AJCONF2019.Pdf

1 ASMA JAHANGIR CONFERENCE – 2019 ROADMAP FOR HUMAN RIGHTS 19 & 20TH OCTOBER, 2019 LAHORE 2 Contents Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................................................... 6 Conference Committee ................................................................................................................................ 9 Executive Summary .................................................................................................................................... 10 Aims & Objectives ...................................................................................................................................... 12 Synopsis ...................................................................................................................................................... 14 Day 1 ....................................................................................................................................................... 14 Day 2 ....................................................................................................................................................... 16 Resolutions: ................................................................................................................................................ 19 Theme A: Strengthening the Justice System ......................................................................................... 19 Topic 1 – Upholding the Rule of Law ................................................................................................. 19 Topic 2 – Dialogue with Women in the Field of Law - Opportunities and Challenges ..................... 19 Topic 3 – Role of Women in Legal Profession: Global Experience .................................................... 19 Theme B: Freedom of Conscience Belief and Expression ..................................................................... 20 Topic 4 – Censorship and Curbs on Electronic and Print Media in Pakistan .................................... 20 Topic 5 – Social Media & Freedom of Expression ............................................................................. 20 Topic 6 – Selective Accountability? Legislative, Judicial and Executive Failure ............................... 20 Topic 7 – Religious & Ethnic Minorities Under Siege in South Asia .................................................. 20 Topic 8 – Silencing Civil Society: Curbs on CBOs, NGOs and INGOs ................................................. 21 Theme C: Rights of the Child .................................................................................................................. 21 Topic 9 – Protection of Children from Exploitation and Denial of Justice ........................................ 21 Theme D: Access to Law in South Asia .................................................................................................. 21 Topic 10 – Strengthening the Legal Constitutional Framework for the Federation and Pluralism . 21 Topic 11 – Fighting the Culture of Shame and Silence – Violence Against Women ......................... 22 Topic 12 – Unwrapping State Discourse – National Security, Identity and Nation Building ........... 22 Topic 13 – Conflict in Afghanistan - Impact on the Rights of Women and Minorities ..................... 22 Topic 14 – Human Rights Crisis in Jammu and Kashmir .................................................................... 22 Topic 15 – Economic and Social Inequality ........................................................................................ 23 Topic 16 – Former-FATA Post Merger ................................................................................................ 23 Topic 17 – Politics Inspire Art and Art inspires Politics ..................................................................... 23 3 Topic 18 – Transgender Rights: Transforming Legal Recognition into Political and Social Empowerment .................................................................................................................................... 23 Impact ......................................................................................................................................................... 25 Social Media Campaign .............................................................................................................................. 26 Art Exhibition .............................................................................................................................................. 28 Agenda ........................................................................................................................................................ 29 Opening Session: Asma’s Legacy – Speaking Truth to Power ................................................................... 38 1. Censorship and other Curbs on Electronic and Print Media in Pakistan .......................................... 42 2. Human Rights Crisis in Jammu and Kashmir .................................................................................... 45 3. Dialogue with Women in the Field of Law - Opportunities and Challenges .................................... 47 4. Upholding the Rule of Law ................................................................................................................ 50 5. Conflict in Afghanistan - Impact on the Rights of Women and Minorities ...................................... 53 6. Role of Women in the Legal Profession: Global Experience ............................................................. 56 Day 2 ........................................................................................................................................................... 58 7. Social Media and Freedom of Expression.......................................................................................... 59 8. Politics Inspire Art and Art inspires Politics ...................................................................................... 61 9. Fighting the Culture of Shame and Silence - Violence against Women........................................... 64 10. Transgender Rights: Transforming Legal Recognition into Political and Social Empowerment.... 68 11. Religious & Ethnic Minorities Under Siege in South Asia .............................................................. 70 12. Strengthening the Legal Constitutional Framework for the Federation and Pluralism................. 73 13. Economic and Social Inequity .......................................................................................................... 76 14. Rights of the Child: Protection of Children from Exploitation and Denial of Justice ..................... 80 15. Unwrapping State Discourse: National Security, Identity and National Building .......................... 83 16. Selective Accountability – Legislative, Judicial and Executive Failure............................................ 85 17. Former FATA - Post-Merger ............................................................................................................ 87 18. Silencing Civil Society: Curbs on CBOs, NGOs and INGOs ............................................................... 88 Closing Session .......................................................................................................................................... 92 Asma Jahangir Conference Supplementary Activities .............................................................................. 95 ‘Saira aur Maira’- a tribute to Asma Jahangir ........................................................................................... 99 Annexure 1: Newspaper Articles ............................................................................................................. 100 4 Annexure 2: List of office bearers and members of Bar Associations .................................................... 104 Annexure 3: Media Coverage................................................................................................................... 106 Annexure 4: Press Releases ..................................................................................................................... 109 Pre Conference session on Friday 18th of October, 2019 .................................................................... 109 Day one of the AJ Conference on Saturday 19th of October, 2019 ..................................................... 109 Day two of the AJ Conference on Saturday 20th of October, 2019 ..................................................... 111 5 Acknowledgements We wish to express our profound thanks to our generous sponsors, advisers, supporters and participants for the success of the second Asma Jahangir Conference. This would not have been possible without the support from our sponsors, the enthusiastic and heart-felt participation from our panellists and the time and sincere advice from our friends. The Asma Jahangir Conference has become the biggest conference organised at the bar association level in Pakistan in recent years. It was not only big in terms of numbers but in terms of the wide spectrum of workshops, panellists and the quality of debate that spanned the two days. First and foremost, we thank the Delegation of the European Union for their generous sponsorship, support and wholehearted participation. We also thank our others sponsors, the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office, UK Aid, the Kingdom of Netherlands, United Nations

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