Where the men in this male-dominated society have been progressing in their professions, women, on the other hand, have always lingered behind. Gender equality is a growing concern for the developing and developed nations. However, they are catching up – slowly and steadily -and with a mission to become independent women. Such was the mutual consensus of the panelists when they discussed gender equality. Recently, Procter and Gamble (P&G) in collaboration with UN Women Pakistan, organized a panel discussion to highlight various aspects of gender equality.
Panelists included: Sami Ahmed, VP, P&G Pakistan; Fareeha Ummar, portfolio manager, Women’s Economic Empowerment and Sustainable Livelihood, UN Women Pakistan; Javed Jabbar, former federal minister, and Samina Baig, UNDP National Goodwill Ambassador and president of the Pakistan Youth Outreach Foundation. Fareeha was of the view that investment of time, energy and resources must be made to build the lives of the girl child. She said that men, in this regard, must also be given proper training on how to treat women. Acceptance of women’s rights, in this regard, was also highlighted.
Samina Baig, a high-altitude mountaineer, expressed her devotion to the sport that has always been dominated by men. Her brother supported her to help her become the first Pakistani woman to climb Mount Everest and all Seven Summits. Samina said that when women go out of their homes to pursue a passion, they are seen as misfits.
“To change mindsets is more challenging than anything,” said Samina. She appreciated the support she received from her family and how they encouraged her to follow her dream. However, as we observe in our society, the majority of women are confined to their homes either by their husbands or by the elders of their society.
“Women are visible and assertive,” said Javed Jabbar as he acknowledged the courage of the average Pakistani woman who is fighting to stand for her rights. He said that the culture of communication and dialogue must be initiated and maintained to allow women to continue moving forward. He was pleased to know that women are seated at nearly 45% senior positions at P&G. Sami Ahmed said that P&G has been striving to create a gender-equal working environment. He was confident that this cause would remain active through dialogue. Javed Jabbar, while commenting on the role of media in promoting women shared some insights. He said that television dramas that aired in recent history on our national media have shown women under oppression.
He said that women in an authoritative role must be shown as the lead character of a television drama. Javed Jabbar mentioned that the media could play a pivotal role in changing mindsets by showing women in leadership roles in television dramas. Fareeha said that the success stories of the common woman of Pakistan must be highlighted on media. Sami shared that women working at leadership positions across Pakistan must be highlighted as case studies. This information, when disseminated by the print, electronic or digital media, will inspire females to make an effort for their bright future.
The panelists also emphasized educating men from rural areas. These men restrict the females of the household from pursuing normal life outside the walls of their homes. They emphasized that health education, as a priority, must be imparted on the men in rural areas. It has been observed that women in the role of a wife are seen as a vehicle to produce babies. Moreover, the lack of education compels men to view a woman of having the power to give birth to a boy.
The moderator of this event, Sidra Iqbal, said that over time the perceptions of people about men and women have changed. She said that 10 years ago an average man in his forties would see his father in an entitled role and as the head of the family. His mother would be a housewife. However, today, perhaps the wife of a 40-year-old main would also be a working woman. Here, the panelists agreed that collaboration must be initiated and accepted between men and women. They said that teamwork at the office and home must be followed for both men and women to succeed.
The writer is an independent researcher, author and columnist