From Exclusion to Inclusion: A Comparative Analysis of Pakistani Inheritance Laws and International Best Practices for Women's Empowerment

Abstract

Women are considered to be the most vulnerable organ of society and hence face many difficulties in their social, economic, and domestic lives. This article examines how women might gain empowerment through their inheritance rights. It also examines Pakistan's international commitments, best practices regarding women’s empowerment, and various national and international statutes in detail. This article concludes that various national and international legal frameworks, including Islamic laws, are available to protect women's inheritance rights in Pakistan. However, it is observed that the majority of Pakistani society does not adhere to these legal and Islamic regulations. Most of the women in our society financially depend on males and they feel fear of social breakup, pressure, and fighting with family due to lack of knowledge of their legal and Islamic right of inheritance. Deprivation of women from their inherited shares through freaky devices such as wills, gifts, or under the garb of custom, family honor, or regional culture as well as under coercion is rampant which is a clog in women’s empowerment. This research highlights the gaps in Pakistani inheritance laws compared to international best practices for women's empowerment, aiming to highlight pathways toward more equitable systems.