Discrimination represents a
major social problem in Pakistan as well as throughout the world. Gender
discrimination refers to unequal rights between male and female based on
different gender roles which leads to unequal treatment in life. Girls face
discrimination everywhere in the world. Nature doesn’t discriminate men from
women. But women worldwide have been the victim of inequality not only in terms
of social and political rights but also on grounds of employment opportunities.
The male dominant society makes its women ordinary of this discrimination. As a
result, most women fail to understand their own rights and freedom. There are
many spheres of life where women are denied opportunities. Discrimination
against females starts with their birth and continues through their lives. An
unborn girl child is aborted with the help of sex determination techniques. A
girl child who is born is seen as a burden on her parents or family and not
given equal treatment as boys of the same family ever since birth. She is either
denied of right to education and in some cases it is limited to elementary
level. She is married at an early age and this puts an end to any possibilities
of growth and a good life in most cases. The discrimination doesn’t end here but
continues with the expectations of giving birth to a boy. The violent cycle of
female discrimination starts here. Almost all women face some incidents of eve
teasing, some are unfortunate to be assaulted sexually and raped. Marriage of a
woman becomes more puzzled if she faces dowry threats, which sometimes cause
deaths. With such a depressed living, how can we expect the standard of living
of women to rise and their presence be felt at international level? Women, both
uneducated and partially literate have limited access to health care and job
opportunities and remain restricted to the bounds of their everyday work,
raising children and looking after families. A good education or qualification
does not bring women at par with the men. They are still deprived of many work
opportunities as men are believed to be more capable than their female
counterparts with similar qualifications. The belief that women do not have
ability and intelligence to take up executive positions or high profile jobs is
another proof of the discrimination against women in our society. Society favors
men and gives them higher authority and this makes women vulnerable to crimes
like rapes, eve teasing, sexual abuse etc. Though the number of women officers
is growing, yet the number is not comparable with men holding higher ranks.
Though, Education is the tool that can help break the pattern of gender
discrimination and bring lasting changes for women in developing countries like
ours.Pakistan has for decades grossly underinvested in education, and in
particular girl’s education. Girl’s education also means complete change for a
society. Educated women are essential to end their gender partiality, start by
reducing the poverty that makes discrimination even worse in the developing
world. Educated women are base of awareness to ending gender bias and make them
financially strong to reduce the poverty that is the cause of gender
discrimination