Status of women in Pakistan

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pakistan is the first Muslim country to elect a woman (Benazir Bhutto) as a Head of Government. Women are represented in politics and in upper-middle-class professions. Nevertheless, within Pakistan, there are wide diversities and divergences between provinces and territories, and between urban/metropolitan areas and remote rural localities.

While Pakistani women continue to struggle for advancement, they have made strides by a number of measures. Among these are the rising numbers of women in well-paid professional occupations, increased activism by feminist groups, and a recent rapid reduction in the number of children per woman. Women in Pakistan have progressed in various fields of life such as politics, education, economy, services, health and many more. The Pakistani women of today enjoy a better status than most Islamic and Middle Eastern women.

Pakistan is the only country to have a Female Major-General in the army; Pakistan is the only Muslim country to have women fighter pilots in its Air Force/Military besides Indonesia.By Law, a minimum of 33% seats have to be occupied by women in the parliement and local governments. Pakistani women have always played a part in its society. More and more Pakistani women are advancing; some are in the police, in the Commando unit of the police and security forces, one or two even lead corporations (e.g. Unilever Pakistan,) some are journalists etc.

Yet much more remains to be done in terms of equal rights and protection as well as amendments to biased and defunct Hudood Laws.

[edit] References

• No Shame for the Sun: Lives of Professional Pakistani Women by Shahla Haeri [ISBN 0-8156-2979-6]

[edit] External links

• Ansar Burney Trust - human rights organisation
• Jazbah (Women of Pakistan)