Geneva–Hyderabad – United Nations human rights experts are dismayed by the lack of protection for women and girls belonging to minorities in Pakistan: “Christian and Hindu girls remain particularly vulnerable to forced conversion, abduction, human trafficking, child, early and forced marriage, domestic servitude and sexual violence”, said the experts at the spring session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. 

Forced marriages and religious conversions of girls from religious minorities would be “are upheld by the courts, often citing religious laws to justify keeping victims with their abductors rather than allowing them to be returned to their parents. 

Perpetrators often evade accountability as police dismiss the crimes under the guise of ‘love marriages'” according to the experts.                         (dawn.com)

CiN protects and empowers Christian girls

Young women who are trained at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Hyderabad with the support of CiN can thus “safely” gain a foothold in Pakistan’s healthcare system. 

They learn what are appropriate and acceptable requirements. This prepares them for their future, be it in working situations in hospitals or clinics or during further training in general nursing in government hospitals.
Often immoral demands are placed on young women studying nursing in state institutions. 

This is common practice in government hospitals towards girls from religious minorities. Sadly, this is the price they pay if they want to successfully complete their studies.

St. Elizabeth Hospital – CiN helps young girls

Graduates of St. Elizabeth Hospital are successful, and know what appropriate ethical and professional behavior is.  This enables them to handle it correctly and effectively after graduation when they enter the healthcare world in Pakistan. 

This is an important aspect of their education for their future. This will enable them to deal with such, often sexual, assaults and threats. 

Father Robert, who runs the hospital in Hyderabad, writes to us: 

“A big thank you to CiN for supporting the St. Elizabeth School of Midwifery, which provides young Pakistani Christian students with both high-quality clinical training and the necessary professional development.” 

The students leave the two-year course, which focuses on midwifery and first aid training, with increased self-confidence and know how to hold their own in state-run Muslim hospitals. 

This enables them to take control of their own lives and help their poor families with their earnings.
A win-win situation!