Empowering women

This year's Mahbubul Haq Human Development Centre's report entitled "Empowering women in South Asia" shows that although some progress has been made in social, political, and legal status of the female population since 2000, the region has the lowest value in female Human Development Index (HDI), faring better only than the sub-Saharan Africa. And in terms of the differential in male-female HDI value, the region is the worst in the world. This should give a pause to policy planners. Clearly, women in South Asia have a long road ahead to reach the goal of equal opportunities. According to the report, female literacy has improved by about 50 percent while female gross enrolment rates at primary, middle and matric levels have also increased by about 15 to 20 percent. Within the region, Pakistan is known to have the lowest literacy rate, and even lower for women than for men. And within the country, there is a general governmental apathy towards disadvantaged sections of society. Hence barring a privileged few, a vast majority of female population faces the double whammy of systemic neglect and social pressures to keep them down.
Although the report does not compare male and female statistics for higher education or participation in skill enhancement programmes, men and boys of course have far greater opportunities. It is not surprising therefore that even though female labour force's participation in this country has increased substantially - two in 10 women are part of the labour force - an overwhelming number works in low quality jobs and gets lower wages. Those in the informal sector, mostly illiterate and hence lacking understanding of their rights and market realities, are exploited by manipulative middlemen. They have no legal protection. This can change only if women have better access to education which can help them realise individual potential as well as healthier inclusion in the workforce and a reduction in the gender wage gap.
It is worth noting in the context that in high population countries like Pakistan, female literacy also increases general awareness about birth control, leading to a reduction in infant and mother mortality rates. A case in point is Bangladesh which has managed to achieve a major success in bringing down its birth rate. Policymakers in this country need to pay attention. They must realise that the question of women's empowerment is not only a gender equality issue; it is about overall national advancement. No country has achieved progress and prosperity by ignoring the needs of its female population. It is about time purposeful efforts are made to include women's development in all public policy plans.