Daily Times

Pakistan has been enlisted among the worst performers in the newly released Global Gender Gap Index (GGGI) 2020 Report which has ranked the country at the 151st spot out of 153 countries, only surpassing Iraq and Yemen. In the overall ranking, Pakistan has drastically slipped from 112th in 2006 to 151st in 2020. The report published by the World Economic Forum (WEF) recently ranked Pakistan 150th in economic participation, 143rd in educational attainment, 149th in health and survival and downgraded it from 37th to 93rd slot in political empowerment.

The proportionately meager ratio of women in the workplace, overwhelmingly diminishing representation in political arena, massively inaccessible gap to education and alarmingly apprehensions in health and survival are the foremost reasons for this internationally recognized stigmatization whereas patriarchy, capitalism, male vested-interests, prejudices, misogyny and religion are witnessing stumbling blocks for the empowerment of women.

Pakistan’s burgeoning deepened gender gap depicts a bleak portrait of the state on gender equality and women empowerment. The cycle of prejudices, misogyny and discrimination against women tends to spin till birth to death. This cycle continues to crush their lives until the last moment of their lives. They are bound to live a prison-like life until and unless the man-dominated society mindset has eradicated from the country.

Men are blessed with a plethora of decision-making emancipation in each sphere of life to materialize their dreams whereas women always bear the brunt of restrictions at all stages of their lives and the leverage of decision-making has been snatched since breathing out in this cruel world. Women are borne in a cage-like life whereas men are born with a license to live a restriction-free life.

There has always been commotion and pandemonium in electronic, print and social media regarding gender inequality and innumerable programs, rallies, events and seminars that have been organized for women’s empowerment. Do we really know what gender inequality actually mean?

There is no an iota of doubt that women and girls are sexually assaulted, sensually degraded, morally demeaned, facing gender-based violence, intimidated, abducted, raped and killed in the name of honour on a daily basis around the world by those sick-minded people who chanted full-throated slogans for gender equality.

This is the peak of hypocrisy which is tantamount to uprooting the existential ethos of the society. There is a lack of strong will to genuinely implement policies and ordinances by the state, legislators, and government in the country which are responsible for the preservation of their fundamental rights. We must shun emotional sentiments and take an active part in women’s empowerment.

Women’s educational, economic, political and social enablement directly contribute to the inevitable advancement and sustainable development of any country. Women are the driving forces that push the nations at the edge of educational progress, economic growth, political stability, and social uplift.

The government should draft laws to steer the society out of the discrimination plaguing the women and preserve the constitutional and fundamental rights of the women in each and every facet of life in order to ensure that the myth of gender equality is weeded out. It is high time that the impartial and unbiased cycle must revolve around both genders alike.

The writer is an alumnus of Dynamic English Language Teaching Academy (DELTA) based in Turbat and keeps a keen interest in writing on social issues and can be met at mannansaamad@gmail.com