Gender Inequality Causes and Impacts on Honor Killing: A Case Study of District Shikarpur, Sindh, Pakistan

Abstract

An attempt is made to find out the causes of gender inequality and its impacts on honor killing in district Shikarpur, Sindh, Pakistan in order to chalk out policies for protecting women from gender based violence particularly honor killing. Our research study revealed that gender inequality is one of the major problems in the study area that leads to honor killing of the women. Furthermore, our study revealed that illiteracy, forced marriages, male child preference and economic dependency of women over men are major contributing factors of gender inequality. Honor killing is also getting momentum with the passage of the time in the area. According to our research survey that 10 to 12 women are being killed annually in the name of honor killing and within 5 years, 45 women are penalized to death in the district and most of the honor killing cases are taking place in Lakhi town, followed by Garhi Yaisn town, Khanpur town and Shikarpur town respectively. Presently, a large number of measures are needed to be taken in terms of economic and social spheres in order to protect women from genocide in the area.