Islamabad: Honour killings, domestic violence and subsequent murders, rape and harassment are persistent problems in Pakistan and for many years, it has constantly had a poor performance with regard to gender equality, reported The Express Tribune.

A recent report by the Federal Ombudsman Secretariat for Protection Against Harassment has revealed that 5,008 harassment cases were registered between 2018 to 2022.

Within the last three years, Pakistan has witnessed some of the most gruesome cases of sexual violence across the country. Yet women's rights activists and groups regularly come under scrutiny and face backlash from different elements, reported The Express Tribune.

According to the report, 32 per cent of women are victims of violence in gender-based crimes, and 40 per cent of married women also face harassment.

Moreover, due to various cultural constraints and prevalent stereotypes and taboos, women, particularly in the more conservative and rural societies, are confined to their homes.

When these figures circulate on social media, several male and female users suggest that women should stay indoors and avoid leaving the house without male guardians, reported The Express Tribune.

Ingrained practices towards women within the Pakistani culture are often those of oppression, possession, objectification and use as bargaining tools (for example, made to marry in families with ongoing disputes as a peace offering and conflict resolution mechanism).

But this argument is redundant as girls and women experience physical and sexual abuse within their homes as well, reported The Express Tribune.

Amongst the hurdles for women in pursuance of education and contribution to society, the insecure environment remains very crucial. Pakistan has seen an exodus in trends of harassment, rape, and sexual exploitation of women when they are out for work or education.

Besides strengthening the law and enacting legislation against different forms of crimes against women, Pakistan need to dismantle the mindset that women's bodies need to be controlled. Much of the harassment and abuse directed towards women stems from the idea that women's roles are limited to maintaining community honour and upholding cultural values. However, these are patriarchal notions which deem women as inferior or secondary beings, reported The Express Tribune.

In 2019, as many as 1,000 courts were allocated to cater to women's cases. This coupled with efforts to empower women may have led to an increase in the number of cases reported. But the number of unreported cases is probably much higher.

Pakistan has a long way to go to improve equality and safety for its female citizens. Perhaps, the relevant stakeholders need to begin by training children and teaching them about equality from a young age, reported The Express Tribune.