Digital Desk: In observance of International Women's Day 2022, Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) raised concern on Tuesday, in collaboration with Global Human Rights Defense (GHRD), over the escalating incidence of forced conversions of girls from religious minorities in Pakistan.
According to the United Nations, the subject of International Women's Day 2022 will be "Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow." According to a statement released by Human Rights Focus Pakistan, people from all walks of life, including activists, political workers, lawyers, students, teachers, and others, took part in a demonstration in front of the Press Club in Faisalabad against forced conversions of girls from minority communities. Participants chanted in opposition to forced conversion and weddings of female members of religious minorities such as Hindus and Christians.
In his address to the attendees, HRFP president Naveed Walter stated that they must work together to provide a safe place for minorities and minority women, particularly those who face obstacles due to their faith and beliefs. Walter emphasised that coerced conversions and weddings harm around 1,000 minority women each year and that local governments do not assist victims because "they've become Muslims." He also advocated for a reduction in violence against women, notably domestic violence, sexual assault, honour killing, and discrimination in educational institutions, as well as the prosecution of perpetrators of such crimes.
The Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) encouraged the government to take concrete efforts toward realising the UN Agenda 2030 sustainable development goals of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. Notably, the HRFP has often said that Pakistan is the worst-performing country in terms of women's empowerment, with minority women experiencing higher levels of depression and discrimination. Several demonstrators stated that teenage minority girls in Pakistan are becoming targets of abduction, forced conversion, and marriage, but that the law and enforcement agencies are "legalising" such atrocities.
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