The Gender Equality

Eassay Outline

1. Introduction
2. Position of Pakistani women Reforms for women’s status
3. Scandinavian model
4. Conclusion

Gender equality is the goal of the equality of the genders or the sexes. World bodies have defined gender equality as related to human rights, especially women’s rights, and economic development. The United Nations Population Fund declared gender equality “first and foremost, a human right.’ United Nations Millennium Project claims that the societies where women are not afforded equal rights as men, can never achieve development in a sustainable manner.

While the principles of equal rights and equal treatment of all persons are underlined in the Constitution, Pakistani women are in many ways only second-class citizens in practice. They are subject to systematic subordination to men, following traditions of patriarchy to various degrees across all levels of society and regions. Their access to education, employment and health services is limited, although a gradual but slow decrease in the gap between men and women has been observed. Only very few women are currently aware of their rights and improved literacy rates are of particular importance in this respect. Increased poverty and lack of government resources further complicate the implementation and enforcement of reforms intended to benefit women.

The women must be given their due status in society. They must have their share of property. They should be provided equal opportunities to get education, health facilities and other basic necessities of life. They must be free of every kind of violence by their male counterparts. Women must also be entitled to seek bank loans and other forms of credit. They must be allowed to own, administer and dispose of property on the same grounds as men.

Scandinavia leads the world in gender equality. Norway tops the ranking in this regard. Iceland and Sweden also set good examples for the world. They offered equal opportunities to women to participate in every field of life for their progress and for the progress of nation as a whole.

Experts remark that now no nation can progress unless it gives equal opportunity to the whole body of people to utilize its potential and skills for the betterment of mankind.

Turkey is a role model for us. She set a good example for the Muslim world. Getting involved its women in the activities of national development, Turkey made progress by leaps and bounds. Realizing the present economic conditions across the country, government should make every effort to get women involved in every walk of life so that they may achieve economic self-reliance to avoid their exploitation by the male community.