🧾Progress, Challenges, and Outlook
Overview:
Pakistan’s human rights landscape has witnessed both milestones and serious setbacks between 2018 and 2025. While 2018 saw legislative progress—such as the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act—the year was otherwise marked by severe restrictions on freedoms, continued impunity, and rising violence against vulnerable populations. As of 2025, many of the same challenges persist, though with new complexities linked to climate change, digital surveillance, and demographic shifts.
🛑 Key Challenges (2018–2025):
Freedom of Expression:
In 2018, censorship and intimidation of journalists were widespread, worsened by media blackouts and cyber laws. By 2025, digital surveillance has intensified, with new regulations curbing online dissent and civic discourse.
Judicial Delays & Access to Justice:
Close to 1.9 million cases were pending in 2018, and judicial reforms remained elusive. In 2025, although e-courts and digital filing systems exist, access to justice remains unequal, especially for the poor, women, and minorities.
Vulnerable Groups:
Women: Despite legal reforms, gender-based violence, forced marriages, and wage inequality remain pervasive. Political representation has increased only slightly.
Children: Rising cases of abuse and child labour persist. Malnutrition and lack of access to quality education continue to plague millions.
Transgender Persons: The 2018 Act marked a legislative breakthrough, but enforcement and social acceptance remain weak.
Religious Minorities: Violence and discrimination continue, with the misuse of blasphemy laws still posing threats to safety and inclusion.
Labour and Informal Sector:
Despite new laws in Sindh for home-based workers in 2018, implementation is poor. In 2025, millions still work in exploitative conditions, with informal workers largely excluded from state protections.Health & Education:
Chronic underfunding and inequalities in access defined the situation in 2018. In 2025, climate-induced health crises and digital divides in education have added new layers of exclusion.Elderly & Persons with Disabilities (PWDs):
Pakistan’s ageing population—over 15 million in 2025—still lacks a national welfare strategy. PWDs continue to face systemic barriers, though public awareness and court activism have modestly improved visibility.Civil Society and INGOs:
2018 saw increasing restrictions on international NGOs. By 2025, the operating space for civil society remains limited, with strict regulatory scrutiny and reduced foreign funding.Climate & Environment:
Environmental degradation, displacement due to floods, and worsening air and water quality are escalating human rights concerns in 2025, particularly affecting low-income and rural communities.
🌱 Outlook & Way Forward:
While important legislative steps were taken between 2018 and 2025, Pakistan continues to struggle with implementation, impunity, and systemic inequality. Protecting fundamental rights now requires:
Stronger institutional accountability
Greater investment in legal and policy enforcement
Inclusive governance that centers women, minorities, and vulnerable communities
Protection of civic space and freedom of expression
Climate justice integrated into the human rights agenda
