Status of women in Pakistan; Women empowerment in Pakistan.

Introduction.

Thesis statement.

Women in Pakistan are considered lesser human being and deprived of

fundamental rights due to conservative mindset, illiteracy and non-rule of law.
Although various efforts have been made for women empowerment yet there is
a long way to go. By educating girls, training the society and upholding the law,
the status of women can be improved.

Outlines:-

1. Current status of women in Pakistan is lamentable.

2. Causes of predicament of women in Pakistan.

I. Male dominated culture let men to dominate the women.
II. Illiteracy of men plays general and of women plays particular role
in women backwardness.
III. Lack of access to justice and miscarriage of justice.
IV. Low representation of women in various departments.
V. Misinterpretation of religion to dominate women.
VI. Women are dependent upon male heads.
VII. Non-rule of law.
3. Effects:
I. Less earning hands means low GDP.
II. Less freedom and human rights violations.
III. Bad name for country.
IV.
4. Some workable Suggestions to empower women:-
I. Education can change the thinking of conservative male dominated
elements.
II. Literate women can voice for their rights.
III. Strict implementation of pro-women laws. (The Punjab protection
of women against violence act 2016)
IV. Overhauling of judicial system and speedy disposal of family cases.
V. Elimination of poverty can pave the way for empowerment.
 Place of women in society is considered an important tool to check

the civilization and development of any society. In today’s world the status of

women improved significantly and they are playing active role in every field of

life from household duties to working in office and factories. Unfortunately, the

status of women in Pakistan is not abysmal. Women are deprived of their

fundamental rights. For example, right of education, right to inheritance, and

right to make decision of their lives etc. At present, over all literacy rate in

Pakistan is 60 per cent and women literacy rate is 49% compared to men i.e.

78 %, according to Economic survey of Pakistan, 2019-20. Moreover, women

are subjected to various types of violence like acid throwing, honor killing,

domestic violence, rape etc. Evil customs like Watta Satta, Sawara, Vanni etc.

are rampant. Plight of women can be directly linked to illiteracy, male

dominated culture and non-rule of law. Pakistan is suffering a lot owing to

inhuman treatment with women, their non-inclusion in labour force caused

diminution in GDP; it is a matter of shame at international level when cases of

violence and gross violation of human rights against women are highlighted on

national and international media. NGOs and other organization voice concern

about the plight of women. Various steps have been taken to improve the

status of women, different pro-women laws have been enacted but women are

still lagging behind and facing discrimination. Still there is a lot need to be

done to improve the status of women. Education and training can pave the way

for empowering women. Moreover, perpetrators, who commit crimes of

violations, must face the law. Pakistan cannot be become a civilized and a

developed country without involving half portion of its population in every walk

of life.

At present women are facing various types of discriminations and

violence. They are subjected to various kinds of domestic violence and

inhuman treatments. A survey carried out by Thomson Reuters Organization

ranked Pakistan 6th most dangerous country for women. Moreover, World

Economic Forum annual report 2019 ranked Pakistan 151 out of 153 nations
— third worst country in the world. Likewise, according to a human rights

watch report, Pakistani activists estimate that about 1000 cases of honour

killing occur every year. Women are less educated than men and further there

are disparities among various regions and classes. Life of a woman living in

village is miserable, she is illiterate, does domestic chores, have no say in

decision of her own life while a woman in cities, although have various issues,

but enjoys more freedom than that of a villager woman who is even unaware of

her rights, therefore, she never voices for her rights. Despite positive

developments, passage of pro-women laws that bar anti-women practices,

wrong practices of Vanni, Sawara and Watta Satta and marriage with Quran

etc are still existed in remote areas of Pakistan. Another report of Human

Rights Watch of 2018 reveals that about 1000 girls of minority communities—

mostly Hindus and Christian — are forcibly converted to Islam and married.

These facts shows abysmal picture of status of women in Pakistan.

Here are some main causes which are responsible for predicament of

women.

In a male dominated society, like Pakistan, women are not given

importance and a male head of a family is considered all in all. Men consider it

their birth right to rule over the women. According to them, only duty of women

is to bear children, take care of them and to do the domestic work besides work

in fields for which she is not paid. The problem stems from thinking of society

especially thinking of males. Boys are inculcated the thinking since childhood

that they are superior to girls. And girls are taught that they are born to be

ruled by the males, to live in home to do the domestic work and to obey the

orders of males. This male dominated thinking continues unabated which is

the root cause of plight of the women.

Education is the most powerful weapon through which you can conquer

the world, said by Nelson Mandela. One of the main reasons of predicament of

women in Pakistan is illiteracy. An educated person being aware of his/her

rights and duties fulfills them well. He/she knocks the door of the law if
victimized. On the other hand, an illiterate person is dumb-driven animal

unaware of his/her rights and duties, and lacks civilization. Illiterates follow

the footsteps of their forefathers and never think to change themselves. They

remain unmoved from the movements of women rights and remain adamant on

their cruel treatment with women. As stated earlier, women literacy rate is

much below. Male and female literacy rate is 78% and 49% respectively

(Economic Survey of Pakistan, 2019-20). Further literacy rate of women in

villages is 36%. Cognizance of rights is prerequisite of demanding rights. An

illiterate women seldom voice against the tyranny committed to her. Thus,

illiteracy of both men and women is another major cause of plight of women.

Good governance and rule of law ensures that laws which have been

enacted are implemented. If laws are not implemented in letter and spirit there

is no use of them. Although there is no dearth of pro-women laws yet the

problem is non-implementation of those laws. Without implementation such

laws can only be considered jewels of statue book. For example, in Anti-women

Practices Act, 2008, section 498-A states that women cannot be forced to

marry and marriage with Quran is prohibited but such practices are still

prevalent in Pakistan especially in rural areas. The state is duty bound to take

action against those who violate such fundamental rights of women. Moreover,

the Constitution of Pakistan (Article 25(2) gives equal rights to both sexes and

article 34 states that “steps shall be taken to ensure full participation of

women in every field of life.” Despite this, status of women is before us. Facts

mentioned supra are sufficient to prove that the key laws are not being

implemented and successive governments failed to raise the status of

daughters of Eve (Havva). If the violators of fundamental rights of women are

brought to the book no one can dare to treat the women inhumanely. Further,

our justice system is flawed and it takes years to get justice which vulnerable

women cannot afford.

In a democratic society everybody treated alike by the government and

rights of everybody especially vulnerable classes are protected. In Pakistan,

feudal lords rule over the country and despite 17% quota of women in

parliament only women of feudal classes can reach to parliament and a woman

of middle or lower class seldom reach to assemblies. Only those, who have

faced or witnessed discrimination can voice against maltreatment and can get

the pro-women laws passed. Women of elite class (who already enjoys her all

rights) do not bother to voice for plight of their fellow women. In Election Act,

2017 it has been made mandatory for all parties to give 5% ticket to women in

direct election and one who is found to disenfranchise women would be

punished 05 years imprisonment and Rs.3,00,000/- fine. Further, it was also

made mandatory that 10% votes of female voters should be casted in every

constituency. Yet until or unless women of lower middle class reach parliament

status of women is unlikely to be changed.

Islam is a complete code of life and first of all it gave respect and rights to

women. In the present era, some right-wing people are of the view that pro-

women legislation is anti-Islamic as they think it their right to beat the wives

and confine the women in four walls of the house. When any government tries

to make new legislation conservative people lobby against that by using the

name of religion. Attitude of Counsel of Islamic Interest is also misogynistic

wherein pro-women laws are opposed. The Punjab Protection of Women against

harassment is a case in point when religious community was of the view that

this is not a good piece of legislation as it will weaken the institution of family

and some clauses of the said act, according to them, were unknown-Islamic.

The government had finally conceded some of their demands like not using

bracelet (Karra) etc. Thus, misinterpretation of religious teachings is a practice

here to suppress the women.

Women in Pakistan are totally dependent upon male heads of their

family. A very few of them are in labour force and those who are earning, most

of them do not have control over their earning. IMF report reveals that only

24% women are in labour force compare to _____ of men. Same report suggests

that inclusion of women in labour force will boost GDP of Pakistan.

Undoubtedly, when half of the population will start contributing in the

economic status of individual as well as country will be improved. One of the

secrets of Europe and other developed economies is helping hand of women.

The more financially independent a women, the more she will be empowered.

Following are some main effects which

Pakistan is suffering a lot due to deteriorated condition of women. Men’s

reluctance to give space which women which they are needed gives rise to

many issues at domestic and at national level. One’s head bows from shame

when cases of gross human rights violation like honour killing, rape etc are

highlighted on media. Recent gang-rape of women in front of his children,

whose car was run out of petrol on Lahore-Sialkot motorway, is a case in point.

World makes his mind and terms Pakistan as a country unsafe for women and

Pakistanis extremists of higher degree. Moreover, empowered woman can add

her share to GDP as women are more diligent than men. As rightly remarked

by Margaret Thatcher, “If you want something said, ask a man; if you want

something done, ask a woman.”

Following are some pragmatic suggestions to empower the women and

stamp out the menace of violence against women.

First of all education enlightens people and make them more tolerant

and broad minded. An educated person never hesitates to give the due rights to

women. An enlightened and open minded person never minds her daughter’s

love marriage. Children learn from her father and replicate similar behavior in

their lives. Thus, a good father can inculcate good values and civilization to

their offspring and in this way by educating masses, a good nation can be

prepared. History shows that the countries where women enjoy more freedom

like Sweden, Norway and Britain etc have high literacy rate and vice versa.

Awareness of rights and duties comes first and struggle later. Only an

educated person can voice and agitate against tyrannical practices and

discriminations being done to the women. Education can empower women and
decrees their dependency on the men. Moreover, an educated mother can bring

up his children well. Nepolean Hill rightly said that, “Give me good mothers; I

will give you a good nation.” In my view, education is a panacea for all ills of

women.

There is no dearth of pro-women laws but the problem is not strict

implementation of these laws. Fear of punishment can stop the perpetrators to

commit violence against women. When criminals who commit violence against

the women and when they go scot free it encourages others and violence

against women continues unabated. Our judicial system favours the accused

and long cumbersome process of trial bars women to file cases against men.

Thus, forceful implementation of pro-women laws like Anti-women Practices

Act, 2008, Harassment of women at Workplace Act, 2010 and the Punjab

Protection of Women against violence Act, 2016 which has been implemented

as pilot project in Multan should be implemented through notification to the

whole Punjab. Moreover, speedy trial in family cases can root out the problem

of violence and discrimination against women.

Poverty is also another cause of many issues. It prevents people to

educate their daughters and compels women to work in fields on a little wages

and to work as domestic workers which often face violence. According to

statistics around a third of the country’s total population is estimated to live

below the poverty line. The case of Tayyaba is a case in point, who, a

maidservant girl, in the house of a judge in Islamabad, was subjected to

violence by wife of a judge in Islamabad.

In a nutshell, the women in Pakistan are less empowered and are

subjected to violence. The main issue is typical mindset and training about

status of women, which is given to girls and boys since their childhood.

Continuance of violations against women is due the reason that violators of

women’s rights are seldom punished and state has failed to protect the

fundamental rights of women. Some good steps have been taken by various

governments and status of women is improving but still there is a lot needs to
be done. By educating girls, training the society about importance and value of

women and strict implementations of pro-women laws and good governance,

rights of women can be protected and their status can be raised.

Note.

Facts need to be included. (PPWAV 2016 has been implemented as pilot

project in Multan only in 2017) laws come into force upon a notification of

government.

Complete essay according to outlines.