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Essay Woman Suffering in the World:

a). Black Woman Racism


b). Muslim Woman Racism

a). Black Woman Racism:


Obviously, when we talk about women's rights, equality, and suffering, we can automatically
refer to the segregation of Black women. Although he referred to the equality of all women
of ethnic and social origin in the symbols and objectives of feminism, he did not attach
importance to the problems of black women. In practice, feminism has focused on the
needs of middle-class white women in Britain and the Americas, appearing to be the driving
force behind women's emancipation worldwide. Patricia Collins, as one of the famous black
feminists, believed that feminism had no rights at all for the black woman. In addition, black
women were excluded from participating in any social, economic, or political activities
carried out by feminist organizations that were run by white women at the time.
In one way or another, women everywhere suffered, killed and raped, but no one suffered
as violently and painfully as a black woman. Both male and white women classified black
women into the lower class of women. This is the reason why many people Black women
began to rebel against this unfair stigma and compelled them to create another version of
feminism, called femininity, by Alice Walker in one of her major collections of essays. It is
entitled "In Search of Mothers‟ Gardens: Womanist Prose "(1983). In this way, Womanism
created a new space for the black female literary experience to express their wishes and
dreams. Femininity was the only truth in the lives of any black woman; and the most
important thing about this idea is that life means not only claiming the rights of a man, but
seeking the rights of a white woman. This ideology of "femininity" focused on the unique
experiences, struggles and needs of black women, but was unable to resist the command
and control of people and the unfair practices of white feminism. The female nation was
unable to bear fruit in a practical way, and black women could not turn this hypothesis into a
theory.

b). Muslim Woman Racism:


Muslims believe that justice and equality are fundamental values and principles in Islam.
People are equal, whether they are black or white, male or female. This concept of gender
equality arose in Muslim societies when it came to Islamic centuries ago, but Muslim
extremists have always tried to abolish God's rights for women and make them slave or
less. By the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, people were
thinking differently by creating new ideologies, organizations and organizational units for
women, generally "Islamic feminism" or "Arab feminism". Scientists and scholars have
always studied and discussed the questions and stories of Qur'anic women, which
incorporate the principles of gender equality and the broader issues of social justice, thus
establishing the patriarchal traditions employed by scholars. All aspects of life have already
been presented in the Qur'an, while some of the political rules of Arab-Islamic countries
have sometimes been against women and in other cases against it. In the early 20th
century, feminists around the world made efforts to connect at international meetings and
conferences to strengthen the role of women at home and abroad. Islamic feminists
marched to show the true image of Muslim women as mothers, wives, teachers, doctors
and parliamentarians. After the emergence of feminism, Western countries, such as the US
and some European countries, set off as a new idea for Arab and Muslim countries. Some
people have inquired about it because they believe that God has given women rights and
places their responsibility, happiness, and life in the hands of a father, husband, and brother
to protect and support him. Others, however, completely reject it because they believe in a
patriarchal extreme and have refused to accept it as an important, important person in
society.
According to Friedirich Ebbert Stiftung at the 2008 FES conference:

Islamic feminism is one of the most powerful movements of feminism in the world; they
have roughly the same goals as Western countries, but still have differences. The leaders of
this activity are primarily well-educated and nurtured women of various countries in the Arab
and Muslim world. Among them is Amina Wadud. Her research specializes in gender
monitoring and Quranic studies on the rights of the wife, mother of Muslim women; brother;
scientist and feminist. He stressed the importance of educating Muslim women for himself
and for society.

In addition to Wadud, dr. Hasna Husin, UNICEF Programming Director, and Malika Benradi,
UNESCO. He has written articles on the living conditions of women and children in Muslim
societies. Dr. Lag Akgün is one of the most prominent women's rights leaders in the Muslim
community. He stressed the importance of social contacts; Family life, commerce, criminal
law and, of course, gender equality also fall within its scope. Other Muslim feminists, such
as Professor Irshad Manji, Dr. Alia Hogben and Zainab Al-Suwaij, were able to relocate the
image of the Muslim woman. by deleting the negative stereotype image.

Waves of Feminism:
People generally think about how feminism could pave the way for women around the world
to become important beings through painful rape, murder, and suffering. History feminism
movements went through many activities, or as they were called the Three Waves of
Feminism.
a). The First Feminist Wave: Votes for Woman
b). The Second Feminist Wave: The Personal Is Political
c). The Third Feminist Wave: Transversal Politics

a). The First Feminist Wave: Votes for Woman:


When it comes to voting rights nowadays, every person would say that every citizen has the
right to vote, to choose and to express his or her opinion as male or female. However, this
has not existed for centuries. The first wave of feminists goes back to World War I, when
members of the National People's Party (NWP) struck in the US outside the White House.
They carried advertisements and writings about the government's non-democratic practices
by women in America. They wanted to show the world that they were in very bad situations,
and to prove to the world leaders that there was no dream and happiness in the land of
dreams. On the other hand, Germany and some other countries have already taken steps to
promote women's freedom. Women have been granted the right to vote, freedom and social
rights. During this period, women's institutions and organizations around the world began to
talk about women's voting rights and expressing their thoughts, etc. Among them: the
United States National People's Party, which has been considered an illegal party since
talking about the Strange. , Bizarre and weird stuff according to the US government. This is
the reason why many women have been arrested, even if they were white and educated.
One way or another, this was the action of the NWP, encouraged by a radical agitator Alice
Paul (1885-1977) who wanted to show armed tactics by marching on parades, parades,
primarily the White House, and firing President Wilson. Speeches (Campbell, 1989). Alice
Paul's tactics were confronting, but smart, and spikes on the side of President Wilson, who
favored the less radical plans of the National American Women's Breastfeeding Association
(NAWSA). The first wave of feminism was able to influence and stimulate other feminist
movements around the world and allowed women to vote from the outset. The first wave of
feminism in the United States has intertwined with other reform movements in order to
empower women in all hours of work, not just politics or voting. This process of feminism
was also supported by the abolitists of black women such as Maria Stewart (1803-1879),
Sojourner Truth (1797-1883) and Frances EW Harper (1825-1911). Called Color Woman.
As women's rights activists gradually realized that their efforts were worthless, they began
to do otherwise, making this a universal controversial issue. In a way, feminists wanted to
prove the importance of women voting. This activity of seeking equality affects all kinds of
women (educated, uneducated, rich, poor ...). And beyond that, they talked about the rights
of the colored man.

The first wave of feminism in Europe is mentioned in Mary Wollstonecraft's famous work,
"Proof of Women's Rights" (1792), which was considered her own revolution. In this book,
Wollstonecraft believed that education was the best way to put women in the same position
as men in society. In this wave, Virginia Woolf wrote a famous book on women's rights, One
Room (1929), in which she helped Mary Wollstonecraft and others build a new way for
women to change lives. The idea of giving women a new image and place has spread
throughout the world; he moved to the Soviet Union, Russia and Germany. In addition, the
leaders of such activities in these countries paved the way for the second wave of
appearance.

b). The Second Feminist Wave: The Personal Is Political:


The second wave of feminism referred primarily to radical feminism7 and especially to the
women's liberation movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s. This activity was seen as
a continuation of the previous one. During this period, there was a Miss America Pageants
competition in 1968 and 1969, where women were introduced as cattle to emphasize and
emphasize that a woman's appearance, wear and speech are more important than her
thinking, beliefs and actions.
This event made feminists in America and some other countries angry. They tried to stop
the event and staged several theatrical activites: crowning a sheep with a Miss America
crown and throwing repressive sexual objects such as bras, belts, false eyelashes, high
heels and makeup in a bin in front of reporters. They wanted to prove to the world that a
woman is just like a human being, not just a puppet or a puppet in human hands. In
particular, they struck and walked against races and the image of women in general. They
were carrying posters such as "Cattle marching humiliating and humiliating to man", "Boring
work: looking for a woman" and "Low paid: looking for a woman", "Liberation of women",
"Freedom of women" and "No more Miss America.

In fact, radical second-wave feminism has not been able to examine and discuss women's
subject matter separately from other movements in the 1960s and 1970s, such as the
Vietnam War, the Lesbian and Gay Movements, and the United States Civil Rights and
black energy movements. All these movements argued for the same ideas, such as
criticism of "capitalism" and "imperialism." The well-known and most effective group was
The Redstockings, who coined his name by associating the term "bluestockings", a
pejorative term used for women in the 18th and 19th centuries and otherwise strong-
minded, and red for social for the sake of revolution. Although not long lasting (from the
1960s to the 1970s), the "red stock" produces many expressions and words that have
become symbols of feminism in the United States in particular, for example: "Your sister is
huge," Awareness raising "," Personal politics "," Household politics ". This period saw a
number of Juliet Mitchell's second-wave feminism books in "Woman's Subject" (1970) and
Shulamith Firestone in "Sex Dialectics: The Case of the Feminist Revolution" (1970) and
others...

Building a woman's identity paved the way and showed women all over the world that they
have the right to be better by all means and to have the right life in their lives as they
please. This idea has empowered women's culture and interest in many topics such as
literature, poetry, politics and religion. In fact, the idea of equality and female identity was
welcomed by some but rejected by others. The best example of a woman at that time,
especially in the US, who wanted to remove the bar of racism and inequality, was the black
woman. They thought about changing their destiny by setting up organizations such as the
Black Women for Development (BWOA) and the National Black Feminist Organization
(NBFO). Both organizations wanted (among others) to bring gender and racism to national
awareness and to stop women of color from being perceived as inappropriate by others, as
some people call it. In Europe, the idea of female identity was quite different, as it was not
generalized as in America, known as "l‟ écriture feminine ", and suggested by the three
waves of feminism in Europe. In the same context, European feminists, more specifically
the French, wanted to take away the idea of patriarchy and the common notion of "man as
one and only". They also wanted to give women the right to choose how they would like to
allow same-sex marriage and give homosexuals, gays and lesbians the chance to show
their reality without shame.

After a long journey in the search for lost identities and neglected dreams, women in some
parts of the world have abandoned it, and many feminists, researchers and scholars have
sought other means to achieve their goals because previous activities were not enough. For
example, Julia Wood was among the scientists who wanted to convince people that the
question was not whether you were a feminist, but what kind of feminism you were. This
issue was the main reason for the emergence of Third Wave feminism, and its appearance
was not because the previous ones failed, but because they were the first steps on the
ladder of feminism.

c). The Third Feminist Wave: Transversal Politics:


This wave of feminism referred to a group of feminist activities. They appeared in the early
1990s and continue to this day. Rebecca Walker is a wave symbol. This term was first used
in 1992 by "third wave feminism". This wave was created as a reaction to the ideas and
activities of the second wave, such as women's pornography, sex work and prostitution.
Third-wave feminists generally consider themselves the strongest, most effective, and
powerful group among all other activities in feminism before. Schneiders describes the Third
Wave feminism as the liberation movement: "This movement is not just about social,
political and economic equality between women and men, but about the fundamental re-
imagining of all mankind to reality as a whole, including non-human creation." 9 These new
generations of feminists believed that the best way to make the third wave more effective
than the latter was to develop and change ways and methods of seeking women's rights. It
started with simple expressions that were simple and strong, instead of saying that women
said "girl" to attract the next generation to the importance of feminism, especially in recent
decades, when the world has seen tremendous progress in technology and science. They
have begun preparing some inventions and parties about the interests of girls and young
women, such as fashion and dress. They wanted women to love themselves (outside and
outside) and to believe that they could change the world in a positive way. Phrases like "Do
it yourself" have been used, but on the other hand, not all girls understand these words
correctly and do not realize the goals of the wave, such as women's improvement and the
development of society ...

These activities have also contributed to an increase in the number of riot girls in the US
and Europe. The leaders of this wave were fully convinced of the effectiveness of their
activities. Their new ideas on feminism have begun to be spread through new methods and
technology such as TV, magazines, radio and, more recently, the net.
In addition, many work has been done on this idea, such as the "Friendly Grrls Internet
Guide - Introduction" (1996) and the "Web Guide" (1998). This activity is responsible for
removing stereotypes, traditional and typical images of women by deleting ideas such as
the unfair expression of sexist language on girls and women. They found new words and
phrases that the girls used, and only the girls' new self-expression words and new forms of
communication.

Another important perception that contributed to third-wave feminism were ideas and
suggestions on cyberfeminism used by Donna Haraway (1987/1991). It has helped the
woman to play an important role in the development of technology, especially after the
emergence and growth of new techniques and methods.
Globalization was also a related topic of feminism at that time. Feminists wanted a
reorganization of power that challenged feminist theory and politics and discovered
women's interests and perspectives, that is, all groups of women, without exception. These
feminists strive to incorporate a wide variety of relationships and roles women perform. This
is the reason why many feminists from the 1990s to the present day have tried to prove that
these feminist theories and activities deserve respect and reward in various manifestations.
Attempts were made to gather most participants from different places, races, and religions.
They want to convince people of the importance of helping each other to overcome
segregation between women. In some respects, the third wave of feminism was not strong
enough to talk about women's rights because it had no coherent purpose and was generally
seen as an extension of the second wave. More importantly, there is no definition that
distinguishes itself and its goals from second-wave feminism. Finally, the previously
discussed feminist waves have played an important role in feminist theories and politics
from the 1960s to the present. They have prepared the way for other waves and activities to
appear, and to help women gain their social, political, cultural, religious and sexual rights in
different ways..

Water Crisis in Pakistan | Complete Essay


with Outline | EssayScholar
Outline:
Introduction:
Causes of Water Crisis:
1. Hegemonic attitude of India.
2. Inter-provincial disputes over distribution of water.
3. Government’s indifference towards construction of dams.
4. The increased silting of dams
5. Outmoded irrigation techniques among the poor.
6. The burgeoning gap between demand and supply.
7. Monopoly of the feudal over water resources in their areas.
8. Increased evaporation due to global warming.
9. Short sighted policies.
Effects of Water Crisis:
1. It has precipitated disintegration of federation of Pakistan.
2. It can trigger war between India and Pakistan.
3. Deterioration of irrigation system.
4. Decline of industrial sector.
5. A setback to live stock sector.
6. Decrease in volume of export.
7. Kicking off poverty.
8. Rapid brain drain and unemployment.
Steps to Resolve Water Crisis:
1. Formulation of consistent policies in need of hour.
2. Political consensus of water issues.
3. Small dams in arid areas of Baluchistan, Punjab and Sindh.
4. Improvement in irrigation system
5. Provincial reservation over Kalabagh dam should be removed.
6. Implementation of Indus Water Treaty in letter and spirit.
7. Desilting of dams.
8. Propagation of awareness among farmers regarding modern techniques of irrigation.
Conclusion
Water is driver of nature. It is soul of economy of any country. World will become colorless
without this priceless gift of nature. Even life of people and other living things grossly hinge on
availability of water. However, unluckily, contemporary world witnesses rapid scarcity of water. It
poses a serious threat to life and livelihood. Pakistan is also among those vulnerable states
which are in bracket of water crisis. Many reports- recently issued by leading organizations –
show that future of this country appears rough and tough due to water enigma. The reason is
simple: its economy will collapse because it is an agrarian state. Consequently, Pakistan will be
at the verge of destruction. Even today, water issue has spawned myriad conundrums for this
sorry state of affairs. These issues range from creaking economy to crumbling democracy.
Social polarization, religious extremism and dichotomy are-directly or indirectly-related to this
problem. Needless to say, it Pakistan resolves this issue on emergency basis; it will pace up
towards progress and prosperity. It will be able to throw its all socio-economic and religion-
political woes into dustbin of history. The previous governments have regrettably, failed to cope
with this issue. Ironically, after construction of two major dams – Tarbela and Mangla in 1970,
Pakistan is unable to construct other dams. It seems that this government is following previous
regimes.. Shockingly enough, constant apathy and lack luster will lead the country towards
abyss. It is time to wake up and resolve this issue seriously and sincerely. Otherwise
unthinkable will become inevitable.

There are many reasons for the water crisis. India's hegemonic attitude is the first and foremost
reason for this tangled problem. The Indian government and political elite have never accepted
Pakistan's independence with heart and soul. They still want to rule a clean country. They
implement their vile projects in various ways. For example, in 1948 they stopped the
participation of Pakistan and blocked the rivers flowing into Pakistan. Their goal was to
destabilize Pakistan at its initial stage. Pakistan concluded a treatise on Indus waters under
duress in 1960. Under this treaty, Pakistan has three western rivers and India has three eastern
rivers. However, India has never followed the rules and regulations of the treaty. He still violates
him by building his dams on Pakistani rivers. So Indian ambitions sparked a water crisis in
Pakistan.

Furthermore, the Pakistani government is also not interested in this matter. This issue has never
been the focus of government priority programs since the 1970s. Although previous
governments began several major water saving projects, they could not live up to expectations.
The construction of many tanks is in poor condition. The mainstream government is plunging
into problematic abuses. He is trapped in a security dilemma and management issues. As a
result, the water problem occurs as always on the rear burner.

Moreover, the increased silting of dams caused a water crisis. The dams are now obsolete.
They are unable to store enough water. Their silting can reach a point of no return. This is a
very serious matter to be considered by the authorities concerned. Reports suggest that existing
dams in Pakistan cannot be used for the next decade. The reason is quick silting. That's why it
adds fuel to the fire.

In addition, disputes between provinces regarding water distribution are undeniably dangerous.
This rivalry also threatens Pakistan's integrity and sovereignty. The Kalabagh Dam problem has
been coming for a decade. Provinces always blame each other for their shambolical
mismanagement of water. Moreover, the uneven distribution of water between provinces also
causes injury to salt. For example, Punjab has a 37% share in water, but Balochistan - the
largest province in the area - has only 12%. This justifies the quote from Balochi: "People walk
barefoot on the golden earth." Thus, interprovincial vitriol is responsible for a serious water
crisis.

Pakistan always advertises its irrigation system as the largest in the world. The bitter truth,
however, is that it is desolate and devastated. Poor farmers have little knowledge about the use
of modern irrigation technologies. They use outdated instruments and waste time and energy,
as well as waste water. Most of the water flows into the Arabian Sea without use. Pakistan's
irrigation system is now worthless. And the use of outdated technology caused a water crisis.

There also prevails burgeoning gap between demand and supply. Demand is increasing
geometrical and supply is arithmetical. There are several areas of Pakistan which are facing
scarcity of water. The economic hub, Karachi, is also faced with same issue. The game changer
Gwadar port will be far-cry, if water crisis in Baluchistan is not tackled immediately. Similarly,
deserted areas of south Punjab and Thar in Sindh are under constant threat of water shortage.
Hence, demand and supply gap is widenings day by day which is paving the way for disastrous
water crisis.

As every problem has some implications, same is the case with water crisis. The most drastic
impact is that it can precipitate the disintegration of federation of Pakistan. Inter-provincial
wrangles and finger pointing have been repercussions. Federation is at brink of devastation. It is
blamed for unequal distribution of shares and resources. The trust deficit is deeply entrenched.
Being a tropical country, natural calamities like floods avalanches are common here. These
natural catastrophes often lead to war of words among provinces. Ultimately, they weaken the
foundation of federation.

Moreover, it can trigger war between India and Pakistan. Indian hegemonic and aggressive
postures are unnecessary and unwelcomed. These belligerent gestures and hard diplomacy are
matter of grave concern. Both states have legacy of deep-seated hostility with each other. They
have also gloomy episodes of wars. Water is an issue that can also be a nuclear flashpoint
between two states. The rivalry of two nuclear states over water issue – along with other issues
– is threat for peace and prosperity of region and world. Therefore, water crisis have grave
impact on sensitive and vulnerable relations of India and Pakistan.
Furthermore, water crisis is responsible for deterioration of agriculture system. Agriculture adds
21% revenue to GDP of Pakistan. According to Economic Survey of Pakistan 2015-16, 45% of
labor force is in agriculture sector. Pakistan also exports its agriculture products to the world.
Recent budget has shown discouraging results; agriculture sector’s growth is 0.19% and cotton
production has declined to 27%. Indeed, this is grave effect of water issue which is casting
shadows over economy of country.
What is more, this year has witnessed sharp decline of industrial sector. Particularly, textile
industry is damaged. Many industries require water for regulation of machinery. Others also
depend on raw material produced by agriculture sector. Urban areas of Pakistan have been
rapid ribbon development but water issue may reverse the tide. Business outlets and industries
are on downward trajectory. Water crisis has paralyzed them.

In addition to this, it has dangerous effect on energy sector. Outages have plunged Pakistan
into darkness. There is shortage of dams to generate hydel energy which is sustainable as well.
There is demand of 21000MW of electricity. However, supply is just 17000MW. As a result, daily
routine of people is disturbed. They cannot utilize their energy and traits properly for progress of
state. Energy sector is directly linked to industrial and agricultural sectors. Power crisis means
dwindling of economy, ultimately the instability of state.

Water crisis has also given a setback to livestock sector. More than 60% of village population of
Pakistan lives on livestock sector. They sell milk products and meat of animals to earn bread
and butter. Recent reports show appalling results. According to WHO, Pakistan is among those
countries which see ripples of poverty in their rustic areas. The reason is crystal and clear:
livestock of villages in on decline because of inadequate water supply. Floods also obliterate
villages from the map of country. Hence, livestock bears burnt of water crisis.

However, game is not over yet. Some pragmatic efforts can resolve this issue pertinently. There
is a dire need of formulation of consistent policies regarding this matter. More importantly, the
implementation of comprehensive policies is a must. Otherwise, all efforts will go in vain.
According to a report, Pakistan is about to become a water scarce country. Currently, its water
is 1000 MAF. However, within a decade, it can reach 100 MAF. Consequently, Pakistan will be
a water scarce country. It is mandatory to carve out the first-rate plans to preclude this
nightmarish scenario.

Moreover, Pakistan can save its federation power, sovereignty and integrity through consensus
of provinces on this issue. The legitimate concern of every province must be addressed
immediately. Pakistan is already faced with security, governance and foreign policy issue. The
disintegration among provinces is a disastrous threat. Maturity, sincerity and patience are
needed and wanted in political arena. On one hand, federal capital must swallow bitter pills and
take tough decision. On the other hand, provinces must embrace sense of selflessness and
sacrifice for progress of state. Indeed, there is no royal road to glory, but consensus can pave
the way.

Furthermore, Pakistan can build smaller dams and reservoirs to take this issue. The mega
projects and dams take great stretch of time. The need of hour is to build smaller dams in order
to avoid imbalance. Policies can also be formulated for larger dams. This should be a long
term policy to harness water resources. However, a short term policy should go hand in hand
with that one. In this way, a balance will be created and Pakistan will gradually get rid of this
enigma.

Pakistan's irrigation system also requires the attention of those who sit in the corridors of power.
Pakistan cannot compete in this fast-growing world with outdated technologies and a ruined
system. Unfortunately, South Korea read the 'Five Pakistan Plans' of the 1960s to imitate.
Today, Pakistan lags far behind South Korea and probably imitates its policy. The reason for
this regression is that Pakistan has never examined the gaps in its irrigation system. The bottom
line is that experts must take action to renew this system.

In addition, it is necessary to implement the Indus Water Treaty 1960. Pakistan may raise the
issue of Indian hegemonic attitude in international fora. It can request or lobby the international
community to put pressure on India to implement the treaty. India built Wular Barrage, Kishan
Ganga and Baglihar Dams on the rivers of Pakistan. Pakistan has legitimate concerns about its
security, which is always threatened by an enemy's immediate neighbor. It is wise for both
countries to implement the Indus Water Treaty in accordance with the principles of international
law.

The whole discussion corresponds to the conclusion that there is a water shortage in Pakistan.
There is speculation that Pakistan will be a country lacking water in this decade. Experts
predicted the gloomy future of Pakistan if the issue remains in trouble. Its causes range from
Indian attitudes to internal mismanagement. Overwhelming demand - the consequences of the
supply gap are unbearable. Indeed, the economy is a download hill. Politics are skewed and
skewed; the resulting political crisis and chaos. The public is shaken. Security is at risk and
foreign policy is a fiasco. The industrial, agricultural and livestock sectors are under serious
threat. Structural changes, proactive policies and their vigorous implementation are needed.
Political consensus, building small reservations, improving the irrigation system and
implementing the Indus Waters Treaty are some of the steps that the government must take as
soon as possible. Undoubtedly, the sooner the better
.
Gender Equality is a Myth | Complete
Essay with Outline | EssayScholar
Outline:
Introduction:
1. Honor killing is rampant in Pakistan.
2. Acid throwing is an egregious practice in Pakistan that always hurts women.
3. Burning alive is a gruesome act that strikes terror in hearts.
4. Child marriage and forced marriages are common practices.
5. Black mailing and harassment; Naila Rind’s FB case 2017.
6. Patriarchal practices have become part and parcel of male dominant culture.
7. Political say of what is a yardstick to know woman’s problem.
8. Economic participation of woman is lamentable.
9. Institutional violence: the misogynistic attitude of Council of Islamic Interest (CII).
10. Flawed judicial system is actually miscarriage of justice for women.
11. Ineffective and toothless laws cannot protect her.
12. Education opportunities are unfortunately less.
13. Health condition of women unspeakably bad.
14. Monogyny in political parties highly favorably for women.
Some workable suggestions to end this myth
1. Implementation of existing laws.
2. Achieving targets of SDGS and the vision 2025.
3. Institutional support to the powerless and voiceless women
4. Opening the window of opportunity in all socio-economic and political spheres.
Conclusion

It is an uncontested fact that gender equality is a myth so far. Globally, women lag far behind
men in all spheres of life; ranging from socio-economic arena to religion-political areas. Though
some countries have tried to give due rights to the soft creature, yet they are not completely
successful. The failure of the world is to achieve target of gender equality in Millennium
Development. Goals are palpable evidence. The goal of recently introduced Sustainable
Development Goals, aims at universal gender equality by 2030. Predictably, this goal requires a
stretch of time because such changes are mostly unwelcomed in patriarchal societies. True, the
desire of change is itself a good omen. Bernard Shaw rightly remarked, “those who cannot
change their mind cannot change their anything.” Looking through Pakistani lens, the journey
ahead seems rougher, tougher and more tortuous. Doubtlessly, the plight of woman is
deplorable in Pakistan-she is remorselessly humiliated, ruthlessly killed or shamelessly deprived
of socio-economic and political rights. Woefully, she is physically and emotionally abused
without a quake of conscience. Albiet her active participation in Pakistan movement, yet she
could not get the olive branch after creation of its country. The deeply ingrained religiously
flawed social structure and cultural constraints did not allow her to pursue her objectives as per
her own will. Instead some draconian laws were introduced to make her life unspeakably tough
so that she might not pose threat to the male dominance. Unfortunately, she is voiceless and
power less today. The laws for her protection are toothless; they are only jewels of the statute
book. Women are under severe and serious threats in this patriarchal society. Except some
famous elite a women, others are living a tough life. Therefore, it can undoubtedly be said that
gender equality is myth in Pakistan.

A snapshot of current scenario proves this notion unequivocally. The first and foremost
arguments in this regard are rampant honor killings in Pakistan. According to the recent report
of human rights in Pakistan, 115 women are killed in name of honor annually. The award
winning documentary of Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy, “A girl in the river the price of forgiveness”
unleashes this myth. The year 2016 was a year of honor killings. Qandeel Baloch, Zeenat Bibi,
Samia Shahid Ambreen, etc, are few prominent names. The list of victims is endless. Prime
Minister Nawaz Sharif rightly said, “There is no honor in honor killing”. However, the misogyny
and desire to silence women is uncontrollable in Pakistan. Despite passage of anti-honor killing
bills, the society still poses threat to those who to break shackles.

The tragic story does not end here. Acid throwing is also an egregious practice which works for
man to crush the aspirations of women. Again, Sharmeen, Obaid Chinoy’s brilliant documentary
“Saving Face” showcases this case in Pakistan. Hundreds of women are attacked by acid in
Pakistan when they refuse to pander to the whims of men. The husband is on front line in this
crime. The cases are mostly going unreported due to helplessness of women. Even in those
cases which are reported, perpetrators seldom get punished.
Besides, the beautiful girls are highly vulnerable to be attacked by powerful and unbridled boys.
So, does this claim hold water that gender equality is not a myth in Pakistan? Answer is a big
no.
What adds more to the agony is burning of girls alive. Indeed, this gruesome act strikes terror in
hearts and chills the very narrow of bones. A few months back, Zeenat Refique was burnt alive
because she loved and married a boy_obviously going against the norm and wishes of her
parents. Shockingly enough, her killer was no other than her own mother_Perveen Bibi. No
doubt, this single case is enough to prove that gender equality is a myth in Pakistan.
Besides this, the child marriages and forced marriages are common practices in Pakistan. The
notorious Jirga, system in tribal areas and misogynistic attitude of council
of Islamic_Ideology has given green signal to this egregious practice. M. Hanif rightly writes in
his lately published novel “our lady of Alice Bhatti”, “Most of dispatches got settled doing serious
things to woman badly.” Singh government has taken some bold steps in legislative against this
norm. Notwithstanding, the right wing elements have compelled it to revise its recently proposed
law against forced marriage of Hindu girls. Sadly, the overall picture is bleak in this aspect.
Furthermore, the blackmailing and harassments are at rise despite passage of some laws. For
example, the cybercrime act 2016 was passed to secure women’s interest in cyber space,
besides other security issues. Nighat Dad, the head of Digital Rights Foundation says
“Cybercrime bill fails to protect women like Naila Rind.” Naila rind was a bright student of Sindh
University. In January 2017, she was found dead in her hostel. Initial investigation proved that
she was blackmailed and psychologically tortured by one of the professors who was her friend
on Facebook. The case of Naila is a reminder of cruel fact that gender equality is a myth in
Pakistan.

Another acrid reality is that anti-women, patriarchal practices have become part and parcel of
male dominated culture. Ghag, swara, vani, wata-satta, etc, are practiced. Indeed, the absence
of shame is shocking: it shows that morality and humanity are at stake in Pakistan. Sigmund
Freud rightly observed in psycho analysis theory that the lust of power and dominance is so
dominant in man that it is nearly impossible for him to give it up. Probably, this lust has provided
oxygen and spurred energy in patriarchal culture. Needless to say, women are insecure.

It is said that political say is a yardstick to measure the power of an individual, a class or an
entity. If women’s political participation is measured, the results are not encouraging in Pakistan.
The 1973 constitution has retained only token representation of women. The reports on the
website of Election Commission of Pakistan about women voters, representatives and their
active participation show appalling results. Presently, there are 71 women in national assembly.
Thanks to the quota system which has given them 17% representation in National assembly
and 33% in local government. Despite this, they are powerless. It can be said that they are
playing holy without colors.

The economic participation of women is also lamentable. Women comprise only 23% labor
force in Pakistan as per recent Economic Survey of Pakistan. There are few women, leading
entrepreneurs in this country. Majority are in under severe financial constraints. They are
dependents of their father, husband or brothers. Unfortunately, a working woman is considered
a sign of shame for her family in this conservative society. Unlike progressive countries, women
are bound under four walls of home. The half of the population of Pakistan consists of women;
the lack of women’s participation has multiplied the economic woes of Pakistan. Hence, it is
foolhardy to assume that gender quality is a reality in Pakistan.
In addition to this, woman in Pakistan is confronting with institutional biases. The misogynistic
attitude of council of common interest is a gloomy example. Interestingly, Council of Islamic
Interest (CII) eats away more than Rs. 100 million annually for its anti-women campaign. It has
out rightly rejected all friendly proposals in parliament. Recently, its
chairman Molana Sheerani said, “Man has right to slightly beat his wife.” Previously, it rejected
test of DNA as evidence in rape cases, denied anti child marriage law, and opposed tooth and
nail to Punjab. Punjab protection of woman against violence law 2016, Rafia Zakria rightly
remarked, “marriage is a relationship between the three in Pakistan; the man, the woman and
the mullah.”

To add more, the miscarriage of justice is rampant in Pakistan. When it comes to the question of
justice to women, sadly judicial system becomes helpless and mum. How many perpetrators of
harassments, honor killings, acid throwing has been brought to book? How many women judges
are servicing in apex court? Are there countless women lawyers in Pakistan? The eye sheds
tears and heart is tormented when one exposes answers of these questions. The bitter reality is
that perpetrators go scot free because Pakistan draconian laws permit them to cheer and
celebrate the misogynistic practices.

The existing laws are ineffective and toothless. Take an example of Punjab, protection of
women against violence law 2016. The said law was hailed across the globe and within liberalist
quarters as a milestone. However, its deadly opposition by religious elements and some allies of
ruling party has dashed the hopes to ground. According to current reports, more them 40 cases
of honor, killing has been reported in Punjab after passage of this law. Similarly, all other laws
on statue book regarding women have gapping wholes. It is very sad that laws cannot act as
bulwark for women against unbridled anti-women forces.

Arguably, the yawning gender gap in education is startling enough to claim that gender quality is
a myth in Pakistan. According to United Nation Education Scientific and Cultural Organization,
25 million children are out of school. Shockingly, the same report reveals that 63% girls are not
enrolled in any institution in Pakistan. Global gender gap index 2016 is a stark reminder that
women are treated callously in this country. Pakistan ranks 141 out of 142 countries globally.
Alas! how grimmer the situation is.

Analyzing the health area, women seem helpless, hapless and hopeless. In January this year,
Zehra Bibi died on chilly floor of Jinnah hospital Lahore. She was a poor woman so doctors are
reserved for rich women or the male. According to recent reports, the maternal mortality rate is
170 per 10,000 births. Whereas, 30 in Srilanka and 28 in Thailand – the smaller countries than
Pakistan. Comparatively, the life expectancy for women in Pakistan is 67 years while in
Bangladesh and Thailand 73, 78 respectively. These real grounds tell the real plight of women
in Pakistan, because statistics do not lie.
Speaking in perspective of political parties, women are not seen as primroses. Parties give
tickets to electables. Obviously, only those women who are born in a family of electable manage
to get party tickets. Though there are many examples of dynamic and charismatic women in
Pakistan, yet they shine due to dynastic politics. Women have little representation in executive
body of parties. Presently, none of the parties is led by a woman. Thus, misogyny prevails in
political parties.
Tossing pessimism into the dustbin of history, some workable and fairly reasonable steps can
rubbish this myth altogether. Firstly, there is a dire need to implement existing laws robustly,
sincerely and seriously. Recently, act anti-rape law 2016 and anti-honor killing law 2016 give
glimpse to the world of optimism. These laws are laudable indeed. Besides all previously
enshrined laws on all books can pave a way for a bright future for Pakistani. Doubtlessly, angels
will not descend upon earth to implement them. A responsible leadership can lead towards that
direction. Hence, authorities must come out of slumber and implement the already acted laws in
letter and spirit.

It is high time government achieved targets of sustainable development goals and the vision
2025. Pakistan already enjoys little respect in the eyes of world community when it comes to the
question of women empowerment. Kufi Annan Astutely said, “There is no tool more effective
that empowerment of women”. It is a good that government has outlined the vision 2025 with
starry-eyed optimism. It aims at 45% labor force participation of women by 2025. Thus, it is time
to work harder on homework rather than guesswork. Hopefully, the unwelcomed course will be
altered soon.

Moreover, the powerless and voiceless women need institutional surpass. Whether it be
parliament, judiciary and any other institution they must change their bellicose behavior towards
woman. They must have access to timely justice. The sue moto notice in Zainab case was a
good sign. The sentence to Parveen Rafiq, the mother and murder of Zeenat rafiq is also
commendable. Importantly, CII must be disbanded or completely overhauled because its
attitude is regressive rather than progressive. Additionally, online complain apps, emergency
number, easy accesses to police, etc. are some steps that can be fruitful in long run.
Last but not least, the windows of opportunities must be opened in all socio economic and
political spheres for women. State should play a leading role in this regard. Imagine, if all
women were educated, participated vigorously in socio economic uplift and political domain,
how Pakistan would have looked like? True, Pakistan cannot be an economic powerhouse
without active participation of women. Quaid e Azam did set the stage by encouraging his to
stand shoulder to shoulder with him. Unfortunately, his successors could not occupy that stage.
He rightly said, “No nation can reach the height of glory unless its women stand side by side
with men.”
In a nutshell, the overall picture seems increasingly black. The honor killings and acid throwing
burning, harassment, stalking, flogging, etc are some practices that ruined Pakistani women.
Besides, the participation of women in socio-economic and political arenas is almost negligible if
it is compared with man. Majority of women are deprived of literacy, and numeracy skills. Even
feminist have failed to protect women under their wings. There is a dire need to reform the
whole system with the sense of gender sensitivity. An iron-clad commitment and unflinching
determination can show the light at the end of tunnel. Pakistan will continue to stare towards an
abyss, unless it gives all due rights to its soft creature. Someone has rightly argued, “Of all the
things that bleed and grow, the herb most bruised is woman”. Hence, it is an undebatable that
gender equality is a myth in Pakistan

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