Title: Discuss the reasons for Gender Discrimination in Pakistan
The Fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underlings.{Julius Caesar: Shakespeare}
Gender discrimination refers to the wide-spread perception of differentiating between men and women on the basis of sex. It is a mental state, a psychological bias, and a social stigma. It divides the society into two broad categories i.e., males and females.It originates from diverse sources such as social setup,culture,religion,geographical conditions,economic setup,moral standards,literacy rate,customs,conventions,rituals,traditions and mores.Thus, it not only induces a biased view but also consolidates it. This widespread prejudiced perception is known as gender discrimination.
In other words, this prejudiced creed is also commonly known as 'male chauvinism' in male-dominated societies. In the words of Shakespeare, it can be summarised as: "O frailty, thy name is a woman.' After wearing the periapt of physical vigor and vitality around their necks, men are supposed to be superior and as a consequence of this elevated position of men, women are branded with the tag of inferiority. Thus, men assume the privileged status of Brahmans, and women are considered the outcast of the society and are thrown into the dungeon of abysmal depth and darkness. Men attain the position of gods and women have to compromise to live a life of subservience and worship their men forever. Equality in certain matters is non-existent. Legal, social and economic justice are ambiguous terms for the poor lot if not alien. Men manipulating the situation transgress and over-awed by their physical vigor and unmatched vitality are compelled by circumstances women have relinquish their rights. After the prevalence of such practices for centuries, they become a part and parcel of the accepted traditions of the society. Unaware of their rights poor girls learn them by their obvious practice and transfer them to their daughters and it continues and, perhaps, will continue for many years to come.
The next stage is to maintain the status quo and it is done quite skillfully by giving preference to boys over girls in food, clothing, education, social occasions, and inheritance. While doing so men leave no stone unturned to strengthen their position of eminence and advantage. Even Islamic principles are manipulated and distorted in favor of the stronger group. It is highly regrettable as it is against the spirit of Islam because Islam glorifies and exalts the status of women. Before Islam newly born girls were buried alive but Islamic teachings forbade such practices and lifted women from the deep wells of shame to the respectable position of reverence, in certain cases elevating them to positions higher than men. In this way, women became embodiment of modesty, respect and glorified which not only benefited women but also proved to be highly advantageous for future generations. In other words, the foundation of a strong society was established by giving women a stronger position.
On the contrary, careful analysis and observation of our society reveals the fact that we are not following the footprints of our forefathers and we have forgotten the envious tradition of giving a higher and better place to women as practiced during the early days of Islam. We seem to be more influenced by the Hindu traditions than by Islamic teachings. In Balochistan, rural Sindh, KPK, and rural areas of Southern and Western Punjab, society treats men and women differently. If men have or maintain illicit or extra-marital relationships with women, they are rarely reprimanded for such actions but women are rarely spared for such unforgivable sins and often women lose their lives. In most cases, women are killed even at the slightest suspicion of immodesty. In these areas, women are denied their God-given right to marry men of their choice because so-called 'honor and social norms forbid them to do so. The evil practices of 'Vanni' and 'Sawara' are still common in which women are offered as a form of compensation for the sins of their brothers or other male relatives. In such an environment love, affection, equality, and freedom of choice are forbidden fruits for women. Their poor plight can be expressed in the words of Shakespeare:
"As flies to wanton boys, are we to Gods
They kill us for their sport."
Although it is a complicated problem every problem has a solution. This too has a solution. The real problem is not the complication of this problem but our ambivalence. We have to choose between the two diverging paths: one of perpetual suffering and the other of salvation. Hesitations and delays are real hurdles. We are in a fix. In this state of confusion, our behavior is somewhat similar to that of Shakespeare's Hamlet whom we find weighing up the future_
"Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them."
Here, I deem it wise to say that it is better to fight than to sit idle and wait for some miracle to happen. It is a long path but as the Chinese say 'A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.'I understand that there are many hurdles and it is not going to be smooth sailing but we can not sit back at this moment. It is true 'There is many a slip between the cup and the lip but it is no excuse to stop or not to initiate a struggle. No doubt, there always lies a great gap between the utopian dreams and the stark realities of life. It will cost and may cost heavily but we cannot afford to inaction As John F. Kennedy said: "There are risks and costs to a program of action, but they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction. We have to work and we have to work now because doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.
This program of action involves a multi-dimensional approach. Gender mainstreaming is an important step in this direction. It is a strategy for making the concerns and experiences of women as well of men an integral part of the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of policies and programs in all political, economic, and social spheres in order to wipe out the ugly stain of inequality from the face of our society. Its ultimate goal is to achieve gender equality and it includes gender-specific activities, whenever women or men are in a particularly disadvantageous position. It is, thus, the transformation of unequal social and institutional structures into equal and just structures for both men and women.
Another important step in this direction is to remove gender discrimination in the family because it is the root cause of this issue. In developing countries, especially in Pakistan boys are given preference over girls, and girls are treated as if they are a burden on the family and a disused organ. The circumstances in which they are brought up compel them to think that they are inferior to boys. It rarely happens in the developed world.
In addition to this, education is another area that needs immediate attention. The literacy rate and school enrolment rates for girls and women, the number of educational institutions for girls and women, women's access to education, employment, property and their low participation in society outside of the family, and other such factors portray a dismal picture. In this predominantly patriarchal society, there is no place for women just like in ancient times of matriarchal society men were treated as mere slaves and the Matriarch was the real authority, interesting in some parts of Africa it is still being practiced and men are nobody while women hold the reins of power and have their say in all matters of life. But like in most parts of the world in Pakistan, men are in the dominant society, women are lagging behind in every field including education. The literacy rate among women stands at 28% as compared to the third world average of 66%. Hence, women, ignorant of their rights are constantly exploited at the hands of the male members of society.
Also, gender discrimination in the workplace presents no different situation. Pakistani women play a major role in agricultural production, livestock raising, and cottage industries but their contribution is grossly under-reported in some censuses and surveys. Job advertisements in certain fields deny women a chance to apply. Women who have children are not hired. Women also have to reign when they get married. Benefits are extended to male employee's spouses but not for females'.Qualified females are denied certain jobs as they are labeled as men's domain. Pregnant women also meet the same fate. Females are forced to retire at a lower age limit. Their salaries, perks, privileges, and benefits are always lower than those of men on the basis of gender. What a great criterion!
In conclusion, I would like to suggest that there should be no discrimination in all aspects of the employment process, including compensation, assignment, demotions, transfers, promotions, wages, working conditions, recruitment, testing, facilities, hiring, firing, training, benefits, retirement plan, disability leave, and discharge. Each sex should receive equal pay for equal work and equal treatment at the workplace. There should be uniform policies for both female and male employees. It also requires a standard procedure for females and males in all phases of employment relationships.In addition, awareness, education, and implementation can play a pivotal role in eradicating this issue.
