By: Zainab Bashir
It’s a sad reality we live in the 21st century and still practice the customs that are a cruse towards women. It’s doesn’t really matter if we have women judges, political leaders, social community workers today, but the truth is that we practice a custom that has been part of our societies for centuries now. Karokari (The killing of women in the name of ‘honour’) the tradition still exists in the rural areas of our country. Nikah with Quran and the traditions like early stage marriages with older men also Vani and Sawara are a threat to the life of women living in rural areas. Sawara and Vani are basically traditions based to resolve conflicts between people (two parties) the exchange of women as compensation takes place. The compensation (a woman) is given to the party whose damage is done usually this happens in murder cases. Women in Pakistan are mostly “tool” “product” used in many ways specifically in the communities where people are not aware of the significance of a woman in Islam. The decisions are mostly made by the jirga system where a group of senior members resolves the disputes among people, major decisions are made through their trials, Vani is a custom of forced marriages without the consent of a woman it doesn’t include their willingness towards the problem. Vani’ is a Pashto word derived from ‘Vanay’ which stands for blood. The tradition was introduced by Pashtoon families 400 years ago from now.
Women are being paid for the crimes which they are not even part of, the culprits such as their father and brother are the actual people who should be accountable in these cases, but they are given relief. This is injustice towards the women it is not fair in every way possible and not the ultimate solution to resolve tensions between two parties. An act of rectification or indemnification should not be their concern, they are forcefully handed over to the victim’s family.
Pakistan is a signatory to the 1990 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child as well as a later UN Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) signed in 1996:
Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW):
Article.16: State parties shall take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in all matters relating to marriage and family relations and in particular shall ensure, on a basis of equality of men and women:
1- The same right to enter into marriage;
2- The same right freely to choose a spouse and to enter into marriage only with their free and full consent;
3- The same right and responsibilities during marriage and its dissolution;
The concept to understand is that a high ratio of poverty and lack of awareness has lead to this stage that usually people “sell” their daughters in order to get rid of accountability and court trials. The decisions are made by usually single member of the family without the willingness of other family members. The act is illegal and a threat to the dignity of life of a woman in every way possible. The crime is been taken by people for granted because of the building image of a woman that her willingness and unwillingness is not even a matter to discuss or consider and that’s the upbringing of the people of our society.
Thirty-four cases of Vani were reported across Punjab during the last five years. As per a report released by the Punjab Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW), three cases of Vani were reported from District Rajanpur, three cases from Layyah, two cases from Dera Ghazi Khan, and one each case was reported from District Bhakkar, Jhang, Vehari, Sahiwal, Multan, Lodhran, Khanewal, Bahawalnagar and Rahimyar Khan in 2017. Pakistan has the highest number of documented and estimated honour killings per capita of any country in the world; about one-fifth of the world’s honour killings are committed in Pakistan (1,000 out of the 5,000 per year total). This is where we stand as a nation, this is the true image and bitter reality of the women living in rural areas that how unprivileged they are and how exactly the nation has been failed to provide them a secure life along with the consent. The justice system has introduced us to the laws but the question still lies about its implementation and accountability pf culprits who violate them.
The NGOs and community organizations that work for the betterment of social awareness of norms and values are standing next to this issue that how important it is to build each woman, girl with the understanding of right and wrong, justice and equality, etc. The country can only fight against this issue only if we are given knowledge of the worst scenarios happening around us, to be aware of them, to educate them from the historic blunders that ever happened to the girls, women who were once the victim of Vani.
The writer is a law student and works with ‘The Dayspring’, she writes on taboo issues and has been part of campaigns for women’s rights. She can be reached at [email protected]