Daily Times

Gender inequality disappointingly – but unsurprisingly — didn’t figure in Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s inauguration speech. Considering that surveys consistently rank Pakistan as one of the worst countries globally for women, one would have thought that gender rights would be top priority for the new government.

Women’s empowerment is not only a fundamental moral and human rights issue but a socio-economic necessity for developing countries. Removing gender inequalities can playan essential part in creating a just society. It is a fact that countries with a level playing field for women are more prosperous, more secure, and less corrupt.

Regrettably, firmly embedded sexist opinions in Pakistani society contend that a woman’s primary place is at home. Moreover, the regressive attitudes on women’s rights in the country take their cue from the conservative tribal societies in the Middle East. Furthermore, Khan’s own view “that (western) feminism downgrades the role of the mother” helps to reinforce stereotypical male attitudes. All of the above obstacles and more stand in the way of mainstreaming women into society. They also bolster Pakistan’s negative reputation, as a misogynistic society, and backward country that condones the subjugation of women.

The absurdity of keeping women confined to household duties was certainly not lost on Khan’s professed mentor, Mohammad Ali Jinnah. Jinnah’s far sightedness was clear when he told the Muslim League meeting at the Aligarh Muslim University on March 10, 1944 that: “Another very important matter which I want to impress upon you is that no nation can rise to the height of glory unless women are side by side with you. We are victims of evil customs. It is a crime against humanity to shut up women within the four walls of the house as prisoners. Let us try to raise the status of women, according to Islamic ideals and standards.”

“No nation can rise to the height of glory unless women are side by side with you. We are victims of evil customs. It is a crime against humanity to shut up women within the four walls of the house as prisoners. Let us try to raise the status of women, according to Islamic ideals and standards.” — Muhammad Ali Jinnah

Unfortunately, much like his call for an inclusive and pluralistic society, Jinnah’s impassioned plea for women’s rights went unheeded after his passing. In fact, later governments shamefully failed to defend, let alone, advance women’s rights. As a result, dismal statistics today confirm that the state criminally neglects the economic, educational and social uplift of women.

According to a survey by the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security, Pakistan has poor labour force participation and female literacy figures. Women face restrictions on employment opportunities with only 24 percent employed outside their homes. This directly relates to the men’s patriarchal attitudes towards their womenfolk. Around 73 percent of men do not find it acceptable for women to work outside their homes.

The state of women’s education is equally deplorable. Average schooling for Pakistani women is just five years. The low rate of literacy hinders the participation of women in society. Consequently, many women aren’t even aware of their constitutional rights or of laws which protect those rights.

Additionally, the disparity between the male-female birth ratio shows that parents continue to covet and favour their male children. Violence by their domestic partners is an issue for a high percentage of the women. Above all, men prefer silent, invisible, loyal and pure women by their side.

The failure of the state to provide access to justice also contributes to the appalling situation of women in Pakistan. Because of the lengthy and inadequate official judicial process, many communities continue to rely on traditional and patriarchal structures like panchayat and jirgas for justice. These adhoc justice systems often pass barbaric verdicts sanctioning abhorrent crimes like gang-rape and ‘honour’ killings.

To give an historical example, Czarist Russia and Imperial China consigned many women to virtual domestic slavery. However, revolutionary change and wartime conditions provided a welcome boost to women empowerment. Leon Trotsky rightly said “to alter the position of women at the root is possible only if all the conditions of social, family and domestic existence are altered.

What’s more, the significant contribution of women to the economy survived the fall of the Soviet Union. As a result, today, women’s contribution in terms of GDP in Eastern Europe and Central Europe is 41 percent, similar to China’s 41 percent. This is slightly above North America and Oceania at 40 percent and Western Europe’s 38 percent. The World average is 37 percent.

In comparison, Pakistan at a mere 24 percent of GDP (mostly through unpaid household labour) leaves much room for improvement and soul-searching.

As a first step, the country requires major investments in women’s education. Improvements in literacy standards can help to close the gender gap, fashion a path out of poverty and financial independence for women. Financial empowerment can lead to women and girls improving the prospects for their families, the community, the economy, and country along with them.

Ultimately, the success of Naya Pakistan will depend on the full participation of assertive, confident and ambitious women leaders in public life. A bold agenda, promoting gender rights, could serve as a tremendous catalyst to bring about real change in the country. Accordingly, Khan’s government must find the thus far missing political will and determination to take on the entrenched interests opposed to gender equality. Ignoring the enormous potential of nearly half your population is outright insanity.

The writer can be reached at shgcci@gmail.com

Published in Daily Times, September 1^st 2018.