The Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security and the Peace Research Institute of Oslo launched the global Women, Peace and Security Index which measures women’s well-being in 2017 by assessing factors such as inclusion, justice and security in 153 countries and covering more than 98 percent of the world’s population.

The rape and murder of Zainab Ansari, a seven-year-old Pakistani girl, have shocked the country. People demand justice for the girl’s family, but there isn’t much discussion on the issue of child protection in Pakistan.

Zahra Mahmoud

“One sometimes needs perspective to realize how good you actually have it. I see Zahra, and all I see is innocence.”

Hamaida Ali Hazara belongs to one of the most persecuted communities in Pakistan, the Hazara community. She lives in Quetta, the capital city of Pakistan’s restive Baluchistan province. Hundreds of Hazaras have been killed in recent years.

I’ve always admired mountains from afar but never imagined that one day I’d be part of the first female expedition of Pakistan to scale the approximately 5720 m Baaushal Peak!

Text and pictures: Anam Gill (Ed.: Brenda Haas)

Millions of women across the world have been sharing their experiences of sexual harassment and abuse in an online campaign using the hashtag #MeToo on Twitter and with rolling posts on Facebook. The hashtag has been trending in Pakistan too.

Gulalai Ismail, a Pakistani human rights activist from the Swabi district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, was recently awarded the Reach All Women in War (RAW) Anna Politkovskaya Award alongside the late Indian journalist, Gauri Lankesh.