According to a poll conducted by the Experts of Thomson Reuters Foundation in 2011,Pakistan as ranked as the third most dangerous country for women , in the world. It provided an alarming count of more than 1000 women being murdered in the name of “Honor Killing” every year, while 90% of the women in Pakistan are victims of domestic violence. Moreover, every year, more than 100 women become victims of acid attack. Unlike other democratic countries around the world, women in Pakistan are contrived to live in strictly patriarchal societies, where not even a single day passes by when the women are not urged to forsake their basic rights, recognition and respect .
Westerners usually associate the plight of Pakistani women with the religious oppression but the reality is far more complicated. Around 62% of the total population of Pakistan resides in the rural areas and the villages where quality education is a scarce resource. A few “moderate “villagers do allow their daughters to acquire knowledge and education but that only until puberty, after which they are bound to stay at home . But all of the girls are not that lucky and blessed. There is this strong mindset ingrained among the local residents who think that educating girls is strictly prohibited on religious grounds .Unfortunately, this is a gross misinterpretation of Islam , which like all other religious urges men and women to acquire education and knowledge.
Subsequently, the conceptualization of the girl being as “other’s property” who has to eventually move to her husband’s house, makes the parents tie the knot of their daughters at a very early age . Majority of the cases referring to child marriages, have one thing common in them and that is the custom of not taking the consent of the daughter. Once again another very basic right of a girl is sabotaged, when she does not even have the right to choose the lad she wants to marry. Moreover, girls these days are not chosen on the basis of her piety nor on the virtues like her being well mannered and being well behaved but on the basis of how much Dowry the family can give. So now they are also considered as articles of trade.
Life after Marriage for women is another sad dilemma of our society .Every girl dreams of a life partner who understands her, Loves her unconditionally, nurtures her and respects her opinions but she is shattered to bits when she comes to know that he is a total contradiction of her thoughts. In reality, a women is expected to attend to all sorts of needs of her husband at anytime. The husband thinks of her as his personal servant who is bound to serve him at all times . A women is never considered as a companion but as an inferior being with no rights of her own.
Despite putting in all the efforts to please her husband, there are occasions when the male feels that things are not being done according to his self made standards and goes on to beating up his wife, making her a victim of domestic violence .But once again the woman gulps in all the humiliation and surrenders before the husband .Yet again her rights are violated and this time at her own hands, for not speaking up. Moreover , when the male is still not satisfied with the severe beating , he makes her a victim of marital rape. Unfortunately ,Pakistan is among those few underprivileged countries where heinous crimes like Marital rape are not even considered as a crime. Once in a long while, a woman musters up some courage to report the incident but instead of appreciating her bravery, she has to face gruesome consequences at the hands of the society . Her own family shuts her out .Her parents disown her because now she is a source of humiliation and disgrace to their families’ honor . The society entitles her as being impious. The world leaves her on her own during this crucial period of her life. And finally the utter feeling of being unwanted and of being worthless compels the poor soul to end up her life. Sadly ,it is easier for her to end up her life than to start living it all over again.
Since the age of ignorance and up till the 21st century, women in all parts of the world are living lives similar to that of animals where they are compelled to live lives according to the bounds and limitations of the society and family. In her efforts to please everyone around her she completely forgets about her being an individual who has the right to do what ever ‘she’ wants and thinks is good for her. One cannot just use a magic wand to eliminate this whole mindset which believes in suppressing the woman to restore male dominancy . Women empowerment is a very slow and gradual process and it can take decades to eliminate this from our society. Efforts need to be done on both Individual as well as on the government scale. Individually , the Parents should ensure that their daughters acquire education and are raised in such a manner where they know how to speak up and fight for their rights .It is the duty of the parents to support their daughter in every possible situation and should make her realize that they are always there to support her .Moreover, the brought up of sons needs to be modified. Instead of making them feel as if they are the superior beings, they should be taught of respecting women and not always considering them as sex toys .Schools,colleges, universities and NGO'S must collaborate and create awareness regarding the equality of men and women and should make women realize her importance in all walks of life.The government should create job oppurtunites for women in public sector so that they are able to stand up on their own instead of being dependent on the male.Laws need to be made against all sorts of evil customs prevailing in the society. At the same time they should be enforced and implemented also so that women are provided with quick and cheap justice.
BECAUSE THERE IS NO TOOL FOR DEVELOPMENT MORE EFFECTIVE THAN THE EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN.