Sunday Times 2
Fighting against all odds for what she believed in
Behind Asma Jahangir’s petite frame is a woman of steel. One of Pakistan’s leading human rights activists, Ms. Jahangir is an individual who has continually swept aside the challenges posed to her, marching forward with her fight for the causes she holds most dear- that of womens’ rights, education and the rights of minorities.
A quintessential role model for any young woman, Ms. Jahangir has time and time again swept barriers against women and minorities. She has continually spearheaded the battle for rights and freedom both internationally and in Pakistan for those with barely a voice for themselves- Serving as a Trustee at The International Crisis Group, Jahangir is an advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and
Asma: A quintessential role model for any young woman. Pic by Mangala Weerasekera
Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) which was set up in 1986. She was also co-chair of South Asians for Human Rights. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Arbitrary or summary executions, she was later appointed as the United Nations Rapporteur of Freedom of religion or belief. In 2005 Asma Jahangir was one of the 1,000 women nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
In Colombo last week, Ms. Jahangir was among the panel who sat down to address a Colloquium on Peaceful Co-existence, Religious Tolerance, Secularism and Plural Societies in South Asia organised by the South Asia Policy and Research Institute (SAPRI).
Her zeal for her work as an activist goes back to her childhood having been born to a politically active family, with a legacy in human rights work. It is no wonder that the daughter of a civil servant and political activist father; and educated, pioneering mother, she inherited her birthright, taking to the field like a duck to water. “I didn’t think it was a passion of mine,” she reflected, recounting the early days of her work. Of her four siblings, her sister Hina Jilani also followed the same path, becoming an equally outspoken activist. The dynamic sisters would even go on to found the first law firm established by women in Pakistan, in 1980. In the same year they also helped form the Women’s Action Forum; a pressure group campaigning against Pakistan’s discriminatory legislature. Their most prominent work includes their campaign against the Proposed Law of Evidence, where the value of a woman’s testimony was reduced to half that of a man’s testimony, and the Hudood Ordinances, where victims of rape had to prove their innocence or else face punishment themselves.
Ms. Jahangir had a very simple reason behind her chosen career path. “I didn’t think it was a passion, but rather that it was only fair.” Having always wanted to create a better life for those around and give back to society she later found herself being entirely devoted to her work.
Speaking on the panel discussion she, like most of her colleagues felt that Sri Lanka had one of the oldest democracies in comparison to other Asian countries. Rebuilding a nation which is in a post conflict state is obviously a delicate task. Speaking on the situation in Sri Lanka, Jahangir felt that the underlying problem “is there, but not really real. The problem will arise if we won’t be able to stop it, before it gives rise to other conflicts”. She explained it as a subject matter that was very risky to play around with, but prevalent in many parts of Asia and South Asia.
Over her 40-year career little has managed to shake Ms. Jahangir’s equilibrium. If being at the forefront of women’s activism wasn’t challenging enough, the odds have almost always been stacked against her favour. The obstacles vary from receiving death threats for defending a 14-year-old Christian boy Salamat Masih who was accused of blasphemy, or being assaulted and her home and family attacked due to her active role in helping women or fighting against the Hudood Ordinance. Yet, taking on such cases, she won time and time again.
Being a working woman has hardly been smooth sailing for many of Pakistan’s daughters. “There is a lot of discrimination against women in Pakistan, even in the legislation sector,” she added. Having seen an improvement since the early 90s, she feels that women have come a long way since. “There are more and more women coming out of the walls,” she said, adding that “it is exemplary when a woman qualifies herself. But when she strives further, she becomes the competition and a threat.” Society, she feels is what suffocates a woman. “There are wails and cries when a girl is born, and relief when a woman dies,” is how she sums up the life of women in society.”It is difficult,” she straightforwardly added. “It is because of habits. Breaking habits is the difficult part,” she explains referring to the attitude of men and society. Having experienced the reality of being an educated, working woman, Ms. Jahangir refuses to sugar coat the truth. “If you really want to make something of yourself you have to put up with a lot of abuse, even within from the law.”
With a mischievous smile on her face, she recalled the many times where her being a woman even played to her advantage. “An advantage that I had when everyone else was against me was that I could enter my opponents’ homes and get along quite easily with their wives,” she laughed, reminiscing the many times an adversary would be lost for words.
At the end of the day, being the best isn’t what’s important for Pakistan’s “Little Heroine” as she was once nicknamed. “It’s the support of people who have kept me going for so long” she stated; the people she helps being her strength. Her greatest inspiration is drawn from women, who she claims are the bravest people she knows. When it comes to her work, Ms. Jahangir only has this to say-”As a lawyer when you are put against hostile benches it doesn’t matter whether or not you’re a great lawyer, but a stronger one.”