Men's anger being taken out on women

The world is angry — and in most places, women bear the brunt of this anger.

- Rafia Zakaria

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 30 per cent of women face violence, in Pakistan, 90 per cent of women have experienced violence in their lifetime.

This statistic alone highlights how dire the situation is for Pakistani women compared to the rest of the world. While laws exist, enforcement is weak, and access to justice is poor. As a result, only a miniscule percentage of women seek justice when raped, assaulted, or harassed. The cumulative impact of gender-based violence leads to an estimated 80 million lost working days annually.

Even keeping in mind that crimes against women are severely underreported, the numbers remain alarming. According to SSDO, 5,339 rape cases were reported in Pakistan in 2024. Given the social and cultural taboos against reporting rape, the actual figures are likely at least twice as high if not more. This illustrates the constant and unrelenting threat of sexual violence for any woman in Pakistan.