Women empowerment
WOMEN empowerment can be explained as promoting women’s sense of self worth, their ability to determine their own choices and their rights to influence social change for themselves and others.
In Western countries, female empowerment is often associated with specific phases of the women’s rights movement in history.
This movement tends to be split into three waves, the first beginning in the 19th century and early 20th century where suffrage was a key feature.
The second wave of 1960s included the sexual revolution and the role of women in the society.
The third wave of feminism is clearly visible in the starting of 1990s. Women empowerment has emerged as a major global movement and is continuing to break new ground in the recent years.
Days like International Women’s Empowerment Day are also gaining momentum. But despite great deal of progress, women are facing discrimination and violence in every part of the world.
Pakistan ranks second lowest in the world for gender equality, placing at number 148 out of 149 countries.
The nation ranked 146 in economic participation and 97th in political empowerment. Women empowerment has always remained a contested issue in the complex socio-demographic and cultural milieu of Pakistani society.
Women are ranked lower than men on all vital human development indicators. There is no debate over the fact that men are given unfair advantages over women under unquestionable circumstances.
Unofficial policies exist in private as well as government sectors with related to hiring of women.
There are numerous issues which every 1 out of 5 women persistently face in Pakistan. The most common problem tolerated by women in Pakistan is that of sexual harassment.
Unsafe and unhealthy environment in Pakistan has contributed to the male mindset of considering weak and fragile women as their easy targets.
Honour killing which is locally called as Karo Kari. This biggest problem is still circulating in the veins of Pakistan.
Pakistan has highest number of documented and estimated honour killings per capita of any country in the world.
Even despite of the introduction of Criminal Law Act in 2016 with some amendments. Still 95% of victims of honour killing are women. Up to 1000 women are murdered every year in the name of honour.
According to Aurat foundation with more than 60% of honour related crimes go unreported. From cradle to grave, every common women in Pakistan suffers a lot with these related problems.
She is discriminated and deemed as lower element of the society. The respect and reputation granted to women by Islam is worth to understand.
Male dominant mindset was buried 1400 years ago by the pious hands of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).
A women is no vulnerable but she is equal member of the society. There is still time to provide adequate and fundamental rights to women so that this society might grow one day. Otherwise, such a superfluous and obstinate behaviour of men will ruin the country.
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in Khairpur Nathan Shah.
