Pakistan has left behind India in empowerment of women and thousands of its elected female councillors will have a profound impact on changing cultural milleu of the society, said Allama Iqbal Fellow at Cambridge University, Dr Dushka H Saiyid.
Twenty two percent seats at the National Assembly and 18 to 19 percent representation at the four provincial assemblies represent a great leap forward in empowerment of women, said Dr Dushka while speaking on the subject of "Pakistani women in the 21st century" at Pakistan High Commission here on Wednesday.
Pakistan's High Commissioner Dr Maleeha Lodhi introducing Duskha said, she was not only an author of two books but was also the foremost leading academic today.
With an allocation of 33 percent seats at the district level, Dushka said, there were currently 360105 elected councillors across the country. This has become possible under the devolution plan of President General Pervez Musharraf's government to empower women at the grass root level.
Many women are now District nazims, which enable them participate in the decision making in the development and welfare of their people. To surprise of many participants, she said Pakistan was the only country where women were fighter pilots hence women were coming forward in various professional fields like politics, law, medical field or in art.
But the country, she said, had a long way to go in educating women. Only 52 percent of girls as compared to 72 percent boys, were enrolled in schools but the scenario is changing as a result of an increase in financial allocation to promote female education but this will take time.
Conceding that Pakistan was at the lowest ebb of the Gender Development Index but the government's commitment to promote female literacy and their empowerment would have a positive effect on this count as well.
Detailing many of the difficulties faced by women subjected to domestic violence and rape, Dushka said earlier they did not have an easy access to the legal system due to lack of financial resources. But with the establishment of family courts had made things easier for them as they would be fast in deciding the cases than in other courts. Besides, 10 Crisis centers have been set up across the country to help women in distress.
Referring to traditional Jirga system operative in Tribal belt or Punchayat councils at the village level in rest of the country, she said, this system was in vogue for centuries. But as it comprised only men, the Jirga had given a decision, many a times, against women as had been indicated the case of Mukhtaran Mai. Unless the whole legal system was overhauled, Jirga system could not be abolished, she said.
On the issue of forced marriages, she said, Pakistani courts in two important decisions in 2002 and 2003 had ruled that permission of the father was not a pre-requisite for the girl to get married.
During a question-answer session following her talk, Duskha said, some non-governmental organisations working for women issues were doing an impressive job by helping women in trouble and highlighting their issues.