A UN report on "Turning Promises into Action: Gender Equality in the 2030 Agenda" released on Wednesday presents a depressing though unsurprising picture of the women's situation in Pakistan. Examining different dimensions of well-being and deprivation across rural-urban and ethnic divisions, the report notes that 98.8 percent of women from the poorest rural household are education poor (having completed only six or less years of education) and that among those most likely to be disadvantaged are women in the poorest rural households. Sindhi and Seraiki women and girls fare the worst while Pashtun and Punjabi women tend to be better off. The reasons for these differences are all too obvious linked as they are to the socio-economic structure of this society. Women in poor households are doubly exploited, firstly as members of a powerless class, and secondly on the basis of gender. The best a family can afford, whether food or education, is reserved for boys. No wonder the report says in the case of malnutrition Sindhi women from the poorer households fare far worse than any other group across all wealth quintiles and locations.

According to the report's findings, Punjabi and Pushtun women are in a comparatively advantaged position than their counterparts in Sindh and the Seraiki belt. That may be explainable by the fact that central and northern Punjab is more urbanized, and Pashtun's is a tribal society while in Sindh and some of the Seraiki areas feudalism still exists in its medieval forms. The report goes on to note that on average, 48.1 percent of women and girls between the ages of 15 and 49 years have no say in decisions regarding their own health, but rates vary by location and ethnicity. On this score, those living the ethnicity-associated inequalities in the context reflect a similar trend. In Pashtun areas, dominated by antiquated tribal traditions, and in Sindh by feudal culture with women and girls are most likely to report having no say (62.2 percent and 62.5 percent). Those in Seraiki, Punjab and Urdu-speaking areas are less likely to have that issue (44.0, 40.4, and 31.0 percent, respectively). Nonetheless, a vast majority of women all over Pakistan is not free to make decisions about important aspects of life such as whom to marry or not marry; and even when affordable, whether or not to acquire higher education, or to pursue a career.

In order for the things to change for the better, the government needs to make good faith efforts to implement the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development that it promised, along with other UN members, to turn into action. It must not remain ignored like the previous UN Millennium Development Goals. That calls for reordering priorities so as to make quality education and healthcare both accessible and affordable for all. The Constitution also stipulates free and compulsory education for all 5 to 16-year-old children. Yet more than half of the population is illiterate while at present as many as 20.5 million children are out of school. And the maternal mortality rate is one of the highest in the world. It can only be hoped governments in the provinces will take due notice of the present report and make necessary investments in education and health sectors.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2018