Adv. Lateef Butt
A woman’s only crime is that she is the daughter of eve.
There is a big difference between ignorance and illiteracy. An illiterate person can possess moral and ethical sense and other qualities. World chronology is full with numerous examples to support this argument, but ignorance is a state of mind which can overcome even a literate person. The difference between a literate and illiterate has now minimized to zero point, because ignorance is prevalent in all segment of society in various sorts. It can be of different genre, shape and levels and it is divided in different phases and fluctuations.
Let me make cogent my up mentioned arguments by narrating some examples.it is a bitter reality that there can be seen uncounted instances of assault and battery, harassment on women.25th of November is observed as world day to end assault and battery on women. This day is a commemoration of three sisters who belong to Dominic republic, who raised their voice against a dictator and were assassinated. This incident was occurred in 1960, but this day was observed by gender equilibrists in 1981.
There isn’t any discrimination among civilized and uncivilized society now and all and sundry are involved in this heinous crime. This is seen in civilized societies that women are harassed, assaulted and battered. Russia its biggest example and she is at top of the list where harassment, assault and battery are at apogee. Even men are harassed, assaulted and murdered in Russia by women. These things show the situation of ignorance in civilized world.
If we talk about our culture (sub-continent culture), here women have psychologically admitted themselves inferior to men in every walk of life. A mother can’t even go against his son because he brings bread and butter to home, married women give right to their husbands that they can best them on every mistake. In this gender discriminative environment women had already given up and given in. An Egyptian anchor expresses her opinion that if women are failed to fulfill their duties they must be beaten by their husbands. On this opinion world organizations for women protection did protest to prove a woman’s opinion wrong.
But with the revolution of internet, social media and technology women are now acknowledging their rights and becoming more aware. Recently, in Merico a campaign was launched whistle blower for women, which aimed to tell the world that women are not alone and can raise their voice now. This change is vivid in urban sites but rural areas are facing same situation , honor killing, restriction on education, freedom of speech, freedom of movement and even right of marriage according to their will still lack in sub-continent. Vani, marriage with holy book, sati, and denial of property right all these traditions are common in sub-continent.
Urban areas are considered exempted from these evils but some recent events become and eye opener.in last September in Karachi a newly married couple was sentenced to death on the name of honor killing. In the same year very next month same incident happen on the common d of a Jirga. These incidents show the level of ignorance and cheapest state of mind in even in the cities.
According to United Nation, the definition of the violence is “if the basic rights of the women are not given it also considered as violence.” In the light of this definition Pakistani women are victim of violence from birth to death because the exploitations of their basic rights start with the birth of a baby girl. She has to face violence in different stages of her life, which are classified as nomenclature according to will of men, study according to will of father, marriage according to will of father, then when she became a mother than if there is a baby girl born the taunts of society, mother in law haunt her all her life. And this assault is not only physical but also psychological.in Pakistani some societies to come on doorstep of the home is prohibited.
A recent research by British broadcast institution in Pakistan on university going female students and their challenges shows the shocking results, a student tells that women are not allowed to talk about their diseases which are genetic or some womanish kind. Women are not taken to maternity hospitals, if any girls need to consult with a female specialist this thing is considered taboo in Pakistani society. A girl from Quetta said, that man is superior to women to this extent that wife is given only gravy of and men are entitled to ‘Botti’ of mutton, beef and all kind of meet. Harassment at work places is common in all over the world; recently, google a famous search engine has terminated 48 employees due to harassment case. And in these 48 employees 13 were on senior posts.
A survey in San Francisco shows that biggest countries of the world have biggest harassment cases. And this amount is up to 90%.
In 2010 in Pakistan legislation regarding women anti-harassment was done, also a committee system was introduced, federal and provincial bureau for women are also working, there are plethora of laws constituted in Pakistan, but ignorance is prevalent, and issue of implementations is also there. This ignorance has to end and this ignorance nothing to do with area, class, literacy and it equally common in whole Pakistan as well as in the world. The need of the time is to nip in the bud this ill. Different awareness campaigns on mass level can bridge the gap between ignorance to awareness. This venture must be initiate from grass roots level.
The writer is an advocate at Lahore high court and a journalist.
