‘We Can’ national launch draws attention to the dishonourable practice of ‘honour’ killings and to the efforts of the campaign in 25 districts of country to end this practice

‘Violence against women is un-Islamic, unethical and intolerable. I urge human rights’ activists to pay attention to karo kari and siah kari (‘honour’ killings) and personally assure support to all the organisations working to eliminate violence against women,” said former president Farooq Ahmed Khan Leghari.

He was speaking at the national launch of the 'We Can' campaign at Islamabad on May 23, 2006. It was attended by over 600 people from across the country and marked by speeches, cultural activities (that highlighted the horrors of 'honour' killings and the discriminatory laws in the country) and a Change Makers assembly (where 20 Change Makers from four provinces narrated their experiences in trying to bring attitudinal change).

The national ‘We Can’ launch followed close on the heels of a conference held in Karachi by the campaign allies in April 2006 to draw attention to the disturbing and continuing incidence of ‘honour’ killings. The launch succeeded in reverting national attention to the dishonourable practice of ‘honour’ killings and its negative fall-outs and to the efforts of the campaign (active in 25 districts of country) to end this practice and other such acts that perpetuate violence against women.

People who attended the launch came from across the country, particularly the remote regions. They included representatives from civil society, parliamentarians, community leaders, religious heads, teachers, women’s rights activists, lawyers, journalists, social workers and youth.

“Women in the country remain unprotected from violence because of inherent gender discrimination and weak implementation of laws,” Leghari observed. Calling for stronger political and legal empowerment of women, he said only a strong social movement that focussed on attitudinal change would end this barbaric practice. According to him, laws alone will not make a difference. He urged religious scholars to decry ‘honour’ killing as a practice and influence large numbers of people to stop killing women in the name of honour.

“People have no idea how deeply the crime of ‘honour’ killing is rooted in our society,” underlined Fida Hussain Mastoi, Assistant Inspector General of Police in Sindh. He cited case after case where women were killed because of financial feuds between men in which women played absolutely no role. “This is plain murder,” he observed.

In one instance a man killed his wife and a man who had lent him money by declaring them karo and kari simply to avoid repaying the debt. In another case, a woman and her two children were killed in the district of Jacobabad in January this year for marrying a man against her family’s wishes. Her husband was also killed a few days later as he lay recovering in hospital. “A huge effort is needed to combat ‘honour’ killings,” he added.

Statistics on ‘honour’ killings in the country are confusing and imprecise. Pakistan’s Interior Ministry records more than 4,100 ‘honour’ killings between 2000 and 2004. Non-governmental groups (NGOs) say there were 600 ‘honour’ killings in 2004 alone. The rights commission's website shows a marked reduction in cases last year: 267 in the first 11 months of 2005, compared with 579 during all of 2004. The Ministry of Women's Development says it has no reliable figures.

Recent media reports reveal 158 women and 56 men have been killed in karo kari cases in Sindh alone between January and April 2006. In the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and Punjab, 76 women and men have been similarly killed so far this year.

Oxfam Pakistan’s Country Director, Farhana Faruqi Stocker places the number of ‘honour’ killings in 25 districts of the country at around 1,000 to 1,500 cases every year. According to her, this constitutes a very small portion of the actual number of cases; a majority of them go unreported or are passed off as ‘suicides’.

A proposed legislation on ‘honour’ killings drafted in consultation with NGOs was sidelined last year in favour of a far weaker bill -- this bill beefs up penalties for ‘honour’ killings but makes securing convictions weak. Implementation also remains poor. Provisions of Pakistani law also allow the next of kin of the victim to “forgive” the murderer in exchange for money. Offenders continue to use this clause to escape punishment.

Condemning this legal loophole, Director, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) I A Rehman, said, “Incidence of ‘honour’ killings used to be common in rural and tribal belts but its occurrence in cities has increased sharply. Provisions in the law that allow the family of the victim to “forgive” the murderer make a mockery of the law and leniency of this sort has fostered an atmosphere for more such crimes to occur.”

Oxfam GB’s South Asia Regional Director Allison Aldred reiterated, “Violence against women isn’t normal, isn’t acceptable and must end”. She said the campaign that will run till 2011 aims to enlist the support of five million Change Makers across South Asia. They will pledge not to commit violence against women and work to influence others to recognise that violence against women is not acceptable.

“People’s minds have to be engraved with the fact that ‘honour’ killings and violence against women is a crime,” said Irfan Mufti from Pakistan’s South Asia Partnership, an ally of the campaign. “

Dr Muhammad Farooq, a religious scholar from NWFP, said Islam lays down that no individual is allowed to take the law into his own hands. It condemns violence and protects the rights of both the accused and accuser. He argued that Courts should be the final arbitrator in the country and people should stop killing women in the name of honour. He quoted verses from the Quran to explain the Islamic stance on the Hudood Ordinance.

Samina Pirzada, actress and social worker, who has lent her presence to a musical video on ‘honour’ killing for the ‘We Can’ campaign, brought to attention the fear that women in Pakistan live with. “This has to change because I want to live. I want my daughters to live. And, I want all daughters to live fully and equally,” she argued in an impassioned speech.

A Change Maker from interior Sind shows how small measures can affect big changes

Dr Arfa Sayeda Zehra, Chairperson of National Commission on Status of Women (NCSW) was confident of “securing an equitable and just society for women through the collective efforts of people.” Kishwar Naheed, eminent poetess and columnist, recited a poem highlighting the plight of women victims of ‘honour’ killing.

Dr Arfa Sayeda Zehra, Chairperson of National Commission on Status of Women speaks of the need for an equitable and just society for women

Rakhshanda Naz, Regional Director, Aurat Foundation, NWFP, was critical of the government’s efforts to secure rights for women through the law and sharply dismissive of the Hudood Ordinance. The government has yet to repeal or reform the Hudood Ordinance, despite repeated calls for its repeal by the government-run National Commission on the Status of Women, as well as women’s rights and human rights groups.

Nafeesa Shah, women rights activist urged people to adopt gender just attitudes and practices in their lives and sought a rights-based approach to development.

Muttahida Majlis–e-Amal (MMA) Senator Rashid Ahmed and MMA’s Minister for Women Development in NWFP, Kashif Azam assured their support for efforts to end ‘honour’ killing.

Many of the participants urged political parties to make ending gender-based violence and ‘honour’ killings a part of their manifesto in the next general elections scheduled for next year.

A highlight of the Change Makers Assembly, facilitated by Humera Alwani, a parliamentarian from Sindh, was the launch of audio songs album on karo kari. Media coverage of the event was extensive. They brought to attention a recent case of ‘honour’ killing in Baloch and highlighted the relevance of the ‘We Can’ campaign in this context.

Apna Faisla -- a video song dedicated to the thousand women who are murdered every year in the name of honour was released at a well-attended launch ceremony on 27 May 2004 at the Media Centre of Pakistan in Karachi. Government officials, representatives of the media and members of the civil society were present in large numbers.

Produced by Farkhanda Shaheen, the video depicts the fear of a mother who lives in perpetual anxiety for her daughter’s safety in a highly traditional society where a slightest suspicion or allegation about the character of a woman may lead to her killing by close relatives. She guards her daughter carefully. One day she notices her daughter glancing at a young man and she is filled with unease. Her worst fears come true when she discovers that the exchanged glance has been noticed and reported to the village chief who calls a 'jigra'.

“The idea behind the song is to create a space for dialogue on the issue of honour killing and come with answers on how to end this practice that robs women of their right to life and dignity. As songs can be telecast over and over again, we are aiming for a reinforcement of the message,” said Shaheen.

Speaking at the launch ceremony, Chief Guest Niofar Bakhtiar, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Women’s Development, underlined the role of the Ministry of Women’s Development and spoke of its efforts to end violence against women.

Dr Arif Mehmood, Campaign Manager, Pakistan, presented an overview of the ‘We Can’ in Pakistan and identified 32 geographical areas as prime focus areas because of the extraordinarily high prevalence of honour killings in this area.

Explaining the rationale behind using a video song to highlight the horrors of honour killing, Farhana Faruqi Stocker, Country Representative, Pakistan, said, songs break barriers and reach out to a wide cross-section of people. The fact that it would be repeatedly telecast on television also guarantees a wide reach.

Fahmida Riaz, the writer of the song, said that she had written the song for her newly born girl years ago. Samina Peerzada, popular film and television actress, who rendered this song, said that as a mother herself she could identify with the lyrics of the song. The song has been sung by Tahira Khan, a well known singer in the country with a large repertoire of songs.

Among the other notable guests present and who shared their views with the audience were Haseena Moeen, eminent playwright; Kishwar Naheed, a writer of international repute; poetess Shabnam Shakeel and popular television actor Faisal Khureshi. Media coverage of the video has been extensive. (see report in The Dawn Review)