Women’s Access to Justice: Ending Violence against Women in Pakistan

Abstract

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) continues to be the most pervasive form of Violence against Women (VAW) in Pakistan, manifested through abuses varying in nature from physical, sexual, or economic to psychological form of violence. While these acts of violence occur at the micro level and are often explained in terms of individual or household characteristics, the macro landscape of access to justice, rule of law and governance mechanisms also shape the degree to which such acts continue to happen. Despite positive developments in the legal arena and policy landscape related to VAW, serious violations continue to take place which question the effectiveness of the mechanisms and structures in place to curb and prevent VAW. Based on an in-depth policy and legal analysis and drawing from a high-level discussion on barriers to women’s access to justice, especially related to IPV, this paper teases out the gaps and weaknesses that hinder women’s access to justice. The paper also elucidates a number of policy recommendations, which if adopted, can help ease women’s journey to achieve justice.