Rafia Zakaria in Dawn:
THE world is angry — and in most places, women bear the brunt of this anger. This International Women’s Day, the latest report by UN Women states that one in four countries in the world reported a backlash on gender rights in 2024.
Over the past decade, the number of women living in conflict zones has surged by 50 per cent, while women’s rights defenders face daily threats, violence, and even death. In the US, the backlash has taken the form of laws restricting reproductive healthcare and banning diversity and equality programmes that could enhance women’s representation. In India, violence against women has risen from 56.3 cases per 100,000 women in 2014 to 66.4 in 2022. Unsurprisingly, the numbers from Pakistan — ranked second to last in the Gender Gap Index 2024, just above Sudan — are dismal. A 2024 report by the Sustainable Social Development Organisation (SSDO) reveals that while globally 30pc of women face violence, in Pakistan, 90pc of women have experienced violence in their lifetime.
More here.
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