ENGLISH: Islamic View on Right to Equal Opportunity to Work for Female Ex-Offenders and Pakistan's International Obligation for Provision of Equal Opportunities for Work

Abstract

Women in Muslim society faces obstacles to get employment since it is generally assumed that Islam does not allow women to work as their responsibility is to be shouldered by men. This misapprehension leads to issue of gender discrimination in employment and situation get further worse when women hold criminal record. Therefore this paper sheds lights on Islamic view of gender equality while taking into consideration the natural difference exist between man and woman. Then the study aims to discuss that Shariah recognizes human rights of women in Islam and allows women to work as there is no explicit Quranic verse or tradition which ban jobs of women. The article further elaborates that women with previous criminal record are abandoned by the society and their families which further substantiate their right of to get employment in order to meet their ends. The article further encompasses discussion of conflicting interest of ex-offender women and society and how the same can be settled with harmony while applying principles of Islamic jurisprudence. The article has referred verses of the Qur’an, Sunnah of the Prophet (S.A.W.) practices of caliphs⁎ and opinion of Muslim jurists to enrich the legal analysis. The articles also encompasses Pakistan’s international obligation for provision of equal opportunities to work for all without discrimination to give an insight about basis to claim right to work for female offenders.