A Pakistani women's welfare organisation has decided to hold "open courts" across Punjab province to hear grievances of women being victimised by their husbands, parents or other people.
The organisation headed by Mukhtar Mai, who was an anonymous Pakistani villager till she was gang-raped on the orders of a tribal council in February 2002, will assist victimised women with financial and legal aid.
The first such open court will be held on Saturday in Muzaffargarh, the organisation's secretary Naseem Akhtar said.
The Mukhtar Mai Welfare Orgainsation has received many complaints from women being victimised by men who were denying women access to justice, Akhtar said.
The organisation has invited NGOs, lawyers and civil society activists to attend the open court and share the problems of women.
Akhtar said the organisation had planned to hold open courts last year but the idea could not be materialised due to various reasons, including Mukhtar Mai's engagements abroad.
Now, the organisation's has completed its homework and is ready to help women on a larger scale, she said.
Mai was gang-raped on the orders of a tribal council following allegations that her 12-year-old brother Shakoor was seen in the company of a woman from an influential tribe.
She launched a legal battle against her alleged rapists and her struggle for rights became a movement for other deprived women as well.
