PUBLISHED
March 30, 2025
SUKKUR:
Naila* a woman belonging to one of the villages of Rohri taluka, works with an NGO on a nutrition project for the betterment of pregnant and lactating women, malnourished adolescent girls and young children. She had prior permission of her husband to do this job which allowed her to work from home and not leave the house. Naila was eager to help her community by working as a focal person for the Nutrition Project, establishing a focal point in her home, and providing essential nutrition services to her village. Her sincerity and desire to help others was clear.
One day she went along with some other women of the village to attend an official meeting at a health facility in Rohri town. After the meeting, as soon as she entered her home, her husband attacked her without asking any questions. He beat her mercilessly. She and other family members tried to stop him, but he went on beating her. Finally some other women from the neighbourhood intervened and asked the man to cool down and give his wife a chance to explain. Upon this, he stopped thrashing her and ordered her never to go out again.
Naila’s husband’s extreme reaction highlights a broader issue related to control and gender-based violence.
The government has passed effective laws to curb violence against women, These laws are aimed at protecting women from harassment at the workplace, human trafficking and domestic violence. Many government and non-government organisations are working on “Violence against Women” throughout Sindh and their reports show an impressive decrease in such cases. However, the ground realities are quite different. Many reports of domestic violence keep pouring in every day especially from rural areas. Some women are beaten just because they prepared meal a little late, or for not washing clothes properly, or even if she was seen standing at the main entrance of her house. In rural areas, women often work in the fields to support their families. While working there, if they are found talking to other men, they are taken to task by their husbands.
Women who work as domestic support not only have to earn for their families, but also they are responsible for making arrangements for multiple events in their close relatives. So much so that, if the male members of the family fall ill, the women have to take care of their medicines and everything. Male members of such families either work as labourers and if they fail to get some work, they lounge at roadside hotels to pass time. In short they mostly remain dependent upon their women, who besides earning for the family, use to bring the leftover food for their families. Despite all this hard work, the women often have to face abuse in the hands of male members of their respective families.
Although Naila was performing her work admirably, she and her sister-in-law were restricted from leaving their homes, which reflects societal and familial control over women’s mobility and interactions. The abuse was rooted in her husband’s objections to her going outside the home and meeting other men, as he believed it was bringing shame to him due to societal gossip. The husband expressed a willingness to allow her to continue her work, but only under the condition that she would not leave the home again to interact with others outside. He also voiced his concern about what people in the community were saying, which led to him to enforcing such harsh control. This incident underscores how deeply ingrained cultural norms and gender inequality affect women’s ability to work, move freely, and engage with others in their community.
The situation also highlights the emotional and physical toll that such control and violence can have on women who are simply trying to contribute to their families and communities. The issue reflects the cultural norms where women are expected to stay within the four walls of their homes and are restricted from engaging in public activities or interactions with men. This is not an isolated case, and such gendered restrictions are prevalent in many communities. The physical abuse not only harms her physically but also restricts her freedom and emotional well-being. There should be a focus on educating communities about gender equality and the importance of supporting women’s empowerment. This could include workshops or sessions on the positive impact of women working outside the home and contributing to community development.
Laws lacking implementation
Development Organisation Munawar Gill said, “No doubt there are laws to protect women from domestic violence, harassment at workplaces, woman trafficking and others, but as long as those laws are not implemented in letter and spirit, the curse of violence against women will never come to an end.” He said, “We are living in a society that believes religion and law of the land gives equal rights to the male and female, but who is going to ensure this equality? You know why there is no change in this regard, he asked adding, only reason behind it is the laws are not implemented strictly.”
Executive Director of Sahil Munezeh Bano said, “As you can see, there are laws passed by the parliament to protect women against domestic violence, harassment at the workplace and women trafficking. The laws are very good and can bring positive change, if implemented strictly.”
Sahil and many other organisations are working on this project and their efforts are undoubtedly sincere, but what is needed most is the strict implantation of the respective laws. Deputy Coordinator of Aurat Foundation Ghazala Anjum said, “We have been working on this project for around 20 years. It includes seminars, workshops and counselling, besides providing advocacy for the victims of domestic violence. She said, “As far as our part is concerned we help the victims and take them to the police authorities for lodging their complaints and the police mostly call the men and ask them to reconcile and never repeat their behaviour.”
Victims take a big risk by going out of their homes to lodge complaints against their husbands. “We ensure their safety and this is all we can do,” said Anjum. In comparison, she said the majority of organisations are doing nothing in this regard.
Inspector Zehra Shah, in charge of women cell Sukkur, brushed aside all allegations levied on the police for not taking the matter of gender-based violence seriously. “All the victims of domestic violence and other violence are given proper attention and their cases are dealt with according to law, ” she said. The police calls all the concerned parties, including the men in question and their elders, after which a proper case is lodged against the accused and presented in the court of law. “This is what the police can do, because courts are there to provide justice” she added. “We make sincere efforts to bring culprits to justice, but all our efforts go to waste when both parties reconcile the matter in the court.”
According to the inspector, police alone can make no difference and therefore the civil society, judiciary, legal eagles, feudal lords and religious clerics should join hands to curb this social evil. She said, punishment for violence against women, women trafficking are different and range from three years to 10-year imprisonment and a fine of 50,000 rupees to one million. But, most of the accused go scot-free due to in-court or out-of-court settlement.
Sindh Rural Support Organisation (SRSO) is working on women empowerment in rural Sindh. Their efforts have brought about some change with increasing financial empowerment of the women, due to which the NGO has gained respect.
For his part the CEO of SRSO Dittal Kalhoro says, “Unfortunately, despite untiring efforts by the government and NGOS, there is a long way to go. I have been working for the last 10 to 12 years on women empowerment and I have noticed some change in the behaviour of men towards women, but there is still much to be done,” he said. Deputy Director Women Development Department Ghaffar Thaheem said, “We are making all out efforts to curb this menace, but are not able to deliver properly due to non-implementation of the respective laws.”
According to Kalhoro, there are multiple reasons behind violence against women, which include, unemployment, lack of education, extreme poverty, economic instability and population pressure. Unemployed men often vent their anger at home and the women become the victim of abuse and torture. Referring to the Protection Against Harassment of Women 2010 and amendments made from time to time, he said, “Our society should be blamed for this.”
It is essential to create safe spaces for women and support systems where they can work and interact with others without fear of violence or retaliation. There needs to be a concerted effort to address domestic violence, including legal and social support for victims. There should be accessible resources, such as helplines, counselling services, and community outreach programs, to provide immediate help for victims of abuse.
Engaging men in conversations about gender equality, respect for women’s rights, and the positive contributions women can make to their families and communities is critical. Changing mindsets that condone control and violence will require collective effort from both men and women. Community support is imperative in ensuring women’s safety and freedom.
*Name has been changed to protect source’s identity
Sarfaraz Memon is a freelance journalist and contributor based in Sukkur
All facts and information are the responsibility of the writer
