EHD has established legal aid centers in three districts in South Punjab keeping in view the vulnerable situation of rural communities especially women, disabled, and minorities in Multan, Khanewal, and Bahawalpur.

Rural areas of South Punjab are economically and socially underdeveloped.  The literacy rate in the region is 10-20% below the provincial average and the rate of basic education of girls and women is alarmingly low.

The women of South Punjab face chronic gender-based violence and endemic gender discrimination.  Practices such as Vani (girls given to settle family disputes), Karo Kari (honor killing), Wata Satta (exchange marriage) and acid attacks are common.  Young girls are often the price for settlement of long-standing family disputes, the young girls are often kept as unpaid servants for the oldest person of the receiving family/tribe.   Young girls have even been killed as the price paid when the person who had committed the crime seeks to escape the law, saying that murder had been committed in a rage to save the honor of the family because they have found the couple in a compromising position.) Wata Satta (exchange marriage) and women trafficking are the most prevalent cases, against women.

Key Issues

• The social and cultural norms and treatment of women are one of the major hindrances to development since young girls are kept engaged with household work or tending to their younger siblings and prevented from gaining their education.
• Free legal bonded labor in the brick kiln industry is provided due to the vulnerable situation of workers in the brick kiln industry.
• The situation of women and girls is further complicated by the large-scale illiteracy, restricted mobility, and cultural orthodoxy. Women and girls are unable to access any activities which might create confidence or give them a sense of possibility in life.  It is rare that they are able to seek redress for even the most basic legal rights.
• Distance and hindrance from education due to poverty and social mobility, women of the South Punjab are unaware of their legal rights and supportive legislations.
•  Lack of education, un awareness about institutions, wrong myths, corrupt institutions and social barriers for women are the reasons that if there is any illegality in one’s life even then nobody knows where to go and who to contact for the awareness and support,

Keeping in view the gender biasness and socially unprotected norms for women and children there is need for mass mobilization about laws in favor of women so that to be aware of legal rights and also about the concerned institutions and tiers of courts for filing the cases.