After observing that domestic violence against women, especially girls, is increasing at an alarming rate in the country due to the lockdown, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODP) Pakistan has recommended the government to immediately revise the national action devised to fight against the coronavirus and integrate and declare gender-based violence services as an essential part of response strategies.

"Irrespective of COVID-19 context, incidents of domestic violence have been occurring across Pakistan at an alarming rate. While we do not yet have official data of this nature related to the lockdown in Pakistan, existing data on gender-based violence paints a grim picture," reads a 20-page brief compiled by the UNODC Pakistan. The document titled "Gender and Pandemic: URGENT CALL FOR ACTION" is available with Business Recorder.

It says that mental health professionals providing online therapy sessions in Pakistan also reported that they have seen a rise in the cases of domestic abuse in the wake of COVID-19 lockdown in Pakistan. "Domestic abuse has already been a haunting problem in Pakistan; more cases are surfacing in this time of anxiety and depression for all. A pandemic deepens economic and social stress coupled with restricted movement and social isolation measures, increasing gender-based violence exponentially," it reads.

Evidence suggests that financial, domestic and health pressures during the lockdown increase domestic abuse and other forms of gender-based violence. Pakistan is no exception where incidents of domestic violence have been occurring at an alarming rate. In a developing country like Pakistan with already very low indicators of socio- economic development, an epidemic is likely to further compound pre-existing gender inequalities.