What effect will Hudud have on gender relations?
Like race relations Hudud will also setback the struggle for gender equality in society. Many provisions in the Hudud discriminate against women. Women are not accepted as witnesses and women are also most likely to be prosecuted for slander if they are not able to prove rape. In cases of adultery, women on account of them being pregnant will immediately be charged for the offence while it will be impossible to charge the male partner because of the requirement of four male Muslim witnesses. Evidence for rape is ocular evidence of four adult male witnesses or confession of the accused. The victims own statement has no testimonial value. Even if medical examination is taken and a sexual act has been proved to have taken place, the accused can still be acquitted. The woman is then convicted of zina. The onus is upon the victim to prove that she was not a consenting party to her rape. Even minors can be convicted of zina, unlike what is provided in the existing penal code, where consent o
