KARACHI:
Most developed countries enjoy high growth and productivity rates because they have taken necessary measures to close the gender gap. Therefore, we must bridge the gender gap and welcome women in the different social, political, and economic spheres to achieve societal prosperity. Recent statistics have revealed Pakistan’s poor position on gender equality and women empowerment. The Pakistani leadership has failed to pursue a consistent approach in terms of providing women with the opportunities to empower themselves and offer them protection under the law.
Today, many Pakistani women are still unable to gain financial independence and lack the agency or autonomy to make decisions about their lives. Even though most women in rural areas work and earn, the male members of their families still suppress them. Similarly, women in urban areas often struggle to gain permission to work after finishing their studies and are faced with discrimination in workplaces.
The overall mindset that women are weak and cannot survive in the outside world should be abandoned. Instead of protecting women by giving them little autonomy, we must dismantle the mindsets that women are not capable of performing different tasks. The laws protecting women against violence, abuse, and harassment should be rigorously implemented and female-friendly policies must be adopted to open opportunities for women.
Hasnain Altaf
Karachi
Published in The Express Tribune, September 1st, 2022.
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