Empowering women of Pakistan

With national and provincial elections less than two months away, it is imperative that we heighten the awareness of the electorate to the challenges and problems faced by Pakistani women. In this way they will be able to assess which of the political parties are serious about improving their lot.

Empowering women with better education, being sensitive towards their health problems, ensuring equal job opportunities and respecting their rights will go a long way in transforming Pakistan. This should also be a major motivation for them to vote.

Experience has reaffirmed that countries progress fast where women are educated and receive equal treatment as men. For a mother’s emancipation is deliverance of the entire family. A recent IMF study using empirical data and research statistics “determines that women’s economic empowerment is key to growth” and could boost Pakistan’s GDP by 30%.

Pakistan’s Constitution, as per Article 25 (2), is emphatic about giving equal rights to women. Unfortunately, despite this discrimination persists because of the failure of governance and antiquated customs. Thus the question is not only to educate the people but also to create conditions whereby those women who are contributing in socio-economic development are encouraged and feel safe in their working environment.

Apart from Pakistan being committed to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) relevant to gender equality and improving maternal health, there is also a legal requirement as Pakistan is a signatory to the UN convention for “Elimination of all form of Discrimination against Women”. The concept of gender equality has to be inculcated right from the school and college level because it is a question of changing the mindset.

In Pakistan’s context, clergy’s support and understanding is critical for promoting women’s emancipation. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) always promoted the due rites of women and gave them the highest respect. There is no reason why Pakistani women in anyway should lag behind in attributes of health, education and empowerment.

We have the example of several countries that have hugely benefited as a result of women being given equal rights. Sweden is one country that is in the forefront in gender equality and emancipation of women and has undertaken several measures through legislation and implementation of reforms. Clearly, there is huge disparity between the levels of development, attitudes and culture between Pakistan and Sweden. Yet it would be relevant to share some of the experience for the benefit of Pakistan.

Feminist policy that Sweden pursues aims at ensuring that women and men have the same power to shape society and their own lives — gender equality. This is a goal in itself. Moreover, it also acts as an essential determinant for achievements in all other important policy areas.

An overwhelming burden of evidence, from all corners of the world, support the fact that gender equality goes hand in hand with economic and social development of any society. Whereas it is equally true that gender inequality pulls the country down by slowing down progress in all fields.

For more than a century, successive reforms undertaken by Swedish governments have strengthened women’s economic and political rights. Social and wide-ranging welfare reforms have allowed a growing number of women to work outside the household to earn an income and pay taxes. Other reforms have contributed to equal representation of women and men in democratically-elected forums.

As a result, Sweden has gradually grown from a time when poverty and famine was a reality, forcing a third of the population to emigrate in the late 19^th century, to one of the most developed economies in the world and ranking high on all socio-economic ratings. Today, a population of 10 million generates a GDP roughly twice as much that of Pakistan. It is indeed a remarkable achievement notwithstanding there are other factors as well that contribute to this wide disparity in GDP. Sweden is a small country that depends on innovation and export, and therefore needs all its citizens to be educated and to work diligently. As high as 74% of the available female workforce is professionally active in the formal economy — the highest in Europe, contributing not only to the standard of living of their own households but also to the growth of national economy. Sweden’s goal of empowering women is supported by compatible social policies such as the paid parental leave, which is gender-neutral.

In October 2014, the incoming Prime Minister Stefan Löfvén took this development to the next level, declaring his incoming government a feminist government, the first one in the world to do so. With a century-long legacy of working towards gender equality in society and already at the top of international rankings, one may wonder why did he do that? Why push it even further may be on the minds of many. Was it just a means to attract female voters? No, the elections had already passed and the new government ready to start its work. Instead, the reason is a much more basic one: increased gender equality in society and the economy brings sustainable growth and stability. Quite simply — it makes very smart politics!

By mainstreaming gender policy, all branches of government are made equally responsible and accountable to identify gender gaps within their areas of responsibility and implement measures to remedy these. And by introducing systematic, gender-based budgeting, each policy proposal is assessed on its gender equality merits. This applies for all government branches and agencies.

In Sweden’s feminist foreign policy, equal access to rights, resources and representation is a cornerstone, actively promoted in all international forums. By applying a systematic gender perspective in peace, security, trade and development efforts, the Swedish government expects to contribute to real progress for gender equality and for sustainable peace, growth and stability.

Emancipation of women in Pakistan is a great challenge that cannot be taken for granted. It will require sincere effort by successive governments and civil society spread over years to work for the common good of its people.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 6^th, 2018.

Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.