No ladies parks

Male-dominated culture continues to snatch avenues of entertainment from the opposite gender.

MULTAN:

Feminists across the country have been advocating the rights of entertainment to the women in society. However, from home to parks women have no place for recreation. Many spots that they were once provided have been snatched and transformed into venues of private or government functions.

Let’s take the example of southern Punjab where women hardly have segregated parks for their entertainment with their kids. The parks reserved for ladies are less than two per cent. These parks are now used for private and public ceremonies of political parties and socialites. If not used by the politicians, the civil administration is next in line to exploit these recreational spots for unofficial events.

Talking to The Express Tribune, one of the women, who earlier enjoyed the lost source of entertainment, said: “Our generation has spent time in these parks for morning and evening walks. Women come here to relax their minds.”

According to these women, the time they spent with the trees and birds only remain as a fine memory now. Previously men were prohibited at these parks but now they are often seen at  parties and functions organised at these parks.

Some women claim that it was not too long ago that they used to bring their children to these parks for an outing but now the government’s control over these places has left them without a recreational spot for them and their children. They blamed the present government, saying that the previous administration managed these parks well, which were earlier surrounded by high walls to provide women a sense of privacy and security.

Many female students used to come to study and sit in these parks but this whole environment has been devastated by the negligence of the government.

The parks earlier accommodated picnics and gatherings of groups like women’s athletics clubs at the local level.

Some of these parks were at one point equipped with gym facilities, arranged by the women themselves.

The sense of deprivation from all avenues of entertainment has caused frustration and social isolation for women of the area.

The public parks today are not in a condition to entertain women or their children. The parks have been equipped with swings to indulge kids in out-door activity but such projects will only make a difference in society if they are maintained and protected from being encroached for political events.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 11^th, 2011.