Women’s still facing the conditions of slavery, discrimination and exploitation
International women’s day will be celebrated in Pakistan and other countries having larger Muslim populations, on 8th March in a situation, when Islamic religious parties and groups are agitating against the blasphemous cartoons printed in Danish newspaper. Violent protests are going on from last two weeks. This issue has once again opened a wide spread debate, that Islam and Muslims are constantly under attack from West.
Islamic Fundamentalists and religious parties are exploiting this situation to prove that Muslims are being oppressed by the West. But when it comes to the home front, these oppressed by the West, becomes oppressors for women and children. Islamic fundamentalists and religious right are responsible for the stark and horrific conditions faced by the women in most of the Muslim societies. These fundamentalists help the ruling classes to suppress the women. The struggle for women rights is also a western conspiracy against “great traditions” and “family values” for these religious parties. They never utter a single word against the horrible conditions faced by the women. They never agitated against the gang rapes and other crimes committed against women. These “liberators” of Muslims societies never protested against the inhuman and brutal treatment of the women by the Taliban and Al Qaeda in Afghanistan. For the ruling and religious elite, comprised essentially of that male, relatively affluent segment of society which perpetrates these abuses against women, the plight of poor women is a non-issue. The women in Pakistan will celebrate this years International women’s day in a very difficult situation.
In the 21st century, in many areas in Pakistan, the women are not allowed to go to school.
In many areas of Baluchistan, Sindh, NWFP and south Punjab, it is impossible to see a woman in markets or on the streets. Majority of Pakistani women are facing the conditions of dark ages with having no social, political and economic rights.
Domestic violence, sexual harassment, rape, gang rape, injustice, forced marriages, honor killings and brutality are the realities of every day life. Discrimination in every field of life is very visible. 73% rural women contribute to the rural economy, but no official report ever mentions that contribution.
Women workers are 23% of the total work force, but rural agriculture women workers are not included in that figure. In textile sector women workers are 35% of total work force in textile industry. Nearly 3 million women are working as domestic servants and gets only 500 to 2000 rupees (5to 20 pounds) per month. These workers have no working hours and weekly off. The women workers in private sector work 12 to 16 hours a day without any break. Women workers get 40% less as wages, compare to the male workers.
The number of women workers are on the rise in the work force, but these numbers have no reflection in the labour movement, because there are very women in the trade unions. The male dominated unions are not showing any interest to recruit female members in the unions. The male chauvinist union leaders discourage the female workers.
Women also facing domestic violence. Nearly 90% women are facing domestic violence. For religious right and dominating sections of ruling elite, domestic violence is not a crime. For them every men has a right to beat his wife, sister, daughter and even other female members of family. Every third teenage girl is victim of some kind of sexual abuse and torture. Every second girl is facing sexual harassment and teasing. Majority of domestic female workers frequently subjected to rape and sexual abuse. Specially young girls between the age of 12 to 18 are victims of rape and sexual abuse. Majority of these girls remained silent, because the fear of social backlash against their families. If some one dear to speak against this abuse, she has to face police brutality on the false charges of theft. The rapes in police custody are also on the increase. 44 cases of custodial gang rapes have been reported in last 2 months. The situation is worst for the female workers, working in kiln industry (bricks making industry). In the 21st century the whole families have been forced to work in one kiln for few thousand rupees. The slavery of worst kind. The women and young girls are often subjected to rape and sexual abuse.
Only 33% women are enrolled in voter lists as voters. In many areas of the country, the women are not allowed to cast their votes.
Islamic Fundamentalism and Women Rights
Islamic fundamentalists and religious right consider the struggle of women rights as a western conspiracy. For them, women are inferior to men, and their main duty is to please men. The religious right covers their feudal and tribal traditions and customs under the umbrella of Islam. They defend these horrific and most brutal traditions and customs on the name of Islamic culture. According to many well known Islamic scholars, these traditions and customs against women are un Islamic, but Fundamentalists still defend these traditions. Traditions and customs like honour killing(in which male members of a family killed their female members for having sexual relations without marriage), Vani (a custom exist in the semi tribal districts Punjab and NWFP provinces, under this custom, the girls are given in marriage to the men of the rival clan or tribe as a trade off to strike deals, in the cases of murder and other bloody feuds. These girls treated like slaves in the rival clan. In most cases sisters and daughters of accused murderers are given to the affected families to release their brothers and fathers.), Forced Marriages and Karo Kari (a custom in which husband or other male family members killed their married or un married female members on the allegations of illicit relations and kill the couple).
Islamic fundamentalists never raise their voice against these cruel and inhuman traditions and customs. Love marriage (the marriage without the consent of parents) is still a sin and crime for the religious elite.
These religious parties and fundamentalist groups are against the repeal of Hudood Laws. These Laws introduced by the vicious right wing military dictator General Zia-ul-Haq in 1979 to curb the women rights. According to these laws, a rape victim needs the evidence of 4 male witnesses to prove the rape, if she failed to provide 4 male witnesses she will be charged adultery (sex with own consent) which means imprisonment for 5 to 15 years.
Several thousand rape victims are languishing in the prison because of these laws, which were made by a dictator on the name of Islam, for his own interest. According to recent report compiled by ex – minister during 1999 to 2002, professor Shaheen stated “95 % cases registered under the Hudood Laws are false. Hudood laws have proved to be an instrument of personal vengeance. 99% women implicated in the cases of Hudood laws proved innocent in the trials of superior courts, but junior courts sentenced them for many years for wrong reasons. Recently Federal Shariat Court(Federal Islamic court) issued instructions to all trial courts not to implicate women under these laws if they fail to prove rape with them.
These “liberators of Muslims” use religion to repress women and other sections of society. For them animals have more rights than women. At the recently held World Conference of Jamat-e-Islami in Peshawar, its chief Qazi Hussain Ahmad accused the west of “ conspiring to destroy the very basis of Muslim family unit in the name of women’s liberation and gender equality in order to weaken and degrade our society. Women’s liberation was being promoted by those trying to subjugate the values of decency”. This conference was organized to dwell on scarf and burqa, in this conference many speakers accused women for the crimes committed against them. Rise of fundamentalism is a direct threat to the women rights along with workers rights.
Women fighting back
Women are fighting back vigorously against all these slave conditions and cruel traditions. Poor rural women like Mukhtar Mai (a gang rape victim) defy all odds to raise her voice against atrocities committed against her. Other rape victims like Sonia Naz and DR. Shazia stood against the rotten system and traditions. (All these cases were reported on CWI website). More and more women are coming out against these crimes. These women challenge the male dominated social and political system. But still it is not easy for the women to raise their voice. This battle against feudalism, tribalism and fundamentalism is linked with the fight against rotten capitalism. This battle can not be fought on individual basis. Working class women needs their organization and unity. This fight is also linked with struggle of working class to over through the capitalist system and to replace it with Socialism.
During the PTCL strike against privatization and recent teachers struggle proved that female workers have great potential to organize and lead struggles. Female workers during the telecom strike played important role to organize strike on many places. Female workers remained solid through out the strike. The female teachers are at the fore front of the struggle against government policies. Thousands of female teachers recently participated in the protest demonstration. These struggles show the importance of female members organized in the unions. Trade unions must include the demands of female workers in their programmes to attract the most potential members for the unions.
Role of Socialist Movement
SMP is fighting against all sort of discrimination and exploitation against women. SMP constantly campaigning against domestic violence and sexual harassment. Many activities have been organized to highlight these issues and to organize working class women. SMP working mainly in the working class communities and areas against domestic violence. The campaign against domestic violence has been proved very successful. SMP members are also campaigning against Hudood Laws. In 2005 SMP organized 3 protest demonstrations against these discriminatory laws. Many posters and leaflets were also produced.
By Rukhsana Manzoor