Law, Islam and the Women’s Movement in Pakistan

Abstract

The present chapter attempts to analyse the inextricable links between-the law, Islam and the women’s movement in Pakistan. It argues that, in Pakistan, the state has systematically used religion to legitimise its existence, posing important questions for the women’s movement. Due to the legalistic framework of Islam, the politicisation of the ‘woman’s question’ has led to significant legal constraints on women. Consequently, the struggle for women’s rights has been primarily focused on undermining the most damaging aspects of the legal changes made in the name of Islam. This in turn has posed difficult issues of identity and Strategising for women’s groups. It will also be argued that to broaden and sustain the women’s movement and the presence of women in national politics, wider issues of development, including health, education and political participation, need to be focused on by women’s groups through developing networks among national and international non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and other social movements.