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While women in India have made great progress since their participation, their counterparts in Pakistan continue to experience persecution, marginalisation, and violence, writes author Vaishali Sharma in Khalsa Vox.
Women's rights are guaranteed in the Indian Constitution, including education, health, and work. Significant efforts have been made to improve the presence of women in politics, business, and public life, resulting in a more inclusive and progressive atmosphere. As a result, many Sikh women in India have achieved success in a variety of disciplines, breaking down social, political, and economic obstacles. However, the situation of Sikh women in Pakistan continues to deteriorate. Sikh women have been persecuted and marginalised for a long time, especially since the development of extremism in the country. Furthermore, women in Pakistan are denied essential human rights, education, and access to health care because the state prioritises women's health, Khalsa Vox reported. Women face systemic discrimination, abuse, and oppression in the country, which has a poor record on gender equality. Furthermore, Pakistani society's patriarchal nature continues to impede women's autonomy, limiting their access to education, healthcare, and decision-making. Furthermore, forced marriages and honour killings are still widespread, with families pressing women to marry within the community, Vaishali Sharma writes. According to Khalsa Vox, in 2019, Jagjit Kaur, a young Sikh girl, was kidnapped and forcibly converted to Islam in Pakistan. Despite considerable protests, the Pakistani authorities did not restore Jagjit Kaur to her family and instead attempted to legitimise her illegal marriage to a Muslim man. A 17-year-old Sikh girl was abducted, forced to convert to Islam, and married a 30-year-old Muslim man in a similar instance recorded in 2020. Despite widespread protests and international criticism, Pakistani authorities failed to prosecute the criminals. These examples underscore the deplorable plight of Sikh women in Pakistan, where the government has failed to give the security and support they require to ensure their safety and dignity. It is critical to reflect on the experiences of Sikh women and the challenges they face even today. While India has made significant strides in empowering women, especially Sikh women, Pakistan is still on an active mission to marginalize them further, the author writes. (ANI)
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