Women and Power: A Critical Contrast of Pakistan’s Social Norms and Islamic Values in an International Context

Master’s student at KAIST Graduate School of Science and Technology Policy

Minahir Shahid

minahirshahid@kaist.ac.kr

“Gender Equality is a question of power; power that has been jealously guarded by men for millennia. It is about an abuse of power that is damaging our communities, our economics, our environment, our relationships, and our health. We must urgently transform and redistribute power if we are to safeguard our future and our planet. That is why all men should support women’s rights and gender equality. And why I’m a proud feminist.”

– António Guterres

Guterres’s Ideology: A Call for Gender Equality

António Guterres, the ninth Secretary-General of the United Nations, embodies that ideal, making human dignity a cornerstone of his work leading the United Nations as it faces some of the most pressing challenges confronting the world today. Guterres went to The New School to deliver an address titled “Women and Power,” discussing how gender inequality and discrimination against women and girls hurt us all. Guterres sees a connection between gender inequality and some of the world’s most acute problems – conflict and violence, the climate crisis, the need for inclusive economies, the digital divide, and inequality in political representation. Although these issues may seem intractable, he’s encouraged by the energy and new models of leadership young people are bringing to efforts to address these crises.

Pakistan’s Historical Context and Societal Norms

“The central question of gender equality is a question of power,” Antonio stressed, and so is the truth as we continue to live in a male-dominated society with male-dominated culture. Pakistan, for instance, was particularly made in the name of religion- Islam. The sole purpose of making a discrete homeland was to practice our religion to the best of our understanding and freedom without the fear of execution, injustice, and discrimination based on our faith. However, over time, the practice has strayed from the true teachings of Islam, leading to manipulation of religious tenets for personal gain and power.^{1, 2}

Consequently, this deviation has perpetuated a system where women are marginalized and their rights undermined in the name of tradition and culture. Such deviation from the egalitarian principles of Islam has contributed to a societal landscape where women’s empowerment remains a distant goal, hindered by entrenched patriarchal structures and interpretations of religious teachings. Despite Pakistan’s recognition as an Islamic state, misinterpretations of religion and culture have influenced the perception of Islam as a conservative religion. Therefore, this case of gender disparity in Pakistan seeks to delineate between Islamic values and cultural norms and to highlight the influence of international efforts in localized context to achieve the goal of equality and empowerment.

Religious Teachings and Societal Implications: Unveiling the Dichotomy

Religion, Culture, and Society are not to be seen distinctive of each other, but the nation made in the name of religion is all left with the agony of Power and in the hands of cultural practices which are effortlessly reflective of our geographic heritage (sub-continent) and our lineage of being slave descendants to British.^{3, 4} Our minds are consumed with the idea of being powerful enough to take what we want, whenever we want, and to leave a mark and create a name for ourselves that we have completely forgotten the basic ideology of this nation and are oblivious to the basic ideology of humanity.

Women’s empowerment, equality, and justice are the rights that Islam granted women in times of great suffering and ignorance. Islam was the first religion that gave women rights to inheritance, the right to pursue education, and the right to earn through different means.⁵ The preachings of Islam, from the very start, were sponsored by a businesswoman named Khadija, the first person to believe in the prophecy of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), who later married her.⁶

Islam challenges the patriarchal standards through a variety of teachings and historical instances that demonstrate its support for women’s equality and empowerment. The right to education, which Islam upholds for both men and women, is one important component. The well-known statement spoken by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) states that “seeking knowledge is obligatory for every Muslim,” irrespective of gender within the Muslim community. This idea emphasizes how crucial education is in empowering women and giving them the tools they need to actively engage in society and advance it.

Islam also opposes actions that deprive women of their rights or discriminate against them. A common practice in pre-Islamic Arabia, female infanticide is expressly condemned by the Quran, which says, “And when the girl [who was] buried alive is asked for what sin she was killed” (Quran 81:8-9). This denunciation highlights Islam’s dedication to defending women’s rights and dignity, regardless of cultural expectations.⁷ But it seems like we are back to where we started from – the nation made in the name of Islam has lost the basic tenets of Islam, and can be dated back to the times of ignorance.

Pakistan, like many other countries, is not exempt from systemic discrimination and oppression against women. This includes widespread violence, marginalization in society, and barriers to work and education. In Pakistan, for instance, women like Malala Yousafzai, who stood up for education rights, faced violence and oppression from extremists.⁸ Asma Jahangir, a prominent lawyer and human rights activist, faced threats and persecution for her outspoken advocacy.⁹ If it weren’t for the power game, how else do we explain the gender inequality between men and women, the two equally worthy beings of this world?

These instances highlight the difficult realities of women who dare to question social conventions and stand up for their rights. Even if men and women are equally valuable, gender disparity still exists, which is evidence of the ingrained power dynamics that support oppression and discrimination. Women’s empowerment and gender equality must be given top priority by politicians as the cornerstones of societal advancement if they are to bring about significant change.

Narratives of Womens’ Resilience and Empowerment: Case Studies

1. Nighat Dad: Known for her efforts to advance women’s empowerment, digital rights, and online safety, Nighat Dad is a Pakistani lawyer and internet activist. She established the Digital Rights Foundation, which fights for laws that uphold the rights of women in digital environments and offers legal support to those who are harassed online. The work of Nighat Dad has been crucial in bringing attention to the relationship between gender-based violence in Pakistan and technology.¹⁰

<Figure 1, 2, 3> Nighat Dad, Khadija Siddiqi, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy

5. Mukhtar Mai : Mukhtar Mai is a Pakistani lady who, as retaliation for her brother’s alleged misbehavior, survived a gang rape that was ordered by the village council and went on to become an advocate for women’s rights. Mukhtar Mai bravely pursued legal action against her assailants and later founded a school for females in her community, even in the face of intense pressure to keep quiet. Her story raised awareness of honor crimes and brutality against women in Pakistan on a global scale.¹⁴

<Figure 4 and 5> Gulalai Ismail and Mukhtar Mai

International Efforts and Policy Implications: Towards Gender Equality

The question of Women and Power is not specific to Pakistan but regards a bigger audience – the entire human population. This question was never only about injustice, cruelty, or misogyny; it has always been a power game, one of its own kind! One that ensnares everyone. It started with the world and maybe will end with it, but one may ask, what to do with the conscience we have? The free will, the wisdom, and the rights and wrongs we defined to make our world a better place? But little did we know, we made rules to protect ourselves from our own wrath, from our own shadows and injustices, from our own dark sides, and we’ve come right where we started from.

The international frameworks like the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations place a high priority on gender equality and women’s empowerment, setting concrete goals to remove structural obstacles and advance inclusion. Pakistan and other countries may use collective action to undermine patriarchal systems and advance women’s rights by cooperating with international efforts like the SDGs. This will ultimately help realize the transformational vision of gender equality that is envisioned by Islam’s core teachings. To achieve this, comprehensive programs and policies that address structural obstacles to women’s political, economic, and educational involvement must be put into place. Legislative changes are also required to guarantee women’s equal rights and protections, including steps to stop discrimination and violence against them based on their gender.

Conclusion: Towards a Shared Vision of Equality

Today, we see women and some men as their allies helping to achieve the power balance. Some of us roar to get our lost power back, some push back the resistance to change, some are being tormented for asking what they truly deserve, and some have been made cruel examples out of it, yet we stand our ground. We fight and fight harder against injustice, hatred, and male supremacy. It is time we acknowledge that Power isn’t given; Power is taken. But achieving harmony is not simply about taking power- it’s about using it responsibly and justly. When harmony is achieved, power is not taken but shared, leading to a society where both men and women can thrive equally.

Moreover, as seen by the valiant efforts of people like Malala Yousafzai and Asma Jahangir, it is crucial to create a favorable atmosphere for women’s participation and advocacy. By enabling women to participate meaningfully in decision-making processes and investing in their empowerment, governments can unleash the potential of half of the population, promoting sustainable development and inclusive progress.

Inspiration and Acknowledgment

Inspired by Guterres’ Women and Power speech at The New School, the voices of female leaders like Malala Yousafzai and Asma Jahangir and more, and The Women’s Day March 2020.
https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/speeches/2020-02-27/remarks-new-school-women-and-power

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Notes & References

1  Mahmood, S. (2005). Politics of Piety: The Islamic Revival and the Feminist Subject. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

2  An-Na’im, A. (1992). Toward an Islamic Reformation: Civil Liberties, Human Rights, and International Law. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press.

3  Geertz, C. (1973). The Interpretation of Cultures. New York, NY: Basic Books.

4  Abu-Lughod, L. (1989). Before European Hegemony: The World System A.D. 1250-1350. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

5  Ahmed, L. (1992). Women and Gender in Islam: Historical Roots of a Modern Debate. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

6  Aslan, R. (2011). No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam. New York, NY: Random House.

7  Abou El Fadl, K. (2001). Speaking in God’s Name: Islamic Law, Authority and Women. Oxford: Oneworld Publications.

8  Yousafzai, M., & Lamb, C. (2013). I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company

9  Jahangir, A. (2018). The Role of Human Rights Defenders in the Rule of Law: An Overview of the Last Three Decades. Lahore: Asma Jahangir Foundation.

10  “About Nighat Dad”. Digital Rights Foundation. Retrieved from: https://digitalrightsfoundation.pk/about/our-team/nighat-dad/

11  Waheed, A. (2018). Stab victim Khadija Siddiqi: ‘My case is a fight for all Pakistani women’. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/10/khadija-siddiqi-case-fight-all-pakistani-women-courts-stab-victim

12  “Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy – Biography”. The Quaid-i-Azam University. Retrieved from: http://profile.qau.edu.pk/sharmeen_obaid_chinoy/

13  Gulalai Ismail: Woman Human Rights Defender, Pakistan”. Front Line Defenders. Retrieved from: https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/profile/gulalai-ismail

14  ”Mukhtar Mai – Profile”. The Mukhtar Mai Women’s Welfare Organization. Retrieved from: http://www.mukhtarmai.org/about/mukhtarmai/

Figures

1  Nighat Dad, retrieved from “Interview: Nighat Dad, Founder, Digital Rights Foundation”, https://newslinemagazine.com/magazine/interview-nighat-dad-founder-digital-rights-foundation/

2  Khadija Siddiqi, retrieved from “Twitter celebrates justice served in Khadija Siddiqui stabbing case”, https://images.dawn.com/news/1181717

3  Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, retrieved from  “Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy honoured with Crystal Award”, https://www.dawn.com/news/780928/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy-honoured-with-crystal-award

4  Gulalai Ismail, retrieved from Government of Pakistan (2017), Gulalai Ismail (Image), X, https://twitter.com/GovtofPakistan/status/915889649494749184

5  Mukhtar Mai, retrieved from “Mukhtar Mai Case: Supreme Court Rejects Appeal Against LHC Verdict. What Now?”, https://pakistaniat.com/2011/04/21/mukhtar-mai/