Harassment and Gender Bias in Pakistan

Gender and cultural bias is a very common phenomenon all over the world. But the biases and differences are twice in developing countries as in comparison with the developed nations. Let us not go so far and take the example of our own country Pakistan.

In Pakistan women are always stressed, frazzled and drained by the opposite sex. In a nut shell we live in a patriarchal society! From a teenager girl to mature women; every female in Pakistan faces the problem of being harassed by her male counterpart. Wherever she goes from a school to the market she is not secure in terms of being teased by males.

Hence gender differences lead to vulnerability of women as an individual. Females from age 6 – 60 are harassed by males; sometimes by touching, whistling, clapping or through their body language. Girls never talk about this thing with their friends and colleagues; as if they do so they are termed as outspoken, blunt, audacious and bold. In fact; a cultural and a gender biased society is renowned for tagging women!

Marriage is considered as foremost important thing in lives of Pakistani women; once they reach appropriate age they are wed off and those with plans of changing societal mind set change their own mind set and become a “Sughar Biwi“. But some women though a very little percentage work for creating awareness among masses on gender and cultural bias.

Women need to re-evaluate the circumstances for a positive societal change. If not everyone; a good number of women are being provided with the basic education in Pakistan. Some even excel in their professional studies as well. But the point to ponder is this that very few of these women work seriously for changing the mind set of male chauvinist society. This is because only few women are allowed to pursue their careers as a professional woman. In this context if something is to be blamed that is for sure male bigotry.

Now as an educated woman of twenty first century I have realized this thing that if we want to vanish line of cultural and gender bias between the two sexes; every one of us has to play his role fully. Secondly there is a dire need of providing women with the fundamental privileges that Islam has given her.


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6 responses to “Harassment and Gender Bias in Pakistan”

  1. Yousuf Farhan Avatar
    Yousuf Farhan

    If only the author of this article knew how females are favoured by staff members in every Pakistani school…….

  2. asma siddiqi Avatar
    asma siddiqi

    Even though Pakistan has a law against sexual harrassment in the workplace, it will not be effective if women employees do not have access to competent and honest attorneys and women’s organisations that are willing to take up their cases. Pakistan’s Alliance Against Sexual Harrassment [AASHA] lists the largest multinational pharmaceutical company in Pakistan as a “progressive employer” even though the company fired me for filing a sexual harrassment complaint against my supervisor. I informed AASHA about it but the organisation did not respond. So much for mobilising women’s rights organisations for victims of sexual harrassment. Asma Siddiqi

  3. Hifsah Saeed Avatar
    Hifsah Saeed

    Even if it’s criticism it would help me to polish my writing skills.

  4. Mohammad Yusha Avatar

    Thank you for the reply. I want to make sure that you know my questions are a result of curiousity rather than criticism. This post is a great effort. Looking forward to your next one.

  5. Hifsah Saeed Avatar
    Hifsah Saeed

    @Muhammad Yusha

    Thankyou for the positive feedback and your criticism sir!
    Yeah now i have re read my write up again and i agree with your view point that i should have mentioned the privileges as well.

    I would write another write up with a different angle covering all these areas INSHA’ALLAH!

  6. Mohammad Yusha Avatar

    What you have stated is true, but I think you went a little overboard with this post, citing that all women are harassed and are a victim of gnder bias.

    But the point to ponder is this that very few of these women work seriously for changing the mind set of male chauvinist society.

    Work can be done for money, personal satisfation, career, etc. Why would any woman work to change the mindset of society?

    changing societal mind set change their own mind set and become a “Sughar Biwi“.

    What is a Sughar Biwi?

    You talked well about harassment and gender bias but ended your post abruptly with how a woman should be given the priviledges that Islam has given her. In my opinion, it would have been better if you talked about those priviledges.

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