Transgender rights
FOUR years after the epic and surprising (given our right-wing bent) multiparty approval of a Transgender Act, right-wing forces now say it is un-Islamic. Terming it anti-religion may be responsible in…
Islam & rights
RIGHT from the time of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), Islam has advocated for the protection of human rights. It says that every individual — male or female — possesses a…
A gateway to rights
As the 16th National Assembly starts its first parliamentary year, it is essential to carry out a deep dive into the recently concluded elections. One key angle is the registration…
Morocco law reform offers hope for women’s rights
Two decades after a landmark but limited revision of Morocco’s family law marked a breakthrough for women, activists hope new reforms will defy Islamist objections and provide greater equality. The…
Religious minorities’ woes
Amidst all the kerfuffle about general elections looming on the horizon, our attention has been diverted (inadvertently or deliberately?) from the continuing plight of religious minorities in our society. Consider.…
Human rights on the agenda
There are hundreds of political parties in Pakistan and dozens of them are active, but not many have human rights as a major agenda point on their manifestos. It should…
‘Minorities’ and their rights
Talking about minority rights is essentially an attempt to change the world for future generations; how societies treat their minorities often reflects their ideals for the future. We can mimic…
Religious tourism
For the first time in Canada’s national history, November is being celebrated as Hindu Heritage Month. The resolution, presented by Chandra Arya, a Hindu member of the Canadian parliament, to…
Transgender rights are human rights
Fiddling with the words of Virginia Woolf, I take the liberty to reiterate that the history of people’s resistance to trans people’s emancipation is more interesting than the story of…
Institutionalising minority rights
Pakistan has been facing severe criticism by the international community for many decades now due to the overall atmosphere of intolerance and systematic persecution meted out to its religious minorities.…
