WRITTEN QUESTION E-0419/04 by Anna Karamanou (PSE) to the Commission. Bride burning in Pakistan.
Date: 2004-02-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, cooperation policy, crime against individuals, domestic violence, human rights, position of women, the EU's international role

C 88 E/184

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.4.2004

This issue is especially important, as next year is the 25th anniversary of the Bird and Habitat Directives
which many individuals, organisations, agencies and governments have fought
to introduce and
implement.

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(12 March 2004)

Malta will be required to implement and enforce the Wild Birds Directive as from its accession on 1 May
2004, with the exception of the transition period granted for the trapping of seven species of finches until
31 December 2008 to allow Malta to establish a full captive breeding system. If Community legislation is
not implemented and enforced from the first day of membership, the Commission will take the necessary
action to achieve Malta’s compliance with existing Community legislation and procedures.

In the meantime, the Commission has already specifically drawn the attention of the Maltese authorities to
the problem of weak enforcement of the existing legislation on the protection of birds. While the Maltese
Ornis Committee (Committee in charge of bird protection) has taken steps such as the establishment of a
warden system, to better enforce the legislation, the Commission has pointed out that priority should be
given to produce a comprehensive strategy for the enforcement of legislation. The Commission continues
to monitor and report on the progress made by Malta in working towards compliance with obligations
stemming from the Birds Directive, and has published a strategy for monitoring the process leading up to
the first day of membership.

(2004/C 88 E/0191)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0419/04

by Anna Karamanou (PSE) to the Commission

(17 February 2004)

Subject: Bride burning in Pakistan

Fresh reports have emerged about the continuation of the hideous practice of bride burning in Pakistan,
India and Bangladesh. This is a form of violence within the family in which women are burned by their
own husbands or parents-in-law for reasons ranging from financial disagreements to the drunkenness of
the husband. The perpetrators of
them alight;
alternatively, they simply throw acid at them. The official explanation is that the woman suffered an
accident while cooking. In any case, the victim usually dies as a result, either directly or subsequently due
to inadequate treatment. Because women are intimidated, charges are only brought rarely.

this crime pour kerosene over the women and set

What action does the Commission intend to take to persuade the governments of Pakistan, India and
Bangladesh to overcome their indifference and lack of political will so that they combat misogyny and
ensure that those guilty of bride burning are punished in an exemplary fashion?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(23 March 2004)

The Commission is aware of this practice in the three countries mentioned by the Honourable Member.

Burning attacks, and more specifically acid attacks, are one of the multiple forms of violence against
women in Pakistan. According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, 55 cases were registered in
2000, 63 in 2001 and 88 in 2002. The fact that these cases are increasingly reported by the media has
forced the authorities to acknowledge the existence of the problem. However, this may also have had the
unintended effect of spreading the idea of such practices.

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The matter is complex as honour killings are rooted in arcane traditions prevalent in some of the most
remote areas of Pakistan. There is also often confusion between Islamic injunctions and tribal traditions.
In Pakistan manslaughter offences fall into the private sphere which means that no action can be taken by
the State if the victim and/or his/her family does not file a case. This situation has favoured the practice of
pressuring or paying the victim or even the police not to file a case, leaving many offenders free and
distorting the normal process of justice.

Tackling the problem efficiently would require a revision of the Penal Code, appropriate training of the
police and a massive awareness campaign. Some positive steps have been noticed in the past six months
with a new open debate within the Government and the Parliament on domestic violence, honour killings
and the specific problem of acid attacks. The Provincial Assemblies have adopted resolutions on those
matters and President Musharraf himself took a stand on a specific case. But a lot more needs to be done
to arrive at a system where the victims are protected from undue pressure.

The EU has repeatedly addressed the problem of violence against women in various diplomatic démarches
to the Pakistani Ministry of Law, Justice and Human Rights. Moreover,
it is envisaged to specifically
mention the increasing number of acid attacks during a new EU diplomatic démarche which will take
place during the coming weeks.

In addition, the Delegation of the Commission in Pakistan launched, at the end of 2003, a first call for
proposals under the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights programme to fund micro-
projects addressing violence against women. As a result of this initiative, it is expected that 12 projects run
by local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) will be financed across the country to address various
forms of domestic violence. Possible activities include awareness campaigns, provision of legal and medical
assistance to victims, as well as the involvement and education of local authorities.

As in Pakistan, bride burning and acid throwing in Bangladesh is often related to dowry problems or
marriage refusal. The present Bangladesh National Party (BNP)
led Government has shown special
determination in combating this particularly vicious form of criminality, which according to the Acid
Survivors’ Foundation, doubled in 2002 to over 350 declared attacks. The Parliament endorsed a law in
March 2003 to combat the menace of acid attacks and now sanctions the most horrendous occurrences
with capital punishment.

The Commission has addressed the issue through the European Initiative for Democracy and Human
Rights by supporting victims of violence and promoting the empowerment of vulnerable women and
children. At the same time the Commission plans to increment its support to specific human rights
activities in 2005 and 2006, in the framework of the review of the National Indicative Programme for
Bangladesh. This may include support to a United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund
(Unicef) programme benefiting vulnerable youths and notably also potential victims of acid throwing. The
topic has also been raised in the framework of the Commission’s formal dialogue with the Government on
Human Rights and Governance issues.

In India, bride burning occurs if the bride or her family are unable to meet the ever-increasing dowry
demands made by the husband and his family. Bride burning should be seen in the larger context of
women’s subordinate position in Indian society.

Through its development programmes in the social sectors of health and education, the Commission aims
to contribute to the empowerment of women in India. The Commission has ongoing commitments of
nearly half a billion EUR for sector programmes in Reproductive Health, where women are the major
beneficiaries, and Elementary Education, with special emphasis on districts with low female literacy.

The Commission has also funded numerous civil society and NGO programmes in India that directly deal
with gender issues. One example is the establishment of a Training Institute for Women’s Empowerment
that was created in New Delhi with Community funds. This Institute has provided, among other things,
gender training for Indian police officers, which should help raise awareness on a wide range of issues,
including bride burning.

In all three countries the Commission, through its development cooperation, lays priority on improving
access to and enhancing the quality of basic education, which in the medium-term should lead to changes
in attitude.