Pakistan’s newly elected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is facing calls from Human Rights Watch to prioritize human rights in his government ¹. The country is currently dealing with one of its worst economic crises in history, which has significant implications for citizens’ rights to health, food, social security, and an adequate standard of living.
Some key areas that need attention include:
Economic Justice: addressing poverty, inflation, and unemployment
Electoral Reforms: ensuring free and fair elections
Digital Rights: protecting online freedom of expression and privacy
Freedom of Expression and Civil Society: promoting media freedom and protecting activists
Freedom of Religion and Belief: safeguarding minority rights
Prison Reform: improving prison conditions and reducing overcrowding
Ending Violence Against Women and Girls: addressing domestic violence, forced marriage, and other forms of abuse
Improving Access to Education: increasing access to quality education
Protecting Rights in Counterterrorism Operations: ensuring that counterterrorism efforts respect human rights
Additionally, Pakistan’s healthcare system is facing significant challenges, with over 50% of the population lacking access to basic primary healthcare services ². The government’s spending on healthcare is also relatively low, at just 0.84% of GDP ².
Overall, Pakistan’s new government has a critical role to play in addressing these pressing human rights issues and ensuring that its citizens’ rights are protected and promoted.
