Violence Against Women in Pakistan

Shahnaz Bokhari¸ a clinical psychologist and president of the Progressive Women’s Association (PWA), has been an active campaigner for women’s rights. In October 2000 she aided a destitute twenty-six-year-old woman seeking refuge from physical violence at the hands of her husband and harassment from her family by first using her own home as a safe house, and then setting up a shelter. Soon, Bokhari was summoned to court for an unspecified reason which turned out to be a hearing for "abetting a woman in attempt to commit adultery" under the Hudood Ordinances. The Federal Sharia Court exonerated Bukhari  February 2003, after two-and-a-half years of pressure and support from partner NGO's, media and foreign diplomatic missions. Police have continued to raid Bukhari’s home repeatedly, in search of other missing women, but despite these threats and invasion of her privacy, she remains dedicated to fighting for women’s rights in Pakistan and runs PWA from her private residence.

To Read More About Women Advocates go to Human Rights Watch.