CSS & PMS Solved Essays | Women Empowerment in Pakistan’s Political Sphere
Khalid Nazir, a Sir Syed Kazim Ali student, has attempted the CSS & PMS essay “How Can Women’s Empowerment in Political Sphere Help Pakistan Get Out of the Quagmire of Dilemmas?” on the given pattern, which Sir Syed Kazim Ali teaches his students. Sir Syed Kazim Ali has been Pakistan’s top English writing and CSS, PMS essay and precis coach with the highest success rate of his students. The essay is uploaded to help other competitive aspirants learn and practice essay writing techniques and patterns to qualify for the essay paper.
Outline
1-Introduction
Although women’s empowerment in Pakistan has never been given due importance, empowering women in the political sphere is crucial for the country’s progress, development, and democratic stability. By ensuring that women are well-represented in politics, Pakistan can address pressing societal issues, improve its economic and global standing, and create a more equitable and just society for all citizens, regardless of gender.
2-A cursory glance at the status of women empowerment in Pakistan
3-How can women empowerment in the political domain help Pakistan get out of the quagmire of dilemmas?
- ✓Bringing diverse perspectives and experiences to the table, ensuring a broader range of issues, including those affecting women and marginalized communities, considered in policymaking
- Evidence: According to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), “Inclusion of women in politics can improve policymaking.”
- ✓Including women in the country’s political domain leading towards the formulation of policies prioritizing social development, including healthcare, education, and poverty alleviation
- Evidence: According to the National Library of Medicine, “empowering women can improve children’s health and education.”
- ✓Increasing representation of women in politics, fostering greater gender equality in the country
- Evidence: According to the United States Agency for International Development, “Women empowerment is essential for realizing gender equality.”
- ✓ Leading towards economic growth and stability by promoting women’s entrepreneurship, credit access, and participation in the formal economy
- Evidence: According to the International Growth Center, “If Pakistani women’s participation in social, political, and economic domains was on par with men, Pakistan’s GDP could increase by 60 per cent.
- ✓Bringing about legislative reforms to address gender-based violence, discrimination, and inequalities
- Evidence: According to the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), “Women empowerment can prove to be instrumental in countering gender-based violence and addressing vulnerability factors.”
- ✓Committing to women empowerment and gender equality in political representation, improving Pakistan’s standing in the international community
- Evidence: According to the United States Institute of Peace, “Empowerment of women in Pakistan can substantially improve Pakistan’s standing in the international community.”
4-Factors hindering the process of women empowerment in the country
- ✓Women suffering from unequal access to education
- Evidence: According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2023, “Pakistan ranks 138 out of 146 in educational attainment.”
- ✓Prevalence of rotten cultural practices, stagnating the process of empowering women
- Evidence: According to the New York-based Human rights organization, “Pakistan witnesses approximately 2000 dowry-related deaths annually.”
- ✓Low women’s participation in the workforce, impacting women economically
- Evidence: According to the International Labour Organization 2023 report, “Pakistan has only 22.6 per cent women in the workforce (lowest among Muslim countries).”
- ✓Women having limited access to financial services
- Evidence: According to the United Nations Women Count Report, only 7 per cent of women in Pakistan have bank accounts.
5-What measures are necessary to ensure women’s empowerment in the country’s political sphere?
- ✓To enforce the implementation of laws that promote gender equality, protect women’s rights, and guarantee equal political participation and leadership opportunities
- ✓To actively participate in political processes and spread political education and awareness among women, especially in rural and marginalized communities
- ✓To provide financial and logistic support to women who aspire to enter politics
- ✓To promote a positive image of women in the eyes of the media and highlight their contributions
6-Critical analysis
7-Conclusion
The 21st century has brought significant global political, economic, and technological changes. However, despite these advancements, achieving unbiased social, racial, and cultural empowerment for all people remains a distant goal. This is particularly evident in developing countries where women’s social, economic, and political rights are limited. Unfortunately, Pakistan is no exception, with a lack of women’s empowerment in the country’s political landscape posing a critical and complex challenge that requires immediate attention. Ensuring women’s meaningful participation and representation in political processes can lead to various benefits for Pakistan, including gender equality, social development, economic growth, and improved international standing. However, several obstacles, such as unequal access to education, cultural practices, and low women’s participation in the workforce, hinder the process of women’s empowerment. To address these obstacles, laws that promote gender equality must be implemented and enforced. This can be done by spreading political awareness and education among women and promoting a positive image of women in the media. Highlighting their contributions in all areas can go a long way in empowering women. In conclusion, women’s empowerment in Pakistan’s political sphere is crucial for the country’s progress, development, and democratic stability. By ensuring that women are well-represented in politics, Pakistan can address pressing societal issues, improve its economic and global standing, and create a more equitable and just society for all citizens, regardless of gender.
Before jumping towards the maxim of how women empowerment in the political domain can help Pakistan get out of the quagmire of dilemmas, it is pertinent to understand the status of women empowerment in Pakistan. While the country has made some notable strides towards women empowerment in the political sphere, including the establishment of reserved seats for women in the national and provincial assemblies, the process of empowering women continues to face numerous barriers to empowerment, both within the political domain and society at large. According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2023, “Pakistan ranks 142 out of 146.” This report thus explains that Pakistan has much to achieve regarding women empowerment.
To begin with, analyzing the axiom’s validity, empowering women in the country’s political landscape can prove to be an agent of change promising enough for Pakistan to sail through the tumultuous waters of many existential threats, such as a severely ailing economy, extremely polarized society, and gravely unstable politics. This result can be achieved due to the numerous advantages of ensuring enhanced women’s representation in politics. First, women’s empowerment in politics can bring diverse perspectives and experiences to the table. This diversity will ensure that a broader range of issues, including those affecting women and marginalized communities, may be considered in policymaking. According to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), “Inclusion of women in politics can improve policymaking.” This report sheds light on the importance of empowering women in politics. Hence, increasing women’s representation in politics can help Pakistan get out of the quagmire of dilemmas.
Furthermore, increasing the inclusion of women in the country’s political domain can formulate policies prioritizing social development, including healthcare, education, and poverty alleviation. Indeed, women in leadership often advocate for policies that promote the well-being of children, families, and vulnerable communities. And these policies can mitigate systematic inequalities by highlighting the primary causes of poverty and inequality. The National Library of Medicine states, “Empowering women can improve children’s health and education.” This statement underscores the importance of women’s empowerment for societal well-being. Therefore, enhancing women empowerment can be essential in strengthening Pakistan socially, politically, and economically.
Apart from the above arguments, increased representation of women in politics can foster greater gender equality in the country. As women assume leadership roles in politics, they challenge deeply entrenched patriarchal norms and stereotypes that perpetuate gender inequality and fervently pursue to eradicate such norms from society. Consequently, this scenario gradually shifts towards a more open society and willingness to embrace gender equality. According to the United States Agency for International Development, “Women empowerment is essential for realizing gender equality.” This report highlights the significance of women empowerment for achieving greater equality in the country. Thus, empowering women in the political domain can provide the country with a helping hand to weather through the storm of existential threats.
Moreover, promoting women in Pakistan’s politics can lead to economic growth and stability. This daunting milestone can be achieved through promoting women’s entrepreneurship, credit access, and participation in the formal economy. In addition, enabling women to participate fully in economic activities can catalyze economic development. International Growth Center reveals that if Pakistani women’s participation in social, political, and economic domains was on par with men, Pakistan’s GDP could increase by 60 per cent, highlighting the enormous importance of empowering women for the country’s economy. In a nutshell, empowering women can prove fruitful in making the country overcome its current predicaments unscathed.
Next, increased women’s autonomy in the political sphere can bring about legislative reforms to address gender-based violence, discrimination, and inequalities. By ensuring the implementation of the laws that protect women’s rights, women in politics play a crucial role in creating a more just, inclusive, and law-abiding society. According to the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), “Women empowerment can be instrumental in countering gender-based violence and addressing vulnerability factors.” This statement reveals the necessity of empowering women to counter violence and discrimination against women. Hence, women achieving autonomy can go a long way in making Pakistan breeze through the current crises.
Last but not least, committing to women’s empowerment and gender equality in Pakistan’s social, economic, and, significantly, political spheres can improve the country’s standing in the international community. Pakistan can showcase itself as a progressive and inclusive nation on the world stage by demonstrating a sincere commitment to promoting women’s rights and participation in public life. According to the United States Institute of Peace, “Empowerment of women in Pakistan can substantially improve Pakistan’s standing in the international community.” This statement by the United Nations highlights that by empowering women, Pakistan can improve its image in the global arena. Therefore, empowering women is the key to subduing the current plight and paving the way for Pakistan to emerge as a developed, progressive, and formidable nation.
Furthermore, the above arguments establish the fact that Pakistan can benefit enormously by ensuring women’s empowerment in the political domain. However, several roadblocks are hindering the process of empowering women. First, women in Pakistan are confronted with unequal and biased access to education. Consequently, the literacy rate of women is far lower than that of men, exacerbating the already rampant gender inequality. The Gender Gap Report 2023 highlights Pakistan’s dismal ranking of 138 out of 146 regarding women’s access to education. This report underscores the urgency of addressing educational inequality. Hence, unequal access to education is hindering the process of empowering women.
Moreover, the prevalence of rotten and harmful cultural practices, like Watta Satta, Wani, and dowry, are perpetuating gender-based discrimination and violence against women, adversely impacting women empowerment. According to the New York-based Human rights organization, “Pakistan witnesses approximately 2000 dowry-related deaths annually.” These stats showcase the horrific impact of these disgusting cultural practices on women. Hence, harmful cultural practices are hampering the task of women empowerment.
Apart from unequal access to education and cursed cultural practices, the low participation of women in the workforce is negatively affecting the financial prowess of women. Additionally, structural barriers, including limited access to employment opportunities, discriminatory practices, and societal expectations regarding women’s roles, are the reasons behind the low participation of women in the workforce. According to the International Labour Organization 2023 report, “Pakistan has only 22.6 per cent women in the workforce (lowest among Muslim countries).” This report highlights the dire straits of women’s involvement in the mainstream workforce of the country. Thus, a meagre amount of women employees is impeding the process of empowering women.
Lastly, financial inclusion is a crucial prerequisite of increasing women representation in the country’s political realm. However, many women in Pakistan have limited access to banking and financial services. According to the United Nations Women Count Report, “Only 7 per cent of women in Pakistan possess bank accounts.” This revelation highlights the urgent need to expand financial inclusion initiatives and address barriers to economic autonomy. Therefore, women must be financially independent to increase women’s representation in the country’s politics.
In addition, the roadblocks mentioned above are undermining Pakistan’s efforts to promote women’s empowerment, consequently harming the country in the process. However, as every cloud has a silver lining, some suggestions can resolve these issues. First, it is essential to enforce the implementation of laws that promote gender equality, protect women’s rights, and guarantee equal political participation and leadership opportunities. And implementing these measures in true letter and spirit requires a comprehensive review of existing legislation to identify gaps and inconsistencies that may hinder women’s empowerment in politics. Moreover, institutions responsible for overseeing the process of elections, political parties, and governance processes need to be strengthened to ensure they are inclusive and responsive to the needs and interests of women. Hence, strengthening legal frameworks can do wonders in ensuring women empowerment in the country’s political domain.
Second, spreading political education and awareness in women, especially in rural and marginalized communities, is crucial for empowering women to participate actively in political processes. These initiatives should be focused on raising awareness about women’s rights, democratic principles, and the importance of political engagement. Moreover, women from remote areas of the country should be given special attention, where access to information and resources is severely limited. Implementing these targeted procedures can greatly empower women in the country’s political sphere. Hence, spreading political awareness is essential to promote women empowerment in the country’s politics.
Third, financial and logistic barriers often prevent women from entering and actively participating in politics. So, it is of utmost importance to offer financial and logistic support to women who aspire to enter the field of politics. To address this, government, civil society organizations and international donors should provide financial support, including campaign expenses, training programs, and logistical support, such as transportation and childcare services. By offering this support, women can enter the battlefield of politics fully focused and determined, increasing their chance of winning. Therefore, addressing financial and logistic barriers is essential for improving women’s political representation in the country.
Lastly, the media is decisive in shaping public perceptions and attitudes towards women in politics. Hence, the media needs to promote a positive image of women and highlight their political, social, and economic contributions to the country. Additionally, efforts should be made to challenge gender stereotypes and biases that perpetuate negative perceptions of women’s capabilities for political leadership. Thus, promoting positive media representation of women in politics is extremely important for empowering women in the country’s political domain.
Critically, Pakistan has struggled to empower women in the political domain and the country’s social and economic sectors since its inception. The root cause behind this scenario lies in deeply entrenched socio-cultural norms, practices, and stereotypical gender-based biases. Traditional gender roles and expectations confine women to domestic spheres and undervalue their contributions to political and social spheres. These cultural barriers reinforce stereotypes about women’s roles and capabilities, making it challenging for them to assert themselves in male-dominated political environments. Moreover, economic disparity is another major obstacle to empowering women in the country. Women from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds have abundant passion and drive to serve the nation but fall short in acquiring financial support to realize their ambitions. Addressing these structural barriers requires sustained, focused, and sincere efforts from all sectors of society to create a more equitable and inclusive political landscape where women can easily participate and contribute to their decision-making processes.
In a nutshell, the imperative for women empowerment in Pakistan’s political domain extends far beyond moral obligation. It represents a strategic necessity crucial to the nation’s progress and stability. Women’s empowerment in politics is not just about achieving numerical representation; instead, it is about ensuring that women have meaningful opportunities to participate in decision-making processes at all levels of governance. And by prioritizing women’s rights, promoting gender equality, and investing in women’s political participation and leadership, Pakistan can tread on the path to a more inclusive, equitable, and prosperous future for all its citizens. The journey towards women’s empowerment may seem challenging and unrewarding. Still, the dividends it pays regarding social cohesion, economic prosperity and national unity are robust enough to catapult Pakistan into the illustrious ranks of developed countries single-handedly.
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