Mariyam Zubair

 Is there gender discrimination in Pakistan? Article 25 of the Constitution of Pakistan prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex. However, under Article 17 of the Qanun-e-Shahdat (1984), women's witness is discounted to half of a man's witness. Gender equality is a central component to development. Yet Pakistan currently ranks the second lowest country in the world for gender equality, according to the Global Gender Gap Index. As the sixth most populated country in the world and with a very high fertility rate of 3.8 children per woman, gaps in the fulfillment of women’s reproductive rights as well as the widespread prevalence of gender-based violence are at the forefront of gender inequality. Although efforts to promote gender equality are apparent within Pakistan’s Vision 2025, there is still much more to be done to improve the realities for women and girls across the country. Causes of Gender Inequality Over the years, the world has gotten closer to achieving gender equality. There is better representation of women in politics, more economic opportunities, and better healthcare in many places of the world. However, the World Economic Forum estimates it will take another century before true gender equality becomes a reality. What drives the gap between genders? Here are 5 causes of gender inequality: 1. Uneven access to education Around the world, women still have less access to education than men. ¼ of young women between 15-24 will not finish primary school. That group makes up 58% of the people not completing that basic education. Of all the illiterate people in the world, ⅔ are women. When girls are not educated on the same level as boys, it has a huge effect on their future and the kinds of opportunities they’ll get. 2. Lack of employment equality Only 6 countries in the world give women the same legal work rights as men. In fact, most economies give women only ¾ the rights of men. Studies show that if employment became a more even playing field, it has a positive domino effect on other areas prone to gender inequality. 3. Job segregation One of the causes for gender inequality within employment is the division of jobs. In most societies, there’s an inherent belief that men are simply better equipped to handle certain jobs. Most of the time, those are the jobs that pay the best. This discrimination results in lower income for women. Women also take on the primary responsibility for unpaid labour, so even as they participate in the paid workforce, they have extra work that never gets recognized financially. 4. Lack of bodily autonomy Many women around the world do not have authority over their own bodies or when they become parents. Accessing birth control is frequently very difficult. According to the World Health Organization, over 200 million women who don’t want to get pregnant are not using contraception. There are various reasons for this such as a lack of options, limited access, and cultural/religious opposition. On a global scale, about 40% of pregnancies are not planned and while 50% of them do end in abortion, 38% result in births. These mothers often become financially dependent on another person or the state, losing their freedom. 5.Poor medical care In addition to limited access to contraception, women overall receive lower-quality medical care than men. This is linked to other gender inequality reasons such as a lack of education and job opportunities, which results in more women being in poverty. They are less likely to be able to afford good healthcare. There’s also been less research into diseases that affect women more than men, such as autoimmune disorders and chronic pain conditions. Many women also experience discrimination and dismissal from their doctors, broadening the gender gap in healthcare quality. Barriers to access sexual and reproductive health rights, receiving quality education, fulfilling empowerment goals and entering the economic sphere are only some of the ways women are disadvantaged in Pakistan. Women suffer from pervasive gender-based violence, from domestic abuse, honour killings, sexual violence to institutional discrimination. There is a widespread lack of consistent access to quality family planning services in Pakistan, resulting in one of the highest unmet needs in Asia. This prevents women from meaningfully participating in educational and economic life outside of the household and from making informed choices about their sexual and reproductive lives. Women in Pakistan are also the face of unyielding strength and represent some of the strongest voices demanding change. UNFPA is helping to improve their situation, giving further strength and support to amplify their voice. Advocating for gender equality: a key to Pakistan’s development UNFPA believes that gender equality will be achieved only when women and men enjoy the same opportunities, rights and obligations in all spheres of life. This means sharing equally in the distribution of power and influence and having equal opportunities for financial independence, education and realizing their personal ambitions. UNFPA strongly believes in the wide breadth of a woman’s potential and her capacity to make her own informed choices about her sexual and reproductive health and her empowerment over the course of her life. Gender equality is a crosscutting theme that runs through all of UNFPA’s programmes. Gaining equal value in society, from the home to the workplace, and having equal representation and protection of women’s needs and rights in policies and law are all components necessary for gender equality. UNFPA’s role In Pakistan, UNFPA is strengthening the capacity of public sector and civil society partners to advance equality and prevent and respond to gender-based violence both in everyday life and in cases of humanitarian disasters. UNFPA works with government and civil society to produce and monitor data relevant to the UN Sustainable Development Goal 5 on Gender Equality, contributing to sustainable evidence-based programming and targeted interventions for girls and women. These include access to family planning services, economic empowerment initiatives, programmes to counter and raise awareness on violence against women, and gender responsive life skills-based education for girls and boys. United Nations Population Fund UNFPA raises awareness and promotes the implementation of national and provincial policies and laws that target discrimination and violence against women, developing the capacity of government departments and different sectors to actively mainstream gender issues in their daily work. UNFPA also works toward the elimination of harmful cultural practices, such as child marriage and develops the capacity of institutions and communities to move toward fundamental behavioral change. Gender equality is beneficial to women and men, boys and girls, families and communities alike, and is instrumental to Pakistan’s vision of development and empowerment.