Rosita Armytage

Throughout Pakistan’s history, the issue of local government – and whether it is elected or bureaucratic – has been used by various regimes to advance their own agendas. The 18th Amendment of the Constitution passed by the National Assembly of Pakistan on April 8, 2010, requires…

The latest draft electoral rolls in Pakistan include 48 million Pakistani men and 38 million Pakistani women. Given the roughly equal gender division among the population, this is a clear discrepancy: approximately 10 million Pakistani women are unaccounted for in these figures, and consequently, are not entitled to vote in the upcoming General Elections.

“Revolution is in the air … and there are thousands of people demanding their universal human rights. …We are witnessing attempts to suppress the aspirations of the people and this lends an urgency to this year’s event,

A sea of grey, white, and brown-robed men looked up – inquisitive but wary – from their examination papers and wooden desks as I stepped into the classroom. With all eyes already on me, I raised my hand to my heart and called out the appropriate greeting: “As sala’amu alaikum.” With barely a beat, the entire room erupted into broad smiles and a cho… Read more

“No American president has ever gone out of his way to reach out to the Muslim world in the way that President Obama has. We applaud that. But our applause is discreet rather than rapturous for these are as yet mere words.” – From ‘Rhetoric and Reality’, The News (Pakistan), June 5, 2009. The substance of President Obama’s speech was not new – but… Read more

Some may be surprised to discover that Pacific Island nations are leading the way in the international movement to recruit more female police officers in hopes of redressing  violence against women, improving women’s access to justice, and enhancing general safety and security for the entire population. According to the U.S. Federal Bureau of Inves… Read more