EuropaWorld 9/3/2001 Asma Jahangir and Hina Jilani

Born to a politically active family in 1950s Pakistan, sisters Asma Jahangir and Hina Jilani, grew up in a world familiar with conflict, struggle and the fight for justice. Their father was himself imprisoned on several occasions for his outspoken views, which included denouncing the Pakistani government for genocide during their military action in what is now Bangladesh. Their mother - educated at a co-ed college at a time when few Muslim women even received higher education - also fought the traditional system, pioneering her own clothes business when the family's lands were confiscated in 1967 as a result of her husband's opinions and detention.

Given this background, it is perhaps not surprising that the two sisters also embarked on a career for justice and social change. For the past two decades, they have been at the forefront of the movements for women's rights, human rights and peace in Pakistan.

The sisters differed in their academic achievement in school. Whilst Hina graduated top of her class, Asma, the younger by one year, was not an outstanding student. She was remembered instead for her strong political convictions, her sense of justice, and her courage. In 1969, she led a student protest against Pakistan's military dictator Ayub Khan, risking gunfire to climb the gate of the Governor's House to hoist a symbolic black flag. The following year, she risked further harassment petitioning for her fathers' release, challenging the country's martial law in the courts. In an unprecedented judgement, Pakistan's courts declared military rule unconstitutional - a landmark case in the subcontinent.

It was the first of many successes that Asma was to experience in the law courts. Having gained a degree through private study, she later qualified as a lawyer in 1978. Together with Hina, who had qualified in law four years earlier, the two sisters established the first all-women's law firm in Pakistan in 1981. They were also founders of the Women's Action Forum, a pressure group campaigning against Pakistan's discriminatory legislation, most notably against the Evidence Law, where the value of a woman's testimony was reduced to half that of a male testimony, and the Hadood Ordinances, where victims of rape had to prove their innocence or else face punishment themselves. Both sisters were arrested for their part in protests against these laws, though detained for only short periods.

As their reputations both as lawyers and human rights activists grew, Hina and Asma were made Advocates of the High Court in 1981 and 1982 respectively. They continued to campaign on behalf of the most vulnerable members of society, successfully fighting cases for victims of domestic, fundamentalist and feudalistic violence, and the victims of so-called 'honour killings' - where women who have left their husbands are killed by their own families for bringing dishonour on them. Asma Janangir also undertook a mission to improve the rights of bonded labourers in Pakistan, succeeding in getting legislation passed to abolish certain kinds of bonded labour.

In 1986 Asma and Hina set up AGHS Legal Aid, the first free legal aid centre in Pakistan. In the same year, they were amongst the founding members of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Asma serving first as Secretary-General and later as Chair. Both sisters became Advocates of the Pakistan Supreme Court in 1992, where they have continued an outspoken advocacy for human rights improvements in the country.

Although for many women in Pakistan Asma and Hina represent symbols of freedom, their opponents view the sisters as symbols of the destruction of family values. As a result, they have been arrested, received death threats, and faced hostile propaganda, intimidation, public abuse and murder attempts on themselves and their family. Undaunted, their work continues.

In 1998 the United Nations Commission on Human Rights appointed Asma Jahangir as a Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Arbitrary and Summary Executions. She has visited Kosovo, East Timor, Mexico and Nepal in this capacity.

Hina Jilani is currently Secretary-General of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. In addition, she was appointed Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on the situation of Human Rights Defenders last year.

Both sisters have received both honourary doctorates and human rights awards in recognition of their work. Crowning their achievements, however, the two sisters were also amongst those awarded the Millenium Peace Prize on March 8th - International Women's Day - the first award of its kind to recognise women who have made outstanding contributions to building peace. More information about the Millenium Peace Prize is included under this week's 'Did you know about…?' feature.