Daily Times

Gender inequality refuses to go away in education, health and all economic sectors. The economic indicators of Pakistan in the first half of FY17 suggested that pressures are mounting on both fiscal consolidation and external balances. Pakistan adopted a revised methodology to measure poverty and a new poverty line in 2016 that resulted in 29.5 per cent in FY13/14 as compared to 64.3 per cent in FY01/02. However, the basis in the said decline is not completely understandable.

The report on Global Gender Gap by the World Economic Forum records the steps forward in Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment, Health and Survival, and Political Empowerment, of 144 countries. In 2017, it has again ranked Pakistan the second worst country on gender equality. That Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan) ranked 47th position and India ranked 108th after dropping 21 levels, compared to its previous position is big news for us here in Pakistan.

What is the relationship between decision makers especially politicians and of pain? Why does someone’s pain get special status and significance while the pain of millions is ignored, missed out or completely forgotten? Why is the manifestation of pain, as a marker or crisis affecting millions fails to persuade the power elites to revisit or rethink about their policies and practices? These questions are yet to be answered by Google with the precision of the right proportion.

The Stanford Encyclopedia of Pain has documented a number of philosophical and scientific questions about pain. The literature addressing such questions is huge and still rapidly growing. All questions are either yet to be researched or command the attention of the researchers.

The statistical picture of Pakistan, through UN agencies and the IFIs, illustrates that in the South Asia region, the country is the lowest performer on human development indicators, especially in education

The statistical picture of Pakistan, through UN agencies and the IFIs illustrates that in the South Asia Region, the country is the lowest performer on human development indicators, especially in education and stunting. The cost on health, nutrition, and education, now totaling 3 per cent of GDP, is notably lower than most other countries. The net enrollment rates in education have been escalating in Pakistan but still lag behind other South Asia countries. The expenditure on health as percentage of total government expenditure is only 4.7 per cent. No data is available for maternity protection i.e. the compliance with international labour standards. Total expenditure on health per capita is 129$ and total expenditure on health as percentage of GDP is 2.6. Only 31.3 per cent of births take place in baby-friendly health facilities. 22 per cent of population is undernourished and the ‘bread basket’ got 107th position out 118 developing countries on global hunger index. Nutrition remains a noteworthy cross-cutting challenge, as 44 per cent of children under five are undersized. The female labour force participation rates in the region are lowest in the region.

Life has taken me to difficult and remote areas; from Gangchay District, the easternmost district of Gilgit-Baltistan to Gwadar, the port city on the southwestern coast of Balochistan and many valleys, villages, towns and cities from Khyber to Karachi. I witnessed people drinking jet black water from sources shared by animals as well. I searched (in vain) for a rest room in the decent and grand public sector organisations. I have seen families taking women in obstructed labour or men with terminal illness, through narrow valleys, on foot, selling their cattle or exchanging their daughters for the transportation costs. Prostitution is prohibited legally but their prevalence can never be questioned.

The plight of children, divorced women, single mothers, disabled people, jobless youth etc. do not appear as the statement of problem until and unless there is a donor funded project spending more on pleasing the government officials than actual service delivery.

Business meetings and vacations are conveniently muddled up and respect for tax payers’ money is not entrenched in our culture. Mega corrupts are respected, feared and enjoy freedom of all sorts. I also belong to Islamabad the capital , that now harbours, nearly 46 slums and  has been seeing children searching food from the garbage dens (even in the posh sectors). The world of politics in Pakistan mirrors all moments of human nature, like elsewhere but the irrational glory it has attained is definitely outstanding.

Why does unfairness not provoke pain that could shatter the iron nerves of our politicians? Why does human misery not constitute a mass trigger? Why do people not express their disapproval against their mortification? Why are voices raised and heard only for selective causes for selective victims? Why have our legislators never delivered the fiery speeches to ensure implementation of fundamental rights of people?

The naivety of such queries does not necessarily nullify their relevance. If we as a nation, country and state want to ensure basic minimum needs including justice, we have to rethink the way we think. We, the citizens are not the subjects; have to hold accountable the politicians and bureaucrats who are appointed to serve the public. We have to demand the politics of truth and not of alternative facts.  We must abstain from selective aggression, advocacy and activism.

The writer is a gender expert, researcher, activist and a free thinker. She tweets at @survivorwins

Published in Daily Times, November 27^th 2017.