Women in Pakistan

Women in Pakistan: “Protection” of Dignity and Honor

Pakistan is an Islamic nation in Asia, which, despite declarations of secularity in government, is heavily dependent on religious code. Islam supposedly declares the equality of men and women, and asserts the right of women to certain freedoms. However, there is a significantly low level of autonomy for women in Pakistan, as they are the bearers of family honor and thus expected to protect that honor by remaining in a separate sphere from men, both publicly and privately. Women in Pakistan remain at the bottom of the socio-economic ladder, and endure both physical and mental hardships at the hands of men due to social and cultural norms, which have defined women as subservient to men, and consistently cast blame on them for any acts or situations, which have been defined as dishonorable. This wide gender equality gap can be seen in several aspects of Pakistani life including education, employment, marriage, health and overall social norms.

While Islam was the first religion to recognize the equality of the sexes and the Pakistani constitution explicitly states that “all citizens are equal before law and are entitled to equal protection of law. There shall be no discrimination on the basis of sex alone,” there remains a wide gap between the rights and freedoms of women and those of men (Najam 1). Islam is the basis for the underlying fabric of the socio-cultural norms that determine gender roles in Pakistan, and most interpret religious edicts as supporting the subordination of women (Najam 2). Thus, women have been systematically disadvantaged in Pakistan due to a cultural reliance on religious values, interpreted by those dominant in society: men. It is also widely accepted that a “man’s honor resides in the actions of the women of his family,” creating the notion that women are responsible for maintaining and upholding the family honor (Lewis 1). Consequently, women have heavy restrictions placed on them to ensure that they uphold this honor. To “protect” women, society limits their mobility both socially and economically, restricts their behavior and ensures limited contact with non-relative males (Lewis). Traditionally, women are expected to live by the restrictions of the “pudah.” The pudah or curtain, is a custom where women are forcibly isolated from social contact, separating women from men in most realms of society “in the name of modesty, protection and prevention of immoral activity” or simply to maintain the honor of her family (Zahra 1). Honor is a key concept in Pakistani society, as it serves as the main component of gender inequality and is often cited as the reason for violence against and discrimination of women. However, it is vital to understand that honor does not hold the same meaning in Pakistan as it does in the West. In this case, honor justifies “possession of women as a form of property,” and is the underlying reason for the restriction of women’s liberties (Zahra 1). However, honor is not only upheld by restriction of liberties, but also through the knowledge that failure of a woman to uphold honor will ultimately lead to her imprisonment, disfigurement, or even death.

In the Islamic culture of Pakistan, marriage is not a right given to women; it is more accurately described as something imposed upon them by their father, or other male family member. This is important because after marriage her husband will ultimately control her life, deciding things from number of children she will have, her education opportunities, and her ability to seek employment (Najam 1-2). Women are expected to obey their male relatives, and do not have the right to decide a husband for themselves, as women are “considered foolish creatures” according to the dominant social norms (Zahra 1). Marriage for love is considered a crime, and the vast majority of the women in Pakistan are not allowed to marry a person of their choice. In a recent case, a woman and her five-month-old child, along with husband and four members of her in-laws were killed because she had committed the crime of “love marriage” (Zahra 1-2). Thus, most marriages are arranged by the male family members for some sort of economic gain in the form dowries or a bride price. While the constitution supposedly guarantees equality, it is pointed out “a women’s consent and/or participation in drawing up of her marriage contract is considered of no consequence. She is bartered away at a suitable bride price” (Khan 83). This is most likely a result of increasing economic issues in Pakistan such as inflation and high rates of unemployment. Fathers often find that their “daughter’s sexuality is a valuable asset, a commodity commanding a high price” and consequently she is required to marry