Women’s Action Forum demands ‘public apology’ from CJP after skirt comment

The Women’s Action Forum on Tuesday in an open letter asked Chief Justice Saqib Nisar to ‘issue a public apology to the women of Pakistan’ after he gave a speech having a quote, slammed as being sexist, by Winston Churchill.

“The WAF Karachi, through this letter, calls on you to issue a public apology to the women of Pakistan; recognise the rampant sexism and under-representation of women in the legal profession and judiciary; and take immediate steps to provide a harassment-free environment for women in the profession and those who engage with it,” the statement read.

The chief justice while giving the speech told the attendees: “Don’t think I’ve written a long speech. I was always told, ‘a speech should be like a woman’s skirt. It should not be too long that one loses one’s interest. Neither it should be too short that it doesn’t cover the subject’. So I will be adhering to that principle."

“On January 13, 2018, during your speech at a judicial conference in Karachi, you quoted Winston Churchill, comparing a good speech to the length of a woman’s skirt. Reliance on this quote reveals deep-rooted sexism and double standards women are held to which discourage women from joining the legal profession due to this hostile mindset towards them” the statement read.

Speaking to Geo.tv, Uzma Noorani one founder members of WAF said the chief justice "should realize the difficulties faced by women in a male-dominated profession. By making such a statement he is putting down women and that makes me sad." 

The WAF statement emphasised that “it is disheartening and disappointing for women to hear such sexist remarks from highest-ranking judicial official of the country”.

“It goes without saying that all forms of harassment and sexual harassment are pervasive within the legal profession. Anonymous stories of ‘casual’ remarks women are subjected to are shared as a matter of routine. Lawyers who are women are often told to keep away from litigation as courts are not women-friendly spaces. Many women in the legal profession end up settling for corporate law due to the rampant sexism. The discomfort experienced by women litigators in these spaces is due to an intimidating atmosphere created by such ‘causal’ statements that continue to poison the work atmosphere. This atmosphere is also unwelcoming for women litigants who hesitate to take complaints to courts due to the misogynist attitudes towards them. The judiciary remains an unaccountable institution within which incidents of harassment and other misconduct are rarely reported,” the statement further read.

The forum likened the quoted to objectification of women, and said such incidents are part of a wider culture of discrimination against women.

“WAF Karachi wishes to emphasise that women’s bodies and attire are not a source of gratification for others - especially members of the opposite sex – and statements that dehumanize and objectify women are not only derogatory and demeaning towards women but also contribute to the victim-blaming culture, which is the biggest impediment in fighting crimes committed against women in our society where women end up being blamed for them because of how they are attired...It is about time women are recognized for their minds and professional ability rather than demeaned and scrutinised over their appearance and manner of dressing - in court and outside.”

The statement read that the higher judiciary and especially the Chief Justice of Pakistan should “set that tone through your choice of words and concrete actions.”

WAF went on to quote Article 25 of the Constitution of Pakistan that ensures non-discriminatory spaces and equal rights for women. It endorsed the statement released by the Women Lawyers’ Association, which read that the CJP’s reference using women’s bodies to illustrate a point is a setback for women professionals in the field, further causing them to face alienation and marginalisation in a male-dominated field.

“WAF Karachi regrets to say that women in society at large are also losing faith in the ability of the judiciary to carry out its functions in an independent and impartial manner due to the prevalence of such regressive attitudes and sexist mindset. There is a legitimate reason to fear a lack of impartiality towards them by you and others within the institution,” the statement read.