Similarly, target 5.b seeks to ‘enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology, to promote the empowerment of women’. In this regard, the Pakistan Social and Living Standard Measurement Survey (2018-19) reported that in juxtaposition to the 65 percent of the male population that owns a mobile phone – only 26 percent of the female population has access to this necessary technology. The mobile money initiatives such as JazzCash, EasyPaisa, etc. in Pakistan have facilitated financial transactions. Many women can get help from such measures in developing a sound business. Other than this – according to the Payoneer’s Global Gig-Economy Index report for Q2 2019 – for the case of year over year revenue growth, Pakistan has the fourth rank among the top ten countries, with the United States holding the first rank. Although gig economy jobs do not provide insurance and permanency, they are a good substitute for restricted work conditions for women. Another hopeful aspect in this regard is that, according to the results by a global survey by Payonner, in the case of freelancing – Pakistani women earn 10 percent more (per hour rate) than men. More so, there are many more examples where technology has facilitated women such as the telemedicine portal, DoctHERS – which has helped connect female doctors to patients in rural areas.
In light of the aforesaid statistics, it is safe to say that the target of gender equality in Pakistan largely remains an illusion. However, it is also necessary to acknowledge the following measures. Establishment of Gender Based Violence courts is another notable achievement. The establishment of National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW), and the Federal Ombudsman Secretariat for Protection Against Harassment (FOSPAH) are also good initiatives in this regard. At a provincial level, Punjab Women Development Policy aims to eradicate gender discrimination across all spheres of society. Similarly, Day Care Centers and Working Women Hostels in Punjab have been established. In 2013, the Sindh government passed the Sindh Child Marriages Restraint Act, which bans the marriage of any child under the age of 18 years of age. However, this legal restraint is yet to be enacted in other provinces, and at a national level.
One line of attack should be focused on eradicating widespread stigmas around women seeking family planning services – so that women get the sense of independence for their life choices, they majorly need. Mental health services should also be facilitated, and made easily accessible
Cosmetic changes, alone, are not sufficient to bring the change we largely need. Article 34 of the Constitution of Pakistan states that ‘Steps shall be taken to ensure full participation of women in all spheres of national life’. We need to scale up our efforts to provide justice to women who have suffered, and help them continue their lives after providing them due relief. One line of attack should be focused on eradicating widespread stigmas around women seeking family planning services – so that women get the sense of independence for their life choices, they majorly need. Mental health services should also be facilitated, and made easily accessible. Women-owned businesses should be strengthened and incentivized. Small and medium enterprises owned by women should be facilitated in terms of credit and insurance schemes. Women need to be equipped with the skills needed for the Fourth Industrial Revolution’s job market, yet, even the basic statistics for education are not at par with what can be deemed reasonable. For instance, the PDHS (2017-18) results show that in Pakistan, out of a sample of de facto household population aged 6 and older – the median number of years of schooling among women is 0.1 year and for men, the same number accounts to 4 years. Additionally and most significantly, violence against women should be eradicated in all spheres. As UN’s former Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon said that ‘There is one universal truth, applicable to all countries, cultures and communities: violence against women is never acceptable, never excusable, never tolerable.’ Amidst the second wave of Covid-19 and the chances of lockdown, major efforts need to be made towards ensuring that predicted violence cases for women should be avoided by maximum possible interventions. Moreover, young girls missing out on school education and do not have the means of continuing it through technological modes – should be facilitated – because the already wide literacy divide should be narrowed, rather than to augment it. As these girls are at a greater chance of dropping out permanently because of our socio-economic fabric.
It is important to add towards the end, that this piece has primarily dealt with the conventional binaries of gender. However, full-scale gender equality cannot be achieved without granting other genders their due rights as well. Pakistan passed the Transgender Persons Act in 2018. According to a recent paper published in the LUMS Law Journal, ‘this legislative enactment aimed at enforcing the constitutional rights of the transgender community in Pakistan. However, the Act falls short at several fronts, and fails to acknowledge the structural violence and prejudices faced by the community, and without such a realization, it is hard to ensure the provisions of fundamental rights to the transgender persons in Pakistan’ (Islam, 2020).
Dr. Izza Aftab is the chairperson of the Economics Department at Information Technology University, Lahore. She is also the Director of the SDG Tech Lab and the Program Director of Safer Society for Children. She has a PhD in Economics from The New School University (NY, USA) and is a Fulbrighter. She tweets @izzaaftab.
Noor Ul Islam is currently working as a Research Associate at the SDG Tech Lab established in collaboration with Information Technology University, Lahore, UNDP and UNFPA. She is a post-graduate in Economics from Lahore University of Management Sciences. She tweets @Noor_Ul_Islam20.