Islamabad: More than 32,617 cases of gender-based violence (GBV) were reported across Pakistan in 2024, including hundreds of honour killings, rapes, and incidents of domestic abuse—figures that have triggered alarm among healthcare professionals, particularly gynecologists, who warn that violence against women is now spilling into hospitals and clinics, threatening maternal health and endangering female healthcare workers.
According to the Mapping Gender-Based Violence in Pakistan 2024 report, compiled by the Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO), a staggering 32,617 cases of GBV were recorded nationwide.
These included 5,339 cases of rape, 24,439 kidnappings or abductions, 2,238 instances of domestic violence, and 547 honour killings.
The data, collected from provincial police departments through Right to Information (RTI) requests, revealed that Punjab accounted for the majority of reported cases (26,753), followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (3,397), Sindh (1,781), and Balochistan (398).
In Balochistan, 185 kidnappings were reported—yet no convictions were recorded, highlighting severe gaps in the justice system.
Reacting to the disturbing findings, the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Pakistan (SOGP) expressed grave concern over what it called a “national emergency.”
The group particularly condemned the increasing incidents of violence against female doctors, nurses, and frontline healthcare workers.
“These numbers are not just statistics. Every case represents a woman whose life was upended or ended. And increasingly, these women include our colleagues—doctors targeted for their gender and profession,” said Dr. Rubina Suhail, President of the SOGP.
The SOGP warned that such violence has direct consequences for maternal and reproductive health outcomes. Attacks and harassment in medical settings, they said, create a climate of fear that discourages women from seeking healthcare and dissuades female professionals from serving in rural or underserved areas.
Between 2019 and 2023, the SSDO report also documented 5,398 cases of child sexual abuse, underscoring the broader vulnerability of women and children across Pakistan.
“The rise in honour killings, domestic abuse, and targeted violence against female doctors reflects a deeply entrenched culture of impunity,” said Dr. Nusrat Shah, Vice President of the SOGP. “We demand immediate action from the government, judiciary, and law enforcement agencies.”
The SOGP has called for stronger legal protection for survivors of GBV, provision of psychosocial support services, and the establishment of safe spaces, particularly for female healthcare workers operating in high-risk environments. They also demanded accountability from institutions that routinely fail to investigate or prosecute GBV cases.
“If we are serious about reducing maternal mortality and improving public health, we must first ensure that the women who care for others are protected themselves,” said Dr. Shabeen Naz Masood, Secretary General of the SOGP.
The organization pledged to continue raising its voice against GBV and supporting all women subjected to violence, stressing that silence is no longer an option in the face of such widespread abuse.
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