Table of ContentsIntroduction.........................................................4Argument:............................................................5
Literature Review....................................................5Research Questions...................................................6
Significance of issue................................................7Research Methodology.................................................7
Theoretical framework................................................7Structure of the paper...............................................7
Empowerment..........................................................9Social empowerment..................................................9
Economic empowerment................................................9Women Empowerment...................................................10
Role of UN in Women empowerment.....................................11Establishment of UN Women..........................................11
Empowerment of Pakistani Women:.....................................13Timeline of Women Empowerment in Pakistan:.........................13
Constitutional Provisions regarding Fundamental Rights:............16Pakistan’s International Commitments on Women Rights and Gender Equality:..........................................................17
Present status of Pakistani women:..................................17
Constraints in Socioeconomic empowerment of Pakistani Women........20Social...........................................................20
Cultural.........................................................21Religious........................................................21
Role of NGO’s in socioeconomic empowerment of Pakistani women......22Empowerment leads toward Peace......................................23
Meaning of Peace....................................................23
1
Positive and Negative Peace........................................24Structural Violence.................................................25
Violence against women in Pakistan..................................27Deprivation of Social and economic rights as a form of Structural violence...........................................................28Violation of economic rights.....................................29
Violation of Social Rights.......................................30Positive Peace in Pakistan..........................................31
Recommendations:....................................................32Conclusion:.........................................................33
Bibliography........................................................34
2
Introduction Empowerment is the process of enhancing the capacity of
individuals or groups to make choices and to transform those choices
into desired actions and outcomes.
3
Social empowerment is understood as the process of developing a
sense of autonomy and self-confidence, and acting individually and
collectively to change social relationships and the institutions and
discourses that exclude poor people and keep them in poverty. Poor
people’s empowerment, and their ability to hold others to account, is
strongly influenced by their individual assets (such as land, housing,
livestock, savings) and capabilities of all types: human (such as good
health and education), social (such as social belonging, a sense of
identity, leadership relations) and psychological (self-esteem, self-
confidence, the ability to imagine and aspire to a better future).
Also important are people’s collective assets and capabilities, such
as voice, organization, representation and identity whereas the
economic empowerment is to allow poor people to think beyond immediate
daily survival and to exercise greater control over both resources and
life choices. In the socio-economic context, development means the
improvement of people’s lifestyles through improved education,
incomes, skills development and employment. It is the process of
economic and social transformation based on cultural and environmental
factors.
Women’s empowerment is a process of giving ability to the
neglected women to evolve the future strategy in their lives. This
ability ensures access to material and social resources; to agency
where decision making is processed and achievements that are the well
outcomes.
Peace means the elimination of all kinds of violence from the
society. For the durable and positive peace, removal of all kinds of
structural violence is necessary. Deprivation of any kind of rights
comes under structural violence and in the presence of any kind of
4
structural violence positive peace is unattainable. Protection of
women rights is necessary not just for the development and justice in
the society rather it is essential for the elimination of structural
violence and nourishment of positive peace in society. Women rights
are being protected by the constitution of Pakistan but practically,
they are mostly violated by the different segments of the society. For
a country like Pakistan, where peace is a big question, socioeconomic
empowerment can play very important and effective role in the peace
building process.
This paper intends to build a linkage between the socioeconomic
empowerment of women and establishment of peace in society that how
socioeconomic empowerment of women will help in establishing positive
peace particularly in Pakistan. The paper will focus specifically on
the positive peace rather than negative peace and introduce the new
dimension towards the durable peace in Pakistan. The paper will
examine the current status of Pakistani women at economic and societal
level and the violation they are facing. It will also find out the
major constraints in socioeconomic empowerment of Pakistani women. In
the end, paper will conclude that how this socioeconomic empowerment
will lead towards the positive peace in Pakistan and what are the
measure which must be taken into account to eradicate structural
violence and to build positive peace.
Argument: Socioeconomic empowerment of Pakistani women is vital for the
elimination of structural violence which will lead towards durable
peace in Pakistan.
5
Literature Review There are many women rights activists like Farzana bari, Aasima
Jehangir, Tehmina Durrani etc who are solely working for the
socioeconomic empowerment of Pakistani women they have written much
about empowerment of Pakistani women. On the other hand, many national
and international NGO’s like Aurat foundation, APWA, Women's Action
Forum which are actively working by not only helping the victims
rather they are providing quantitative and qualitative data by making
reports regarding women issues in Pakistan. In order to understand the
perspective, a review of some literature is present below
The book ‘Peace building: Women in International Perspective’
written by Elisabeth Porter clarifies some key ideas and practices
underlying peace building; understood broadly as formal and informal
peace processes. Elisabeth Porter highlights positive examples of
women’s peace building in comparative international contexts. Drawing
on feminist ethics, the book develops a politics of compassion that
defends justice, equality and rights and the need to restore victims’
dignity. Complex issues of memory, truth, silence and redress are
explored while new ideas on reconciliation and embracing difference
emerge.
Many ideas challenge orthodox understandings of peace. The
arguments developed here demonstrate how peace building can be
understood more broadly than current United Nations and orthodox
usages so that women’s activities in conflict and transitional
societies can be valued as participating in building sustainable peace
with justice. Theoretically integrating peace and conflict studies,
international relations, political theory and feminist ethics, this
book focuses on the lessons to be learned from best practices of peace
6
building situated around the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on
Women, Peace and Security.
The article ‘Johan Galtung: Positive and Negative Peace’ by
Baljit Singh Grewal is a well written article in which author
explained and defined the concepts of peace in a very confined and
clear manner. He discusses the Johan Galtung’s concept of positive and
negative peace.
The Paper ‘How Do Women Decide to Work in Pakistan?’ By Zareen F.
Naqvi, Lubna Shahnaz and G. M. Arif attempts to identify household-
related factors leading to women's participation in economic
activities and relates such participation to their economic
empowerment. A Probit and a Multinomial Logit model, respectively, is
estimated to look at women's participation in economic activities and
to evaluate the determinants of decision-making regarding own
employment, using the Pakistan Integrated Household Survey 1998-99.
The results are indicative of the observed bi-modal distribution of
women's participation in the labour force. At the upper end, educated
women are more likely to be involved in economic activity, whereas at
the lower end the chances of a woman to be involved in economic
activity increase if she lives in rural areas, if the head of the
household is illiterate or employed as an unpaid family helper. We
find that women who are older, better educated, head the household, or
come from smaller, better-off urban families are more empowered to
take employment decisions on their own. The results reinforce the
importance of educating women to improve their economic participation
rates and their economic empowerment.
7
A report, ‘Women Empowerment in Pakistan’ a report by Aurat
foundation and USAID defines women empowerment in multiple dimensions.
Women's empowerment is a complex, multi-dimensional, fluid and
emerging concept within feminism and development literature. It has
economic, political, social, cultural, religious, personal,
psychological and emotional elements. Empowerment appears to be
context-specific and has multiple determinants. Women are capable of
empowering themselves while external actors and agencies can create
supportive environments. This report aims to address the present
condition of Pakistani women and constraints which are present in the
way of socioeconomic empowerment.
Research Questions What are the major constraints in socioeconomic empowerment of
Pakistani Women?
How socioeconomic empowerment can be achieved?
How socioeconomic empowerment will end structural violence and
will lead towards peace?
Significance of issue A lot has been written on the issue of protection of women
rights and women empowerment as well as for the durable peace in
Pakistan, much has been available in literature but the linkage of
women empowerment and peace is missing in this regard. Much work has
been done related to peace building but less or negligible work is
present on the positive peace dimension. I have made an effort to
introduce new perspective towards durable peace in Pakistani society.
8
Research Methodology The methodology I’ll adopt for this research is qualitative in
nature and I will use primary as well as secondary sources for the
collection of data. The secondary sources include literature and
context from books, magazines, reports and online articles.
Theoretical framework Theoretical frame work is one of the integral part of the
research paper without which research is incomplete and insufficient.
Theoretical framework is the foundation of research paper on which the
whole research is based on. It is necessary to define the perspective
and dimension on which the whole research has based.
This research paper has based and revolves around the theory of social
constructivism. Social constructivism is a sociological theory of
knowledge that applies the general philosophical constructivism into
social settings, wherein groups construct knowledge for one another,
collaboratively creating a small culture of shared artifacts with
shared meanings. In an attempt to make sense of the social world,
social constructionists view knowledge as constructed as opposed to
created1.
Socioeconomic empowerment of women is related to the social setups of
the society and hence become a part of sociological norms. It is often
considered as a slogan of feminism but in reality it is social
constructivism theory which helps to explain the linkage between
socioeconomic empowerment of women and peace.
1 Tom Andrews, “What is Social Constructionism?” Issue 1, June 2012, Volume 11http://groundedtheoryreview.com/2012/06/01/what-is-social-constructionism/ accessed on Jan10, 2015
9
Structure of the paperIntroduction
What is meant by socio-economic empowerment?
What is meant by socio economic empowerment of women?
Role of UN in empowerment of women
Empowerment of Pakistani women
Protection provided by Pakistani constitution and its implications
International conventions signed by Pakistan and its implication
Present status of women in Pakistan; social as well as economic
Constraints in women empowerment
Religious
Cultural
Social
Role of media and NGO’s
Empowerment leads towards Peace
Meaning of positive peace
Meaning of structural violence
End of structural violence
How positive peace can be achieved?
Conclusion and recommendations
10
Empowerment Empowerment means giving individuals power to makes choices and
desired decisions about their life. It can be defined as the process
of enhancing the capacity of individuals or groups to make choices and
to transform those choices into desired actions and outcomes. Central
to this process are actions which both build individual and collective
assets, and improve the efficiency and fairness of the organizational
and institutional context which govern the use of these assets.
Empowerment encompasses access to options, information, education and
resources; decision-making power and authority; and control over one's
life.2
Social empowerment Social empowerment is a process of developing a sense of
independence and self-confidence, and acting individually and
collectively to change social relationships and the institutions and
discourses that exclude poor people and keep them in poverty. Poor
people’s empowerment, and their ability to hold others to account, is2 “Women’s Empowerment”, Medium Term Development (2009). Framework 2005–2010, http://www.planningcommission.gov.pk/mtdf/In 2009.dex/Index.htm accessed on Jan13, 2015
11
strongly influenced by their individual assets (such as land, housing,
livestock, savings) and capabilities of all types: human (such as good
health and education), social (such as social belonging, a sense of
identity, leadership relations) and psychological (self-esteem, self-
confidence, the ability to imagine and aspire to a better future).
Also important are people’s collective assets and capabilities, such
as voice, organization, representation and identity.3
Economic empowerment Economic empowerment is thought to allow poor people to think
beyond immediate daily survival and to exercise greater control over
both their resources and life choices. For example, it enables
households to make their own decisions around making investments in
health and education, and taking risks in order to increase their
income. There is also some evidence that economic empowerment can
strengthen vulnerable groups’ participation in the decision-making.
For example, microfinance programs have been shown to bolster women’s
influence within the household and marketplace. The evidence also
suggests that economic power is often easily ‘converted’ into
increased social status or decision-making power.4
Women Empowerment Women empowerment is a complex term to define and constantly
being defined and clarified by different scholars. It is deeply
interlinked with the feminism and gender equality which seems to be
the ultimate goals of women empowerment. The empowerment of women is
3 http://www.gsdrc.org/go/topic-guides/empowerment-and-accountability/social-and-economic-empowerment accessed on January 6, 2015.4 http://www.gsdrc.org/go/topic-guides/empowerment-and-accountability/social-and-economic-empowerment , accessed on January 6, 2015
12
associated with the entire transformation of the societal structure
which includes land reforms, educational opportunities, equal
employment rights etc. The empowerment is not something to impose
rather it is a phenomenon of independent choice and free will and it
may differ in the mindset of different societies.
The aim of Women Empowerment is equal distribution of power
between the sexes without any discrimination. Both men and women
should be provided equal economic, social, legal, and political
opportunities for their development. To get empowerment, women should
increase their self-esteem, self-confidence, and understanding of
their own potential, appreciate themselves and value their knowledge
and skills. Women should obtain equal distribution of power and
involvement in decision making at home, in society, economy, and
politics through women empowerment5. Women empowerment reduces maternal
mortality and fertility. Women violence prevents the welfare of women.
Women empowerment is measured through dimensions of knowledge, health,
resources, decision making and employment
Socio economic empowerment of Women means giving women equal
opportunity to live their life according to their desired goals and
enjoy all the benefits from their society equally. Social norms
overlap with development outcomes throughout a woman’s life-cycle:
they will determine whether she has any opportunity to forge her own
pathway to empowerment and to contribute to the empowerment of her
community or not.
The United Nations Development Fund (UNIFEM) represented a
comprehensive framework to define women’s empowerment and the
5 R.L.Panigraphy and DasarathiBhuyan. Women Empowerment. India: Discovery Publishing House, 2006
13
principles on which it is based which includes; high-level leadership
for gender equality; respect and for human rights and
nondiscrimination ensuring health, safety and well-being of all
workers; promoting education, training and professional development
for women; implementing enterprise development, supply chain and
marketing practices that empower women; and promoting equality through
community initiatives and advocacy. According to UNIFEM
Economic empowerment includes women’s land rights, livelihoods
and labor rights in formal and informal sectors.
Social empowerment includes; equal access to education, health
and all other social activities to women
Political Empowerment includes the share of women in electorate
and their participation in political system and process
Role of UN in Women empowerment UN has been playing very effective and efficient role insocioeconomic empowerment of women all over the world. It is provingnot only legal legislations rather the platforms as well for the womento excel in every sphere of life. Role of UN in socio economicdevelopment of women cannot be denied.
Establishment of UN Women In July 2010, UN Women; the entity for Gender Equality and the
Empowerment of Women was created by UN General Assembly. It was one of
the historic and practical steps taken by member states for the
execution of Organization’s goals on gender equality and the
empowerment of women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of
the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for
greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four
14
previously distinct parts of the UN system, which focused exclusively
on gender equality and women’s empowerment6:
Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW)
International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement
of Women (INSTRAW)
Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of
Women (OSAGI)
United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM)
The main roles of UN Women are:
To support inter-governmental bodies, such as the Commission on
the Status of Women, in their formulation of policies, global
standards and norms.
To help Member States to implement these standards, standing
ready to provide suitable technical and financial support to
those countries that request it, and to forge effective
partnerships with civil society.
To hold the UN system accountable for its own commitments on
gender equality, including regular monitoring of system-wide
progress.
UN has made substantial progress in advancing gender equality,
including through revolutionary agreements such as the Beijing
Declaration and Platform for Action and the Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
Gender equality is not only a basic human right, but its achievement
has enormous socio-economic benefits. Women empowerment helps in
6 http://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/about-un-women retrieved on January 14,2015
15
economic growth and development but unfortunately gender inequalities
remain deep rooted in almost all the societies of the world.
Women lack access to decent work and face professional
discrimination and gender wage gaps. They are too frequently denied
access to basic education and health care. Women in all parts of the
world suffer violence and discrimination. They are unrecognized and
did not give any part in political and economic decision-making
processes. For many years, the UN has faced serious challenges in its
efforts to promote gender equality globally, including inadequate
funding and no single recognized driver to direct UN activities on
gender equality issues. UN Women was created to address such
challenges. It is a dynamic and strong organization for women and
girls which will provide them a platform at the global, regional and
local levels to hear their un-heard voices. UN Women, among other
issues, works for the:
elimination of discrimination against women and girls;
empowerment of women; and
Achievement of equality between women and men as partners and
beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action
and peace and security.7
Women’s Empowerment Principles:
Empowering women to participate fully in economic life across all
sectors is essential to build stronger economies, achieve
internationally agreed goals for development and sustainability, and
improve the quality of life for women, men, families and communities.
7 http://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/about-un-women
16
The private sector is a key partner in efforts to advance gender
equality and empower women. Current research demonstrating that gender
diversity helps businesses perform better signals that self-interest
and common interest can come together. Yet, ensuring the inclusion of
women’s talents, skills and energies—from executive offices to the
factory floor and the supply chain—requires intentional actions and
deliberate policies.
The Women’s Empowerment Principles offer practical guidance to
business and the private sector on how to empower women in the
workplace, marketplace and community. Developed through a partnership
between UN Women and the United Nations Global Compact, the Principles
are designed to support companies in reviewing existing policies and
practices—or establishing new ones—to realize women’s empowerment.
In brief, the Principles are:
Establish high-level corporate leadership for gender equality
Treat all women and men fairly at work—respect and support human
rights and nondiscrimination
Ensure the health, safety and well-being of all women and men
workers
Promote education, training and professional development for
women
Implement enterprise development, supply chain and marketing
practices that empower women
Promote equality through community initiatives and advocacy
Measure and publicly report on progress to achieve gender
equality8
8 ibid
17
Empowerment of Pakistani Women:
Timeline of Women Empowerment in Pakistan: Muslim reformers such as Sir Syed Ahmad Khan brought reforms in
education and tried to empower women through education. Quaid-e-Azam
Muhammad Ali Jinnah had a positive attitude towards women. After the
independence of Pakistan, Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah tried to eliminate
socio-economic disparities against women in the country. Before 1947
there was a tendency for the Muslim women in Punjab to vote for the
Muslim League and women were organized into large-scale public
demonstrations.
Pakistani women were granted the suffrage in 1947 under the Pakistan
(Creation of Pakistan) Ordinance, and they were reaffirmed the right
to vote in national elections in 1956 under the interim Constitution.
The provision of reservation of seats for women in the Parliament
existed throughout the constitutional history of Pakistan from 1956 to
1973.
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Government
The democratic regime of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (1970-1977) had liberal
attitudes towards women. All government services which had been denied
to women earlier were opened to them. About 10 % of the seats in the
National Assembly and 5% in the provincial assemblies were reserved
for women, with no restriction on contesting general seats as well.
Gender equality was specifically guaranteed in the Constitution of
Pakistan adopted in 1973. The constitution says that “there shall be
no discrimination on the basis of sex alone.” Additionally, it affords
the protection of marriage, family, the mother and the child as well
18
as encouraging “full participation of women in all spheres of national
life.”
Zia-ul-Haq's Military Regime
The martial law regime of General Zia-ul-Haq (1977-1986) took some of
the steps for women’s development
The establishment of the Women's Division in the Cabinet
Secretariat,
The appointment of Commission on the Status of Women.
A chapter on women in development was included for the first time
in the Sixth Plan.
In 1981, General Zia-ul-Haq inducted 20 women as members in the
Majlis-e-Shoora
In 1985, the National Assembly elected through nonparty elections
doubled women's reserved quota (20 percent).
However, Zial-ul-Haq initiated a process of Islamization through
discriminatory legislation against women. He banned women from
participating and from being spectators of sports and promoted
purdah. He suspended all fundamental rights guaranteed in the
Constitution of 1973 including the right to be free of
discrimination on the basis of sex.
Benazir Bhutto Government
During her election campaigns in 1988, Benazir Bhutto voiced concerns
over social issues of women, health and discrimination against women.
She announced different plans to set up women's police stations,
courts and women's development banks. She also promised to repeal
controversial Hudood laws that curtailed the rights of women. However,
19
during her two incomplete terms in office (1988-90 and 1993-96),
Benazir Bhutto did not propose any legislation to improve social
status of Pakistani women. She was not able to repeal a single one of
Zia-ul-Haq’s Islamisation laws which were protected both from ordinary
legislative modification and from judicial review by virtue of the
eighth constitutional amendment.
Nawaz Sharif Government
In 1997, the Nawaz Sharif government proposed a fifteenth amendment to
the Constitution that would entirely replace the existing legal system
with a comprehensive Islamic one and would override the “constitution
and any law or judgment of any court.” The proposal was approved in
the National Assembly (lower house), but, it was strongly opposed by
women’s groups, human rights activists, and opposition political
parties. They demanded that Hudood legislation must be repealed as it
discriminates against women and conflicts with their fundamental
rights.
The improvement of women's status was stated as one of the 16 goals
listed in the Pakistan 2010 Program (1997), and is a critical policy
document. Later on the document omitted women while listing 21 major
areas of interests. Likewise, another major policy document, the
“Human Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy” (1999), states
women as a target group for poverty reduction but lacks gender
framework.
Pervez Musharraf's Regime (1999-2008)
On September 2004, the Ministry of Women Development was
established an independent ministry.
20
On July 2006 General Musharraf signed an ordinance for the
immediate release on bail of around 1300 women who were currently
languishing in jails on charges other than terrorism and murder.
In late 2006, the Pakistani parliament passed the Women's
Protection Bill, repealing some of the Hudood Ordinances.
The Cabinet had approved reservation of 10% quota for women in
Central Superior Services. Before this, there was a 5% quota for
women in all Government departments.
President Asif Zardari Government (2008-2013)
The government’s highest priority is to address discriminatory laws
against women, which includes
Adoption of Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace
Act 2010.
Criminal Law (Amendment) Act.
Acid Control and Acid Crime Act and Prevention of Anti Women
Practices Act.
The National Commission for Human Rights Act 2012 has been
enacted to monitor the overall human rights situation.
The Women in Distress and Detention Fund Act 2011 has been
promulgated to provide financial and legal assistance to
deserving women.
Moreover‚ 26 Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Centers for women have been
established in various districts to provide immediate relief to
female victims of violence. Around one million women are
receiving direct assistance under Benazir Income Support Program,
while the National Commission on the Status of Women has been
strengthened to monitor the violation of women’s rights. A
21
proposal is under consideration to give more representation to
women in the judiciary.
Nawaz Sharif Government:
Nawaz Sharif, also being a state party to the Convention on
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), lead
the government to take measures to ensure women’s rights as envisaged
in the CEDAW where as it is still taking multiple reforms to enable
women to participate in all walks of life. Nawaz Sharif has started
Prime Minister’s Youth Loan to help the youth of Pakistan build a
brighter future for themselves, in which 50 percent of the scheme has
been allocated to women to help encourage women to setup their own
businesses and thus allowing women to have equal rights.9
Constitutional Provisions regarding Fundamental Rights: Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan provides equal rights
and the chapter on Principles of Policy underlines the principle of
equal rights and equal treatment to all citizens/persons, without any
distinction including on the basis of sex. Following Articles of
Constitutional of Islamic Republic of Pakistan broadly cover the women
rights10:
Article 3 calls upon the State to eliminate all forms of
exploitation.
Article 4 provides for the right of individual to enjoy the
protection of law and to be treated in accordance with the law.
This applies to the citizens as well as “to every other person
for the time being within Pakistan” without distinction. This
9 http://www.pcst.org.pk/wst/wst_hwep.php, retrieved on January 7, 2015.10 Ibid.
22
article also clearly states that certain rights cannot be
suspended.
Article 25 ensures equality before the law and equal protection
of the law and states that there shall be no discrimination on
the basis of sex alone.
Articles 25(3) and 26(2) allow the state to make special
provisions for the protection of women and children.
Article 26 & 27 provide for equal access to public places and
equality of employment in the public and private sector.
Articles 11 & 37 (g) prohibit trafficking in human beings as well
as prostitution.11
Article 32 makes special provisions for the representation of
women in local Government.
Article 34 directs the state to take appropriate measures to
enable women to participate in all spheres of life and social
activities.
Article 35 asks the state to protect the marriage, the family,
the mother and the child.
Article 37 (e) directs the state to make provisions for securing
just and humane conditions of work ensuring that children and
women are not employed in vocations unsuited to their age or sex,
and for ensuring maternity benefits for women in employment
Articles 51 & 106 provide for the reservation of seats for women
in the legislatures.
11 http://wdd.punjab.gov.pk/women_rights retrieved on January 6,2015
23
Pakistan’s International Commitments on Women Rights and
Gender Equality: Pakistan has accessed and ratified a number of conventions on
women rights and gender equality; some major International Commitments
are as under:
Pakistan and the CEDAW:
Pakistan acceded to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms
of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) on 29th February, 1996, being
the 174th State-Party while declaring that accession by Government of
the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to the [said Convention] was subject
to provisions of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
and entering a reservation on Article 29(1), “The Government of
Islamic Republic of Pakistan declares that it does not consider itself
bound by paragraph 1 of article 29 of the Convention"12.
Present status of Pakistani women: In 1944, Pakistan’s founding father Muhammad Ali Jinnah
said in a speech,
“No nation can rise to the height of glory unless your women are side
by side with you; we are victims of evil customs. It is a crime
against humanity that our women are shut up within the four walls of
the houses as prisoners.”13
The Pakistani women make more than half the population of the
country, but sadly they are not treated well and are not playing any
efficient role in the development of the country. The current status12 http://wdd.punjab.gov.pk/women_rights retrieved on January 6,201513 ibid
24
of Gender Equality and Women Empowerment is quite disappointing in
Pakistani society14. Not only Pakistan is suffering from this but also
it has become the issues of those countries which are developing
countries. This has been defined by United Nation in their report that
there is an unequal access to power and decision-making; limitations
on rights and freedoms which are not imposed on men, particularly the
marriage institutions; the feminization of poverty i.e., women
constitute the majority of the poor; the incidence and escalation of
male violence against women; the gender stratification of careers;
unequal employment opportunities and the marginalization of women in
the formal sector; and male control of women’s reproductive choices.15
It is quite difficult to explain the present status and role of
Pakistani women as it is a complex structure with which it is
associated like social class structure, provincial demarcations and
rural and urban divisions. The examination of these structures would
enable us to understand the placement of women. However, women of all
sections face same or little bit different kind of hurdles in their
development. It may sound unfair but in societies like Pakistan,
economic status defines the social prestige, in the community and
educational and professional level is lesser in priority. Similarly
the rights and empowerment of women also varies from one class to
another class. Mostly the upper class women are generally educated
with strong financial position and available resources as compared to
the lower class. However women of both classes face structural
violence of different forms. The middle class women to a certain
14 Rashida Patel “Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment in Pakistan” Oxford University Press,201015 http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/followup/responses/Botswana.pdf accessed on Jan13,2015
25
extent are unable to raise any effective voice against the violation
of their rights, which normally comes from a certain mindset of the
male family members. Hindrances are created when it comes to higher
education and choosing a profession. It is not surprising that these
prejudices against woman exist in this class as it is under strong
influence of orthodoxy and this class claims to be the custodian of
existing cultural and religious dogmatic values of the society.
The most vulnerable are the woman of the lower strata, as she
neither has resources to resent against unjust treatment, especially
domestic violence, nor she is aware of her basic rights. A country
briefing paper on Pakistani women by Asian Development Bank (2000)
stated “Pakistani women are trapped in a web of dependency and
subordination due to their low social, economic and political status
in society. The majority of women suffer from all forms of poverty. In
order to change women’s position and societal views of their
inferiority, structural changed need to be brought about in the social
and economic order that shape our social world”16.
To examine the status and position of Pakistani women, it has to
be divided in two divisions; rural and urban. The setup and nature of
work is relatively different for the urban woman, as compared to their
rural counterparts. In rural set-up, women are supposed to live in the
four walls of house and their core responsibility is to perform all
household and upbringing of children. In the case of farming
community, women are supposed to do all households as well as work in
the fields and have to contribute towards the income of their family
but unfortunately this contribution is hardly recognized. Therefore
16 http://www.country-studies.com/pakistan/the-status-of-women-and-the-women'smovement.html accessed on Jan13, 2015
26
they still are at the mercy of their men even for the fulfillment of
their basic necessities. More often these women are victims of
domestic violence and physical and psychological abuses. Furthermore,
they are largely marginalized, when it comes to the social and
economic decisions of their family. However, it is only when they
become older (mothers of grownup children or even grandmothers), that
they are able to exercise certain control over their household
decisions. This status of women becomes worse when we move to the
rigid tribal setups of Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtoon khuwa
(including FATA areas), where the tribal system is deeply rooted in
the social structure, in a way that women mobility outside their home
is nearly impossible and they are bound to operate within the tribal
customs. In such areas, “slightest deviation from this code has
disastrous consequences”. An imprudent word with a member of the
opposite sex to whom one is neither married nor betrothed, for
instance, will result in the swift death of both man and woman”17
In urban areas, the conditions and role of women are
comparatively better due to women’s exposure to education,
print/electronic media, and the various awareness programs, introduced
by civil society organizations. These all elements have played a
pivotal role in the transformation of women’s position at social,
political and economic fields. Despite of these privileges enjoyed by
urban women, the role of women is often confronted and criticized at
domestic as well as at societal level. The working women of urban area
often suffer harassment at work place and economic discrimination.
According to a report of NGO White Ribbon Campaign (WRC) Pakistani
women are subject to increasing abuse. Increased cases of violence are17 Mumtaz, Khawar, and Farida Shaheed. 1987. Women of Pakistan: two steps forward, one step back? London: Zed Books.
27
being reported each year in Pakistan. According to the report, “sexual
harassment at the workplace, abuse, beating, and rape were some of the
forms of violence against women.”18
Urban as well as rural, both women face discrimination and
deprivation of their rights. They are deprived of even their basic
social and economic rights therefore unable to perform any practical
step toward the development of their country.
Constraints in Socioeconomic empowerment of Pakistani Women Pakistani women are continuously facing threats to their rights
and freedom. In Pakistan, women are considered inferior to men and
central to religious, social, cultural biases. In many communities of
Pakistan, women are considered as earning tools and often used to
settle disputes. Besides the provisions provided by the constitution
of Pakistan, there are numerous constraints in the socioeconomic
empowerment of women. Three major constraints are
Social
Cultural and
Religious
SocialWomen in Pakistan are even deprived of their social rights they are
not allowed fulfill their wishes and take active part in social
development. One of the most quoted and discussed hurdle is
patriarchal mind set of the society. It is a very well-known fact that
a patriarchal mindset is dominating in Pakistan society with the
dominance of male over female not only in the family set up but at the
18 Fahmina Arshad, “Women Empowerment in Pakistan”, http://woman-of-pakistan.blogspot.com/2012/10/women-empowerment-in-pakistan.html accessed on Jan13, 2015.
28
societal level as well. This is one of the biggest hurdles in
socioeconomic empowerment of women it not only limits the
opportunities for women but also supports discrimination against
women. Men as a dominating entity feels proud in violating women
rights and don not even consider it a crime. Dr. Khalid Muhammad of
Kifayat academy, a well know women related NGO, highlights the abuse
against women by stating, “women in Pakistan face the threat of
multiple forms of violence including sexual violence by family
members, strangers and state agents; domestic abuse, including spousal
murder and being burned, disfigured with acid, beaten and threatened,
ritual honor killings; and custodian abuse and torture”19. According to
the Pakistan National Reports in 1995, 1997 and 1998, the basic
reasons of gender discrimination and abuse against women are
oppressive patriarchal structures, rigid orthodox norms, and stifling
socio-cultural customs and traditions20.
The discriminatory legislation and negligence of executive
bodies to implement the existing laws, on women related issues are
also one of the important constraints in women development. Since
independence, various ordinances, legislative bills and amendments in
the constitution took place to provide equal status to women but this
legislation remained in letter not in spirit.
All kinds of violence against women have increased in all
sectors of the society due to discriminatory laws and improper
implication of provisions provided by constitution. In these
19 M Jafri, the Other Discrimination against Women. Karachi: Royal Book Company,200420 Shehzadi Zamurrad Awan, “Role of Civil Society in Empowering Pakistani Women”, South Asian Studies A Research Journal of South Asian Studies Vol. 27,No. 2, July-December 2012, pp.439-458
29
circumstances, The empowerment of women have become a challenge for
Pakistan, especially for those, who belong to the middle and low
classes, partly due to inadequate financial resources and less
exposure to higher education. Even the achievement of women are not
socially recognized and often considered as a part of any
controversial or contradictory theory.
Cultural Pakistani culture had also played very important role in
violation of women rights and is one of the important hurdles in socio
economic development of women. In male dominating Pakistani society,
women are not allowed to choose profession freely and move in the
society as they are consider as the lower entity which must be
dependent on the males of their family. It is not considered a good
thing if women want to work for her wellbeing most of the women who
work are appreciated rather degraded and not often labeled badly.
Women at work often face different forms of harassments by their
colleagues and employers. As a result, many a woman suffers
professionally and economically. Even when choosing a carrier, women
are restricted to certain kinds of professions. Even when there is a
question of personal matters like marriage, women or girls are not
given the permission for their choice marriage as they remain under
the dominance of male members who are to exercise absolute power in do
most affairs of life. Thus women experience sheer injustice at the
hands of parents. As a result, women have been chained in cultural
chains which restrict their personal freedom.
Religious The rigid and misinterpretation of Islam is also one of the
notable constraint in the socioeconomic empowerment of women. Islam,
30
which is followed by 97 percent population of Pakistan, is often
misinterpreted. Despite of the fact that Quran and Sunnah recognizes
the equal status of women but unfortunately, the rigid interpretation
of Islamic injunctions by the orthodox and semi-educated scholars has
played its role to restrain the women’s role in socio-economic and
political affairs.
Historically speaking, Islamic history is full of examples about
the women freedom professionally as well as personally. Bibi khadeja
the first wife of the Prophet was a business woman. She used to run
her business not only in Arabia but also some other countries. It
means Islam had permitted women for being professional and the Prophet
Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) was her employee who used to visits the
different countries by virtue of business. She is the one who proposed
Hazrat Muhammad (SAWW) for the marriage but now proposal from women
side is consider as a social crime. Several examples can be provided
from Islamic history where women were at par with men in all
activities of life, including during the battles and wars. There have
been many women personalities, which are regarded equal and at times
more in status and their contributions21.
However, in various verses of Quran and the early Islamic
practices, equal status of man and woman is acknowledged and
confirmed. To give one example, 4:19 verse of the Quran says: “O ye
who believe! Ye are forbidden to inherit women against their will. Nor
should ye treat them with harshness that ye may take away part of the
dower [money given by the husband to the wife for the marriage
contract] ye have given them, except where they have been guilty of21 Wajahat khan, “State of women in Pakistan”, http://wajahateducation.blogspot.com/p/state-of-women-in-pakistan-introduction.html, accessed on Jan 13, 2015
31
open lewdness; on the contrary live with them on a footing of kindness
and equity”22.
Islam was the first religion to recognize the equality of sexes
and granted women rights 1400 years ago. Women were given that
respectable position in the society which no other religion had given
before. There is no such thing in Islamic jurisprudence which hinders
socioeconomic empowerment of women but the problem aroused due to the
intermixing of Islam with culture. In Pakistani society much of the
cultural norms are being adopted from Hinduism due to the long history
of subcontinent and now cultural and religious values are so much
intermixed and interwoven together that it’s nearly impossible to
distinguish them.
Role of NGO’s in socioeconomic empowerment of Pakistani
women Women rights activists and NGO’s are playing very effective role
in the socioeconomic empowerment of women. There are more than 100
NGO’s working efficiently for the women rights in Pakistan. Besides
NGO’s, electronic and print has also played very active and notable
role in bringing awareness about women rights at all societal levels.
However, the contribution of NGOs, working for women and the
impact of print media is quite limited on women population of
Pakistan, due to following reasons. First, larger numbers of NGOs are
confined to major urban centres and have failed to make a breakthrough
for the uplift of rural women. While supporting this argument,
Dr.Tahmina Rashid, an expert on gender issues remarked, “the
22 Shehzadi Zamurrad Awan, “Role of Civil Society in Empowering Pakistani Women”, South Asian Studies A Research Journal of South Asian Studies Vol. 27,No. 2, July-December 2012, pp.439-458
32
activities of the large majority of women’s organizations are confined
to certain ‘posh’ pockets of major urban centres, yet in a few slum
areas, considerable grassroot activity can also be observed, where
lower class women are evidently struggling against heavy odds to make
ends meet”23.This restricted impact of women NGOs is also acknowledged
by women rights activist Farzana Bari, who presents a realistic point
of view behind this truth by stating that “the activists strongly feel
for women issues but they are not yet very active and effective.
Moreover, the diversity among women in Pakistan is a barrier to
formulate a common agenda for activism and there are cultural
variations amongst various regions that make it difficult to
incorporate all voices”24 Second, according to 1998 census of Pakistan,
the female literacy rate is only 36.8 percent (female literacy ratio
of rural women is 20 percent), which is very low as compared with
male’s, which is 61.3 percent. Moreover, this gap exists all over
Pakistan, which further helps to support the argument that there is a
widespread gender inequality in the country.25
Due to the low literacy rate of women, the reading materials
related to women issues, in the shape of articles, published
discussions and reports in newspapers, magazines and journals of
different NGOs, mostly go unnoticed and only few educated women get
benefit. While further elaborating this notion, Rashid stated, “the
literature is mainly published in English or Urdu though the female
literacy rate in Pakistan is very low. The large majority of women are
23 Tehmina Rashid, Contested Representation: Punjabi Women in Feminist Debate in Pakistan. Oxford: 2006.24 ibid25 Shehzadi Zamurrad Awan, “Role of Civil Society in Empowering Pakistani Women”, South Asian Studies A Research Journal of South Asian Studies Vol. 27,No. 2, July-December 2012, pp.439-458
33
unable to read either of these languages. Moreover, most women are
located in rural areas so their access to these organizations and
their published material is limited and above all, they lack the
financial resources to purchase this literature”26.
Despite of all the constraints, the impact and effectiveness of
media and NGO’s cannot be ignored they not only have highlighted the
orthodox structure and behavior of society in fact they have played
very important role in bringing awareness in women about their social,
economic and political rights. Moreover they often acted as pressure
group for the policy and decision makers to formulate policies
regarding protection of women rights.
Empowerment leads toward Peace
Meaning of Peace There are no specific words which can define peace perfectly
rather just like other theoretical terms such as happiness, harmony,
justice, and freedom, peace is something we often recognize by its
absence. Traditionally peace has been generally defined as the absence
of war although various definitions are present .In terms of
Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Dictionary provides following definitions
of peace
1: a state of tranquility or quiet: as (a) freedom from civil
disturbance, (b) a state of security or order within a community
provided for by law or custom <a breach of the peace>
2: freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions26 Tehmina Rashid, Contested Representation: Punjabi Women in Feminist Debate in Pakistan. Oxford: 2006.
34
3: harmony in personal relations
4: a state or period of mutual concord between governments b: a pact
or agreement to end hostilities between those who have been at war or
in a state of enmity
5: used interjectionally to ask for silence or calm or as a greeting
or farewell – at peace: in a state of concord or tranquility27
While Oxford dictionary defined Peace as “A state or period in which
there is no war or a war has ended”28
Term Peace is quite ambiguous in this regard as all scholars define
peace in their own context but generally we can say that peace refers
to the state of tranquility and harmony or the absence of conflicts
and war. Some of the scholars refer peace to the development and
prosperity.
Johan Galtung have given the modern definition of peace and
defined it in broad spectrum beyond conflicts and wars. According to
him “Peace is the absence/reduction of violence of all kinds”29 and
“Peace is nonviolent and creative conflict transformation.”30
Furthermore he divided peace into two forms positive peace and
negative peace According to him “By positive peace we mean a
cooperative system beyond ‘passive peaceful coexistence.” While
“Negative Peace is the absence of violence of all kinds.”31 The
27 "Peace." Merriam-Webster.com. Accessed December 30, 2014. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/peace.28 "Peace." Oxford Dictionaries, Accessed on December 31, 2014, http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/peace 29 Johan Galtung. “Peace by peaceful means: peace and conflict, development and civilization”, Sage Publications (1996): 9.30 ibid31 ibid
35
definition given by Johan Gultung clearly identifies that peace is not
just the absence of war and conflicts rather it is a complete
elimination of violence of all kinds.
Positive and Negative PeaceBefore going into the detail of achieving negative peace and
eliminating all kind of structural violence lets know about the
difference between positive and negative peace. Negative peace
primarily means the absences of war. In 20th century, French scholar
Raymond Aron gave the idea of negative peace by defining peace as a
condition of “more or less lasting suspension of rivalry between
political units”.32 This is more appropriately the realist perspective
about peace which considers peace is the absence of war and other kind
of direct or state organized violence. All proclamations of Pharaonic
Egypt, the Philanthropa regarding peace were actually comes under
negative peace which said that the expressions of benevolence from a
stronger party toward those who were weaker. An alternative view to
this realist (or Realpolitik) perspective is one that emphasizes the
importance of positive peace and that has been particularly advanced
by Norwegian peace researcher Galtung and others. Positive peace
refers to “a social condition in which exploitation is minimized or
eliminated and in which there is neither overt violence nor the more
subtle phenomenon of underlying structural violence”33. It means that
the continuing presence of an equitable and just social order as well
as ecological harmony can bring positive peace.
The characteristics of positive and negative peace can be summarized
as 32 Raymond Aron. 1966. Peace and War. New York: Doubleday.33 Johan Galtung, Carl G. Jacobsen, and Kai Fritjof Brand-Jacobsen. 2002. Searching for Peace: The Road to TRANSCEND. London: Pluto Press.
36
Positive Peace: Absence of all kinds of violence, social justice,
optimism, preventive and peace by peaceful means
Negative Peace: Absence of war and direct violence, Pessimism,
curative, Peace by force
Structural Violence Traditionally violence has been defined as the use of force
against others which can be physical, psychological or sexual. Merriam
Webster defines Violence as “the use of physical force to harm
someone, to damage property, etc” or “the great destructive force or
energy”34 While the world bank defines violence as "the intentional use
of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself,
another person, or against a group or community, that either results
in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death,
psychological harm, maldevelopment, or deprivation."35
Johan Gultung provided a broad spectrum not only about the
explanation of peace but also explained the theory of violence as
well. According to Galtung, “Violence is present when human beings are
being influenced so that their actual somatic and mental realizations
are below their potential realizations.”12 The opposite of violence is
peace, which encompasses “peace with nature, peace between genders
[sic], generations and races, where the excluded are included not by
force, and where classes, nations and states serve neither direct nor
34 "Violence", Merriam-Webster.com,http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/violence, Accessed on January 13, 2015.35 http://www.who.int/violenceprevention/approach/definition/en/ accessed on January 13, 2015
37
structural violence.”36 Galtung furthermore divided violence into
following categories; direct, structural and cultural violence.
The concept of concept of structural violence was introduced by
Johan Galtung in his article "Violence, Peace, and Peace Research"
which was published in 1969. According to him, Structural violence is
“a form of violence where some social structure or social institution
may harm people by preventing them from meeting their basic needs”37.
Examples of structural violence include; Institutionalized elitism,
ethnocentrism, classism, racism, sexism, adultism, nationalism,
heterosexism, and ageism. According to Galtung, structural violence is
an "avoidable impairment of fundamental human needs"38.As it is
avoidable, structural violence is a high cause of premature death and
unnecessary disability. Because structural violence affects people
differently in various social structures, it is very closely linked to
social injustice.39 Structural violence and direct violence are said to
be highly interdependent, including family violence, racial violence,
hate crimes, terrorism, genocide, and war.40
36 . Johan Galtung, “TRANSCEND: A Philosophy of Peace—And One Way of Enacting It,” in Searching for Peace: The Road to TRANSCEND, 2nd edn., eds. Johan Galtung, Carl G. Jacobsen, and Jai Frithjof Brand-Jacobsen (London and Sterling, VA: Pluto Press, 2002), xiii.37 Johan Galtung,"Violence, Peace, and Peace Research" Journal of Peace Research, Vol. 6, No. 3 (1969), pp. 167-19138 Johan Galtung, "Kulturelle Gewalt" (1993) Vol. 43 Der Burger im Staat p. 106 in Ho, Kathleen "Structural Violence as a Human Rights Violation" (2007). Essex Human Rights Review Vol. 4 No. 2 September 200739 Farmer, Paul E.; Nizeye Bruce; Stulac Sara; Keshavjee Salmaan (October 24, 2006), "Structural Violence and Clinical Medicine". PLoS Medicine 3 (10): 1686–1691. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.0030449. PMC 1621099. PMID 17076568. Retrieved January 13, 201540 Galtung, Johan. "Cultural Violence," Journal of Peace Research, Vol. 27, No. 3 (Aug., 1990), pp. 291-305
38
James Gilligan defines structural violence as "the increased
rates of death and disability suffered by those who occupy the bottom
rungs of society, as contrasted with the relatively lower death rates
experienced by those who are above them."41 Gilligan largely describes
these "excess deaths" as "non-natural" and attributes them to the
stress, shame, discrimination, and denigration that results from lower
status. He draws on Sennett and Cobb, who examine the "contest for
dignity" in a context of dramatic inequality.42
41 James Gilligan, Violence: Reflections on a National Epidemic [New York, Vintage: 1996].42 ibid
39
Violence against women in Pakistan While human rights violation and direct violence is being faced
by both men and women, there are particular types of violence whose
subject is women more than men. Women are facing various kinds of
violence all around the world due to number of factors. Suppression of
women is a kind of social control that limits the freedom and ability
of women in every aspect of life. Direct violence against women
includes rape and physical abused while structural violence includes
suppression of women in social and economic terms. Domestic violence
is also one of the most common and unacknowledged violence against
women which is very much common in every society.
Structural violence is one of the most common violence against
women which is not even recognized as violence most of the time.
Structural violence hits women severely in most of the developing
countries even the women of developed nations are facing structural
violence of many kinds. Women are facing problems of malnutrition,
inadequate food availability, lack of education and economic
opportunities etc. Conditions of women in third world countries are
even worse.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has been voicing the
unheard voices of those individuals who are and were subjected to
separations and infringement in all kinds of different backgrounds. In
year 2012 HRCP led a yearly examination as per which 913 young ladies
and ladies were executed for the sake of honor in 2012. These included
no less than 99 young girls43. Notwithstanding this, 74% of the young
ladies offered in Charsadda and Mardan areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in
43 Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, 2012
40
2012 were under 1644. The critical establishments made amid the year
incorporated the Twentieth correction to the constitution that
presented various changes in the articles identified with constituent
matters, the Act that made the National Commission on the Status of
Women self-ruling, the Act that accommodated the foundation of a
national commission for human rights, the Drug Regulatory Authority
Act, and the law to accommodate free and necessary instruction in the
government territory to kids matured 5 to 1645. As indicated by media
reports, out of 1,976 persons who submitted suicide in 2012 the nation
over 626 ladies. Of the 873 persons who attempted to take their own
lives yet fizzled 382 were ladies. The ladies in the nation were
dually influenced by climbing fanaticism and destitution. In 2012, 626
women conferred suicide, a figure which offers a look into the utter
weakness felt by women46.
Deprivation of Social and economic rights as a form of Structural violence Deprivation of Social and economic rights of women is very common
form of structural violence against women especially in third world
countries like Pakistan. Pakistan is facing a serious issue of women
rights violation which is leading towards the unstable society. Women
are the integral as well as the most active part of the society whose
participation in the society is vital for the social growth.
Socioeconomic empowerment of women is not only essential for the
social and economic development of the society rather it is necessary
for the durable peace as it is a kind of structural violence and for
44 ibid45 ibid46 ibid
41
the peace and prosperity, elimination of all kinds of violence is
necessary.
A country like Pakistan, which is struggling for the peace and
fighting a war against terrorism, elimination of structural violence
besides direct violence is also of vital importance. As without
elimination of structural violence of all kinds, goal of durable peace
cannot be achieved. In Pakistan women are often deprived of their
social and economic rights. This form of structural violence is quite
common as well as unacknowledged form of violence which is often do
not even recognized as the violence. Most commonly it’s been
considered that women are inferior entity and are not allowed to
question and their entire rights and responsibilities revolve around
their home and they have no share in any societal or economic
activity.
Violation of economic rights Economic rights of the Pakistani women are often violated and
neglected. Women are subjected to severe employment discrimination in
Pakistan. The low female literacy rate is one of the notable obstacles
in women taking part in the workforce. In addition, today females make
up only 15% of the formal labor force in Pakistan, and although this
is almost triple what is was 20 years ago, this is still a very
miserable amount.47
Women tend to get menial and low paid jobs even though they may be
more time and energy consuming. Most women are unaware about
opportunities, assets and services and are even deprived of their
47 Isobel Coleman, “Gender Disparities, Economic Growth and Islamization in Pakistan”, http://www.cfr.org/asia-and-pacific/gender-disparities-economic-growth-islamization-pakistan/p7217 accessed on Jan13, 2015
42
ownership rights over resources. Women mobility is restricted, their
skills are not recognized and their voices remain unheard.
The lack of gender disaggregated data makes it difficult to get a
true picture of women’s economic empowerment, as women’s work is
invisible and their contribution to the GDP remains uncalculated.48 The
federal bureau of statistics on women empowerment through labor force
is failed to collect adequate data on their contribution to
agriculture or participation in the informal sectors of the economy49.
The unemployment rate is higher for women of all group ages as
compared to the men. They keep on being the first ones to lose their
employments in a monetary downturn and are regularly given the
slightest need in contracting. Indeed the working conditions in formal
parts of job are discouraging for women. The lack of unionization by
women and the absence of women’s cooperatives, means that their voices
remain unheard. Women lack the means to collectively bargain for their
rights in the labor market, and are hampered by social and cultural
consideration, insecurity, fear of job loss and social censure.
Violation of Social Rights Women in Pakistan are often deprived of their basic social rights
including right to education, freedom of speech, right to health
facilities and other social and political rights. Pakistani women are
even unaware about their social rights and mostly face their violation
by their own family members. Women mobilization in the society is
48 “Women’s Empowerment”, Medium Term Development (2009). Framework 2005–2010,http://www.planningcommission.gov.pk/mtdf/In 2009. dex/Index.htm accessed onJan13, 2015
49 ibid
43
limited and women face significant challenges in society, the economy
and face a slow lower courts judicial system in order to get justice50
Women in Pakistani society are considered as a lower entity and
subordinate to their men and men are supposed to be the guardian of
women. Women are not allowed to make decisions freely and according to
their own will rather they are bound to obey their men in every aspect
of life.
In Pakistani society, the story of a woman’s deprivations starts
even before her birth, because the girl-child is not a mostly 'wanted'
child. She is solely forced to accept certain bare facts of life once
she grows up to be a woman. According to Hina Jilani, Lawyer and Human
Rights Activist, "the right to life of women in Pakistan is
conditional on their obeying social norms and traditions."51
According to a report by Amnesty International released on June
15, 2000, several hundred women and girls die each year in so-called
'honor-killings' in Pakistan, in a backdrop to government inaction52.
Women who report rape or sexual harassment come across a series of
hindrances. These include not only the police, who resist filing their
claims and misreport their statements but also the medico-legal
doctors, who focus more on their virginity status and lack the
training and expertise to conduct adequate examinations. Furthermore,
women who file charges open themselves up to the possibility of being
prosecuted for illicit sex if they fail to 'prove' rape under the 197950 Owais Jafri, "Crime against women: Man given 2 life terms for acid attack on wife". The Express Tribune, May 24, 2014, http://tribune.com.pk/story/712277/crime-against-women-man-given-2-life-terms-for-acid-attack-on-wife/ retrieved on Jan13, 201551 Hassan Riaz, “the status of women in Pakistan”, October 10,2012, http://womenrightinpakistan.blogspot.com/ retrieved on Jan 13, 201552 ibid
44
Hudood Ordinance which criminalizes adultery and fornication.
Consequently, when women victims of violence resort to the judicial
system for redress, they are more likely to find further abuse and
victimization. As far as domestic violence is concerned, it is the
most under-reported crime because it is generally condoned by social
customs and considered as a private family matter53.
Positive Peace in Pakistan In this era of globalization and technological advancement, one
cannot simply ignore the importance of structural violence in the
society. Now media is advanced as well as very much active in
reporting any kind of violence present anywhere in the world and one
cannot hide its deficiencies and evils from the world due to the
presence of free media. To be an active part of international system
and to retain positive image at international level, states must have
to take steps to eradicate all kinds of violence from their society
especially structural violence which is one of the root cause of major
direct violence and other evils of the society which are jeopardizing
peace.
Pakistan is facing many evils which are injurious to Pakistan’s
peace and prosperity. Therefore many steps are being taken to counter
extremism and terrorism in Pakistan. Policy makers have formulated
policies regarding it and government is keen to fight against
terrorism in order to bring peace. Although there are many practical
steps which are being taken time to time in order to curtail evils
which hinders peace and bring direct violence. Much work has been done
to counter direct violence but negligible work has been done for the
53 ibid
45
elimination of structural violence from the society and bringing
positive peace. Despite of the importance of direct violence, the role
of structural violence cannot be neglected as structural violence is a
root cause of many social evils. Especially a country like Pakistan
where society is being surrounded by many evils, elimination of
structural violence is of vital importance without its removal,
durable peace cannot be achieved.
Deprivation of social or economic rights to women is one of
the forms of structural violence. Pakistan, where half of the
population composed of women, is deprived of even their basic social,
economic and political rights. This large population cannot simply be
ignored and their active participation at both economic as well
societal levels is necessary for the growth and development of the
country. Eliminating this kind of structural violence will be very
effective in bringing positive peace in the country. Socioeconomic
empowerment of women is essential for the eradication of structural
violence from Pakistani society which can leads towards the durable
peace in Pakistan.
Recommendations:Following are the recommendation for the socioeconomic empowerment ofwomen for peace in Pakistan.
Public awareness should be created about the role of women in our
national socio-economic life and about the need to teach positive
attitude in society towards their participation in activities
outside their household.
46
The mass media should be used effectively to raise the nation’s
realization about the importance of women’s role and their
potentials for the contribution in the development of society and
economy. It has two aspects for achieving the objective; the
first lies in increasing the number of women in media and the
second through the establishment of media training institute for
women training in media production.
Greater efforts should be made for gender sensitive programs.
Serious Measures should be adopted for increasing the access of
females to primary education especially in rural areas. Serving
of mid-day school meal free or at subsidized cost has been tried
successfully in some countries as an incentive and the government
may consider introducing similar facilities in certain selected
areas in the country.
There is a need to build setups for vocational training and
technical education exclusively for women which can be useful in
getting better job opportunities according to their specific
skills. Moreover, special attention has to be paid to the needs
of new emerging rural occupations as a result of development
taking place in rural areas.
The facilities of technical and trade level courses for women
should be expanded in urban areas as well, which can help in
enabling them to pursue modern trades and technologies e.g.,
electronics, town planning, architecture, electronics, radio/TV
production and maintenance, hotel management, interior
decoration, cosmetology, pharmaceutical, banking, commercial
arts, advertising, precision mechanics, photography, paramedical,
garment-making, etc.
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The new employments in the modern sector of urban areas and non-
farm occupations in rural areas should be recognized and
established in order to provide them new avenues for raising
their income and social status.
The legislative process is the most effective form of
institution, which can safeguard that the women become socially
empowered. Those laws, which discriminate on account of gender,
or institutions that obstruct women’s contribution in economic
and political process should be amended.
In order to have active participation from women, they must be
given flexible working hours so that they can fulfill their other
responsibilities as well.
Women should be granted loans at lower interest rates so that
they are encouraged to start their own business and develop their
skills.
Institutions should be developed for providing equal resources to
men and women.
Policy action should be taken to lessen gender inequality.
Religious scholars should help society in understanding the
status of women in Islam and should also explain the rights given
by Islam they can also help in public awareness by talking about
it in Friday sermons.
Actions should be taken against those mullas who misinterpret
Islam especially related to women’s status in Islam.
Women should have the right to own their property.
Women must have simple business registration procedures.
Discrimination in wages must be apprehended and punished. Both
men and women must be given equal salary for the same amount of
work.
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There should not be any discrimination in assigning work to
people based on gender. Both men and women should be given equal
opportunities.
Safe working conditions should be provided to both men and women.
Women should be encouraged to join the fields of work which have
been considered as fields for men.
Different policies must be formulated to counter the threats of
structural violence and furthermore, these policies must be
implemented to bring positive peace in the society
Researchers and scholars also need to pay attention towards the
importance of structural violence and should provide necessary
recommendations to curtail it.
Conclusion: Socioeconomic empowerment of women means giving women social and
economic rights without any discrimination and empowers them to
exercise their rights freely not for their betterment but for the
growth and development of the society where they live in. One cannot
simply ignore socioeconomic rights of this large population of the
world. UN and other international organizations are working hard to
fight against the women discrimination and violence of all kinds but
they are facing serious hurdles in their goals of providing equal
social and economic rights to this deprived section of society.
Deprivation of basic social and economic rights is a form of
structural violence and is a serious threat to peace more specifically
positive peace. In order to achieve durable peace in the world,
eradication of structural violence is vital and particularly against
women who are facing all kinds of structural violence whether at home,
at work place or at societal level.
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Women in Pakistan are facing serious threat to their socioeconomic
rights due to many visible and invisible factors. Women in Pakistan
comprise half of the population of the country. Pakistan being a weak
state cannot afford to ignore the rights of half population of the
country. The women’s contribution in social and economic field is very
important for the growth and development of the country. For the
betterment of future in terms of peace and prosperity, this population
needs to utilize as an effective work force. Violation of
socioeconomic rights of women in Pakistan is a very common issue that
it is not even consider as a human rights violation by many sectors of
the society. Deprivation of socioeconomic rights is the most commonly
practical form of structural violence which needs special attention.
Pakistan is currently facing many serious threats to its peace and
development. Besides counter measures which are taking against direct
violence, many steps and policies must be proposed to fight against
evil of structural violence. Thus the argument is proved true that
“Socioeconomic empowerment of Pakistani women is vital for the
elimination of structural violence which will lead towards durable
peace in Pakistan”.
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