Gender Mainstreaming      

By Shazia Dar

The Ideology Makers/A camouflaging identity/ Women: Not allowed

A certain sort of moral bankruptcy has dominated the social orders of Pakistan. The people here are fond of discussing nationalism, inflation and other similar problems whereas they avoid discussing how women are victimized or exploited in the society. They take interest to talk about the morals and characters of women and ignore the discussion of basic rights of this gender. They remain silent on the sufferings and exploitations of women but they show offence over the topics of nudity and obscenity.

The horned dilemma of this duality is the hallmark of Pakistani social set up. The system gives the status of a commodity, a body to the women whereas a man is here to dominate these bodies. The demons of the society use women for forced marriages, custodian beatings, mutilation, rapes, kidnappings etc. A man here is free even to commit adultery but he could kill woman if she deviates from the established social and cultural norms ostensibly to protect the family’s honor. The men are the fate deciders of the women. It is impossible to survive here as a woman. The males like women on their beds only but they cannot admit their individuality. Oh poor creature, you are destined to bear all the exploitations and victimizations. In fact this submissiveness is poured into the minds of women since childhood.

A trend is promoted that boys play with the cars and the girls play with the dolls. Likewise, the girls are asked to sacrifice their toys, individuality, joys and similar things for their males. The boys are not allowed to weep like a woman; they are taught that they are strong and hence they could not weep because crying is a girl’s prerogative. By this argument I do not mean that we should ask boys to play with dolls or girls to play with cars but we should allow them to follow the basic ethics and respect for individual differences.

The patriarchy culture provides respect and dignity to men whereas the women have to suffer a lot to get honor and prominence in the society. I have a question to the women who will be the first drop of the rain?  How long you will bear this injustice? When you will raise voice for your own rights? Do not look for the miracles. Bring miracles into your lives by breaking the chains. Tell the demons of the society that you are a free human being not a commodity or body…. Wake up women…. we have long journey to travel…

The Writer is a Socialist Shazia Dar