Assignment: Principles of Sociology

Name: Muhammad Shoaib

Reg No: 1382-FSS/BSIR/S22

Department: International Relations

Class: Section “A”

Submitted To: Mr. Rooh Ullah

Topic
Gender Discrimination in The World and Pakistan
Introduction
Discriminative attitude against women has remained a worldwide issue and is still there to
varied degrees.
Gender equality is the view that both men and women should receive equal treatment and not
be discriminated against based on gender. They both have the right to enjoy an equal case of
life, equal opportunities, and equal resources. This means the participation of women in the
economic field and decision-making equally with men, without any discrimination regarding
sex.
Both men and women should have the freedom to choose their careers and have the liberty to
express their abilities and opinions. Both deserve equal rights and respect in the society.

Gender inequality in Pakistan in the modern age

In the modern world gender equality is the fifth goal to be achieved by 2030.
Unfortunately, Pakistan is not on the path to achieving the goal because Pakistan ranks 151 out
of 153 countries on global gender. In many countries, and all the regions of the world, laws,
policies, customs, and beliefs exist that deny women and girls their rights.
Similarly, in Pakistan female literacy rate is around 40 percent as compared to males which is 60
percent.
Many cases of honor killing have been reported against women who marry against their family
wishes or who have illicit relationships or who have been raped.
Crime against women is also a significant problem in Pakistan. Rape and sexual harassment are
the most important.
Domestic violence in the form of beating and mutilation and forced marriages are also
significant issues of gender discrimination. Job segregation is also the cause of gender
inequality where women are considered less equipped and less capable to handle certain jobs
than men.

Reasons behind gender inequality

➢ Financial dependence on the menfolk
➢ Illiteracy
➢ Mindset of liability
➢ Ignorance and poverty
➢ Biological weakness
➢ Injustice
Pakistan’s GDP can increase by up to 30 percent if women are more empowered and play their
role in the labor force.
The gender educational gap exists in rural and even urban areas.
There are multiple stereotypes and old traditions practiced in Pakistan society for a long period
because of which women are not considered equal to men.
Similarly, one important reason is the physical structure of men, it is considered that men are
physically strong than women. So physically strong they are superior to women.

Margaret Mead’s research

The anthropologist Margaret Mead carried out groundbreaking research on gender.
Mead studied three societies in New Guinea.
In the mountainous home of the Arapesh, Mead observed men and women with remarkably
similar attitudes and behavior. Both sexes, she reported, were cooperative and sensitive to
others—in short, what our culture would label “feminine.
Moving south, Mead then studied the Mundugumor, whose headhunting and cannibalism
stood in striking contrast to the gentle ways of the Arapesh. In this culture, both sexes were
typically selfish and aggressive, traits we define as “masculine.
Finally, traveling west to the Tchambuli, Mead discovered a culture that, like our own, defined
females and males differently.
Based on her observations, Mead concluded that culture is the key to gender differences,
because what one society defines as masculine another may see it as feminine.

George Murdock’s Research

In a broader review of research on more than 200 preindustrial societies, George Murdock
(1937) found some global agreement about which tasks are feminine and which are masculine.
Hunting and warfare, Murdock concluded, generally fall to men, and home-centered tasks such
as cooking and child care tend to be women’s work.
But beyond this general pattern, Murdock found much variety where women did the same
work associated with men as men did.
In sum, gender is too variable across cultures to be a simple expression of biology; what it
means to be female and male is mostly a creation of society.

Steps taken globally to ensure gender equality

The UN agency is dedicated to gender equality and focuses on women leading, participating in,
and benefiting from the government system.
The Association for Women’s Rights in Development is an international organization working to
achieve gender equality and human rights.
Amnesty International and the International Women Development Agency (IWDA) work on
improving the declaration of human rights and gender equality.

Steps Taken against gender discrimination in Pakistan

• Girls’ Right to education program (GREP)
• Women in Pakistan assemblies
• Women protection act 2006
• Protection against women harassment at Workplace Act, 2010
• National Commission on Status of Women Act, 2012
• Zainab Alert Bill 2020

The way forward

An equal world is a better world
Increase access to education
Safer public spaces
Enabling environment for women own business
Elimination of ignorance and the mindset that women are weaker than men
Reduce political empowerment of women exploitation

Conclusion
The unfair male domination behind the deprivation of female education, health, inheritance,
and respect denial should be broken through the active interest of the government through
reforms in these areas, social reforms, and the privileged women class so that they become a
part with men in the true spirit of Islam. The actual education of religious teachings can
compensate for the women deprivation of their rights.
Public spending, educational reforms, and the development of health infrastructure should be
given priority to benefit the female gender.
Respectable employment should be provided to women in society.
Government must take action against violence and crimes against women
If we strongly focus on the above-mentioned issue, then our future generation will be secure
from such type of discrimination.