KARACHI:
Pakistan ranked 145 out of 146 countries in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Index 2022. The constant efforts to disempower women and eliminate them from all parts of society are responsible for the country’s worsened position in gender parity. From a young age, girls are told to be conformist and treated as lesser beings compared to their male counterparts.
The negative stereotypes against women are reinforced through the mass media, education, etc. Women in rural areas have little knowledge about their rights and access to opportunities to gain education, etc. Even educated and employed women hold little agency to make decisions about their lives. Workplaces have failed to accommodate women as management positions remain dominated by men and women are seldom prioritised for growth opportunities.
The government, non-governmental organisations, and civic society must take comprehensive action to bridge the gender gap. Without empowering women and including them in the workforce, Pakistan will remain unable to achieve any form of progress or growth. Education must be made accessible and affordable for all girls and misogynistic and patriarchal norms should be dismantled to improve gender parity.
Ali Sher
Kashmore
Published in The Express Tribune, July 20th, 2022.
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