Gender Studies Archives

Women Empowerment in Pakistan: Challenges and Prospects

The following is an essay outline of “Women Empowerment in Pakistan”.

Outline of Essay on Women Empowerment in Pakistan

Introduction

i) Women empowerment is basically the creation of an environment where women can make independent decisions on their personal development as well as shine as equal in society.

ii) Pakistan considered as one of the worst countries for women.

A retrospective view of women empowerment and challenges in Pakistan with a phallocentric social fabric.

i) Women victim of controversial Hudood Ordinance.

ii) Women education and health generally neglected in past years.

Steps taken by women empowerment in recent years

I. Steps taken by Govt. in Pakistan

a. Present government being a state party to the convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women (CEDAW) leading the government to take measures to ensure women’s rights as envisaged in CEDAW.

b. 26 Shaheed Benazir Bhutto centers established during (2008-2013) for women for immediate relief to female victims of violence.

c. Around 1 million women could receive direct assistance from BISP.

d. Women in Distress and Detention Fund Act 2011 promulgated to provide financial and legal assistance to deserving women.

e. Acid control and acid crime act and prevention of anti-women practices act.

f. Adoption of Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2010.

g. The cabinet approved reservation of 10% quota for women in CSS during Musharraf Era.

h. In 2006 Pakistan parliament passed the Women’s Protection Bill repealing some of the Hudood Ordinance.

II. Steps taken by the non-Government organization for women empowerment

a. Women chamber of commerce and industries

b. All Pakistan women association (APWA)

c. Smile Again Foundation by Musarat Misbah

Impacts of appropriate women empowerment in Pakistan

i) Low Female literacy rate; only 40% of them are literate

ii) Crimes like harassment, abduction, honor killing taking place regularly.

Comparison between Pakistan and other countries

Ø Women empowerment in India

I. UNDP says “India missed the 2005 deadline of eliminating gender disparity in primary and secondary education. However, hastened program and gender parity Index (GPI) for general in primary and secondary education has risen.

II. Ministry for women & Child development in (2006) given the status of a ministry with the power to formulate policies.

III. This ministry is implementing Swayamsidha program for women empowerment.

IV. National Commission for women

V. MDGs say “Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education preferably by

2005 and in all levels of education by no later than 2015”

Women Empowerment and its impacts on Pakistani society:

I. Economic and Financial empowerment

a. Increase in the workforce in the form of educated female workers

b. Reduced Poverty owing to better contribution by females in society

c. Establishing industry through female business person

d. Increase in family earnings and health facilities for women

II. Social empowerment

a. Better education for the next generation by educated mothers

b. Discourages crime by enlightening half of population i.e. women

c. Better living standards and conducive environment at the workplace.

III. Political empowerment

a. Proper representation of the women ensuring appropriate policy making for women

b. Better solution to issues relating to women and better representation on the national level.

Recommendation for women empowerment in Pakistan:

I. Awareness to the general public through media

II. Strict implementation related to women empowerment of law

III. Educating and empowering the neglected segment of society through education and general awareness.

IV. Checking the extremist bent of mind and trends set by religious fanatics and so-called flag bearers of Islam.

V. Ensuring immediate reaction against human rights violation of women.

Conclusion

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Gender Discrimination in Pakistan

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Essay Topic: GENDER DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN IN PAKISTAN REASONS, IMPACTS AND CONSEQUENCES

Outline

1. Introduction

a) A hard hit reality despite major declarations and constitutional reforms.

b) It can be seen everywhere in society whether social, political, economic or Cultural Sphere.

c) Need a pragmatic solution and strong political will.

2. Gender Discrimination is not a new phenomenon

a) History of the world is a strong witness to this phenomenon by blaming the woman and by considering her a cause of all evils.

3. An overview and examples of some developed nations

a) World health organization report, showing a clear picture of discrimination.

b) Social economic, political discrimination all around the globe in various forms

4. Picture of Pakistan also not satisfactory

a) Second most dangerous place for women.

b) Discrimination in every sphere of life whether social, economic and political with gender parity Index 0.87.

c) Despite constitutional provision, women are the deprived section of society.

d) Gloomy pictures and examples

i) Mukhtara Mai case – a victim of harassment

ii) Malala Yousuf Zai – allegedly attacked (by hard care section) for promoting girls’ education.

5. Reasons Behind this Abysmal state of Affairs

a) Patriarchal values are embedded in the society.

b) The feudalistic mindset of rural areas’ leader is hampering feminist element

c) Lack of democratic culture and education leads to inequality.

d) Misinterpretation of religion and extremist culture is contributing a lot.

e) The reluctance of politicians and judiciary to implement strict rules

f) Weak rule of law and lack of respect for the constitution

6. Impacts and consequences of this discrimination

a) Gender disparity in the education sector in the form of high dropout ratio of female students from the school.

b) The social fabric is deteriorating day by day

c) Tarnished image of the country in world community

d) Crimes and extremist elements on rising

e) Economic backwardness due to lack of half population in economic activity.

f) Sectarian and Ethnic clashes on the issue of this discrimination

g) High mortality rate of mothers due to inappropriate health facilities in rural areas.

7. Comparison with India-somehow same situation

7. I) India was known as the fourth most dangerous country in the world for women.

7. ii) Gender disparity in education male literacy rate 82% while female literacy rate 65%.

7. iii) National Crime Records Bureau comes up with an increased figure of crime against women in India from 2011 to 2012 6.4 % increase in crime ratio.

8. A few Ice-breaking evidence in Pakistan

a) Malala Yousuf Zai, the youngest Nobel peace prize laureate

b) Sharmeen Obaid, Oscar awarded

c) Arfa Karim, Youngest Microsoft certified.

d) Women sportspersons-ambassador of the soft image of Pakistan.

9. Steps taken to curb this discrimination

a) At the international level, Millennium Development Goals 2000, Education for all

b) At National level Pakistani Women Protection Bill, 2006, 33% representation in parliament 10% quota in CSS.

c) Criminalizing Acid attack.

d) Adoption of Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2010

e) Women in Distress and Detention Fund Act 2011

f) Increasing maternity and child health centers in Pakistan from 628 to 687 in 2014 to make sure women are getting appropriate health care facilities.

10. Recommendations to ensure equality

a) Good Governance by ensuring rule of law, accountability, and justice.

b) Democracy both in process and culture is the solution of all grievances

c) Strong political will and best implementation methods

d) Education and awareness among masses especially among females.

e) Vibrant media and civil society can also play an important part in this regard.

f) Empowering women in every sphere, by ensuring the implementation of women empowerment developments.

11. Conclusion

Women empowerment is the best solution to deal with the issue of gender discrimination against them.

Essay

“All citizen are equal and are entitled to equal protection of the law”, one of the articles of the constitution of Pakistan 1973 and likewise. All beings are born equal and there should be little discrimination on basis of sex, one of the articles of Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948, shows a very liberal picture about females in our society but the reality is on the other side Gender discrimination is a hard fact of our society as well as around the globe. Women are discriminated in almost every sphere of life whether social, political, economic and cultural. In Pakistan, Human right commission report is witness to violence and abuses that are being practiced in our society. Our social fabric and cultural values are promoting this patriarchal values are our leaders are not paying any attention to it. Education is still a far dream in our large section of society. These all have serious implications on the social, economic and political structure of our country. A serious and pragmatic solution and visionary leadership is a need of time to check this discrimination against weaker gender in Pakistan.

Discrimination in “XX” and “XY” sex is not a new phenomenon. It started a short after the birth of the first male that is “Adam” and female “Amma Hawa”. As Amma Hawa was and is still blamed by some Jewish, the main factor behind the expulsion of Adam from “Jannat”. Though it is related to religious psyche so it could be ignored most of the developed nations of today namely Britain, France, America, and Australia witnessed this discrimination even in the 19th and 20th century. No right to express her will in these developed nations. So the history of the world is witnessing this discrimination very clearly and unambiguously.

The current scenario is not far different. No country in the world is free of it. This discrimination is seen in almost all fields, whether social, cultural, economic or political. In the social scenario, male dominance always deprived women of their social rights and domestic violence against them is very common. According to the World Health Organization Report, 2011

One out of three girls becomes the victim of domestic violence in the form of rape, abuses, and harassment in her lifetime, around the globe.

This is clearly showing the gloomy picture of discrimination in the world similarly, 74 girls for to boys have access to education around the globe. 350 million more girls are out of school as compared to boys Economic discrimination is not far behind. Women are deprived of making choice of her career.

Politically they are still under the influence of man and in developing countries of Africa, South Asia their political will is of little importance. Even in India, there is still a trend of burying girls while other crimes i.e. abduction and gender harassment show an alarming picture. India is known as the fourth most dangerous country in the world for women. Report on crimes against women by the National Crime

Records Bureau states increases of 6.4% in these crimes from 2011 to 2012. So Gender discrimination is not an issue of a specific society or country but it can be seen everywhere in the world. Owing to the weak physical strength of female, they can be exploited at the hands of men.

Pakistan with more than 50% population of the female cannot be ignored in this regard. Being part of the South Asian nation, its culture always supports the male dominant society. Discrimination can be seen in its social fabric, its cultural values, and politico-economic structure. According to a global survey.

“Pakistan is the Second most dangerous place for women after Yemen”

Similarly, Gender parity under of Pakistan is 0.87, which is not considered even satisfactory. Though our constitution is not in favor of this discrimination and provides a lot of articles to protect women’s right and ensure their equality. Articles from the constitution of Pakistan define and give a lot of rights to men and women without discrimination. One such article is as:

Everyone is equal before the law and is entitled to equal protection of the law (Article-125)

The constitution ensures women’s participation in the national sphere but the reality is different and equality is nowhere seen in Pakistan.

Feudalistic culture allows the male to enslave women and to rule them which even allows them to do honor killing of females without any real evidence. This can be clearly seen in the human right commission report of 2011

One thousand Girls are murdered in 2011 in name of honor killing (Human Right Commission report- 2011)

The same can be seen in the latest Farzana killing a case of 2014. Similarly the traditions of Wani,

Karokari Watta Satta and marriage to the Quran, which is strongly prohibited by Islam is still prevailing in our society.

Education is the only way to enlighten women and men is not considered to be an important part of our system. In this field, discrimination is also at its peak with 48% female literacy rate against

71% male literacy rate lack of education keeps women ignore their fundamental right and make them submissive to their male master.

Political and judicial reluctance to give female their basic rights is also a trigging factor in this scenario. The passing of a lot of Bills and amendments are not sufficient. The real thing is implementation. And this implementation is not seen anywhere as Mukhtara Mai Case of 2002 is still pending. Though it gained international coverage still no action is taken, then what about other cases. Though women are given 33% seats in parliament they are unable to exercise their political will. Political leaders are of feudalistic mind so they can to do serious action in this regard.

Mis-interpretation of religion is often used as a tool to our extremist part of society. This extremist element was first used by Zia ul Haq in form of Hudood Ordinance 1979, and inform of slogans like “Aurat and Char Dewari” and then our extremist mullahs and terrorists make full use of this religious misinterpretation. The attack on Malala Yousaf Zai in October 2012 was a clear manifestation of this extremist element as this attack was allegedly carried out by militants against the promotion of girls’ education.

Psychological impacts are more than others. Women in rural areas are considered themselves as an inferior element of society who cannot move forward or compete with others. According to a local NGO report Cases of psychiatrist female patients are more than male. This psychological frustration is not only confined to one female but one complete family and generation is directly or indirectly influenced.

Economic backwardness is also a direct impact by not involving 50% population in economic activity. Women are being employed in the agricultural sector and non-waged sectors of the economy. In Industry only 25% of labor force is employed, who is also a victim of sexual harassment or low wages. This state of affairs could not help a country which is already suffering an economic dilemma. It is well said as:

Nations that ignore their females are just like a man who trains his left arm and ignores the right one

Crimes, ethnic violence and extremism are also some of the major consequences of this discrimination. A frustrated female cannot be brought up a moderate child. Her frustration will be seen sometime in the future in the form of a criminal, extremist and frustrated national of society.

Give me educated mothers; I will give you prosperous nation (Napoleon)

Tarnished image of the country in the international community is also a major consequence. The country which is considered as one of most dangerous place even for its own half population, how it would be considered a safe place for others.

The social fabric is deteriorating day by the day. As this discrimination has no end even in detention where the police are safeguarding women, they are not safe. According to the Aurat Foundation Report 2011, there are 270 cases against female abuses in jails while others were hidden because of fear of police.

Similarly, 2 rapes are reported every two hours in Pakistan.

National integration and even the concept of the nation on the base of which this country

“Pakistan” gained independence is not completed by excluding the women out of this fabric the Islam, the very ideology of Pakistan, does not give any right, to anyone to exploit its human beings on the basis of sex alone. So women have an important role in political stability and national integration to unite all factors of society.

Several efforts are made globally and nationally to address this like Universal Declaration of human rights, 1948 and Unite to all to Eliminate gender discrimination by the United Nations and also the education for all 2000 to but still fruitful results are not obtained likewise in Pakistan efforts are made by signing Millennium Development Goals 2000 and Education for All and similar other conventions locally Pakistan made remarkable efforts in the form of Women Protection.

Act, 2006 and prevention of Sexual Harassment Act, 2010 and other bills and by giving 10% job quotas in civil service and 33% representation in parliament but no effective results are seen in this regard.

There is a need for logical planning and its strict implementation. Good governance and democracy can ensure equality and freedom as democracy is the solution of all grievances in the prevailing situation of Pakistan. Civil society and women present in parliament can play an important role in this regard. Access to education and awareness through our vibrant media can play an important role in enlightening our society. In succinct, it can be said that gender discrimination against women is a hurdle in the development and progress of a nation. By empowering women and by encouraging them to participate and to represent society is the best solution to pull out the frustrated section of our society.

The developments in recent years in Pakistan and the neighboring country India show a positive sign that things are changing even the countries with alarming figures of crimes against women.

A few developments regarding women empowerment are a silver lining behind cloud Present government (2018) in Pakistan is a state party to the convention on elimination of all forms of discrimination against women (CEDAW) while adoption of protection against harassment of women at workplace Act 2010 and around one million women receiving direct assistance from Benazir Income Support Programme are some of the initiatives taken to empower women in Pakistan. Enlightenment given by electronic media has played a vital role in changing the scenario of discrimination against women in countries like Pakistan.

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Globalization and Gender Inequality

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Gender Studies Question: Globalization and Gender Inequality. The process of globalization has connected nations worldwide and has made the world a global village, yet it has also increased inequalities across nations. Discuss the gendered inequalities created and promoted by the process of globalization in contemporary societies worldwide.

Introduction

Globalization is a process of inter-linkage and incorporation among people, enterprises, and governments of different nations, an approach moved by the international trade and investment and advanced by information technology. It describes the ways countries interact and integrate. Globalization is generally understood as resulting in greater economic interdependence among countries through international trade, capital flows, and international products.

Globalization and Gender Inequality

Gender is the basic category of social organization and a major means by which social relations and inequality are structured; this concerns equally to international processes. Within the past two decades, globalization has had a huge impact on the lives of people, mainly women in the developing nations; it has contributed to widening inequality within and among the countries.

The process of globalization is often portrayed under two schools approaches linked to gender. One positive school states that globalization is in favor of gender inequality due to the trade openness, the opening of export-oriented industries and the ‘feminization of labor’ what results in better life prospects for women. Furthermore, globalization is also seen as reinforcing the subordination of women to low paid, low status and part-time jobs.

Economic Globalization and its Relationship towards Gender Inequality

Economic Globalization is defined by actual country flows and economic restrictions. In developing countries, the Economic Globalization, often forces unskilled women to agricultural sectors (the trend which is opposite in developed countries, where skilled women tend to be in non-agricultural sectors). Despite the removal of trade barriers and investment restrictions together with greater women access to jobs, economic globalization forced women to work in exploitive conditions and increased discrimination trends. The Arab countries have a high level of economic globalization do not achieve high gender inequality and do not provide equal opportunities for both men and women into the economic market entrance.

Socio-cultural Globalization and its Relationship towards Gender Inequality

The socio-cultural Globalization is the global spread of ideas and trends which due to the country’s cultural identification transmits ideas, beliefs, and values and incorporates them into contemporary societies. Poverty, illiteracy, and lack of social openness are linked to the low level of cultural globalization. It is also responsible for the negative social contracts in the society, such as violence against women, etc. Similarly, Arab countries with high globalization index, however, the negative social contracts which result in gender inequality remain to survive in those contemporary societies.

Conclusion

It is known that sustainable human development cannot be accomplished without gender equality, i.e; that gender equality not only is a development objective for equity reasons but also important for poverty eradication and human development reasons. It is also known that gender equality is economically efficient and enhances growth in long term. A national economy perspective should however not replace a women’s rights perspective, but rather complement it. It is important that the research on gender and globalization continues to develop and improve. Both sides of the coin must be developed into forming a rigorous research base on the gender dimensions of globalization.

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Women’s Participation in the labor force

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Gender Studies Question: Women’s participation in the labor force has increased recently yet women continue to perform their reproductive roles. Discuss the challenges encountered by women as a result of their paid employment worldwide with special reference to Pakistan.

Introduction

In the past few decades, the role of women in our society has extremely changed. Women can be seen as fighter-jet pilots, educationists, customer services head, company executives, admin heads, banking, HR and telecom sector. Women are making monumental contributions in each sector. Though the number of working women is increasing day by day still there are certain barriers that they have to cross to prove themselves beneficial for the job market.

Women Participation in Work Force

Women’s participation in the labor force andearning a salary are part of a modern phenomenon, but women have been challenged by gender inequality in the workforce. Until modern times, legal and cultural practices, combined with the inactivity of religious and educational agreements, constricted women’s entry and participation in the labor force. Economic reliance upon men and the poor socio-economic status of women have had the same influence, as the employment has become professionalized over the 19^th-20^th centuries.

Challenges encountered by Women

Working women all over the world, especially in Pakistan are facing major problems. Though Islam has defined the status of women still women are subjugated in conservative societies of Pakistan. When they leave their homes no matter for what reason they are stereotyped and are esteemed with disrespect. Major challenges are:

Gender-based discrimination

In male dominating society, men are considered more hardworking, intelligent and better employees than women. This gender discrimination results in an increased level of stress and job dissatisfaction. It also decreases motivation to work and commitment towards the job.

Domestic Restrictions

Women are restricted to their homes and their primary role is to take care of household chores and to look after their families. In Pakistan, our family codes are such that men are assumed to earn money and women are expected to do domestic chores. After all day of work at the office, no matter how tired they are, they are still expected to make ‘gol roti’ for her family when she reaches home.

Harassment at the workplace

This is the major problem faced by Pakistani working women. Majority of the women in Pakistan step out of their house to earn money only at the time of extreme need. Their colleagues and higher management harass them by passing inappropriate remarks or making fun of them.

Lower Wages

Women are paid less because the employer has this primitive concept that she will surely quit the job after her wedding. Women also earn low because they have to choose a less challenging job for themselves so they can spend more time with their family. Parenting affects the woman’s career unfavorably in contrast to men.

Transport Systems

The public transport system in Pakistan is very poor. This is a big hindrance in the path of women who have to go out for a job. Women face harassment in public transportations. They are bound to travel on buses because cabs are expensive.

Conclusion

The government should address these challenges and make sure equal wages are being given to women. Women should be given more opportunities for quality education which in turn results in more knowledge regarding the technology advancements. To face these challenges successfully, women need to be self-confident and should keep herself up to date with the latest happenings in the world of technology and to maintain a balance between her work and personal life.

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Violence Against Women or Gender-Based Violence (GBV)

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Question: Explain the structural and direct forms of violence against women in Pakistani society by highlighting the case study of Mukhtaran Mai.

Introduction

Pakistan has been ranked as the third most dangerous place for women to live in the world. Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Pakistan considers women inferior to men. Illiteracy, ignorance and blind faith provides a fertile ground for the maintenance of the status issues and encourages this extreme form of patriarchal society. This issue is compounded by discriminatory legislation and a dysfunctional justice system.

Structural Form of Violence against Women

In Pakistan, violence against women is an uncanny behavior that transpired to be a ‘norm’ due to the foolish acceptance of centuries-old conservative and feudal mindset. The threat of violence begins prior to birth for females. Social preference for male children is strong in many societies and can result in premature death or killing of female infants—termed female infanticide, a form of direct violence resulting from structural violence. Structural violence against girls and women is also evident in food and health care distribution. According to the WHO, women receive less food and health services than male, particularly in developing countries. Governmental policies by multinational corporations can also contribute to structural violence against women and their families in the area of food production and distribution.

Mukhtaran Mai, Extraordinary Courageous Woman

Mukhtaran Mai, a victim of tribal and caste wars in Pakistan has grabbed the attention of leading human rights activists in the US as well as in London. Mukhtaran Mai is a women’s rights activist who fought a historically patriarchal system after surviving a dreadful gang rape in 2002. The case was immediately picked up by the international media and the Punjab government asked the police to take immediate action. On September 2002: The State and Mukhtaran Mai file separate appeals in Lahore high court against the absolution of the eight men set free. Out of this crime and miscarriage of justice, she refused to concede defeat and went on to establish the Mukhtar Mai Women’s Welfare Organization, which supports, educates and empowers women through her local region. Her courage and efforts are acknowledged worldwide and donations are made for her organization.

Direct Form of Violence against Women

The effects of direct violence are visible, mainly the materials, but not all of them: trauma or the emergence of concepts such as ‘enemy’ are serious effects, but they are often not seen as such. Being the most popular and obvious, it is thought that direct is the worst kind of violence, it is easier to identify and therefore to combat. Johan Galtung in “Violence, Peace and Peace Studies”, has reflected “when one husband beats his wife, there is a clear case of personal violence, but when one million husbands keep one million wives in ignorance, there is structural violence”. Cultural and structural violence cause direct violence.

Conclusion

Let’s finish the case of Mukhtaran Mai with a thought-provoking statement of a writer “She’s not a feminist, she’s not an educated person, she does not have any personal politics. Pakistan will remain to be a country in which women will be living like second class citizens. It is not unfortunate to be backward in the progress of a country, but it is unfortunate to be backward in thoughts. If the people of Pakistan try to remove this social illness, things may start to change.”

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Three major Waves of the Feminist Movement

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Question: Outline and explain the three major waves of feminist movements in the West. Discuss the influence of these waves on feminist movements in Pakistan.

Introduction

The feminist movement introduces a succession of political struggles for reforms on issues such as women’s suffrage, maternity leave, domestic violence and harassment, all of which fall under the label of the feminist movement. The movement’s priorities vary among nations and communities and range from opposition to female genital mutilation in the country.

First Wave of the Feminist Movement

The first wave of feminism took place in the mid-19th and early 20th centuries, growing out the environment of urban industrialism and liberal socialist politics. The objective was to open up opportunities for women with a focus on the ballot. The wave formally began at the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 when three hundred men and women rallied to the cause of equality for women. Elizabeth Cady Stanton drafted the Seneca Falls Declaration outlines the new movement’s ideology and strategies. In initial stages of the first wave of feminism, it was interrelated with abstinence and abolitionist movements and gave voice to activists like the African-American Sojourner Truth, who requested: “Am I not a woman?” Victorian America saw women acting in very “un-ladylike” ways (public speaking, stints in jail), which challenged the “cult of domesticity.”

Second Wave of Feminist Movement

The second wave began in the 1960s and continued into the 90s. This wave unfolded in the circumstances of the anti-war and civil rights movements and the growing self-consciousness of minority groups. The New Left was on the rise and the voice of the second wave was increasingly radical. In this stage, sexuality and reproductive rights were most influential events. This stage began with objections against Miss America pageant in Atlantic City. Redstockings staged a play in which they crowned an animal as Miss America and threw “oppressive” feminine artifacts such as high-heels and false eyelashes into the trash.

Third Wave of the Feminist Movement

The third wave of feminism began in the mid-’90s and was informed by post-modern thinking. In this phase, many constructs were destabilized, including the concept of “universal womanhood”. The “Grrls” of the third wave stepped onto the stage as strong and empowered, rejecting victimization and defining feminine beauty for themselves as subjects, not as objects of patriarchy. They developed the expression of mimicry, which appropriated dis-respective terms in order to unsettle culture and deprive it of verbal weapons. The web is an important tool of “girlie feminism.” E-zines have provided “cybergrrls” and “netgrrls” another kind of women-only space. Rife with the irony of third-wave feminism because cyberspace is disembodied and permits all users the opportunity to cross gender boundaries and the notion of gender has been unbalanced in a way that encourages experimentation and creative thought.

Influence of Waves of Feminist Movements in Pakistan

In Pakistan, feminism consists of “good feminism”, “bad feminism” or “hyper-feminism”. These terms were observed after 2018 Aurat March, a controversial rally held by independent women and women’s organizations like LHWA for women’s liberation. The concept of women’s rights is not new in Pakistan, but the use of the term “Feminism” is new. In the past, people in Pakistan considered feminism as a taboo term, even those who supported women’s rights because of western movement associated with Feminism. In 2018, Aurat March, a rally on women’s right was held. Some people supported, but a large number of people including mainstream personalities nullified it because, in their view, there were gender racist and sarcastic posters carried by feminists in the rally, which overshadowed the real issues of Pakistani women and hence the terms “Good Feminism” and “Bad Feminism” were created. In Pakistani society, “Bad Feminism” is considered to be western propaganda because of many liberal and secular ideas about women’s rights. It is considered to be inappropriate because it goes against Eastern traditions of the society and repugnant to Islamic beliefs. Women’s rights organizations state that feminism in Pakistan is a movement focused on establishing equal political and social rights and opportunities for women.

Conclusion

At this point, we are still not sure how the concept of feminism will change. There have always been many feminisms in the movement, not just one ideology and there have always been tensions and counterpoints. The political and social feminist movements have always been chaotic and disconcerting. It’s a sign that they are thriving.

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Suffrage Movement, Postmodern Feminism and Structural Functionalism

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Introduction to Suffrage Movement

The Women’s Suffrage Movement was the struggle for the right of women to vote and run for office and is part of overall women’s rights movement. In the nineteenth century, women in many countries—including, the U.S. and Britain formed organizations to fight for suffrage.

Suffrage Movement

The suffrage movement was a broad one, surrounding women and men with a wide range of views. The first country to grant national-level voting rights to women was the self-governing British colony of New Zealand, which passed the Electoral Bill in 1893. The major division in Britain was between suffragists, who sought to create change and suffragettes, led by English activist Emmeline Pankhurst, who in 1903 formed the militant Women’s Social and Political Union. Throughout the world, the Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) established in the US in 1873, campaigned for women’s suffrage. Suffragist themes included the concepts that women were naturally kinder and more concerned about children and elders. As Kraditor shows, it was frequently presumed that women voters would have a polishing effect on politics, facing domestic violence, liquor and highlighting cleanliness and community. They should be equal in every way and that there was nothing as a woman’s “natural role”. Despite this discouragement, black suffragists continued to insist on their political rights. “If white American women, with all their natural and acquired advantages, need the ballot,” argued Adella Hunt Logan of Tuskegee, Alabama, “how much more do black Americans, male and female, need the strong defense of a vote to secure their right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?”

Introduction to Postmodern Feminism

Postmodern feminism is an approach to feminist theory that includes postmodern and post-structuralist theory, seeing itself as moving beyond the modernist polarities of liberal feminism and radical feminism.

Postmodern Feminism

Postmodern Feminists welcome the male/female binary as a main categorizing potency in the society. The general statement of postmodern social theory is a rejection of the western ideal of establishing universal grand accounts as a means of understanding and explaining society. Postmodern theory challenges claims of a united subject, which is presented as representing an objective point of view, a “view from nowhere.” Postmodern theory and practices recognize differences, making room for everyone to contribute and thus having a “view from everywhere,” and eliminating the practice of postulating one understanding as representing or being “truth.” The combination of postmodernist theory and feminism allows for questioning of essentialist approaches within and outside of feminism, an expansion of feminist scholarship as well as contributing the lens of “gender” and other issues essential to feminism to the body of postmodern scholarship.

Introduction to Structural Functionalism

Structural functionalism is a configuration for building theory that sees society as a multiplex system who work together to promote solidarity and stability. Functionalism addresses the whole society in terms of the function of its integral elements; norms, customs, traditions, and institutions.

Structural Functionalism

The Structural Functionalism theory perceives society as a structure with interrelated parts designed to meet the social needs of the people in society. Functionalism is a standpoint that claims that our lives are guided by social structures, which are stable influences of social behavior. Social structures give the shape of our lives – for example, in families, community and through religious organizations. and definite rituals, such as complex religious ceremonies, give structure to individual’s lives. Durkheim visualized society as an organism and each component within an organism plays a necessary part, but none can function alone and if any part fails, other parts must adapt to fill the void in any way. Each social structure has social consequences for the operation of society as an entity. Education has important roles in society, such as socialization, enlightenment and social placement.

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The Relevance of Modernization and Dependency Theory to Gender Equality

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Question: Explain the relevance of Modernization Theory and Dependency Theory to gender equality. Critically analyze the subordination of women in modern societies in the light of these two theories.

Introduction

Modernization theory is a theory that explains the process of modernization that a nation goes through as it changes from a traditional society to a modern one. While Dependency theory aims to upgrade the condition of poor states as a result rich states become richer by the way poor states are integrated into the “world system”.

Modernization Theory Applied to Gender Inequality

Modernization theory formulates a system for ensuring control of trade and capital without restriction from the states. These theorists believe that gender equality is greater in developed countries and also believe a relationship that exists between modernization, economic growth, and gender equality. Access to information, primarily through the Internet, allow surveys that can change perceptions and encourages the adoption of egalitarian attitudes. Increased women’s economic empowerment can strengthen this system by promoting changes in gender roles and allowing women to affect time allocation, shift relative power in the household, and exercise agency more widely.

Dependency Theory Applied to Gender Inequality

The Dependency theory describes a feminist approach to understanding and addressing the disparate impact that economic development and globalization have on people based upon their location, gender, class background, and other socio-political identities. The economic approach to develop modernization in terms such as job creation, inflation control, and employment –which aim to improve the ‘economic wellbeing’ of a country.

Women’s Material Subordination in the Light of Modernization Theory

Modernization Theory blames internal cultural factors for women’s subordination in the developing world. It is stated that traditional cultures and religious ideas that support the values, norms, and customs of the developing countries, attribute status on the premises of gender. In practice, this means that males are granted patriarchal control and dominance over a range of female activities and consequently, women have little status in developing societies.

Positive aspect:

Trade openness and the spread of (ICTs) have increased women’s access to opportunities and increased their wages than men’s. Growth in exports, with a decline in the importance of physical strength and a rise in the importance of cognitive skills, has increased the demand for female labor. ICT has also increased access to markets among female farmers and entrepreneurs by easing time and mobility constraints. Women have moved out of agriculture and into manufacturing services. Let’s take an example of Mexico, in which female employment in manufacturing grew from 12 % in 1960 to 17 % in 2008, with 10 times more employment in 2008 than in 1960.

Women’s Material Subordination in the Light of Dependency Theory

Dependency theory points out that many Transnational Corporations are not interested in helping the developing world and utilize patriarchal values rather than promoting gender equality. They take advantage of ‘women’s material subordination’ – where women put up with worse conditions than men because there is no better alternative other than to work as unpaid domestic laborers. From a Dependency perspective, increased participation in the workforce also implies increased hazards for women. Women’s jobs outside the home tend to be the lowest-earning, least secure, and most dangerous available in the economy, especially in periods of recession that plague most developing countries.

Conclusion

Contradictory to standard perceptions about women’s service in the household, the explanation suggests that under some circumstances exposure to information can bring about large change. Unfortunately, even the global nature of business does not consult universal rights for women. Many U.S.-based companies, such as Target, Wal-Mart, GEAR for Sports, Liz Claiborne, and Lee Jeans, have contracts with Guatemalan factories and continue to honor them even if the factories break clear company policy, such as physically examining women to determine if they are pregnant and denying health care to employees. Strengthening legal protection for women laborers and increasing access to legal recourse might increase participation in the work as a positive development for women.

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