Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women

	United Nations		CEDAW/C/PAK/1-3
	Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women				Distr.: General 3 August 2005 Original: English

Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination
against Women

* The present report is being issued without formal editing.

Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women

Combined initial, second and third periodic reports of States parties

Pakistan*

CONTENTS

1. Chapter I – Introduction.

2. Chapter II – Applicability of the Convention and Information on Constitutional, Legal and Administrative Framework.

3. Chapter III – Article 1 (Definition of Discrimination).

Article 2 (condemnation of discrimination, remedial measures) and

Article 3 (implementation of the convention through all available means).

4. Chapter IV – Article 4 (Affirmative Action).

5. Chapter V – Article 5 (Elimination of stereotypes).

6. Chapter VI – Article 6 (Trafficking in women and girls).

7. Chapter VII – Article 7 (Political rights of women).

8 Chapter VIII – Article 8 (Representation abroad).

9. Chapter IX – Article 9 (Nationality).

10. Chapter X – Article 10 (Education).

11. Chapter XI – Article 11 (Employment).

12. Chapter XII – Article 12 (Health).

13. Chapter XIII – Article 13 (Economic, social and cultural rights of women).

14. Chapter XIV – Article 14 (Rural women)

15. Chapter XV – Article 15 (Equality before the law).

16. Chapter XVI – Article 16 (Equality in family matters).

17. Chapter XVII – Violence against women.

Abbreviations

1. ACRs: Annual Confidential Reports.

2. ADBP: Agriculture Development Bank of Pakistan.

3. AIDS: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome.

4. AIOU: Allama Iqbal Open University.

5. AJK: Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

6. API: Annual parasite incidence.

7. B.Sc.: Bachelor of Science.

8. BA: Bachelor of Arts.

9. BHU: Basic Health Unit

10. BPS: Basic Pay Scale.

11. CRC: Convention on the Rights of the Child.

12. CrPC: Criminal Procedure Code.

13. CSO: Civil society organization.

14. CSS: Central Superior Services.

15. DHQ: District Headquarters.

16. E&D: Efficiency and Discipline.

17. EFA: Education for All.

18. EOBI: Employees Old-age Benefits Institution.

19. EPI: Expanded Programme of Immunisation.

20. ESR: Education Sector reforms.

21. FANA: Federally Administered Northern Areas.

22. FATA: Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

23. FBS: Federal Bureau of Statistics.

24. FPSC: Federal Public Service Commission.

25. FSP: Food Support Programme.

26. FWBL: First Women’s Bank Limited.

27. FY: Financial Year.

28. GAVI: Global Alliance for Vaccination and Immunisation.

29. GDP: Gross Domestic Product.

30. GMIS: Gender Management Information System.

31. GNP: Gross National Product.

32. GOP: Government of Pakistan.

33. GP: General Provident.

34. HEC: Higher Education Commission.

35. HIES: Household Integrated Economic Survey.

36. HIV: Human Immundeficiency Virus.

37. ICERD: International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

38. ICPD: International Conference on Population and Development.

39. ICT: Islamabad Capital Territory.

40. ICTR: International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.

41. IDBP: Industrial Development Bank of Pakistan.

42. IDD: Iodine Deficiency Disorder.

43. ILO: International Labour Organisation.

44. IT: Information Technology.

45. KB: Khushhali Bank.

46. KPP: Khushhal Pakistan Programme.

47. LFO: Legal Framework Order.

48. LHV: Lady Health Visitor.

49. LHW: Lady Health Worker.

50. M.Sc.: Master of Science.

51. MA: Master of Arts.

52. MCHC: Maternal and Child Health Center.

53. MoWD: Ministry of Women Development.

54. NA: National Assembly.

55. NADRA: National Database Registration Authority.

56. NAP: National AIDS Control Programme.

57. NARA: National Aliens Registration Authority.

58. NCCWD: National Commission on Child Welfare and Development.

59. NCHD: National Commission for Human Development.

60. NCSW: National Commission on the Status of Women.

61. NID: National Immunisation Day.

62. NIH: National Institute of Health.

63. NIPA: National Institute of Public Administration.

64. NPA: National Plan of Action.

65. NRB: National Reconstruction Bureau.

66. NWFP: North West Frontier Province.

67. Ord.: Ordinance.

68. PA: Provincial Assembly.

69. PASC: Pakistan Administrative Staff College.

70. PBM: Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal.

71. PC-I: Planning Commission Proforma I.

72. PCO: Population Census Organisation.

73. PCPS: Pakistan Contraceptive Prevalence Survey.

74. PDHS: Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey.

75. PFA: Platform for Action.

76. PFFPS: Pakistan Fertility and Family Planning Survey.

77. PFUJ: Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists.

78. PHC: Primary Health Care.

79. PHS: Pakistan Integrated Household Survey.

80. PMDC: Pakistan Medical and Dental Council.

81. PMLC: Prime Minister’s Literacy Commission.

82. POs: Partner Organisations.

83. PPAF: Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund.

84. PPC: Pakistan Penal Code.

85. PRSP: Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper.

86. PTV: Pakistan Television.

87. Q&D: Qisas and Diyat.

88. RHC: Rural Health Center.

89. RSP: Rural Support Programme.

90. SAARC: South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.

91. SDC: Skill Development Centers.

92. SMI: Safe Motherhood Initiative.

93. SPSC: Sindh Public Service Commission.

94. SRSO: Sindh Rural Support Organisation.

95. STC: School Tawana Committee.

96. TBA: Traditional Birth Attendant.

97. TEVTA: Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority.

98. TVO: Trust for Voluntary Organisations.

99. UNDP: United Nations Development Programme.

100. UNESCAP: United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia.

101. UNFPA: United Nations Fund for Population.

102. VVFPW: Village Based Family Planning Worker.

103. WCO: Women Community Organisation.

104. WHO: World Health Organisation.

105. WID: Women in Development.

Foreword

Pakistan ratified CEDAW on 12 April 1996. A compliance report was due within a year’s time but somehow it could not be produced alongwith subsequent two periodic reports. The Ministry of Women Development has worked on this report for more than a year to collate and update national, provincial, cross sectoral data including the civil society contributions in fighting discrimination against women. The report covers the period upto December, 2004.

This document is the outcome of an elaborate national consultative process during which many drafts were prepared, modified and refined. The report was discussed at many inter-ministerial and civil society fora. Recognizing the right of Pakistani citizens, the report was displayed on the Ministry’s website and comments from public were invited through advertisements in national press on e-mail. A lot of debate was generated which helped in polishing the final version.

The report attempts to profile factual status on ground and showcases governmental perspectives on the sixteen operative articles of CEDAW.

Finally, the report was placed before the Standing Committee of the National Assembly on Women which endorsed it after due discussion and consideration in a meeting held on 7^th February 2005.

It is hoped that this report will help in developing a better under understanding of the global community about the existing and emerging trends in Pakistani society on the road to gender quality.

Chapter I

Introduction

1. 
   Pakistan acceded to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) on 12 April 1996, making a declaration on the Convention and entering a reservation on Article 29 (1):
   
   1. 
      Declaration: "The accession by [the] Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to the [said Convention] is subject to the provisions of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan."
      
   2. 
      Reservation: "The Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan declares that it does not consider itself bound by paragraph 1 of article 29 of the Convention."