Asia

Women in Security, Conflict Management and Peace (WISCOMP) organized a roundtable to address the issue of human security in Pakistan. A group of young Pakistani scholars and professionals shared their views and concerns regarding refugees, displaced persons, and sustainable development, among others.

Like every year, Working Women Organization is organizing the campaign on “Sixteen Days of Activism Against Gender Violence” from November 25 to December 10, 2003. The main purpose of this campaign is to aware, to educate the civil society organization, professionals, trade unions and people to understand that how this curse is badly effecting the women lives and great hindrance for the development of nation.

A bill to abolish laws that discriminate against women in Pakistan has been presented before Pakistan's parliament. The Protection and Empowerment of Women Bill has received split views from members of Parliament. According to BBC News, conservatives want to keep the current laws because they were made in the name of Islam under General Zia-ul-Haw in 1979.

Women in Pakistan face especially formidable obstacles in their search for better lives and opportunities for themselves and their children. Pursuit of economic activities that might better their conditions is constrained not only by cultural traditions but also by lack of access to even the very modest financial resources often needed for such pursuits and to training and support services that would help assure success.

The Joint Action Committee (JAC) and the Women's Action Forum (WAF) held a demonstration on Tuesday demanding the government repeal all discriminatory laws, especially the Hudood Ordinance. They said the unjustice being done in the name of the Hudood Ordinance was unbearable. They said that the law had badly affected society.