Women – Universal victim of sweeping comments

We live in a country where a majority of the population is youth, and the ratio of the overall population is 48% female and 52% male. Basically, we live in a male dominant society. And still, we proudly talk about women’s right while knowing what actually the reality is.

As a South Asian, as a Pakistani, we belong to that society which is modern outwardly but typical inside. We cannot ignore the enormous contribution of women not only towards the society but also the economy of the country.

On one side we talk about successful and inspirational women like Mohterma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed, Malala Yousuf Zai, Shermeen Obaid Chinoy, Muniba Mazari, Sultana Siddiqui, and so on. In fact, a long list is there that has made the nation proud. But on the flip side, it all seems like an illusion.

Although its reality but we cannot ignore that what’s happening in the society. When our mothers, sisters, daughters or in fact any woman goes outside then the things she faces we all are aware of it. From her school life to college, university to the professional environment they are continuously being harassed in different ways.

It’s very unfortunate that women have accepted harassment as a part of their life. Instead of taking a step against it, a large number of women population stay quite just because “Log kya sochey gy” or “Log kya khaein gy” (What people will think or say).

Not even a girl child is safe in our society and we claim that both men and women are equal. We just talk about the equality but the reality is totally different. Although on one side, women have made their names in sports, education, entrepreneurship and many other fields, but on the other hand, we cannot even imagine that how much struggle they have done to enter in the specific field where men are ruling since the very beginning.

If we really want to empower the women then, first of all, we have to change our mindsets. If I talk about youth then a large number is wasting their time in calling girls “slut” just on the basis that she is bold, confident and hang out with other guys.

In the journey of a girl/woman to reach her destination. She faces so many things, if she has worn a burkha/abaya then the guys will pass a comment “MashaAllah” or “SubhanAllah”. If she has done a modern dressing then what she’ll be hearing “Chalti he kya”. In her whole journey, she faces even worse than it.

In the end, I just want to say one thing that instead of celebrating “International women’s Day” on one day, we should start respecting them every day from the depth of our hearts, and first of all, we need to change our mindset. We should start protecting women in the same way as we protect our mother, sister, daughter or wife.