Daily Times

As per the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index 2020, Pakistan ranks 151st out of 153 countries – just above Yemen and Afghanistan. The figure portrays the deteriorated state of gender equality in the country. And there is no iota of doubt in the veracity of this figure. Gender equality in Pakistan has become a nightmare. One is impotent to find a single place/institution in the country where any of the gender classes is not suffering in favour of the other. Either man is privileged at the expense of a woman or vice-versa. However, the notion of gender disparity has now got a general psychological acceptance that this phrase refers only to a dismal condition of women’s rights. Now, when an ordinary person encounters the phrase “gender inequality/disparity,” perceives that there is something inhumane being happened to women or that women are being deprived of their basic rights in a particular society. No one pauses to contemplate a little that gender inequality does not imply unjust treatment only of women, rather the term encapsulates the opposite sex (men) as well. So, the misconception must be allayed that gender inequality refers to the dismal situation of women’s rights solely. There is no denying the fact that women (of middle and lower classes) are underprivileged and vulnerable to gender-based violence in the country; but men, in some areas, also share the same fate.

There is no denying the fact that women (of middle and lower classes) are underprivileged and vulnerable to gender-based violence in the country; but men, in some areas, also share the same fate.

Anyways, to bridge the gap in gender disparity in the country, those who are super sensitive to gender inequalities have resorted to promoting women’s rights by encouraging women to take part in public life. Such encouragement comes often through job advertisements wherein it is mentioned that females will be given priority in the recruitment process. A case in point is the recent job advertisement from the NADRA published under advertisement no. PID(1)8445/21. The advertisement was made for walk-in interviews against a few contract-based job vacancies in the NADRA. The interviews were supposed to be held on 12th June of this year, at NADRA’s regional head office in Hayatabad, Peshawar. In the advertisement, besides all information about the required criteria for each of vacancies, it was maintained that females and trans-genders would be given special preference during the recruitment process. Certainly, it was a bid to encourage women and the trans-community to get economic independence in the face of the patriarchal society. Apparently, the attempt was a vibrant gesture and viewed as a progressive step forward towards gender equality. Not specifically NADRA, but some other institutions, both public and private, have adopted this HR policy to give an impression that how an institution is eager to work for and believes in gender equality.

However, has anyone pondered that giving priority to a specific gender class over the other does not bring fruition to the notion of gender equality? Has anyone heeded a little that giving women or trans priority over men does not amount to gender equality; rather it adds to gender inequality when such practices of favouring a specific gender group over the other are done deliberately? Did anyone comprehend that such feminist-mindset-driven activities not only vandalize men’s rights but also put the slogan of meritocracy in the bin? Why do such pro-feminist institutions resort to favouring a specific gender group at the expense of the other? Why do they not endeavour to strengthen the system of meritocracy?

In reality, such pro-feminist activities not only widen the gender gap creating a sense of superiority or inferiority amongst the privileged and underprivileged classes, respectively; but also scoff the spirit of the Constitution. Yes, to avoid the gender-based discrimination, nepotism, racism and ethnolinguistic favouritism, and to promote meritocracy in public sector recruitments, Article 27 of the 1973 Constitution rules: “No citizen otherwise qualified for appointment in the service of Pakistan shall be discriminated against in respect of any such appointment on the grounds only of race, religion, caste, sex, residence or place of birth”. The article ostensibly negates the idea of incentivizing any citizen only because of his/her sex, belonging to a social class, religion, caste and creed. The things that should be the criteria of selection include academic qualification, IQ, EQ (emotion quotient), interpersonal skills, experience (if required), and test/exam marks (if held) of a candidate. Selections only based on aforesaid elements are something that the Constitution advocates for. One won’t be misled if s/he terms such gender-based selections for ordinary jobs – jobs which can be performed by either sex — as one of the key reasons behind the menace of bad governance of the state. It is because the meritocracy is one of the indispensable elements of good governance and when it is not maintained, good governance hardly takes ground. Hence running the statecraft with lots of lacklustre personnel results in bad governance as the incompetent personnel (employed on the basis of special favours) cannot make it to what a given designation actually demands. Competent human resource is always instrumental for the progress of an organization.

Conclusively, it is recommended that meritocracy be observed in public institutions specifically and private organizations generally, rather than favouring any specific sex. Only through the strengthened system of meritocracy, women and trans can get what they deserve and qualify for. Any special favour to any sex devastates the balance of social fabric as well as the governance quality of the state.

The writer can be reached at maaq5454@gmail.com