Enforced disappearance is perhaps the worst form of human rights: Amina Masood Janjua
ISLAMABAD, Mar 08 (SABAH): Chairperson Defense of Human Rights Pakistan Amina Masood Janjua has said that International Women’s Day is a global day observed on 8th March to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economics or political; while also making a call to action for strengthening gender equality and accelerating women’s empowerment. Since those early years, International Women’s Day has assumed a new global dimension for women in developed and developing countries alike.
In a statement issued on the that International Women’s Day, Amina Masood Janjua said that the growing international women’s movement, which has been strengthened by four global United Nations women’s conferences, has helped make the commemoration a rallying point to build support for women’s rights and participation in the political and economic arenas.
The theme for International Women’s Day 2022 is #BreakTheBias: “Imagine a gender equal world”. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive for women.
She said that Women’s Day is generally marked to highlight different women rights issues observed all over the world. This year, Defence of Human Rights Pakistan, aims to highlight the struggle and issues of women in the face of enforced disappearances. Enforced disappearance is perhaps the worst form of human rights violation that affects not only the person who disappeared but also his/her entire family. She said that everyone working around the issue of enforced disappearance agrees that an overwhelming majority of persons who have disappeared are men, very often leaving behind women in the family to deal with the numerous consequences.
Amian Masood Janjua said that enforced disappearance brings with it an array of problems that the family has to deal with – financial, social, psychological, and legal. The burden of dealing with these issues falls upon the women. In addition to the tireless search for the whereabouts of the disappeared, women are in a constant battle for survival in a generally patriarchal society. Shouldering the economic responsibility of the family is one of the biggest challenges that women face, especially since fending for the family is essentially considered as the male domain in conventional societies.
Amina Masood Janjua said that apart from this, women become responsible for the psychological health of the rest of the family members who are dealing with the loss of a beloved kin and harbouring hope of his surfacing. The struggle for truth and justice is long and tiring. Threats and intimidation to women seeking answers about the fate of their loved ones are common.
She said that according to the research conducted by Defence of Human Rights Pakistan, 98% of the women feel insecure without their husbands and 90% of women face psychological stress. The stress is mainly due to economics and emotional issues they struggle with in the face of the disappearances which usually results in miserable financial situations like disruption in the education of the children or sometimes not being able to provide food for the children. The study showed that overall women left behind go through devastating situations in the face of disappearances.
She said that the case of Afnan, who belongs from KPK, is one of the many examples that went through various difficulties in the face of the disappearances. After the disappearance of Afnan’s husband, Abdul Aziz, she faced severe financial, psychological and social issues. In order to provide education to her children, she and her children had to live in a tent in the veranda of a relative. Moreover, a person, who claimed to be from a secret agency, tried taking advantage of her dire financial situation; demanding some reward when he told her about her husband’s whereabouts. This entire situation just made her feel insecure and helpless. This is the story of thousands of women who have lost their husbands, brothers and fathers in the name of disappearance.
Amina Masood Janjua said that in relation to the case of disappearances, DHR has registered 2800 enforced disappeared persons across Pakistan. This issue is not just restricted to Pakistan; Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Philippines etc. have increasing and ongoing cases of disappearances. In order to prevent and respond to all forms of gender-based violence related to enforced disappearances, states should develop national programs and procedures, based on a holistic and multi-disciplinary approach. These should include adoption of relevant legislation, provision of financial resources and establishment of national machineries addressing discrimination and promoting women’s rights, equality and empowerment.
Amina Masood Janjua said that states must not only adopt protective measures, but should also take affirmative action in all spheres in order to strengthen women’s effective and equal participation in the prevention and eradication of enforced disappearances. These measures should primarily be aimed at removing institutional barriers that prevent women victims of enforced disappearances from enjoying their human rights fully and equally and on the same basis as men. Those measures should also ensure equality in reporting of enforced disappearance and guarantee that reports shall not be treated differently in light of the sex of the reporting person.
She said that Defence of Human Rights, shows it’s solidarity with all the female relatives of the victims of enforced disappearances and their families across the world. DHR pays a tribute to all women this particular day who are struggling to find their loved-ones.