Feminism is perhaps Pakistan’s most divisive and hotly debated topic. The sheltered mind will often slander it with labels such as western propaganda, overly liberal, man-hating, not suited for an Islamic Republic, and advocating for a provocative female culture. This is undoubtedly the least accurate description of what is now the world’s largest and most vital social movement. Being an old, dated movement it is of course difficult to fully grasp without a brief of its essential history.
The feminist movement as an organised platform dated back as early as the 19th century and began with the rise of the early “Suffragettes.” Suffragettes, by name and nature, were the first organisation to actively demand nothing more or less than the simple right for women to be able to vote. The height of the Suffragette movement was also during and after the First World War when women across nations took on traditionally male occupations.
Though this started out of necessity, it soon had become clear that both genders were clearly equally equipped to work outside of the home, and both had an equal right to further their economic empowerment. So how was it fair that half the population who were equally impacted by political and social policies had no voice whatsoever, not even the right to vote in general elections? It eventually sparked the conversation on how basic rights and amenities were simply not being granted to women as equal citizens of any state.
If not for the feminist movements that soon grew, women in every nation would be left completely powerless, stateless, and with no economic independence to improve their condition. Naturally, this has reflected clearly in the feminization of poverty analysis, granted to women as equal citizens of any state.
If not for the feminist movements that soon grew, women in every nation would be left completely powerless, stateless, and with no economic independence to improve their condition. Naturally, this has reflected clearly in the feminization of poverty analysis, which finds that due to this deep inequality in power and social mobility, 70% of the world’s poor have been and still are women (UNDP).
The global development of feminism has since then advocated successfully to advance women’s position a great deal by allowing them better access to workplaces, economic opportunities and education. Pakistan, however, has been markedly left behind. Although great improvement has been seen in challenging traditional stereotypes and improving women’s participation in business, politics, education and other areas, a very stark and deeply entrenched divide still exists.
Even today, only 2% (or less) of top-level positions in public and private spheres are held by women. In every sphere, women’s representation on Boards of organisations is negligent.
The glass ceiling is not only real but much thicker in Pakistan than the global average, even today. These are all not just ‘feminist’ assumptions but real facts backed by evidence and data.
Many are quick to assume that now that women have been granted some basic, limited freedom, they have achieved complete equality and anything beyond this in modern-day feminism is far too provocative. Some may view this as an assault on men and their institutional dominance.
This again, could not be further from accurate. ‘Modern feminism’, as defined by its founding feminist writer Betty Freidan is nothing more or less than the fully realised social, economic and political equality of women and men. In the uplifting of women’s socio-economic position, no version of feminism attacks or negates the role of men, which is the average Pakistani’s greatest cause for fear of the feminist name. The essence of ‘real feminism’ lies in co-existence of men and women with equal opportunities and a fair society- economically, socially, politically, legally and even environmentally.
In fact, in Pakistan, the primary and urgent focus of feminism is still, unfortunately, the very fundamental right of women’s safety from violence. Sexual, physical, emotional assault and financial exploitation is commonplace and at both a social and institutional level, women are hardly safe from even these crimes.
This is only the tip of the iceberg: the deep-set discriminatory practises that exist in even the most progressive spheres go much further to essentially revent women from rising in their careers, having equal access to basic amenities like healthcare and education and largely due to social and political constraints remain dependant on male relatives who are the sole beneficiaries of the patriarchal system. Unfortunately, this is all true and holds a face of reality of millions of women and girls in Pakistan and around the world.
The most essential summary of modern feminism is that women need and do not at present have the same opportunities and advantages to access education and skillsets, or to work and advance their careers the same way men do. Without economic power, this leaves them furthermore vulnerable in every single aspect of their lives. Hence, when I talk about empowering women, I stress on the ‘economic empowerment’ of women, to enable them to stand on their own feet, to have an agency, a voice.
Empowering women by no means leads to dis-empowering or ‘bashing’ of men, we need to unlearn this! Men and women need to co-exist in harmony in society just like nature has created us. It is time to move beyond the gender dialogue and talk about ‘humanity’ at large.
farhanfiza202@gmail.com
