Justice Ayesha Malik Stresses the Need for Protection of Women Beyond Mere Labels

Islamabad: Supreme Court Justice Ayesha Malik emphasized that calling women “mothers” or “sisters” is not enough, and what is truly needed is their protection. Speaking at a seminar on gender-based violence, Justice Malik pointed out that the issue of gender-based violence has never been a priority in Pakistani society, and no one can provide accurate data on the number of rape incidents in the country.
She stated that there is no data available on sexual assault cases, noting that while it is not accurate to say that the country lacks laws, special courts have been established to deal with such cases.
Justice Malik further criticized the fact that women who are victims of sexual or domestic violence are often the ones targeted, and that the absence of women in decision-making processes has hindered the creation of an effective narrative against gender-based violence.
She also acknowledged that changing societal mindsets would take time, but added that empowering women does not equate to promoting Western culture. Rather, providing women with respect and fundamental rights is what truly empowers them.