The document summarizes the status of women in Pakistan. It discusses how women's status varies across social classes and regions, with urban women generally enjoying more privileges. Historically, women participated in Pakistan's independence movement and leaders like Fatima Jinnah advocated for women's rights. However, rural women still face significant challenges such as low literacy rates, lack of inheritance and land rights, and cultural practices like dowry that impose financial burdens. Overall, while Pakistani women have made progress in certain fields like politics and education, true equality remains elusive especially for poor, rural women.

1. Women of Pakistan and
their Rights
Dr. Ali Kashif
2011.01.15.
rajaalikashif@gmail.comKorea Southern Power Co. Ltd.

2. Introduction
 The status of women in Pakistan varies considerably across classes,
regions, and
 the rural/urban divide due to uneven socio-economic development and
the impact of tribal, feudal, and capitalist social formations on women's
lives.
 The Pakistani women of today enjoy a better status than most Muslim
and Middle Eastern women.
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3. History
 Women actively participated in freedom movement of Pakistan.
 The founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, had a positive attitude
towards women.
 After the independence of Pakistan, women's groups and feminist
organizations started by prominent leaders like Fatima Jinnah .
 The provision of reservation of seats for women in the Parliament
existed throughout the constitutional history of Pakistan from 1956 to
1973.
 Former Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto one of most influencing woman in
world of her time.
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4. Pakistani Woman today
 Women are actively participating in every sector of Pakistan such as
in politics, sports, media, army, police, etc.
 Women are holding key positions in every sector
 Asma Jahangir: Lawyer, Social Activist, Head of bar council, Pakistan.
 Fahmida Mirza: Speaker national assembily, Pakistan.
 Hina Rabbani Khar: Foreign minister.
 Women are in huge number in Pakistani federal and provincial
assemblies.
 Governor, State Bank of Pakistan.
 Huge number in media, analysts, and army.
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5. Education
 The literacy rate of females in Pakistan is at 39.6 percent compared
to that of males at 67.7 percent.
 The literacy rate for urban women is more than five times than rural.
 The school dropout rate among girls is very high (almost 50
percent) usually among poor people.
 However, this is changing rapidly. In the Lahore city there are total
46 public colleges out of which 26 are female colleges and if we talk
about the rest of 20 colleges some of them are offer co-education.
 Similarly the public universities of Pakistan has female enrollment
more than boys.
 Educational achievements of female students are higher as
compared with male students at different levels of education.
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6. Regional Differences
 Women in elite urban districts of Pakistan enjoy a far more privileged
lifestyle than those living in rural tribal areas.
 In 2002 , 81.5 percent of 15-19 year old girls from high-income
families had attended school while 22.3 percent of girls from low-
income families.
 In comparison, 96.6 percent of Pakistani boys ages 15–19 coming
from high-income families had attended schooling while 66.1 percent
of 15-19 year old boys from low-income families had attended school.
 These rural areas often have inadequate funding and schooling for
girls is at the bottom of their priorities.
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7. Workforce participation
 The World Bank's reports of 1997 stated that women constituted
only 28% of the country's labor force.
 Only two percent of Pakistani women participate in the formal
sector of employment.
 However, the 1980 agricultural census stated that the women's
participation rate in agriculture was 73%.
 The 1990-1991 Pakistan Integrated Household Survey indicated
that the female labor force participation rate was 45% in rural
areas and 17% the urban areas.
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8. Workforce
 In 2008, 21.8 percent of females were participating in the labor force
in Pakistan while 82.7 percent of men were involved in labor.
 Out of the 47 million employed peoples in Pakistan in 2008, only 9
million were women and of those 9 million, 70 percent worked in the
agricultural sector.
 The income of Pakistani women in the labor force is generally lower
than that of men, due in part by a lack of formal education.
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9. Women Rights
 Women's rights in Pakistan is a prominent issue,
 many activists such as the National Plan of Action for Women and the
All-Pakistan Women’s Association are working hard towards equality.
 It is believed by some scholars that because of the strong influences
of Hinduism over the Pakistani nation, it is difficult to achieve equal
rights for women without reconstructing the entire culture that the
country is based on.
 Pakistan, however, is one of the more advanced developing nation in
terms of women’s rights.
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10. Injustice with Women
 Islam says a boy is a blessing, however a girl is sunshine of God. But
in Pakistan society especially in poor people, boy is usually preferred.
 When a boy is born, friends and relatives exclaim congratulations. A
son means insurance. He will inherit his father's property and get a
job to help support the family.
 In poor families, when a girl is born, some women weep because, to
them, a daughter is just another expense. Her place is in the home,
not in the world of men.
 A girl can't help but feel inferior when everything around her tells her
that she is worth less than a boy
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11. Land and property rights
 Around 90% of the Pakistani households are headed by men.
 Women lack ownership of productive resources. Despite
women's legal rights to own and inherit property from their
families, there are very few women who have access and
control over these resources.
 Though Islam give woman half share in father property
compare to son, but this is not commonly practiced, because
most families paid women a lot of dowry.
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12. Dowry
 Hindu society and their culture leave impact on Muslims in Sub-
continent, however some of this still can be seen such as dowry.
 Dowry is goods and money a bride's family pays to the husband's
family.
 In developing countries, the birth of a girl causes great upheaval for poor
families. When there is barely enough food to survive, any child puts a
strain on a family's resources. But the monetary drain of a daughter feels
even more severe, especially in regions where dowry is practiced.
 Many women, can not get married due to lack of dowry.
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13. Marriage and Divorce
 The average age of women for marriage has increased from 16.9
years in 1951 to 22.5 years in 2005.
 A majority of women are married to their close relatives, i.e., first
and second cousins.
 Only 37 percent of married women are not related to their spouses
before marriage.
 The divorce rate in Pakistan is extremely low due to the social
stigma attached to it.
 In rural and tribal areas, marriage and divorces create many
issues such as
 Honor killing
 Marriage of bargain (Wata-sata).
 Fights among families, tribes.Korea Southern Power Co. Ltd.