- By: Irfan Khan Tareen
What has always been challenging for our women is to live with dignity and peace in a society dominated by misogynist narratives, archaic beliefs and shallow assumptions. In an insecure ecology, like ours, where less punitive action is taken against the violation of fundamental rights and laws, it becomes difficult for every citizen—particularly for women—to talk about and to vouch for their rights, and to enjoy peaceful co-existence. To women, nothing has meted out more harm than patriarchy—the root cause of all other ailments. This article endeavoures to shed light on all obstacles to women’s hindered progress and highlight the essential steps to be taken for their future progress and prosperity.
- Honour Killing: Honour killing, the unislamic and unethical deed, has become normal nowadays, resulting in loss of hundreds of precious lives. Every other day, a woman or a girl is killed in ‘ cold blood’—without mercy—on the pretext of honour. Data from the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) shows that in 2024, ‘honour’ killings continued to be a critical issue across Pakistan, with particularly high figures in Sindh and Punjab. From January to November, a total of 346 people fell prey to ‘honour’ crimes in the country. Despite the existence of laws condemning honour killings, ‘illegitimate jirgas’ continue in our society and their narratives are wholeheartedly acknowledged. Another unfortunate fact is that these legal documents still permit families of deceased one to forgive culprits for the exchange of ‘blood money’, undermining state’s ability to bring killers to justice. Off and on, the government expresses its resolve to give severe punishment to culprits. Yet, these resolves rarely materialize due to weak judicial system.
- Domestic Violence: In Global Gender Gap, a number of developing countries, including Pakistan, lags behind due their inability to provide extended security to females, and to champion basic rights of women—such as education, health and employment. According to Reuters Foundation Report, ‘ Pakistan is the 6th most dangerous country for women overall, and 5th worst in terms of domestic violence practices.’ In Pakistan, 28% of women aged 15-49 have experienced physical violence, and 6% have experienced sexual violence. 34% of ever-married women have experienced spousal physical, sexual, or emotional violence. Five percent of women have experienced spousal sexual violence (Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey 2017-18).
For long, women in rural areas have been facing toxic male masculinity and aberrant attitudes of male partners. Important to be cognizant of fact is that lack of awareness, education and better employment opportunities keep women limited to houses and results increas in ‘man’s ideology of domination.
- Early Marriage: Besides these obstacles, majority of women in our society have been facing the problem of early marriage—-specifically in tribal and underprivileged areas. According to Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS), 18% girls (aged 20-24) were married before the age of 18, and 3.6 % were married before the age of 15 – afflicting their education, and putting their health, wellbeing and safety at stake. Reports from house-mouth sources underscore every other day women are abducted, tortured, sold out to foreign countries and then forced for marriages and working in exploitative conditions. Despite the presence of laws against forced marriages and child-marriage, yet this challenges continues unabated in our society, indulging incessantly women in extreme pain, misery, inconfidenc and fear.
- Economic barriers: According to UN reports, majority of women in Pakistan face economic obstacles. Women’s participation in economic sectors is low in contrast with men. Lacking security and fair pay, vulnerable employment is crucial challenge for them. What factors bring about their economic vulnerability comprise: gender wage gap, sociocultural norms, lack of assets and education and skills gaps.
Other problems women face include sexual violence and child-abuse, working in miserable conditions, health crisis, lack of protection and mobility restrictions. Moreover, in Pakistan and many Muslim countries, ‘ Aurat March’ is described as illegal and unethical by a number of religious scholars. Who cite the Arabic version of Aurat/woman refers to ‘private part’.
Woman is an integral part of our society who has always played an active role in shaping a healthy and prosperous society. Along with the progress of men, country’s progress goes hand with hand with progress of women. It’s, therefore, imperative to encourage women in every field of life. Following measures must be taken in the nick of time, so that our society may march forward on the road to peace, progress and prosperity.
First, ‘ honour killing ‘ must be discouraged by banning illegal jirgas and by prosecuting ‘culprits’ as soon as possible. To give severe punishment to ‘ killers’ incarerated in honour killings cases, the state must become an intervener when a family of deceased pardons culprit for ‘blood money’. Similarly, a strict action must be carried out against domestic violence practices. Third, those involved in forcing and torturing women for early marriages must be brought to justice.
Moreover, we can bring about decline in misogynist narratives and patriarchy by encouraging female literacy which is undoubtedly the first key to mitigating their many problems. By providing them better employment opportunities, women can prosper and sustain themselves financially and will be able to bring up beautifully their children. Besides, in police force, the number of women should be maximized, so that unheard voices of women of far-flung regions may be responded well in time.
Women politicians, similarly, ought to play their due role; vouching for women’s fundamental rights, protection and participation in all spheres. What comes up more important is the implementation of legal documents supporting women’s rights in letter and spirit. Governmental actions, institutional and cultural changes and individual and community efforts can help put an end to misogyny against women, and build a healthy society.