’s rights in crises stricken areas.
● Cooperation in research and data collection to enhance
accountability and compliance by States in relation to
the human rights of women and girls victims.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
1. Strategic note UNWOMEN PAKISTAN
[Link]
publications/2023/06/strategic-note-un-women-pakistan
2. Refugee Data Finder
[Link]
3. Country profile 2018-2022
[Link]
publications/2018/06/un-women-in-pakistan
4. National Report of Status of Women
[Link]
summary_-nrsw-inl_final.pdf