Session on Tax Justice by Kafka and Indus Consortium

Kafka Welfare Organization and Tax Justice Coalition jointly organized district public forum in Lahore. The purpose of the forum was to aware people on tax issues and present public charter of demand for elections 2018 to parliamentarians and politicians for its inclusion in party manifestos. MPA Dr. Nausheen Hamid from PTI, Barrister Amir from PPP, philanthropist and columnist Salman Abid and Ex MPA Samia Amjad participated in the forum as guest speakers. On this occasion, the participants said tax revenue should be, spend on welfare of people living under poverty line so that they can live a better life. Political representatives agreed to bring public charter of demand on their party’s platform for more discussion.

Speakers said the curb concentration of wealth, which is largely stemming from progressive taxation; Pakistan tax to GDP ratio 13.1% one of the lowest in the world with 91% of tax revenue collected through indirect (65%) advance and other presumptive (26%) taxes in Pakistan and this is due to the exemptions from income, sales tax and customs duties granted to the rich and powerful of the country.

This highly unjust tax system has shifted the tax burden from income earners to citizen violating the central tenet of an equitable taxation.

Further Barrister Amir said one of the key reason of poverty in Pakistan is the unequal distribution of wealth, which leads to inequalities. All politicians agreed to highlight tax justice issues for further discussion in their party’s general meetings.

  

Elimination of violence against women

It is a surprising moment and a point to ponder on for all of the worlds, which might have garnered many consumers by manufacturing the best designer outfits for women; many companies have objectified and symbolized women regarding sexual prominence. However, despite being in the 21st century, it is unfortunate to say that the world is still not a safe place for a woman. Despite there being laws such as the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (VAWA) in the United States and the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013, women are still abused,  assaulted and harassed psychologically,  physically and sexually, which have extremely traumatizing effects on the lives of the women.

According to the facts and figures, an estimated 35 percent of women worldwide experience physical and sexual violence at some point in their lives. However,  some national studies show that up to 70 percent of women experience physical and sexual violence by their family members or partners also known as domestic violence that also includes verbal abuse which can come in the form of bullying,  domestic abuse or abusive dialogue in general,  which is mainly devastating to young girls. The latter is more threatening as most of it goes unreported because the women are expected to keep quiet by their families or are silenced by their partners so to protect and preserve the family honour. Such kind of behaviour creates a muffling and suffocating environment for a woman already going through mental agony. Depression and anxiety are two of the most common and most prevalent traits among the women who face any form of violence in their lives. The psychological disorders have been more long-lasting effects.

Sexual harassment is a widespread form of violence and one that is often ignored and brushed aside often. Many young girls and women face sexual harassment on public spots, public transportations, workplaces, educational institutions, etc. Sexual harassment is often characterized by inappropriate touching in the fore-mentioned areas, but it also includes stalking, following, passing explicit remarks and gestures. Cyber-bullying or harassment is another form of violence, which has increased, with the high use of social media.  Many young girls are faced with threats from abusers who claim to have their data, sending them sexually explicit emails and messages.

In many parts of the world, early or child marriage is still a dominant issue, which has numerous consequences such as social isolation, and possible pregnancy and birth complications.  Also, first marriage limits the girl's activities, opportunities, educational learning and puts her at a greater risk of domestic violence. Amidst such issues and complications, laws do exist that if properly implemented can guarantee and assure the safety of a woman. The questions arise that why women do not report violence cases. Is it because they are afraid of their family or partner or the abuser?  Is it life threatening for them to expose the abuser?  Will it cause them disgrace in the society? For that purpose, we need to find the answers to these questions and eventually find relevant solutions to help control the issue.  We need to encourage and motivate the women to speak out against the different forms of violence. Instead of telling a woman to keep quiet and suppress her voice, we need to stop the abusers and assaulters who control a woman's very existence by suffocating her through emotional distress.

By Sarah Baloch

Pakistan 

Mental illness and crime

The relationship between mental illness and crime has long been a subject of debate; however the psychological disease is not the primary cause of criminal behavior but its general course of concern within the mental health profession, the public, correctional systems, and the criminal justice systems. As a result, this has led to an increase in research being focused on why mentally ill people commit crimes. In analyzing the role of psychological symptoms in defining violence among personages with mental illness, John M.W Bradford (2008) proposed that there is a significant possibility of reducing the levels of violence by improved assessment and management intervention. In a research of 261 male patients with affective disorders and 282 male patients with schizophrenia and, Wuermle, Modestin (2005) found that 42 percent out of 261 patients with affective disorder and 34 percent out of 282 patients with schizophrenia had a criminal record and more than half of a total of 543 patients had co-occurring drugs abuse. It suggests that there is a link between psychopathology, mental illness, and crime. The illness afflicts 15 to35 million adults, which is about 10 to 20 percent of the population. “Approximately 20 million children or 10pc of the population in our country need attention from mental health practitioners,” chairperson of the department of psychiatry at the Aga Khan University.(2016) Dr. Ayesha Mian said the dishonor against mental disorder is rampant in Pakistan. It is continued by popular belief in mystical cures, experimenting with herbal cures, exorcising evil spirits, and reciting verses from the Quran, and a lack of awareness about mental illnesses (mental disorder) causes, symptoms, and cures. It has been estimated that on an international, comprehensive scale, the level of undiagnosed and unaddressed mental health issues is continuously increasing. An estimated 120 million people globally suffer from depression, 50 million from Epilepsy, 37 million from Alzheimer, and 24 million from Schizophrenia. Around 50 million people are suffering from common mental disorders in Pakistan. The illness afflicts 15 to35 million adults, which is about 10 to 20 percent of the population.

Factors

There are multi-layered possible reasons for mental illness comprise as parents having depression, genetic inheritance, or emotional instability or a propensity for high neuroticism. In depression, parenting risk factors include imbalanced parental treatment, and there is an association with high cannabis use. In anxiety risk, factors may include

·       Family history (e.g. of anxiety)

·       Temperament and attitudes (e.g., pessimism)

·       Parenting factors including lack parental warmth,

·       Parental rejection, harsh discipline,

·       Anxious childrearing, and drug-abusing behavior and child abuse (emotional, physical and sexual).

·       Environmental events neighboring pregnancy and birth have also been concerned

·       Traumatic brain injury may set up the risk of emerging certain mental illnesses

However, crime victimization is frequent among persons with mental disorders who live in the community. Like other vulnerable populations (e.g., homeless persons, persons with developmental disabilities, and public housing residents), persons with severe mental illness are a particularly high-risk group. Symptoms associated with psychiatric disorders such as impaired reality testing, disorganized thought processes, impulsivity, and poor planning and problem-solving, can compromise one’s ability to perceive risks and protect oneself. Moreover, factors correlated with victimization substance abuse, schizophrenia, Alzheimers, epilepsy, conflicted social relationships, poverty, and homelessness is prevalent among persons with mental illness.

The Keys to Way Forward

The question now is what is the way forward? And the probable answer will be to re-evaluate, remodel and restructure the policy based on the guiding principles of WHO. Still, we will need an evidence base to start formulating policies regarding mental illness and crime. The Government of Pakistan through Pakistan Medical and Research Council should play an important role in the field of research, especially mental health research. So mental health research especially policy-based research should be promoted with fundings or incentives. Similarly the major postgraduate degree awarding institute, College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan, should also encourage students to get involved in prevalence studies and their involvement in such studies should be promoted and supported through their supervisors. Small-scale research projects carried out with a limited population may also be important to gather evidence for effective strategies to be implemented throughout the country. This may also need auditing the previous work done in the same area. All the stakeholders (consumer and family groups; general health and mental health workers; health care providers; government agencies; academic institutions; professional institutions; traditional health workers; and religious organizations) should be taken on board and a positive political attitude created to foster an atmosphere of understanding and trust which will help in the implementation of the plans and policy. Development of local capacities, participation process and alliance with various stakeholders will definitely hold a key to success. Liaison with other countries and various authorities/ international experts to share their experience in formulating cost-effective interventions may also be helpful in answering the unsolved questions. The areas of action also need to be carefully identified and a simultaneous development of such areas should be considered. However, all these actions are unsuccessful without a political will. The will may be created by highlighting the importance of mental health on every concerned forum specially the print and electronic media. This may in turn lead to a trustworthy environment helpful in the formulation and implementation of mental health policy. All the main sectors require taking on specific roles and responsibilities to make the policy a success All this should lead to the development of a mental health service that delivers integrated, comprehensive community based care by incorporating it into general health services and reducing crime rates. Thus, increased number of people with mental disorders will receive treatment in primary care. It can only happen with proficiency, persistence, and motivation as developing a policy usually takes a couple of years, but the implementation of the policy may take a decade or more. Working on these lines may lead to the real implementation of a mental health policy in Pakistan.

Conclusion

The fact is that there is an urgent need of official policy and legislation to address the mental illness issues and cases concretely to reduce the risks of crime prevailing due to offenders of mental disorder in the society. The studies show that mental disorder leads to committing severe crimes which scatter the fabric of the society to some extent as well as the economic burden has also been boosting such mental diseases. It also highlights the lack of awareness regarding mental illness and stigmatization attached to the patients which hinder in getting the proper treatment of them. Although, without immense attention and well-organized policy and keeping special quotas for mental disorders person in annual budget is impossible to cut down the growth rate of mental diseases as well as offenders of crimes owing to them. To deal with priority this plight situation of mental health and its systems in Pakistan to make a healthy and crime-free nation.

The writer has done his MSc in Criminology and Security Studies. Currently, he is serving as a government official.

Regards

Mian Majid Ali

 Email:Mianmajid582@gmail.com