Rape is the most heinous of crimes, which is perhaps why Pakistan is reeling at its use as a punishment. Attempting to right an alleged family insult, looking to satisfy pride and tradition, a Punjabi tribal counsel just over a month ago sentenced a young woman to be gang-raped.
When word spread, the national government decided to put not just the perpetrators, but the council members on trial. It’s just one example of an awful human rights abuse being carried out in the name of justice, under the foggy cover of local custom. Increasingly, nations that depend on these ways are finding that modernization is a complex and painful process, and that balancing progress with pragmatism and a respect for tradition is essential.
Who pays the price: modernizing justice.
Guests:
Adrienne Germain, President of the International Women’s Health Coalition
Asad Hayauddin, Press attache for the Pakistan embassy in Washington DC
Asma Jahangir, Co-founder of non – govermental Human Rights Commission of Pakistan