The Federal Ministry of Law and Justice in collaboration with The European Union Delegation to Pakistan host an event to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and launch movement
Honourable President of Pakistan His Excellency Dr. Arif Alvi was the Chief Guest and the event included screening of two short-films by Academy Award Winning Director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.
The Federal Ministry of Law and Justice in collaboration with The European Union Delegation to Pakistan hosted a special event at the President’s Secretariat in Islamabad to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and to launch the #TimeForRealHonour movement.
The honorable President of Pakistan His Excellency Dr. Arif Alvi graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. With the launch of Time For RealHonour at this event, Barrister Dr. Muhammad Farogh Naseem (Minister for Law and Justice) along with the Federal Ministry of Law and Justice, in collaboration with the European Union Delegation to Pakistan endeavoured to initiate a multi-stakeholder discussion and dialogue against honour killings across the country and to define more informed methods of implementation of anti-honour killing laws. Indeed, an estimated 1000 women are murdered under the pretext of honour killing in Pakistan each year. This illegal and inhuman practice continues to take place despite the enactment of stringent legislations, including the existing honour killing law in 2016 which mandates life imprisonment, 14 years in prison for convicted murderers and restricts the power of pardon by the family of perpetrators of such crimes. 
The #TimeForRealHonour event opened with the National Anthem of Pakistan and the recitation of Holy Quran followed by an introductory note by Barrister Maleeka Ali Bukhari (Parliamentary Secretary for Law and Justice) and addresses by European Union Ambassador to Pakistan H. E. Mrs Androulla Kaminara and Barrister Dr. Muhammad Farogh Naseem (Federal Minister for Law and Justice).
The event then moved to a screening of two short films commissioned for the occasion, directed by two-time Academy Award Winning Director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, highlighting the existing legislative framework against honour based killings. The event concluded with a panel discussion moderated by Barrister Maleeka Ali Bukhari featuring Foreign Minister and Vice President PTI Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Additional Inspector General of Police, Punjab Mr. Inam Ghani, Advocate and Executive Director of Asma Jahangir Legal Aid Cell Ms. Nida Aly, Lawyer and Founder of Digital Rights Foundation Ms. Nighat Dad, and Ms. Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, where they discussed anti-honour killing laws in Pakistan and the administration’s efforts in further implementing and reforming these laws. The event concluded with a closing speech by the honourable President of Pakistan, His Excellency Dr. Arif Alvi.
In attendance were representatives and stakeholders from a diversity of fields, including Ambassadors, High Commissioners, Head of Missions of the European Union member states, parliamentarians and influential celebrities from the entertainment industry.
Speaking about the event, The Federal Minister for Law and Justice, Barrister Dr. Muhammad Farogh Naseem has said, “Our top priority is to empowering women of this country and eliminate all forms of exploitative practices against them.”
“By empowering women, we can take this country to the next level which will truly ameliorate the social, political and economic, fabric of the society.” said Parliamentary Secretary for Law and Justice, Barrister Maleeka Ali Bukhari.
Ambassador-Designate of the European Union to Pakistan, H. E. Mrs Androulla Kaminara said, “Violence against women and girls is unfortunately one of the most widespread and devastating human rights violations globally. Gender-based violence is both a cause and a consequence of gender inequality. The European Union is actively supporting the effort of the government of Pakistan in addressing this problem. Gender equality needs to be promoted inter alia through addressing the root causes of the inequality, negative stereotypes, appropriate legislation and by promoting awareness of the damaging effects of this not just on women but on the whole society.”
In an effort to engage with a wider and more diverse community about the Pakistan Government’s efforts to ensure that honour killing is eradicated from Pakistan, the first film, a Public Service Message [PSA], focused on highlighting the issue of honour killing: A story of a neighborhood in a town, where the father of a young adolescent girl believes that his daughter has brought dishonour to their family by going to college without his permission. He is stopped by the people of his neighborhood, telling him the consequences of his actions and how he would be the one bringing shame and dishonour to their neighborhood.
The second film, titled Aagahi, highlighted the legislative laws for honour killing as per the constitution of Pakistan: The animated short shows a step by step guide regarding the laws and the resources available for the victims and their families.
The Federal Ministry of Law and Justice and The European Union Delegation to Pakistan, as part of #TimeForRealHonour, is further collaborating with SOC Films for their Mobile Cinema Project where SOC Films will be taking Aagahi and the PSA to showcase in different cities, towns and villages across Pakistan, with an aim to educate not just the families and individuals, but also the law enforcement agencies, about the legal rights and legal procedures, and to initiate conversations around honour killing. 
“It is important to disseminate into the heartland of the country films that educate and empower women about their rights- SOC Films is proud to partner with Ministry of law and justice and the European Union to bring these films on our mobile cinema across Pakistan.” said Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.
About the European Union:
The EU is represented in Pakistan by the Islamabad-based Delegation of the European Union, which works in close coordination with the Embassies and Consulates of the 28 EU Member States. Established in Pakistan in 1985 with the objective of fostering closer and stronger ties, the EU and Pakistan cooperation has rapidly expanded, culminating in June 2019 with the signature of the Strategic Engagement Plan, a political declaration between our two parties, a forward looking framework that facilitates enhanced and wide-ranging cooperation in political, trade, security and development cooperation. The European Union is one of Pakistan’s main trading partners as well as a major development cooperation partner, accounting for the largest share of Pakistan’s global exports. EU-Pakistan relations also cover enhanced cooperation on a broad range of issues, including education (Erasmus+), entrepreneurship, innovation, culture, human rights, humanitarian assistance, energy cooperation, security, defense, climate change and migration.
About the Ministry of Law and Justice:
Ministry of Law and Justice is an advisory service organization providing services to all the Offices of Federal and Provincial Governments on legal judicial and constitutional matters.
About Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy:
Sharmeen is a two-time Academy Award-winner and three-time Emmy Award-winner. She is known for her work in films that highlight the inequality of women. She is the only female director to have won two Academy Awards by the age of 37, and the first Pakistani to win an Academy Award. Since 2001, she has made over two dozen multi award films in over 16 countries around the world. In 2013, the Canadian government awarded her a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for her work in the field of documentary films and the World Economic Forum honoured her with a Crystal Award at their annual summit in Davos. In 2017 the International Center for Journalists awarded her the Knight International Journalism Award for her work that led to legislative change. In 2012, Time Magazine included Sharmeen in their annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. That same year the Pakistan Government awarded her with highest civil honour “Hilal-e-Imtiaz”. In 2017, Sharmeen was the first artist to co-chair the “World Economic Forum” at Davos. Sharmeen holds a Bachelor’s degree from Smith College and two masters’ degrees from Stanford University. In 2018, Smith College awarded her an honourary degree in Fine Arts.
Special Thanks to Lotus PR
