Women's rights

ASIA: Women’s views on prevention of torture — Interview 4

An interview conducted by the Asian Human Rights Commission. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the AHRC. Burma — A woman speaks out against bad policing and torture Noveline is a young Burmese woman involved in promoting democracy and human rights in her country. She made the following comments in answer to […]

ASIA: Women’s views on prevention of torture — Interview 5

Indonesia — A woman speaks out against policing system Answer Styannes is a law graduate from University of Indonesia. She was been involved with civil society issues and has worked for The Community Legal Aid Institute in Jacata. She spoke about her views on Indonesia’s policing system in answering questions posed to her at an […]

ASIA: Women’s views on prevention of torture — Interview 3

An interview conducted by the Asian Human Rights Commission. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the AHRC. Sri Lanka — A woman speaks out against bad policing and torture Inoma Karunathilaka has been involved in civil society organizations and women’s organizations for several years. She has been an active member in helping […]

SRI LANKA: Freedom to rape at Kalutara–breakdown of security in the Sinhala Buddhist heartland

Kalutara is situated around 35 kilometers from Colombo and is one of the centres of the Sinhala Buddhist heartland. What happened to a mother and her 17-year-old daughter in this place where the ‘Bodiya’, the Bodhi tree is revered, demonstrates the extent to which security has broken down in the entirety of the country. Kalutara […]

ASIA: Women’s views on prevention of torture — Interview 2

Sri Lanka — A woman speaks out against bad policing and torture   Sandamani Munasinghe, a Sri Lankan Attorney-at-Law, has worked as an advisor to the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL), several human rights organisations and also assisted in many human rights cases with senior lawyers. She has also worked in the Women […]

ASIA: Women’s views on prevention of torture — Interview 1

An interview conducted by the Asian Human Rights Commission. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the AHRC. Sri Lanka — A woman speaks out against bad policing and torture Harshi Perera, a young Sri Lankan lawyer spoke on her views of policing and torture. Ms. Perera holds two degrees in arts and […]

PAKISTAN: Women Advocate for Law against Acid Attacks

Dear friends, We wish to share with you the following statement from WUNRN. Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong ————- PAKISTAN: Women Advocate for Law against Acid Attacks  WUNRN http://www.wunrn.com http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=51644 By Zofeen Ebrahim KARACHI, Pakistan, May 31, 2010 (IPS) – Almost seven years after Naila Farhat, 20, became another victim of an acid throwing […]

INDIA: Police extort money from a victim of domestic violence in Assam

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that police officers in Silchar Police Station, Assam allegedly harassed and threatened a victim of domestic violence in order to extort money from her, and neglected the investigation of her case. The victim’s father-in-law is a senior member of the District Bar Association and […]

PAKISTAN: A couple is death marked by a jirga court chaired by a policeman

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission has received information that a couple have been declared ‘Karo-Kari’ and sentenced to death by an illegal tribal court, but cannot get protection or redress from the Pakistan authorities. The tribal court was allegedly chaired by the bride’s uncle, a policeman, and includes her father, who is also […]

PAKISTAN: A 13 year old girl was raped for 21 days by policemen; the ineptness of the courts provide protection to perpetrators

The Asian Human Rights Commission has received information from The News International about a revolting story of a 13 year-old girl, who was continuously gang-raped, mentally, and physically tortured by police officials during 21 days of illegal detention. After finding that she was pregnant, the policemen produced her before a Session court under false charges. […]

PAKISTAN: A girl of 14 year was gang raped to take revenge from her father for nominating accused persons in a theft case

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a 14 year-old girl was gang raped by armed men to punish her father for identifying them in a case of theft at his house. When the girl was being raped police in the vicinity heard her cries from a distance but did […]

ASIA: Vitriolage — the horror and injustice of acid attacks

Baseer Naveed and Stewart Sloan “Acid will be thrown on the faces of women and girls who step out of their houses without covering their faces… People who fail to comply with these orders will themselves be responsible for the consequences.” This was the announcement made by the Baloch Ghaeratmand Group; until recently a little […]

PAKISTAN: Acid attacks are increasing — burning gender injustice

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward to you the following press release from Women without Borders. Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong ————- A Press Release from Women without Borders forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) PAKISTAN: Acid attacks are increasing — burning gender injustice (This article was kindly […]

SRI LANKA: A family is prevented from filing a complaint with police after a woman and child are injured during an illegal arrest

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that Ambalanthotha police officers and a group of civilians broke into a house without a warrant, damaged furniture and took money during an illegal arrest; police then assaulted the house owner in custody and threatened to file fabricated charges against him. His brother, sister-in-law and […]

PAKISTAN: Religious minority women, the forgotten victims of a fragmented society

Juliette Thibaud At the crossing of the multiple divisions and fractures which fragment the Pakistani society, Christian, Hindhu and Sikhs, women suffer one of the heaviest burdens of all the marginalized groups in Pakistan and are the unfortunate victims of both a male dominated society and a Muslim dominated country. Stories of the violation of their […]

BANGLADESH: Corruption promotes food and health insecurity for elderly widows in Northern Bangladesh

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding elderly widows suffering from food and health insecurity. There has been no assistance from the government despite them being entitled to be beneficiaries of the social security programs. The corrupt public representatives, and servants in charge of implementation of the programs have deprived […]

BANGLADESH: Sex workers given steroids to make underage girls look older and fleshier–long-term health risks

The prostitutes in Bangladeshi brothels are often underage and unpaid – and now, many of them are hooked on steroids that are damaging to their health I’m walking along a brightly painted corridor when a couple of young girls catch first my eye, and then my arm. They smile at me, and giggle; they look […]

PAKISTAN: A Hindu girl has been abducted by a landlord and forcibly converted to Islam; the authorities have refused to intervene

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information about the abduction of a 15-year-old Hindu girl in October last year. Police and state officials refused to look into the case. After the victim was found in captivity with her parents’ employer – a local landlord – they were told that she had […]

UPDATE (Pakistan): A report from the Hyderabad police reveals strong negligence and prejudice in the investigation of a rape case

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received new information about an extreme case of rape, attempted murder, corruption and impunity that took place in 2008 and 2009. The incident involved members of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), a ruling partner of the Zardari government, but police have failed to protect the victims […]

INDIA: Protective Laws Fall Short for Women Charged with Witchcraft

Women News Network March 21, 2010 Correspondent, Shuriah Niazi — Women News Network — WNN Chhattisgarh, India: Mita Bai, 34, will never forget the morning of May 6, 2005. It was 8 a.m. in the morning when a group of three men and six women came to her house with their allegations, branding her as, “a witch.” […]