This
experience of cross cultural interaction the participants will be able to:
1.
Learn about the culture of
academia in two countries
2.
Recognize the trends of
female student enrolments and retention in the two countries
3.
Discover the trends of
women enrollment in various subject areas coming from different backgrounds
Through comparative analysis the
participants will be able to:
1.
Cross examine the
quantitative and qualitative aspects of women in academia
2.
Identify contrasting
situations in the two countries
3.
Highlight the common
elements of higher education experiences of women in the two regions
By doing a critical analysis of the current situation the participants
will be able to:
1.
Pin point the strengths and
weaknesses of education system in both countries for ensuring presence of women
in academia
2.
Develop a discourse about
the challenges and issues of women education
3.
Ponder upon the factors
making educated women passive in National Development
Through discussions and deliberations
for identification of means to achieve share goals in collaboration, the
participants will be able to:
1.
Chart out the set of
strategies that the two countries can work
upon together to improve women participation in higher education
2.
Recommend ways forward to
bring more women into practical fields
3.
Advocate for improving
women activities in National Development
Conceptual Framework
I have been working in a public sector university of Pakistan since 2004 and I had a chance to study and work in UK and US during my PhD. It has always been an interesting phenomena for me that people around me do not consider me as career oriented person. It seems to be very stereotypical to me that a female is more family oriented than males. I think this can depend upon individuals own grooming and development. I am a totally career oriented female but then the society singles me out by saying that I am not following the social, cultural and religious norms.
Similarly I have seen females taking exit from their higher education or quitting jobs for the sake of family obligations and responsibilities. I have also seen females who quit studies and work just because they got married and they believe that earning money is the responsibility of the male members of family. They neither study, nor work and even do not play any sort of active citizen's role.
For the scholars of educational planing it is important to learn more and ponder upon the issues and challenges for and of women in academia, and we also need to find out strategies to ensure that the women play an active part in National Development.
Some useful links to study and think more before you comment:
1. http://www.savap.org.pk/journals/ARInt./Vol.5(2)/2014(5.2-30).pdf
2. http://www.researchcollective.org/Documents/Women_Paid_Work.pdf
3. http://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/blog/2012/may/24/why-women-leave-academia
4. http://advance.oregonstate.edu/news/guardian-article-why-women-leave-academia-and-why-universities-should-be-worried
2. http://www.researchcollective.org/Documents/Women_Paid_Work.pdf
3. http://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/blog/2012/may/24/why-women-leave-academia
4. http://advance.oregonstate.edu/news/guardian-article-why-women-leave-academia-and-why-universities-should-be-worried
According to me it is fact that majority of females are taking exit from their higher education or quitting jobs for the sake of family obligations and responsibilities in Pakistan. Many evidences are present around me and even in my family. To understand the lower participation of women in a higher education and after that in labor market, we have to understand the conceptual and methodological viewpoint. Such conceptual and methodological analysis is deemed necessary because it has been indicated that the official labor statistics under-estimate women's participation in economic activities. According to the Labor Force Survey (2007-2008), for instance, the female labor force participation rate in that year was about 21 percent. Which rose only 29 percent in 2011 (World Bank; 2012). This is even lower than in other Asian Muslim countries.
ReplyDeleteWomen in Pakistan face a number of problems and constraints while they seek for employment, which can be broadly seen as the socio-cultural constraints and problems relating to the workplace. The socio-cultural problems hinder the access of women to employment since they stem from the traditional patriarchal norms of the society which support the sex- stereo typing and gender bias. These constraints also cause problems for working women in both the formal and informal sectors. Pakistani society can be characterized as one which is underpinned by the traditional patriarchal setting, which has always dominated women and has created a spell of uncertainties on them by constraining their participation in the process of development and empowerment. In most of the cases women are only permitted to acquire education and training if it conforms to the socially accepted roles of women and train them as housewives or other household related activities. Because man is considered as breadwinner thus, female employment is accorded less social acceptance as it lower the status of the family, unless women are engaged in relatively well paid jobs receive higher professional qualifications like in certain areas of education and health fields.
But this concept cannot be applied universally in Pakistan as there are regional, social and class differences. For example, in relatively wealthier or middle class communities of the province of Baluchistan and Khyber Pukhtoon Khawah, the mobility of women is less than in the province of Sindh and Punjab. Punjab shows more tolerance for the working women in rural, as well as in urban areas. The presence of a large number of cities and industrial developments has contributed to the change in attitudes towards working women.
I think that the following steps are necessary to be taken to encourage the women for their higher studies and career development and also for formulating an equal opportunity environment for them professional development:
i. To increase female labor participation it is necessary that a long-term strategy be developed to encourage the desired changes in the society and attitudes through mass media.
ii. To encourage female employment, effective policies and programs should be devised and implemented.
iii. Appropriate laws and legislation should be enforced to improve the working conditions and provision of support facilities for those women who are already in labor market.
iv. Furthermore, discrimination in the labor market in terms of wages and occupation segregation should be eliminated through the strict enforcement of such laws.
v. There is also a need to create awareness among women of their rights and the legislation protecting them. For this purpose, effective trade unions for women should be formed.
vi. Social protection should be provided to women working in the informal sector by increasing their wages, improving their working conditions and reducing exploitation by, and dependence on, middlemen.
vii. Rural women which form the majority of total female labor force in the country must be provided appropriate agriculture technology and agriculture extension training programs.
In my opinion women's active role in any society is as important as men's role to make it a sound, firm, and stable. Having said that, there is a need to find out and address causes and reasons that lead women to leave academia at any stage. Women should be facilitated at the government level first and at the same time social awareness programs should be launched to spread awareness about the importance and effective role that can be played by women in academia.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteIn my point of view: In some areas there are many co-education institutions where female/males can get higher education but due to strict family, tribal and religious customs prohibit female to get education with males. This is main hurdle in female higher education which creates differences.
ReplyDeleteMostly of the families do not allow and invest on the girls higher education but give preferences to invest on boys because according to them instead of girls, investing on boys is beneficial output because girls are not permitted to do job so its waste less investment on them.
Travelling long distances in public transport is an important security issue and this is particularly significant in societies where girls are not permitted to travel alone. It should, moreover, be noted that female teachers, as well as students, can be the victims of violence
Early female marriage is based on the assumptions that good marriage’ is the most important way to secure a girl’s well being, security and respect.
There is need to create awareness to Pakistani nation through media and all other means that educating the women are a key for sustainable development of the nation. Raising the education levels, literacy rates of women is one of the most effective investments for increasing female productivity on top of enhancing the well-being of families. State should provide security to women for education and work.
Early marriage of girls, poverty, lack of awareness of parents about the importance of female education, domestic work prevented female new generations from entering into further higher education and working in the academia.
ReplyDeletePakistan has paid a little attention in gender equality in higher education. Gender equality is a key to all kind of progress. No country has progressed without involving women in education. Therefore, in order to bring gender equality, it is essential to provide equal opportunities to both men and women in education and higher education and to make female equally empowered as men in decision making in every mode of life. It is very essential to educate women in male dominated society such as Pakistan because“educating girls delivers a high return than other investment in the developing world” (World
Bank Report, 2011).
There is need to provide educational facilities to female population of deprived areas of the country. International nongovernmental organizations and international organizations working for the promotion of education like UNESCO, UNICEF, World Bank can be approached and they may be involved for this purpose. The government may make such policies that provide attractive incentives for increasing female enrollment in higher education. There is need to create awareness among parents, especially parents of under developed areas about importance of female education. There is need to introduce free and compulsory education from higher secondary education to higher education with provision of strong incentives.In this way we will involve women for socio-economic development of our country.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletePakistani society is a male dominant society. People in rural/remote areas do not like to educate their women and do not allow to work. Now trend is changing. Harassment is the issue for females in institutions and working places.
ReplyDeleteIn Rural areas of Pakistan females are victim of “karo-kari” and such other cruel practices. This factor also plays key role to be passive. In our society, crime rate against women is very high that female feel insecure themselves out of home.
It is very difficult to maintain domestic responsibilities for both male and female, if they are working both. So women have to see domestic responsibilities. So they are passive in higher education and toward work. In Islamic society, it is the responsibility of the male to earn and run domestic needs, not women.
Parents educate their daughters especially to find out an earning good bride, not for the future development and progress.
Mazhar Hussain
Navid Sadiq Malik
ReplyDeletePakistan is an Islamic Country, having its own culture, society and traditional values. It is among the developing countries of the third world. The literacy rate is almost 50% even after 68 years of independence. women education was highly neglected area. people never wanted to send their daughters to schools & colleges to get education. But because of an increasing awareness,now people have realized the importance of education. A drastic change has come in their attitude,resulting in an enormous increase in women literacy rate.
The causes of less participation & involvement of women in academia are not only a few, but a number of factors play their role. these are :-
a. Majority of the people in most parts of the country are still uneducated or just literate.
b. Poverty is a major issue. people live in poor conditions from hand to mouth,and can not afford to send their children to schools (even boys)
c. Women look after their household affairs. their children & other senior members of their family
d. Social & Cultural Pressures does not allow womenfolk to get education. present awareness has prepared people to send their daughters, at least to pass matriculation.
e. Joint family systems & observance of purda in most strict & religious societies.
f. Early marriages of both boys and girls do not allow them to continue their education
g. The element of insecurity & harassment in our society is also a cause of discontinuation of studies
h. Shortage of separate & independent schools, colleges & universities for women in most of the areas
However, during the last one decade, things have changed to a greater extent and a positive sign is seen. It is hoped that trend of getting higher education will increase & more and more women will join academia, being a profession,closer to their nature.