Sindh faces Chad-like hunger, says Unicef

Source: Dawn

Date: January 27, 2011

ISLAMABAD, Jan 26: The Sindh province, hit hard by last year`s floods, is suffering levels of malnutrition almost as critical as Chad and Niger, with hundreds of thousands of children at risk, Unicef said on Wednesday.

A survey conducted by the provincial government and the UN Children`s Fund revealed malnutrition rates of 23.1 per cent in northern Sindh and 21.2 per cent in the south.

Those rates are above the 15 per cent emergency threshold set by the World Health Organization and are on a par with some of the poorest parts of sub-Saharan Africa.

Northern Sindh also had a 6.1 per cent `severe acute` malnutrition rate and southern Sindh had 2.9 per cent, both far above the WHO thresholds. “We are looking at hundreds of thousands of children at risk,” Unicef chief of communication Kristen Elsby said.

A full report would be released on Friday by the Sindh government, she said, along with the province`s response plan.

Ms Elsby said it was unclear if the floods had caused a spike in malnutrition, but that it had revealed the extent of the problem because babies and mothers were being screened for the first time.

In Sindh and Balochistan, some 600,000 people are still living in camps, according to the World Food Programme.—Reuters

Link: http://www.dawn.com/2011/01/27/sindh-faces-chad-like-hunger-says-unicef.html

 

Millions of flood-hit still struggle for food

Source: Dawn

Date: January 27, 2011

ISLAMABAD, Jan 26: Six months after devastating floods hit Pakistan, millions of people are still in dire need of essential items and the crisis, which is far from over, could get worse, an Oxfam report says.

The report, `Six months into the floods`, said that although the aid effort had reached millions, it had struggled to match the immense scale of human need.

"Six months on millions of people are still facing flood water, shivering in temporary shelters and struggling to find food," the report said.

Oxfam said it was currently helping nearly 1.9 million people, "one of our biggest programmes worldwide â€" but this is dwarfed by the number of people who are in need," said Neva Khan, the head of Oxfam in Pakistan.

The aid community has done a tremendous job but given the scale of this disaster relief agencies have only scratched the surface of human need, it said.

Oxfam said although Pakistan`s floods were the biggest emergency of recent times with more than 18 million people affected, the funding for the response had been woefully slow.

The UN appeal for $2 billion to rebuild Pakistan remains only 56 per cent funded.

Link: http://www.dawn.com/2011/01/27/millions-of-flood-hit-still-struggle-for-food.html

Year in focus: 2010 characterised by rights abuses

Source: Express Tribune

Date: January 26, 2011

The Taliban and other religious extremists in Pakistan increased their deadly attacks against civilians and public spaces during 2010, while the government response was marred by serioushuman rights violations, Human Rights Watch said in its World Report 2011 on Monday.

The 649-page report – Human Rights Watch’s 21st annual review of human rights practices around the globe – summarizes major human rights trends in more than 90 states and territories worldwide. Suicide bombings, armed attacks, and killings by the Taliban, al Qaeda, and their affiliates targeted nearly every sector of the society, including religious minorities and journalists, resulting in hundreds of deaths, the report said.

The country’s largest cities bore the brunt of these attacks. Two attacks in late May 2010 against the Ahmadiyya community in Lahore killed nearly 100 people. On July 1, a suicide bombing at Data Darbar killed 40 people. Militant attacks targeting civilians in conflict areas amounted to war crimes, HRW said.

“The government needs to use all lawful means to hold those responsible to account,” said Ali Dayan Hasan, senior South Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch.

The government’s response to militant attacks instead has routinely violated basic rights, Human Rights Watch said. Thousands of Taliban suspects have been held in unlawful military detention without charge, many of them in two military facilities in Swat, one in the Khyber agency of the tribal areas, and at least one more in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

While the US remained Pakistan’s most significant ally and was the largest donor to the flood relief effort, Human Rights Watch documented several instances in 2010 in which US aid to Pakistan appeared to contravene the US Leahy Law. The law requires the US state department to certify that no military unit receiving US aid is involved in gross human rights abuses and, when such abuses are found, to investigate them thoroughly and properly.

Persecution and discrimination under cover of law against religious minorities and other vulnerable groups remained serious problems, Human Rights Watch said.

Aerial drone strikes by the US also escalated in 2010.

Pakistan’s media remained vocal critics of the government and experienced less interference from the elected government than in previous years, the report said. However, fearful of retaliation, the media rarely reported on human rights abuses by the military in counterterrorism operations, it added.

For more details: http://tribune.com.pk/story/109168/year-in-focus-2010-characterised-by-rights-abuses/

2010 'one of worst' years for natural disasters: UN

Source: Daily Times

Date: January 25, 2011

* Disasters left 297,000 people dead 

* Economic cost of 373 major disasters reached $109 billion 

GENEVA: 2010 was one of the worst years on record for natural disasters over the past two decades, leaving nearly 297,000 people dead, research for the United Nations showed on Monday. 

The devastating earthquake in Haiti a year ago accounted for about two thirds of the toll, killing more than 222,500 people, according to the Belgium-based Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED).

The CRED found that the summer heat wave in Russia was the second deadliest disaster of the year, leaving 55,736 people dead according to figures it compiled from insurers and media reports of official sources.

The year was “one of the worst in decades in terms of the number of people killed and in terms of economic losses,” Margareta Wahlstroem, UN special representative for disaster risk reduction, told journalists. “These figures are bad, but could be seen as benign in years to come,”

she said, pointing to the impact of unplanned growth of urban areas, environmental degradation and climate change.

The economic cost of the 373 major disasters recorded in 2010 reached $109 billion, headed by an estimated $30 billion in damage caused by the powerful earthquake that struck Chile in February. The earthquake unleashed a tsunami that swept away villages and claimed most of the 521 dead.

Summer floods and landslides in China caused an estimated $18 billion in damage, while floods in Pakistan cost $9.5 billion, according to the CRED’s annual study.

For more details: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011\01\25\story_25-1-2011_pg7_4

 

Food shortages: Creating a crisis to force global food control

Source Pak Alert Press

Date: January 24, 2011

A shortage of food is being intentionally staged around the world.  Apparently, if we resist the theft and seizure of food production and supply by bio-pirates and facilitated by government puppets, we will be intentionally starved into submission.  Threats of the food shortage are constantly launched into “lame stream media” as a warning to the rest of us that we had better comply or face the fate of those poorer nations where millions are suffering from famine or death from lack of food.

Also see: Doomsday Seed Vault: Bill Gates, Rockefeller and the GMO giants know something we don’t

Somehow this scenario is in conflict with the PR propaganda of bio-pirates who claim their contaminated, harmful, genetically modified creations are the answer to the worlds food needs.

Claiming their Frankenfoods can somehow alleviate famine and hunger, these predators have bought and paid their way through one government after another as agricultural land is stolen, farmers displaced, and local food production is eradicated in favor of global corporate food control.

The problem is this: even with all the gmo seeds and crops, now comprising an estimated 70% of global production, and even with the constant tampering with animal dna and cloning, more of the world’s population is now suffering from a shortage of food or maybe a better description would be suffering from the withholding of food.

So where is this benefit from handing global food control over to corporate profiteers? It seems the only benefit is monetary and that is enjoyed only by corporations and governments who stuff their pockets while millions go hungry.

Looking at the data, it appears that gmo, dna tampering and cloning have decreased the global food supply to such an extent that the entire globe is now facing a food shortage.

This has to be so…..how else could we be facing a global food crisis when bio-pirates have been allowed such latitude and preferential treatment by governments’ worldwide, while promising they could end world hunger?

Where is all this abundance of food claimed by these multi-national pirate corporations that would somehow magically and mysteriously appear if only they were allowed to control all the processes?  It appears evident that all the promises of increased food production from unnatural processes and unnecessary tampering with seeds, animals, poultry and even fish has no basis in fact.  In fact, the only plausible reason that makes any sense as to why any of this has been allowed is profit and control.  What is the use of producing 20% more corn if the nutritional value is less than half of traditional corn crops?  Food isn’t just about bulk or quantity, it has to be nutritious enough to sustain us.

Factory farming, courtesy of subsidies and protection by USDA/FDA and preferential legislation by those wonderful folks in the District of Criminals, have created an environmental disaster not only for the animals but for land and water supplies.  Add the recent theft of food production and supply courtesy of “Dirty Harry” Reid with his underhanded and corrupt passage of S.510 (S2751) the fake food safety bill; a bill which had nothing to do with food safety and was instead an all out assault on family farms and ranches meant to make continuing in agriculture untenable for anyone other than multi-national corporations and a bill which will force into export much of what is produced here in the US, and the stage is set for the intentional creation of a food shortage here at home. None of this is accidental.

For more details: http://www.pakalertpress.com/2011/01/24/food-shortages-creating-a-crisis-to-force-global-food-control/

 

State of gender inequality

Source: Dawn

Date: January 20, 2011

PAKISTAN is no exception to the generally abysmal state of gender equality the world over. About 50 per cent of Pakistani girls drop out of school and our literacy rate for women is amongst the lowest in the world.

As of 2005 only 16 per cent of Pakistani women were reported as economically active while a 1996 study by the women’s division of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan showed that domestic violence takes place in about 80 per cent of Pakistani households.

Perhaps the most widely cited reason for gender inequality in the Pakistani context relates to the social custom of exalting sons above daughters. But is the difference in the treatment of sons and daughters the reason or merely a symptom of our present predicament? A meaningful answer to such a question requires an examination of not just cultural norms and traditions but the economic situation as well.

Although women’s inferior status to men exists in all strata of Pakistani society, the reasons and manifestations of the inequality differ quite substantially as we move from one socio-economic class and region to another.

While women of high-income urban families are more apt to receive higher education, they may still face restrictions in terms of labour-market opportunities.

According to the 1990-91 Pakistan Integrated Household Survey (PIHS) the female labour force participation rate in urban areas was 17 per cent.

The average literacy rate of women in Pakistan’s rural areas has been estimated at approximately one fifth of female literacy rates in urban areas, yet the PIHS indicated that the female labour force participation rate was 45 per cent in rural areas.

Looking at the economics of gender inequality, one aspect that is particularly striking is the link between gender discrimination and the traditions surrounding marriage in Pakistani society. Particularly in the case of poor families, the joy associated with the birth of a daughter is, to some extent, tempered by the substantial financial burden that it places on parents.

Despite government-issued mandates aimed at curtailing wedding expenses, nuptials remain extravagant and parents of daughters continue to face considerable costs especially due to the custom of dowry giving. The marriage of a daughter also signifies a drop in household earnings. Hence it is no surprise that poor households are loath to allocate meager resources as monetary investments in their daughters given that they are unlikely to see much return on the said investment.

For more details: http://www.dawn.com/2011/01/20/state-of-gender-inequality.html

Foreign flood aid: Pakistan waits for donors to follow through on pledges

Source: Express Tribune

Date: January 19, 2011

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has so far received only a third of the international pledges required to meet the essential needs of 20 million flood survivors, which was enough only for “partial success” of the most crucial relief phase which will be over by January, The Express Tribune has learnt.

In July 2010, the worst-ever floods of Pakistan’s history affected over one-tenth of the country’s population and caused losses estimated at $10.8 billion. But official statistics show that since then, a group of 79 bilateral and multilateral donors and philanthropist organisations have disbursed $475 million in cash and $185 million in kind. This is slightly over one-fifth of the donors’ total commitments of three billion dollars and one-third of the total needs at the ground. Immediately after the disaster, the United Nations had sought $2 billion for early relief and recovery phases. Officially, the relief phase will be over by the end of January.

However, after six months, thousands are still living in tents. According to the Damage and Needs Assessment report, Pakistan needs one billion dollars each for relief and early recovery phases.

An official of the economic affairs division (EAD) lamented that donors were not ready to give money through the government due to the tainted image of the political leadership.

“The flood and its aftermath is a forgotten story because neither are donors providing significant funds nor is the federal government doing enough as the Council of Common Interests had decided that the primary responsibility lies with provincial governments,” a member of the National Oversight Disaster Management Council (NODMC) said on condition of anonymity. The council was formed soon after the floods struck to trace the inflow of funds and monitor progress on projects after donors expressed reservations over transparency.

He said that so far, the council had held three meetings and according to the NODMC “nothing significant is happening on the grounds as foreign funds have been diverted toward the Watan Card scheme”.

However, Chairperson of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Lt-Gen (retd) Nadeem Ahmed said that only 152,000 people are living in tents. “Ninety-five per cent of the affected population has returned home,” Ahmed said.

According to the NDMA, the government has met two of four targets. “The government did well in delivering food and providing health care. However, it could not provide shelter to all and extend water and sanitation services,” he said.

Ahmed said that against the UN’s appeal, Pakistan has received firm commitments which are approximately 56 per cent of the appeal.

For more details: http://tribune.com.pk/story/105945/foreign-flood-aid-pakistan-waits-for-donors-to-follow-through-on-pledges/

 

Philosophy at the 'End of History'

The following article  “Philosophy at the ‘End of History’” by Aziz Ali Dad, source “View Point - Friday, January 14, 2011”.

If philosophers jump on the bandwagon of liberalism, then they are signing on the seal of the death of their respected vocation. The world is witnessing war, poverty, terrorism, ecological degradation and social disruption because the current institutions and ideas of liberalism cannot resolve inner contradictions of global capital

“The most thought-provoking thing in our thought-provoking time is that we are still not thinking.”

Martin Heidegger Socrates defined the vocation of philosopher as shocking people of their mental habits, Plato thinks it as smashing of idols and Nietzsche described it as ‘diagnosis of the modern soul’ and its vivisection. Since everything is mutable, it is natural that institutions, values and ideas also change with the passage of time. On the contrary, our ideas, institutions and values get ossified when the society wallows in unquestionable satisfaction of its perfect order. In such a situation, the vocation of philosopher is to shock people from their amnesia about Being and subject everything to critical scrutiny. That is why Rober Zend says “Being a philosopher, I have problem for every solution.”

Conformism kills philosophical spirit. The dialectics that enables philosophy to push the boundaries of knowledge is the courage to question habits not only of society but of thinking. It is the questioning spirit of philosophers that propels history and societies forward. But this thesis faces serious challenge in our age with the proclamation of ‘The End of History’ by Francis Fukuyama. He is of the opinion that the triumph of liberal democracy over all other political systems is the end of history because there is no alternative ideology to liberalism. In the absence of an alternative ideology history cannot move forward. His pronouncement of the end of history is preceded by proclamations of death of God, author, nature and meta-narratives.

Here the question arises: what is the fate of philosophy in the end of history, in which the world has witnessed the world entering into liberal paradise? In such a situation it is difficult to shock society of its mental torpor. Fukuyama’s theory is buttressed by power of economic liberalization in which nobody is allowed to deviate; otherwise he/she will become pariah in modern system.

For more details please view link: http://www.viewpointonline.net/philosophy-at-the-end-of-history.html

 

The gender divide

Source: Dawn

Date: January 17, 2011

GENDER is a social construct that is fluid and varies with relation to time and space. Like any other social learning that humans acquire, the notion of gender is a part of cultural knowledge. The major culture-constituent forces include the social institutions that construct, validate and perpetuate social knowledge.
The first social institution that newborns are exposed to is their family. It is the family that instils in the child’s mind the essential attributes that are associated with men and women. Categorisation on the basis of gender starts at birth, when girls and boys are labelled and associated with the colors pink and blue.

At a very early stage, girls and boys are subjected to differential treatment in the family. In South Asian countries, where a large number of people live their lives below the poverty line, for economic reasons boys are generally valued more. Similarly, because of the unfortunate custom of having to have a dowry, girls are considered a burden, particularly in families with fewer resources. Children, when they start growing, observe the environment of their family. They keenly observe the relationship between their mother and father and study social roles very closely, such as who goes out to earn money and who takes care of the home. These early observations become an important source of social knowledge and children start internalising the roles of males and females at a very young age. In families where domestic violence is common, children develop aggressive attitudes which, in some cases, remain with them for a long time.

Besides observing the relationship of their parents, children acquire social norms from their siblings. Differential treatment within the family strengthens gender stereotypes in their minds.

Parental attitudes can impact the process of gender development as the initial formation of self-image takes place in the family. It is the parents that determine roles on the basis of gender through their own example and through their treatment of their children. Similarly it’s the parents who associate different sets of expectations with their sons and daughters. In South Asian countries, most parents don’t like their daughters to talk loudly or laugh before strangers. However, such expectations in terms of behaviour are not applied to boys.

Parents are also instrumental in providing different sets of opportunities to their children. For example, in mainstream families in a South Asian country a boy faces no problems in going abroad for higher studies but parents are usually reluctant to allow their daughters the same flexibility. Parental expectations regarding attitude, dress, job, responsibility and marriage generally differ on the basis of gender.

The early lessons of gender-dictated roles are taught in families when domestic chores are divided amongst children on this basis. To pick a very common example, boys are made responsible for acting in the public domain and girls are expected to manage the home. The roles that are assigned and practiced in the family are internalised by girls and boys at a very young age. These initial constructions of the self remain with them even when they have grown up. As a result of early internalisation, a number of women choose not to change their lives by challenging the hegemony of male members of the society.

A symbolic divide on the basis of gender lies in the choice of games and toys. Masculine-typed toys and games foster ‘male’ attributes such as aggression, violence and control. Feminine-typed games and toys cultivate the characteristics of organisation, caring, sharing or cooking. The choice of these games is approved by the parents and if girls try to move into the category of boys’ toys, they tend to be discouraged. Boys usually like to play games in which they emerge as warriors, saviours and heroes. The toys commonly given to them include guns, toy planes or racing cars racing. On the other hand, girls are taught to play make-believe as a teacher or cook or baker in a toy kitchen, or apply make-up to their dolls.

Thus, the divide on the basis of gender is strengthened through social categorisation. This social categorisation leads to segregated social norms in lifestyles. For example, a disorganised boy is generally tolerated by society but a girl has to be organised and tidy otherwise she is dubbed ill-mannered and socially unacceptable.

Boys and girls are encouraged to grow in separate environments with different roles and expectations. The initial division at the familial level is strengthened further by the social institutions of schools, and the print and electronic media. All such institutions not only propose that girls and boys grow up in different cultures, they also enforce this ‘rule’. That is why there is potential for misunderstandings when they converse with one another. These potential misunderstandings owe to the ‘cultural differences’ with which they are brought up.

For more details please view the link: http://www.dawn.com/2011/01/17/the-gender-divide.html

 

Society without Social Sciences

Source: The News

Date: January 12, 2011

Society without Social Sciences by Aziz Ali Dad

Few people realize how critical education is for discouragement of terrorism and militancy, though there is been some soul searching of late as to what is lacking in our present education system which has made Pakistani society more intolerant and violent. The liberal intelligentsia puts the onus on the religious seminaries for the present violence in our society. But this attitude ignores elements of otherwise secular education which are capable of creating a militant mentality.
Among the various institutions providing education in Pakistan are the cadet colleges………………………

For more details click the following link:

http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=25083&Cat=9

 

Top Islamic advisory body: CII proposed death on blasphemy law misuse

Source: Express Tribune

Date: January 13, 2010

In recommendations pending before parliament, CII had recommended the death penalty for anybody misusing the law.

ISLAMABAD: Amid a snowballing controversy about the blasphemy law, The Express Tribune has learnt that the top Islamic advisory council of the country had recommended the death penalty for anybody misusing the law. It had also recommended that only the Federal Shariat Court (FSC) hear blasphemy cases.

Hardline clerics and right-wing parties are opposed to any change in the blasphemy law which rights groups say can be used to settle personal scores.

With this in mind, the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) proposed some changes to stop the misuse of the blasphemy law. “These recommendations have been pending before parliament for the past three years,” a senior official in the CII told The Express Tribune requesting anonymity.

The recommendations were made in 2001 when Dr SM Zaman was heading the CII and two top religious scholars – Mufti-e-Azam Pakistan Maulana Muhammad Rafi Usmani and Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman – were also its members. Religious scholars of all schools of thought and sects were represented on the council.

“The CII’s recommendations remain valid until and unless they are rejected by parliament,” added the official.

Since the FSC is made up of five regular judges and three top religious scholars (Ulema), the CII thought it was in a better position to hear blasphemy cases to ensure the law was not abused.

The council recommended capital punishment for anybody misusing the blasphemy law. “The wrongful complainant and witnesses in a blasphemy case should be handed similar punishment as a guilty person,” it says.

Islamic jurisprudence experts say that the misuse of blasphemy law is tantamount to blasphemy and therefore a person who is guilty of misuse of this law should be punished under the same law.

However, the CII strongly opposed any amendment in the blasphemy law, particularly in Section 295-C, so far as the penalties are concerned.

For more details: http://tribune.com.pk/story/103119/top-islamic-advisory-body-cii-proposed-death-on-blasphemy-law-misuse/

Global Economic Prospects 2011

Source: Daily Times

Date: January 13, 2011

Most developing countries manage to steer out of crisis

WB sees steady global growth ahead

 ISLAMABAD: The world economy is moving from a post-crisis bounce-back phase of recovery to slower but still solid growth this year and next — with developing countries contributing almost half of global growth, says the World Bank’s (WB) latest Global Economic Prospects (GEP) 2011.

GEP 2011 released on Wednesday stated that the WB estimates that global GDP, which expanded by 3.9% in 2010, will slow to 3.3% in 2011, before it reaches 3.6% in 2012. Developing countries are expected to grow 7% in 2010, 6% in 2011 and 6.1% in 2012. They will continue to outstrip growth in high-income countries, which is projected at 2.8% in 2010, 2.4% in 2011 and 2.7% in 2012.

In most developing countries, GDP has regained levels that would have prevailed had there been no boom-bust cycle. While steady growth is projected through 2012, the recovery in several economies in emerging Europe and Central Asia and in some high-income countries is tentative. Without corrective domestic policies, high household debt and unemployment, and weak housing and banking sectors are likely to mute the recovery.

“On the upside, strong developing-country domestic demand growth is leading the world economy, yet persistent financial sector problems in some high-income countries are still a threat to growth and require urgent policy actions,” said Justin Yifu Lin, the WB’s chief economist and senior vice president for development economics.

Net international equity and bond flows to developing countries rose sharply in 2010, rising by 42% and 30% respectively, with nine countries receiving the bulk of the increase in inflows. Foreign direct investment to developing countries rose a more modest 16% in 2010, reaching $410 billion after falling 40% in 2009. An important part of the rebound is due to rising South-South investments, particularly originating in Asia.

“The pickup in international capital flows reinforced the recovery in most developing countries,” said Hans Timmer, director of development prospects at the WB. 

“However, heavy inflows to certain big middle-income economies may carry risks and threaten medium-term recovery, especially if currency values rise suddenly or if asset bubbles emerge.”

Most low-income countries saw trade gains in 2010 and, overall, their GDP rose 5.3% in 2010. This was supported by a pick-up in commodity prices, and to a lesser extent in remittances and tourism. Their prospects are projected to strengthen even more, with growth of 6.5% in both 2011 and 2012, respectively.

For more details: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011\01\13\story_13-1-2011_pg5_16

 

 

Over 823 women fall victim to violence in six months

Source: Dawn

Date: January 11, 2011

KARACHI, Jan 10: More than 823 women fell victim to violence in 712 incidents, including custodial ones, in Sindh during the last six months â€"â€" from July to December 2010 — says a report prepared by the Aurat Foundation, a non-governmental organisation.

The report launched here on Monday says that the people`s confidence in the police had declined so much that of these over 712 incidents, FIRs of only 341 were registered. Over 320 incidents were not reported to the police, while the status of the remaining over 51 incidents regarding the registration or non-registration of FIRs was not known.

The report says that though the Sindh High Court had declared the holding of jirgas as illegal, at least 24 jirgas were held in which at least eight women were handed over from one party to the other party in the dispute to settle old enmity etc.

The report said that 119 incidents of karo-kari (honour killing) occurred in which 137 people â€"â€" 98 women and 39 men â€"â€" were killed. In at least one instance, four persons were killed in a single incident. In 34 incidents the police took 105 women into custody when male members of their family, wanted by the police, could not be traced.

Some 159 women were killed in 148 incidents owing to domestic disputes, old enmity, matrimonial disputes, and resisting robbery attempt. It said 109 women were kidnapped, while 66 women, including young girls, were sexually assaulted in 62 incidents. Of them 44 women were raped and 22 gang-raped in 43 and 19 incidents of rape and gang-rape, respectively.

The report said that 61 women committed suicide and 30 others tried to take their own lives owing to poverty and domestic disputes. As many as 99 women were injured in domestic violence. More than 420 women victims were married while 141 were unmarried while the marital status of the rest of the victims could not be ascertained, says the report the Aurat Foundation staff prepared with the help of news items published in nine newspapers â€"â€" three each published in English, Sindhi and Urdu.

speaking at the launch of the report, MPA Marvi Rashdi of the PML-F said that while new and more specific laws with stringent punishments to counter violence against women were always required, there already existed sufficient laws on the statute books but the real problem was the non-implementation of those laws. She said that since the implementation of laws was not efficient, everybody suffered, and women being the most vulnerable section of society suffered more.

She also criticised the attitude of the police owing to which people did not go to the law enforcers to get their incidents recorded, and said that even this report showed that of the 712 incidents, only 341 were reported to the police and the FIRs were registered, while the rest of these had not even been reported to the police. She demanded that police personnel be sensitised to issues relating to women.

For more details: http://www.dawn.com/2011/01/11/over-823-women-fall-victim-to-violence-in-six-months.html

 

Violence against children rises by 9.2%: SPARC data

Source: Express Tribune

Date: January 10, 2011

KARACHI: Violence against children increased by 9.2 per cent in Sindh, according to the data collected by the Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (Sparc), an NGO working for children’s rights in Pakistan.

The figures released by the NGO show that in 2010, a total of 2,689 children were subjected to various forms of violence in just Sindh.

Sohail Abro, Sparc provincial manager, believes that the poor prosecution system in Pakistan has a major role to play in this increase. “The perpetrators never get punished and they manage to escape using the loopholes in the law,” he said. He pointed out that except for the legislation on child rights in Khyber-Pukhtunkhwa — the Child Protection and Welfare Act, 2010 — no concrete steps were taken towards children’s rights in Sindh, or the rest of the country for that matter.

These figures reflect only those incidents or cases that have been reported in newspapers and other sources of media. The actual number of cases, the NGO says, is likely to be almost two to three times higher.

At least 233 children were murdered in different crimes, including the flurry of violence caused by political and religious disturbances. Sixty-eight children were tortured by non-state actors, four were burnt to death and 12 were victims of acid attacks.

In addition to 97 cases of polio diagnosed last year, 47 children lost their lives while being treated in public health settings. Most of the deaths were caused by alleged negligence of doctors or because of a shortage of medicines.

The unmanageable traffic in the province claimed the lives of 148 children and injured 57. Added to the man-made disasters, the flood and its aftermath brought diseases such as diarrhoea, gastroenteritis, malaria and other water-borne illnesses, which claimed the lives of 127 children living in relief camps across the province. Meanwhile, according to UN estimates, 3.5 million children were at risk of water-borne diseases.

Another crime on the rise in 2010 was kidnapping — 212 children were kidnapped and most of them were subjected to brutal forms of violence during their abduction. Children from minority communities were the most vulnerable in these kidnapping for ransom cases.

For more details: http://tribune.com.pk/story/101513/violence-against-children-rises-by-9-2-sparc-data/

 

 

Shape of things to come

Source: Dawn

Date: January 09, 2011

IF the murder of Salman Taseer is an omen to go by, our minorities are increasingly being left

defenceless. What now for religious freedom and human rights?

The shape the debate over the blasphemy laws it is taking is extremely worrying. Rather than a genuine effort to consider what is in the best interests of Pakistanis, we are seeing the emergence of an increasingly united and hostile religious bloc. The acrimonious tone adopted by opponents of reform in parliament is simply being replicated at the community level.

Protests against the possibility of amendments were staged across Pakistan on New Year’s Eve, despite the fact that just the day before the State Minister for Information Samsam Bokhari gave assurances that the government had no intention of amending the blasphemy laws. In a clear attempt by the government to appease angry opponents, Mr Bokhari stated that PPP member Sherry Rehman had acted in her personal capacity when submitting her bill proposing amendments to the blasphemy laws.

The bill seeks to scrap the mandatory death sentence for blasphemy. Although the country’s religious minorities and other sections of society have been hankering after changes to these laws for years, they continue to be met with condemnation by Islamic parties and organisations. The government, meanwhile, does not appear to be strong enough to face the rising pressure.

The PPP is the country’s largest party, and it claims to espouse liberal values. It is therefore all the more regrettable that the government has chosen to distance itself from Ms Rehman’s bill and the brave efforts made by Mr Taseer prior to his assassination.

The government appears to have already accepted defeat. This is an alarming prospect for those still clinging to a semblance of hope that this government would bring about changes for improving the lot of minorities and, indeed, all Pakistanis.

With the assassination of Mr Taseer, it seems that now there really is no hope that the laws will be amended. Their misuse will go on and minorities in particular will continue to find themselves subjected to false allegations by people who know they have an easy way to seize properties, take over businesses and settle personal scores.

Cases abound where blasphemy charges have been levelled against people without presenting any concrete evidence. I was particularly worried by a recent case because of the danger it could signal — not just for minorities but for all Pakistanis, including Muslims.

Dr Naushad Valiyani was arrested for blasphemy in December after he discarded a business card he had received from a medical representative. This medical representative’s full name, Muhammad Faizan, was printed on the card; hard as it is to believe, for this reason Mr Faizan deemed the act of throwing the card into the bin blasphemous.

How many people in Pakistan have Muhammad either as their first or last names? Every day, these people receive letters addressed to them and these
envelopes are torn up and thrown away. Are we to charge all of them with blasphemy? According to the way the laws are worded, that is exactly what they are committing.

Article 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code states that the “use of derogatory remarks etc in respect of the Holy Prophet (PBUH)” is a crime and “whoever by words, either spoken or written, or by visible representation, or by any imputation, innuendo, or insinuation, directly defiles the sacred name of the Holy
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) shall be punished with death, or imprisonment for life and shall also be liable for a fine”. Note that the law says nothing about “will” or “intention”, paving the way for a legal climate in which an offence committed unintentionally carries the same consequence as one committed
intentionally.

Had a local cleric not got involved, Dr Valiyani may have faced execution. And if his case is a precursor of things to come, we can expect to see people
increasingly using the blasphemy laws for their own convenience: to get ahead in their business, put down rivals and even defeat political opponents and settle
government disputes.

For more details: http://www.dawn.com/2011/01/09/shape-of-things-to-come.html

 

 

Allocations for education, health sectors low: report

Source: Dawn

Date: January 7, 2011

ISLAMABAD, Jan 6: Annual allocations for education and health sectors are alarmingly low, causing a serious setback to government’s efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a report published by the ministry of finance said on Thursday.

Although tracking of indicators in the education sector reflects an overall increase in gross and net enrolment rates both at pre-secondary and secondary levels, there is need to enhance budgetary allocations generally for social sectors and particularly for health and education sectors in the country, according to the report.

Education and health sectors represent core elements of the Poverty Reduction Strategy of the government, and the annual progress report of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper for fiscal year 2009-10 estimates that actual expenditure in education stood at 1.87 per cent of GDP against the projection of 1.82 for 2009-10.

Although the expenditure in education as a percentage of GDP is above the target by 0.05 per cent, improvement is badly needed. Health sector fared better than education in its ratio of actual expenditure to GDP which is .37 per cent higher than PRSP target of .43 per cent of GDP.

Law and order has appeared as the third largest sector contributing to PRSP expenditures with an increase of 2.03 per cent during the current fiscal year over the previous year.

The report says that the overall budget allocated for pro-poor sectors during 2009-10 stood at Rs1,183,771 million. Shares of different sectors in total budgetary allocations for 2009-10 depict education holding the maximum share followed by subsidies, roads, highways and bridges and agriculture. Combined these four sectors account for 61.2 per cent of the total PRSP budgetary allocation for 2009-10.

Education, though contributes the maximum during 2009-10, its share has decreased slightly over the two years. A substantial reduction in the share of subsidies in total PRSP budgetary allocations in two years has been witnessed, amounting to 14.47 per cent point. Share of Agriculture to PRSP budgetary allocations decreased over the two years – .89 percent points.

Share of roads highways and bridges increased from 7.02 per cent during 2008-09 to 11.41 per cent during the current fiscal year. Health also gained in proportional contribution to PRSP budgetary allocation, from 7.05 per cent in FY 2008-09 to 9.36 per cent in 2009-10. Social Security and welfare holds 7.44 per cent during FY 2009-10, which is 2.24 per cent higher than the previous fiscal year. A major chunk of budget for social security and welfare is contributed by Benazir Income Support Programme, nearly 80 per cent of the budget for this sector.

At the aggregate level, PRSP expenditures deviated downward by 4.77 per cent as compared to original budgetary allocations which indicate under-utilisation of budgetary allocations.

The report says that abnormal spending has been observed in Peoples’ Works Programme.

Link: http://www.dawn.com/2011/01/07/allocations-for-education-health-sectors-low-report.html

Allocations for education, health sectors low: report

Source: Dawn

Date: January 7, 2011

ISLAMABAD, Jan 6: Annual allocations for education and health sectors are alarmingly low, causing a serious setback to government’s efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a report published by the ministry of finance said on Thursday.

Although tracking of indicators in the education sector reflects an overall increase in gross and net enrolment rates both at pre-secondary and secondary levels, there is need to enhance budgetary allocations generally for social sectors and particularly for health and education sectors in the country, according to the report.

Education and health sectors represent core elements of the Poverty Reduction Strategy of the government, and the annual progress report of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper for fiscal year 2009-10 estimates that actual expenditure in education stood at 1.87 per cent of GDP against the projection of 1.82 for 2009-10.

Although the expenditure in education as a percentage of GDP is above the target by 0.05 per cent, improvement is badly needed. Health sector fared better than education in its ratio of actual expenditure to GDP which is .37 per cent higher than PRSP target of .43 per cent of GDP.

Law and order has appeared as the third largest sector contributing to PRSP expenditures with an increase of 2.03 per cent during the current fiscal year over the previous year.

The report says that the overall budget allocated for pro-poor sectors during 2009-10 stood at Rs1,183,771 million. Shares of different sectors in total budgetary allocations for 2009-10 depict education holding the maximum share followed by subsidies, roads, highways and bridges and agriculture. Combined these four sectors account for 61.2 per cent of the total PRSP budgetary allocation for 2009-10.

Education, though contributes the maximum during 2009-10, its share has decreased slightly over the two years. A substantial reduction in the share of subsidies in total PRSP budgetary allocations in two years has been witnessed, amounting to 14.47 per cent point. Share of Agriculture to PRSP budgetary allocations decreased over the two years – .89 percent points.

Share of roads highways and bridges increased from 7.02 per cent during 2008-09 to 11.41 per cent during the current fiscal year. Health also gained in proportional contribution to PRSP budgetary allocation, from 7.05 per cent in FY 2008-09 to 9.36 per cent in 2009-10. Social Security and welfare holds 7.44 per cent during FY 2009-10, which is 2.24 per cent higher than the previous fiscal year. A major chunk of budget for social security and welfare is contributed by Benazir Income Support Programme, nearly 80 per cent of the budget for this sector.

At the aggregate level, PRSP expenditures deviated downward by 4.77 per cent as compared to original budgetary allocations which indicate under-utilisation of budgetary allocations.

The report says that abnormal spending has been observed in Peoples’ Works Programme.

Link: http://www.dawn.com/2011/01/07/allocations-for-education-health-sectors-low-report.html

50pc children out of school in 4 districts

Source: The Nation

Date: January 6, 2011

ISLAMABAD - In four districts of Multan, Muzaffargarh, Rahim Yar Khan and Rajanpur more than 50 per cent children of the total population of 5 to 9 years are out of school and the number of out of school children is higher for girls than boys. 

This was revealed in a research report “Education Budget Analysis: Five Districts of Southern Punjab” by Oxfam GB in collaboration with Institute of Social and Policy Science (I-SAPS). The report provides detailed analysis and findings of the educational data and budget of selected districts from southern Punjab including Multan, Muzaffargarh, Rahim Yar Khan, Jhang and Rajanpur. 

The report indicates missing facilities especially in girls’ schools, for instance, in Multan at primary level 20 per cent girls’ schools do not have drinking water facility and 13 per cent girls’ primary schools are without toilets. 

The data indicates that in 53 per cent of the total schools in the districts do not have electricity and overall 6 per cent schools have dangerous buildings and 18 per cent of school buildings require major repairs. 

For more details: http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Regional/Islamabad/06-Jan-2011/50pc-children-out-of-school-in-4-districts