In the Global South, particularly in Pakistan, the struggle for gender justice is deeply entangled with economic and political realities. Gender-based violence (GBV) is not an isolated phenomenon—it is a calculated mechanism used to uphold inequality. Real progress demands more than performative policies and surface-level reforms; it requires confronting the systems that profit from women’s oppression and investing in bold, feminist resistance.

As a matter of fact, Gender justice is the full realization of equality and fairness for all genders by dismantling the systemic barriers that perpetuate discrimination, oppression, and violence. It goes beyond the idea of basic gender equality — it’s about transforming the very structures of power, politics, and economics that uphold gender-based injustices.
In Pakistan, the struggle for gender justice is inseparable from the country’s economic and political landscape. Gender-based violence (GBV) is not just a personal or cultural issue—it is a systemic tool wielded to maintain inequality and reinforce patriarchal control. From the conflict-ridden regions of Balochistan, ex-FATA, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where women’s bodies are often weaponized as symbols of honor and shame, to urban centers where women in informal economies face harassment and exploitation, GBV operates as both a cause and consequence of structural injustice.

The state’s response has often been performative—passing laws that lack enforcement, forming commissions that rarely deliver justice, and adopting donor-driven gender programs that focus on optics rather than systemic change. Meanwhile, militarization and conflict economies—fueled by arms trade, forced displacement, and resource extraction—deepen gendered oppression, trapping women and gender minorities in cycles of violence and poverty.Economic exploitation is also deeply gendered. Women’s unpaid and underpaid labor props up Pakistan’s economy—whether in agriculture, garment factories, or home-based work. When they organize for fair wages or workplace protections, they face not only economic retaliation but also gendered violence from both employers and the state’s security apparatus.

Yet, the resistance is fierce. Movements like the Aurat March have boldly linked GBV to economic injustice, calling out capitalist patriarchy and demanding systemic reforms. Feminist collectives are advocating for gender-responsive economic policies, reparations for GBV survivors, and the recognition of unpaid labor.
Real progress hinges on dismantling these interconnected systems—militarized economies, patriarchal capitalism, and tokenistic reforms—and replacing them with radical, feminist alternatives that center justice, equality, and collective liberation.

If we see deeper down about the political economy of gender-based violence, it examines how economic systems, political power, and resource control intersect with gendered violence. It’s not just about individual acts of harm—it’s about how entrenched inequalities are maintained by economic and political structures. This systemic violence against women and gender minorities isn’t a mere social issue; it’s embedded in how power and resources are distributed.

In conflict zones, gendered violence becomes a weapon of control. State and non-state actors—including governments, militant groups, and corporations—use violence against women and gender minorities to reinforce existing power hierarchies. In Pakistan’s conflict-affected regions such as KP, Balochistan, and ex-FATA, militarized dominance often targets women’s bodies, symbolizing community “honor” while fueling fear and submission.
Patriarchal capitalism leans on women’s unpaid labor and informal sector exploitation. In South Asia, home-based workers and garment factory employees often face economic injustice, and when they resist, they encounter violence—not just from employers but also from the state and corporate security forces. This reveals the inextricable link between economic oppression and gendered violence—each reinforcing the other.
Conflict economies, driven by arms trade, resource extraction, and forced labor, perpetuate gendered oppression. Women and gender minorities are routinely excluded from economic recovery efforts in conflict zones, trapping them in cycles of poverty. For instance, the war on terror in Pakistan’s tribal regions forced thousands of women into displacement camps, stripping them of both economic agency and fundamental rights.

It is a matter of fact that, the illusion of post-conflict gender inclusion reemphasized on post-conflict policies often prioritize economic stabilization over structural gender justice. In post-war Afghanistan, for example, Western-backed initiatives superficially promoted women’s rights but failed to dismantle the patriarchal systems that oppressed them. Donor-driven policies frequently tokenize women’s inclusion—offering symbolic representation without redistributing economic or political power.

However, conflict and GBV can also ignite feminist mobilization and alternative economic models. Feminist resistance arises as marginalized groups demand their rights. Movements like Pakistan’s Aurat March and Global Feminist Strikes directly challenge economic exploitation and GBV by linking them to broader systems of structural oppression. Feminist cooperatives and community-led economies offer sustainable alternatives to exploitative capitalist frameworks.
Towards Intersectional Feminist Policy-Making we can easily understand that true gender justice lies in dismantling militarized economies, challenging neoliberal policies, and ensuring the redistribution of power and resources. Feminists are pushing for gender-sensitive policies in economic reconstruction, post-conflict governance, and lawmaking. The rise of feminist political economy calls for the redistribution of wealth, reparations for GBV survivors, and the recognition of unpaid labor as an essential economic contribution.

If we look into deeper in the dual nature of conflict, reinforcement and disruption of gender roles, violence and conflict simultaneously reinforce and disrupt gender roles. On one hand, they often entrench traditional norms—positioning men as protectors and women as victims. On the other hand, war and violence displace populations, forcing women into leadership roles in households and communities, thereby challenging male-dominated structures.
In times of crisis, feminist narratives gain momentum—exposing structural injustices and fostering movements for systemic change. These moments highlight the resilience of feminist activism and its vital role in reshaping societies into just and equitable spaces. The path to gender justice in the Global South, especially in Pakistan, demands a radical shift from performative inclusivity to a complete dismantling of patriarchal and capitalist strongholds. Only then can we break the cycle of violence and build a future rooted in equality, justice, and collective liberation.

Real gender justice in Pakistan cannot be achieved without dismantling the interconnected systems of patriarchal capitalism, militarized economies, and tokenistic reforms. It requires more than performative policies or surface-level inclusion — it demands bold feminist resistance that centers systemic change. The path forward lies in redistributing power and resources, investing in community-led alternatives, and amplifying the voices of women and gender minorities. True liberation means addressing the root causes of gender-based violence — economic exploitation, political oppression, and structural inequality — and building a future where justice is not a privilege, but a right.
The fight is not just against individual acts of violence, but against the very systems that allow them to persist. Feminist movements in Pakistan have already ignited this transformation — now, it’s time to push harder, demand more, and ensure that gender justice is not a distant dream, but an unstoppable reality.

About Samreen khan Ghauri: She is Advocate of Development Justice and Human/Women Rights Defender from heart of Indus Civilization, Hyderabad, Pakistan, can be reach at samreenkghauri@gmail.com