Women Protection Laws in Pakistan: Issues and Challenges

Abstract

The article examines Pakistan's laws addressing women's protection from gender-based violence and their effectiveness, highlighting challenges such as economic dependency, cultural and societal outlooks, weak enforcement, and unreported instances of violence. Patriarchal trends make traditional judicial bodies difficult to apply statute-based rights, and women lack sufficient protection due to lack of support networks, legal challenges, and institutional resistance. The paper proposes a multi-dimensional approach to women's protection law improvement, including general legal reforms, expert training for policemen and court functionaries, enhancement of victim support systems, and public awareness campaigns. Further research supports harmonizing the formal legal system with traditional judicial systems and economic empowerment for women to comply with national laws. Despite progress, the system still hinders the proper implementation of legislative frameworks for women's security. The article addresses these issues by building a strong, accessible, and conducive legal and social framework for the peaceful existence of women without violence, prejudice, or cruelty.