AbstractsWomens Studies

Abstract

Traditional values and conservative religious interpretations are considered to be a great challenge to the international human rights regime. This is true especially in the case of Pakistan where women’s human rights are being immolated on traditional and religious values. Their status is reduced to a puppet to get desired performance and obedience in the family life. This paper makes an effort to measure the severeness of discriminatory behavior of men toward women in marriage and family life and bring the issue to the attention of international community.. Giving the nature of study qualitative method of research is employed in this research paper. To investigate the situation on women’s equal rights in marriage and family life, international and regional human rights instruments are consulted as a primary source in the light of elaborations from human rights monitoring bodies, to set standards to determine the state’s obligations. Previous studies on the topic, articles, news briefs and media and NGO,s reports are relied on as secondary source of information to draw conclusion on the situation of women’s human rights. The result produced by the analyzation of above mentioned date suggests that the situation of women’s human rights in marriage and family life in Pakistan is horrifying. Women are passing a life of subordination and men are ultimate authority to make decisions regarding the fate of women. Women are unable to enjoy their basic rights, to choose their marriage partners, seek separation at their own initiatives and make decisions during married life regarding children and property. Women are denied these rights at the name of religious and cultural values and family honour. Different cruel practices are prevailing in the society to enforce men’s authority over women like, honour killings, domestic violence, and child marriage. Realizing the effects of lack of appropriate legislation, weak implementation of present legislation and lack of awareness from human rights on both public and administration level as main reason behind this situation, the paper suggests that the new laws should be enacted and implemented with full devotion and public and administration should be taught about their rights and duties under human rights law.