Every year on March 8 International Women’s Day is celebrated with pledges for parity regarding women’s rights. This day was initiated with the hopes to provide an opportunity for women to press for their demands and rights.
In comparison with Western countries women in Asia, Africa and in Middle East are finding it hard to achieve their due rights. Recently released United Nations report on gender equality portrays sorry picture of inequality of women in Pakistani society. This report once again has reflected the fact that women in Pakistan are deprived from most of their rights. In Pakistan situation is still bleak regarding women rights, women are treated unjustly, with discrimination, and usually remain deprived from their rights. In our country social evils of honor killing, sexual and domestic violence against women, harassment at workplaces, acid attacks etc are still common. Even today there are some areas in the country where women are barred from their right of voting. In the past unfortunate incidents have been noticed where male lawmakers used atrocious comments towards female members of the assemblies. Despite showing their mettle is various fields’ women are still facing menace of discrimination. Even in national politics, women are hardly encouraged to take active role as very few women are members of cabinet across all provinces. We as a society need to eliminate discriminatory practices in order to give more chances to women to contribute in the betterment of society. In developed countries women are equally contributing in the economic, social and social progress.
International Women’s Day is meaningless unless we acknowledge women for their positive contribution in the society. This day should be used to highlight the problems and issues women are facing in the society. Pakistani women have some success stories; Malala Yousafzai is co-recipient for Nobel Peace Prize, Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy has won Academy Awards twice. These women give some hope that one day; women will enjoy a respectable position and an equal status in Pakistani society. Women are successfully contributing in social uplift of the country side by side of men. Participation of the women at all levels is imperative for socio-economic development of a society. Affective legislation is also required aiming to secure women rights in the country.