WUNRN
http://thevoiceofyouth.com/about-us/ -
The Voice of
Youth,launched by a Pakistani woman university student, is an
award-winning youth network spread across 151 countries of the world.
http://thevoiceofyouth.com/2012/12/15/women-empowerment-by-quratulain-zamir/
Women
Empowerment
By Ms. Quratulain Zamir – 15 December
2012
Empowering Women
The
world is being jam-packed with men day by day with no place to stand in the
running mob on the roads and in the streets. Yet in this male dominant society,
before the shops, on the bus stands, schools and colleges, we can locate a few
heads different from the rest. Some delicate figures full of love and care
always grab the attention of every eye which can appreciate and praise the
beauty of this world. It is our “women”; who work with their sharp minds,
devotion and exceeding qualities contributing to the society which is in a dire
need for such minds. But why then these flowers are found crippled on the
roads, stampeded repeatedly, their powers crushed and exquisiteness squashed?
Why is women empowerment neglected? A male chauvinistic approach was considered
hovering above those crippled ones shunning them to stay low and work for them
but survey shows that females, from the same gender have equal role in creating
problems to the ones who have less courage to stand before them and fight for
their rights.
Many
injustices are being done with females common of which are domestic violence,
marriage to Quran, vani, Kaaro Qaari and many other insane traditions being
followed and practiced on these oppressed in the name of culture; when it were
the days of these saplings to blossom and spread their fragrance everywhere.
Women Issues
Social
media and human rights societies keep raising their voices to abandon these
inhumane norms helping the government not to run astray while making policies,
and here, pro-women legislation is the result of their efforts. But the biggest
issue women are facing in the society is inability to know and practice these
laws which can protect them from all such harassing things that disturb their
nights and days.
“Honestly, I think the biggest issue is
the lack of confidence or willingness to bring change to all the things women
feel should be changed, for they are brought up in such a way even if they wish
to change or raise their voices they are scared of the possible hardships, that
they would rather face the injustice than do something to bring the change,”
said Dr. Tahawar Abbas Khaleeq, Member Life Savers Club Pakistan, Fauji
Foundation Hospital Rawalpindi.
The Prevention of Anti-Women Practices Bill became part of the national law and is being watched over
by the National Commission on the Status of Women (including the government
representatives, civil society and UN women), among which The Acid Control and Acid Crime
Prevention (Amendment) Bill and The Protection Against Harassment of Women at the
Workplace unequivocally recognize practices from acid violence,
forced marriage to the so-called ‘honour killings’ and sexual harassment in
workplaces, in public vehicles and even in the educational institutes, as
criminal acts, providing legal action guidance for victims and profound
punishments to the offenders. But women fail to acknowledge or benefit from
such laws and are repeatedly being subjected to brutality.
“Harassment is one of the biggest
hurdles faced by working women preventing many who want to work to get
themselves and their families out of poverty. These Acts will open the path for
women to participate more fully in the development of this country at all
levels,” said Minister-in-Charge Yousaf Raza Gillani, Former Prime
Minister of Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
Activities
such as One Million Signature Campaign were launched by UN Women, to insure change
of mindsets and stereotypes to abolish discrimination among genders and make
women aware of their rights. But hardly any woman in the society knows about
such activities. Women in the far off villages have no access to media and such
campaigns which are the reasons a large number of women die from oppression,
dowry murders, rapes, brutal cutting of the organs like nose and ears, etc in
much larger numbers than what we come to know through any resource.
People
starring, calling names, mocking at women, hooting and laughing have lost their
place in gravity of issues list; Now the more problematic issue is that there
are proper channels to put forth the charges and to get protection from all
inhumane practices in the society and still women are either unaware of any
such protection being provided to them or they are too illiterate or scared to
benefit from such means.
The
well was dug long ago and it is full of water now, yet the women fail to quench
their thirst.