"GENDER DISPARITY IN OUR SOCIETY"

 

GENDER DISPARITY IN OUR SOCIETY

By, Javeria Jawwad Azim

Major: International Relations

Introduction:

The unfair or unequal treatment of a person based on their sex is gender discrimination. Both men and women can be a victim of gender discrimination but women or girls are most likely to experience the adverse effects of it in their lives. Gender inequality is one of the worst uprising social issues in Pakistan which needs the attention of the government as well as the citizens. Anyone can easily observe Gender discrimination in their day-to-day life as it is common practice in our society, some examples of which are as under,

 

·    Gender Discrimination in Households:

Most parents treat their kids unequally, sons are treated as kings or superior creatures while daughters are dealt unfairly.  If there is one apple on a table to feed two children, the son would most likely to get the whole apple because it is believed that as a male he needs more nutrients. Likewise, boys can go where ever they want without telling their parents while girls or daughters have to seek permission from the whole family before going somewhere, and even then most parents will not allow them to go.  It is expected from daughters that only they have to deal with house chores because women are meant/born to do this work.

·        Girl's Education:

In our society, most people have this perception that female education is less important than male education because in the future men have to be a breadwinner so, they have to be well-educated to get a job and support their families. They haven't realized the fact that educated women lead to educated generations and it is crucial for society's upbringing & advancement. Mostly backward area people have controversial or sensitive opinions about female education.

In Pakistan, the female population is nearly half (48.54%) of the total population which means they are one of the assets of the country and without their support, the country could not prosper and progress further.

 

·        Hardships in Employment:

     Women often face difficulty in following their passion and they have to take steps against the will of their families as they don't get support from them. Working women have double responsibilities as they have to manage both their office work and their home and still, they are looked down upon by society and by colleagues in working spaces.

  If a girl gets a promotion, people will get suspicious of her character and questions her skill. In offices, cases of harassment are also common which brought about fear in females and they will end up quitting their occupations. Nowadays, people like to have an educated daughter-in-law/wife but they don't want her to pursue her career and have a job.

·        Other Gender-biased Practices:

In the present, many common cultural norms still exist in people of our society. Male birth is seen as a blessing while a daughter's birth is considered as a burden for a family. The custom of JAHAIZ (dowry) is deeply rooted in people which creates difficulty for girls and their families at the time of marriage. 'Doctor-Bahu' culture is also common where aunties prefer a girl that is a doctor to be their daughter-in-law but they do not want her to practice her profession after marriage. Gender-biased practices in remote areas of Pakistan include Karo Kari (honor killing), Vani, Watta Satta, etc. Other than that many women became a victim of harassment, domestic violence, rape, and acid attacks.

Most Women aren't allowed to learn to drive a car/bike and still, many people believed that it is inappropriate for a woman to ride a bike and to sit on it properly. Back when I was in 9th grade, I remember my classmate told me that In Islam it is forbidden for women to ride a bike and it is a big sin. Just like that, People often practice and consider this cultural patriarchy as Islamic teachings even though Islam has a different and beautiful perspective about gender roles and the position/duties of men and women in society. We should acknowledge that our Prophet (PBUH) use to do his work and help his wives with house chores. In the time of the Prophet, women have the freedom to travel, participate in war, do business, physically train themselves, do horse riding, etc. and no one despised them because this is what Islam teaches. 

The government of Pakistan should take effective action to eliminate gender inequality. According to the World Economic Forum's 2022 Global. Gender Gap Index, Pakistan ranks 145^th out of 146 countries and 161^st out of 191 countries on the Human Development Report's 2022 Gender Inequality Index. Government should consider this a serious matter and take measures to promote gender equality in society. Government should provide equal opportunities for men and women, promote education and professional development for women, provide equal rights, and ensure health, protection, and happiness for women.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, gender disparity is a critical social problem and it will only solve if we took a step against it starting from our homes. For the advancement of our society, we must put an end to the deep-rooted gender discrimination practices and cultural patriarchy in our society

Gender equality and empowerment of women is key to the success of the Millennium Development Goals. Not only as a specific target, but for the goals in general. Women bear a heavier burden of the world's poverty than men, because of the discrimination they face in education, health care, employment and control of assets.

_Johanna Sigurdardotter