Hina Jilani (Urdu: حنا جیلانی؛ born 19 December 1953) is a lawyer at the Supreme Court of Pakistan and a human rights advocate from Lahore, Punjab.[1] She co-founded Pakistan's first all-women law firm, its first legal aid centre, and the Women's Action Forum.

Early life and education

Jilani was born and raised in Lahore Pakistan. After law graduation, she started practising law in 1979, while joining the law chamber of barrister Ijaz Hussain Batalvi, while Pakistan was under martial law.

Career

In February 1980, with her sister Asma Jahangir, Jilani co-founded Pakistan's first all-female legal aid practice, AGHS Legal Aid Cell (ALAC) in Lahore. Initially, its activities were confined to providing legal aid to women, but these activities gradually increased to include legal education, protection from exploitation, legal research, and counselling. She is also one of the founders of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan as well as the Women's Action Forum (WAF), an advocacy group established in 1980, to campaign against discriminatory legislation. Jilani also founded Pakistan's first legal aid centre in 1986.[2] In addition to providing pro bono legal aid, she helped set up a women's shelter called Dastak in 1991.[3] In addition to managing the shelter, Dastak organises workshops to raise awareness for human rights and the protection of women.[4]

Jilani is also affiliated with the United Nations Human Rights Council, the Carter Center, and the UN Conference on Women.[5] In 2019, the UK Foreign Office appointed her to a panel of experts to develop legal frameworks to protect freedom of the press across the globe.[6]

Roles at the United Nations

From 2000 to 2008, Jilani was the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Human Rights Defenders.[7] During that period, she was also appointed to the International Commission of Inquiry on Darfur in 2006.

In 2009, Jilani was appointed to the United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict.[8]

In 2017, Jilani co-chaired (alongside Tarja Halonen) the World Health Organization/Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights High-Level Working Group on the Health and Human Rights of Women, Children, and Adolescents.[9]

Threats

As a result of their women's activism, Jilani and her sister Asma Jahangir have been arrested, received death threats, and faced intimidation and public abuse. Murder attempts have been made on them as well as members of their family.[10] In 1999, after working on the case of Samia Sarwar, Jilani and Jahangir were again subject to death threats. Sarwar's mother came with a gunman to her office on the pretext of seeking reconciliation with her daughter. The gunman shot Sarwar dead and fired at Jilani, who managed to escape.[11][12] On another occasion, gunmen entered her house and threatened members of her family. Jilani herself was away from home; the threats put pressure on her to migrate, but she continues to live and work in Lahore.[13][14]

Recognition

Articles

See also

References

  1. ^ Women's Year Book of Pakistan. Ladies Forum Publications. 1989. Retrieved 6 February 2025.
  2. ^ "Interview with Hina Jilani". Asia Society. 25 July 2017. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
  3. ^ "Documentary: Against my will". Archived from the original on 27 April 2010. Retrieved 19 March 2010.
  4. ^ "Dastak holds workshop on care, treatment of women in distress". Daily Times. 2009-06-19. Archived 2011-06-06 at the Wayback Machine.
  5. ^ "Who's Who: Hina Jilani". SAWNET. Archived 2010-06-20 at the Wayback Machine.
  6. ^ Sonwalkar, Prasun (2019-07-16). "Indian lawyer Karuna Nundy on UK panel for new media framework". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 2020-02-05.
  7. ^ "Meet the featured human rights defenders – Hina Jilani" Archived 20 November 2023 at the Wayback Machine, Carter Center, February 2009.
  8. ^ "War crimes in Gaza". ABC listen. 2009-09-16. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
  9. ^ World Health Organization (2017). Leading the realization of human rights to health and through health: report of the High-Level working group on the health and human rights of women, children and adolescents. Geneva: World Health Organization. ISBN 978-92-4-151245-9.
  10. ^ "Asma Jahangir and Hina Jilani". EuropaWorld. 2001-03-09. Archived 2009-10-25 at the Wayback Machine.
  11. ^ Kazmi, Laila (2008). "Women of Pakistan - Asma Jahangir". Jazbah Magazine. Archived 2010-03-29 at the Wayback Machine.
  12. ^ "Hina Jilani". ABC listen. 2008-04-07. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
  13. ^ "Hina Jilani – Pakistan". World People's Blog. 2006-08-17. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 2019-12-04.
  14. ^ "Hina Jilani visits EHRAC". London Metropolitan University. Archived 2011-06-09 at the Wayback Machine.
  15. ^ "The Ginetta Sagan Award". Amnesty International USA. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
  16. ^ "The Lawyer Awards 2010". The Lawyer Group. Archived 2010-01-30 at the Wayback Machine.
  17. ^ "Law Society nominee wins award for human rights work". The Law Society International Division. 2008-06-27. Archived 2011-01-22 at the Wayback Machine.
  18. ^ "Honorary Degrees 2015-16". Trinity College Dublin. Retrieved 2020-01-07.