Pakistani women continue to face systemic discrimination by the government and violent threats from extremist groups, according to a recent report released by the International Crisis Group (ICG). The problem is particularly acute in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province and the Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (FATA), where women are directly targeted by extremist groups with a clear agenda of violence and oppression. On March 8, International Women’s Day, the Prime Minister of Pakistan promised that his government would take the necessary steps to protect and empower women, but according to ICG, he faces many hurdles before that commitment can be fulfilled. The ICG recommends holding the police and judiciary accountable for violating women's rights and failing to protect women, eliminating discriminatory laws against women, and including women and gender sensitive programming in humanitarian and peacebuilding initiatives.
Compiled from: Women, Violence and Conflict in Pakistan, International Crisis Group (April 8, 2015); Khattak, Inamullah, Women security at risk in KP, Fata: ICG report, The Nation (April 9, 2015).