Aamir Ali
We are living in a 21st century to be dominated by surging globalizing trends. Notwithstanding this, the female strata of our society encounter discriminatory mindset of the prevailing patriarchy system. We have been plagued by this as like our blood circulates within our body. This female segment of our socity is often marginalized at every sphere, ranging from deprivation of their fundamental rights to myriad of social restraints. In the same vein, when females step out of their homes, they mostly face wide-spread criticism, considering their movement a social taboo. Simplyput, women have to face tribulation at every walk of life. Given that how our female partners are prone to feel inferior beings, they most of the times remain subject to anguish, tribulation and never-ending suffering at the hands of their intimate parteners. Their ordeal range from physical, mental to psychological violence. The first one dominates the other two. Interestingly, it is of paramount importance to note here that those women who remain physically abused give birth to children who weighs lower than that of those who are not. Physical persecution on women is the worst practice in its kind that can often cause death. The situation regarding corporal violence against women in villages is even worse, to say the least. This is because people in villages are often infested with the virus of illiteracy, lack of conscience and absence of instinct. In addition to violence, mental and psychological trauma do often create unhealthy environment for females to survive. To me, these types are more disastrous than the former one. They often compel women to even attempt suicide, because they are too sensitive to sustain mental and phychological pressure. Besides, women also come across lack of opportunities at the threshold of jobs. Though they are constitutionally bound to receive their seperate quota, yet that do not cater to their desired needs as constitutional provisions for our opposite gender are quite minimal. Unsurprisingly, our corporate sector do offer very little space for women to work there. Hardly do they hunt job in the market, they have to grapple with unhealthy work environment. Many of the cases of harassment and molestation at work by their bosses often get reported and our newspapers are replete with such parallels. So long as anguish of women is converned, their limited mobility is another casue of concern. Most of the women live confined to the premises of their homes, thereby remaining bereft of availing vista of opportunities lying outside. They scramble a lot to build robust career, but their intimates do not allow them to step outside and work. That’s why, we see less representation of women in our institutions. Hardly do they manage to reserve seat in the career market, unhealthy work environment further impedes their way to work outside. Mentioned earlier, we are living in a male-dominated society, and that women feel insecure while working with males. If they are given other alternatives like female staff to be appointed on need basis, they would participate in the workforce more. Moreover, we often see on social media that how women are sexually hounded at work place. Worryingly, many of women do not speak up against those who molest them of the fear that by doing so, they could lost their jobs. Hence, such cases remain underreported and give significant rise to such cases afterwards. Beside all these hurldes, excruciating pain the women undergoes during pregnancy can not be expressed in words. On account of this aching childbirth period, many of women embrace death since pain gets rampant and unelusive. It is undoubtedly due to great sacrifice of the woman, the man gets birth. Therefore, it must be kept in mind and she should be treated accordingly in a fair and equitable manner. As per UN estimates, a woman dies after every two minutes throughout the world just because of maternity reasons and lack of proper care. If meticulous care be given to pregnant women, child and women mortality rates can also be lessened. As per UN estimates, 64% of Pakistan’s population is under the age 30 with significant number of women. This represents that how we can tap the best potential of burgeoining youth women population. These women can contribute enormously to our economic fabric. We also can see a sea change in our institutions if we keep the doors open for hiring women into the workforce. Saudi Arabia, on thse grounds, has also indulged in modernization whereby it provides women ample out-of-home opportunities in order to shift its short-sighted reliance only on oil-based economy. It has set a precedent for Pakistan too to streamline the course for females aspiring to work beyond the premises of their homes. The other way round girls face discrimination is that of early childhood marriages. In villages especially, where education and conscience remain hardly to be seen, parents tie the knot of their daughters with adult children either becasue of lack of financial resources or due to conservative customs. Whatsoever, child marriage below 16 years is prohibited in the constitution of Pakistan. Those who bypass it are subject to draconian punishment. Since these are blooming days of girls towards a meaningful life, child marriage thereby withers their early growth. That is sheer injustice with the delicate being of God vis-á-vis females. Education of girls often gets compromised as for as their grievances are concerned. Most parents prefer educating boys over girls as they consider latter’s education of no importance. They often remain oblivious of the fact that when a boy gets education, he serves community at a certain level; however, when a girl is being educated, she serves the entire nation, rather nations. To me, education of girls weighs more importance than that of boys. Only an educated housewife can better run her household. Hence, guardians must keep in view these certain points before depriving their daughters of education. To add insult to injury, Covid-19 further exacerbated the woes of womenfolk as they were badly treated by their male spouses. Since everyone had to remain in quarantine to not get affected of the virus, it created tediumand mental distress for everyone. Thus, when household women commit a little mistake, men vent their anger on them. In the worst case scenario, some women even had to face high persecution due to making a minor mistake. Thereby, the emergence of corona virus accompanied with itself gender issues. What is need of the hour at this critical juncture is that women must be entitled to their inevitable rights enshrined in the constitution and laid in Islam. If they face any kind of discriminatory issues, the state must discharge its significant role against those who resort to such appartheid. Moreover, immediate justice delivery be ensured for the better cause of women in case they encounter any wrong-doing. Moreso, they must be given ample opportunities to represent in the parliament and state institutions so as to contribute to society for better future prospects. Along that line, women must be equipped with necessary vocational trainings, so that they also work from home and contribute their crucial roles for the well-being of the society. Last but not the least, we can’t build a better society disregarding crucial role of females in steering the country towards the precipice of economic growth.