Major interpellation - Violation of fundamental human rights of women in Pakistan
30.5.2018
Major interpellation for written answer with debate O-000058/2018
to the Commission
Rule 130b
Marijana Petir, Alojz Peterle, Anna Záborská, Franc Bogovič, Michaela Šojdrová, Ivana Maletić, Željana Zovko, Elisabetta Gardini, Lorenzo Cesa, Jan Olbrycht, Miroslav Mikolášik, Lars Adaktusson, Luigi Morgano, Arne Gericke, Alberto Cirio, Fulvio Martusciello, Tomáš Zdechovský, Mihai Ţurcanu, Massimiliano Salini, Jadwiga Wiśniewska, Laima Liucija Andrikienė, Agnieszka Kozłowska-Rajewicz, Ivica Tolić, Pavel Svoboda, Seán Kelly, Peter Liese, Karl-Heinz Florenz, Kinga Gál, Heinz K. Becker, Tunne Kelam, Bendt Bendtsen, Czesław Adam Siekierski, Norbert Erdős, Giovanni La Via, Fernando Ruas, Ivan Štefanec, Othmar Karas, Paul Rübig, Nuno Melo, Annie Schreijer-Pierik, Angelika Niebler, Patricija Šulin
On 10 April 2018, a 25-year-old Christian woman, Asma Yacoob, was doused in acid before being set alight by a Muslim man, Rizwan Gujjar, 30, after she had refused to convert to Islam and marry him. Due to the severity of her wounds, she died in hospital.
Yacoob’s case is just one example of how Christian girls are treated in Pakistan. Based on the EU’s GSP+ assessment of Pakistan[1], the number of kidnappings, rapes and forced conversions of mostly underage women and girls is estimated at around 1 000 per year. Severe violence against Christian women ranges from murder to sexual violence, domestic violence, acid attacks, kidnappings and harassment. The provincial assembly of Sindh, where most of these cases occur, took an important step to address this problem by adopting the Protection of Minorities Act. However, due to protests from conservative religious groups, the act has not yet been enacted.
How is the Commission ensuring the elimination of all forms of violence and the promotion of women’s fundamental human rights, especially those of Christian women and women belonging to other minorities?
Will the Commission consider these facts and reconsider Pakistan’s position within the GSP+?
- [1] http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2018/january/tradoc_156544.pdf