Accountability for Rape - A Case Study of Lodhran
This project was a collaborative effort of the Centre for Human Rights and the American Bar Association – Rule of Law Initiative. The case study investigates the procedural and structural challenges that are faced by complainants & victims of rape in finding justice at the trial court level in Pakistan. The report involved analyzing 63 trial court files from District Lodhran, specifically cases that are ‘contested acquittals’ i.e. cases that went from filing to trial. The analysis explored factors from the occurrence of the incident to the announcement of judgment which cumulatively contributed to extremely high acquittal rates in rape cases for the district by complainants & victims of rape in finding justice at the trial court level in Pakistan.
Research Assistants
Amad Tahir, Arsham Maqbool Bari, Deeya Farrukh, Mahrukh Shahid, Rabia Yasmin Bokhari, and Muhammad Sajjad Qureshi
Principal Researchers
Sevim Saadat & Fatima Yasmin Bokhari
This project was a collaborative effort of the Centre for Human Rights and the American Bar Association – Rule of Law Initiative. The case study investigates the procedural and structural challenges that are faced by complainants & victims of rape in finding justice at the trial court level in Pakistan. The report involved analyzing 63 trial court files from District Lodhran, specifically cases that are ‘contested acquittals’ i.e. cases that went from filing to trial. The analysis explored factors from the occurrence of the incident to the announcement of judgment which cumulatively contributed to extremely high acquittal rates in rape cases for the district by complainants & victims of rape in finding justice at the trial court level in Pakistan.
Research Assistants
Amad Tahir, Arsham Maqbool Bari, Deeya Farrukh, Mahrukh Shahid, Rabia Yasmin Bokhari, and Muhammad Sajjad Qureshi
Principal Researchers
Sevim Saadat & Fatima Yasmin Bokhari
Local Action, Global Impact
We work across Pakistan, driving legal reform, advocacy, and policy change to protect human rights and empower communities.