“Problems faced by females in seeking

education.”

IRUM JAHAN 28-FSS-BEDEE-S­-18

Introduction

 The Higher Education of women plays a significant role in building the human
capital and the overall socio-cultural, economic development of a country to make
it sustainable.
 Female empowerment can be strengthen through higher education. Higher
education assists females in two ways.
 It empowers qualified women to become leaders in society and it permits them to
become role models for younger girls.
 It also helps women to choose domains of expertise, whether this is as decision
makers through influence on policy issues related to social, economic, and
cultural development, or by their participation in family and community life
“Even parents who are not educated themselves understand
that their daughters’ future depends on them going to school,
but the government is abandoning these families,” Girnt halts
said. “Pakistan’s future depends on educating its children,
including its girls.”
 Problems faced

 Gender inequality
 Gender inequality in Pakistani higher education is a consequence of persistent
discrimination prevailing through the education system from an early age. Girls
lag behind boys in the provision of education and in the access to schooling
available
 The preference for sons is due to their leading and productive role in household
life. Male members of the family are encouraged to get a good quality of
education to compete for resources in the outside world.
 Main reason for low participation of females in higher education is financial such
as fee issues, textbooks and other materials. It is also expected that girls should
perform their responsibilities in the home.
 Problems faced

 Problem of early marriages

 At the more senior and higher levels of education, the problem of early marriages
arise.
 In preparation for the early marriage, parents are burdened by the monetary
pressure for managing a dowry, which in its turn can drive the need for income
earning from the males in the family and preferential investment in male
education
 Problems faced

 Travelling
 If educational institutions are not available nearby, travelling for girls becomes a
major obstacle.
 Travel is seen as a threat to personal security. This is a particularly strong factor in
deterring girls from entering higher education as institutions are likely to be very
distant and even if boarding facilities are available there are possible incidents of
sexual harassment and sexual abuse to consider
 Problems faced

 Socio-economic hurdles

 social and cultural restrictions limit women's chances to compete for resources in
a world outside the four walls of their homes. It translates into social and
economic dependency of women on men. The nature and degree of women's
oppression and subordination vary across classes, regions and the rural and urban
divide in Pakistan. It has been observed that male dominant structures are
relatively more marked in the rural and tribal setting where local customs and
indigenous laws establish stronger male authority and power over women.
 Problems faced

 Insurgency hurdles

 Destruction of schools and killings have harmed women's education in Pakistan.

16-year-old education activist and blogger Malala Yousafzai was shot in the head
and neck by Taliban insurgents 9 October 2012 after she had blogged about the
destruction of schools and closing of all-girls schools in her town of Mingora in
the Swat District. Later, the Taliban denied that it opposes education and claimed
"Malala was targeted because of her pioneer role in preaching secularism and so-
called enlightened moderation."
 Problems faced

 Rural vs. urban

 The number of women who attend school in urban areas vs. rural areas differs
drastically. In urban areas, women's education is increasing every day.
 Parent in urban areas are a lot more modernized or westernized. These urban
parents acknowledge the importance of an education. Women who live in urban
areas are often enrolled in private schools getting a better education there as they
have a lot more educational accessibility.
 Women in urban areas are also surrounded by people who are educated and are
not put down or beaten for going to school.
 Problems faced

 Rural vs. urban

 Unlike in urban areas, women in rural areas are discouraged to attend school.
Most of them are brought up in conservative families with little to no education.
 They have to work harder than women in urban areas because they have little
support system. If their parents are accepting of education they still cannot go
since most of them are very poor and cannot afford the expense.
 Conclusion

 the gender disparity in education is much lower in urban places vis-à-vis rural
areas. One of the possible explanations of this pattern is relatively stronger
dominance of tribal, feudal and patriarchal traditions in rural areas. Moreover,
there are very few employment opportunities for women in rural areas, and thus,
there is very little financial incentive for families to send their girls to schools.
However, despite the meagre representation of females in the education sector, the
level of achievement of female students is consistently far higher than that of their
counterpart male students. Girls generally outclass boys in examination, and they
are also higher achievers in universities. Unfortunately, the majority of the girls
never get an opportunity to develop their educational capabilities.