At the Legal Aid Society (LAS), we are deeply committed to addressing the injustices faced by women and children. Our Gender and Child Security Portfolio focuses on combating sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), protecting children, empowering women economically, and securing their rights within marriage. We challenge deeply ingrained patriarchal norms and strive for gender equality, advancing Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 3 and 5.
Our work centers around three key areas:
Prevention and response to SGBV with a specific focus on sexual violence, domestic violence, and forced conversions through marriage.
Advancing women's rights to acquire, access, and control property while advocating for recognition of marital property rights. Simultaneously, providing basic literacy and vocational training to juveniles to reduce recidivism and foster rehabilitation.
Educates women about their rights under all personal laws, with a special focus on progressive and non-patriarchal interpretations of Muslim Family Laws.
Through strategic litigation in sexual abuse and rape cases, we collaborate closely with public prosecutors to ensure survivor-centered legal processes that deliver justice.
Impact: A 40% increase in successful SGBV prosecutions shows our litigation efforts are making a real difference.
Legal literacy helps women recognize and challenge SGBV, equipping them with knowledge of their rights and redressal mechanisms. This empowerment fosters stronger community networks that prevent and address SGBV.
Impact: A 25% increase in SGBV cases being reported and pursued in our target districts shows how empowerment leads to action.
Through our workshops on literacy, financial independence, and leadership, the Legal Aid Society (LAS) helps girls and women not only respond to violence but build economic resilience and take control of their futures.
Impact: Over 3,000 girls and women trained on critical life skills that they need to thrive
Through the Legal Aid Society’s (LAS) basic literacy program at Central Jail Karachi, we provide vital education to juvenile detainees, many of whom have never attended school or madrasa. By equipping them with essential literacy skills, we help break the cycle of disadvantage and offer a pathway to a better future.
Impact: Over 1900 juvenile detainees armed with skills aimed at reducing recidivism and empowering them for reintegration into society.
The Legal Aid Society (LAS) provides gender sensitization and legal training for law enforcement, judicial officers, and government institutions, ensuring a more compassionate and effective response to SGBV.
Impact: Over 2,000 criminal justice officials trained to improve their handling of SGBV cases, along with sensitizing 50+ Nikkah Khuwans.
The Legal Aid Society (LAS) plays a key role in legislative reforms addressing domestic violence, child marriage, dowry, and women’s property rights. Our efforts have contributed to key legislative reforms that strengthen protections for survivors of sexual violence across Pakistan.
Impact: We’ve supported the drafting of the Sindh Medico-Legal Act 2023 , the Anti-Rape Act 2021 , and draft laws to secure women’s rights to marital property.
Our evidence-based approach fuels all our programs and advocacy efforts. From child marriage to women’s property rights, our research informs real change and strengthens the legal protections available to women and children.
Impact: 12 research studies and 3 policy papers were published, leading to meaningful policy reforms.
As a key facilitator for the Government’s Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Coordination Committees, the Legal Aid Society (LAS) plays a vital role in technical working groups focused on SGBV data and Sexual Offences Investigation Units.
Impact: We developed the Sexual Violence Response Framework for Sindh and Islamabad and launched three Anti-Rape Crisis Cells in Islamabad, Karachi and Peshawar.
