Over the last two decades, Pakistan has seen major legislative changes in the area of gender-based violence. This book explores the impact and ongoing influence of these changes. A frequent refrain in political and social commentary in Pakistan is that these laws, while transformative on paper, have not translated to actual change in the lives of women and girls because of poor implementation. Through analysis of court cases, data on criminal proceedings, and interviews with activists and survivors, this book demonstrates how the impact of progressive laws is influenced by entrenched social norms and structural flaws in state institutions, especially the criminal justice system. Sara Malkani sheds light on limitations of the formal justice system while showing how law reform can create openings for activists to pursue gender justice.

Sara Malkani is a lawyer and researcher based in Karachi, Pakistan.