WOMEN'S DEVELOPMENT MINISTER TELLS AMBASSADOR:

C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 003399 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/05/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL KWMN PK SUBJECT: WOMEN'S DEVELOPMENT MINISTER TELLS AMBASSADOR: NEED TO HELP WOMEN WITHOUT BECOMING TOO LIBERAL Classified By: Anne W. Patterson, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d) ¶1. (C) Summary: In a cordial, hour-long meeting on July 18, Women's Development Minister Sumaira Malik talked to the Ambassador about the after-effects of the Red Mosque operation, internal politics, new draft women's legislation, and her ideas for U.S. assistance programs to assist Pakistan's women. End Summary. -------------- -------------- After the Red Mosque: Parents Will Think Twice Before Sending Their Children to Religious Schools -------------- -------------- ¶2. (C) Malik staunchly defended the government operation against the militants at the Red Mosque earlier this month. Most parents had told her they sent their children to madrassas (religious schools) to learn how to read the Koran, not to be exposed to guns and oppose the government. The government is benefitting from this wake-up call and should use it as an opportunity to encourage parents to pull their children out of militant madrassas, she said. -------------- Women's Legislation: "Too Much Liberalism Will Ruin The President's Agenda" -------------- ¶3. (C) Malik said that one of her primary goals is to lessen the influence of maulvis (religious leaders) and bring education to Pakistan's population. Liberal political parties, like the Pakistan People's Party, are not in touch with "ground realities." Left on their own, their liberal political agenda is too extreme for the average Pakistani voter, who tend to conflate modernization with westernization and reject both. The government's approach with the Women's Protection Bill was successful because it took a middle path, she said. ¶4. (C) Next on the legislative agenda is inheritance law. If passed, the new law would make inheritance transfers to women automatic after the death of their husbands, which would encourage women to claim what they are entitled to, Malik said. -------------- Help Us With Women's Centers, Police Stations To Mitigate Violence Against Women -------------- ¶5. (C) Malik said that the rate of domestic violence in Pakistan is high, but when women are able to contribute financially to the household, these dynamics change. One of the things her ministry is trying to develop in each district are women's centers that provide basic support and skills training. Skills training and possibly counseling could go a long way toward addressing violence against women. Legislation criminalizing domestic violence is necessary, but the government would "need to be careful" in how they crafted it. Another priority for helping women who are victims of violence is the developmemt of women's police centers. (Note: USAID has been working with the Ministry for the last two years and is planning to provide technical support to the Ministry of Interior's Gender Crimes Cell. End Note.) PATTERSON