Gender Studies Lecture 1

Bilal Rasheed
CEO Havelian
 Topics for Lecture 1
1. Feminist Movement in Pakistan
2. Status of Gender Studies in Pakistan
3. Status of Women’s health in Pakistan
4. Status of Women’s Education in Pakistan
 Feminist Movement in Pakistan
There are two strands of feminism in Pakistan:
1. Islamic feminism:
Riffat Hassan, Amina Wadood, Asma Barlas
2. Secular Feminism:
Shahnaz Rouse, Fouzia Saeed (see feminism as an
extension of basic human rights)
“Pakistan needs a feminism that elegantly marries
both strands of feminism, secular and Islamic”
(Bina Shah)

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Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah:
• Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah rallied thousands of
women in the Pakistan Movement.
• Soon after Pakistan's Independence Fatima
Jinnah took part in refugee relief work and
formed the Women s Relief Committee during
the transfer of power, which evolved into the All
Pakistan Women s Association.
• She contested the 1964 general elections at the
age of 71 against the military dictator, General
Ayub Khan.

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Begum Ra’ana Liaqut Ali Khan:
• Begum Ra'na Liaquat Ali Khan helped the refugees
who fled India during partition and also organized
the All Pakistan Women s Association in 1949,
• Noticing that there were not many nurses in Karachi,
Khan requested the army to train women to give
injections and first aid. This resulted in the para-
military forces for women.
• She became the first Muslim woman delegate to the
United Nations in 1952.

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First Phase of Feminism in Pakistan:
• After independence, elite Muslim women in Pakistan
continued to advocate women's political
empowerment through legal reforms.
• They got passed the Muslim Personal Law of Sharia
in 1948, which recognized a woman's right to inherit
all forms of property.
• They were also behind the futile attempt to have the
government include a Charter of Women's Rights in
the 1956 constitution.
• The 1961 Muslim Family Laws Ordinance covering
marriage and divorce is still widely regarded as
empowering to women.

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• Bhutto opened up all government services for
women, including District Management Group and
Foreign Services of Pakistan.
Zia-ul-Haq Era:
• Feminism in Pakistan rose as a backlash to Hudood
Ordinance of 1979 which as rape vicims to produce
four witnesses.
• Zia banned women from taking part and from being
spectators in sports.
• When the victim was women, diyat was halved.
• Comedian and director, Rangeela, was the first to
publically express support for women through his
movie “Aurat Raj” (1979) which was the story of a
woman who stands up against her chauvinist
husband, forms a political party, and becomes a
national leader.
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 12th February, 1983 – Lahore, Pakistan
Women’s Action Forum (WAF) & Pakistan Women Lawyers’ Association
(PWLA) at a rally against the law of evidence.
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• Women’s Action Forum (WAF) was founded in 1981
• WAF devised the slogan ‘men, money, mullahs and
military’ in that era.
• Feminism gained momentum in Benazir’s
governments (1988-90 &1993-96) when NGO’s and
focus groups thrived.
• Feminism suffered a backlash during Nawaz
government in 1997 when conservatism revived.
Islamic ideology council proposed making burqa
mandatory and honour killings rose to new heights.
• Musharraf advanced women’s rights and encouraged
their involvemnt in media, sports and socio-political
activities.

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Backlash Against Feminism:
• Unfortunately, feminism is a challenge for Pakistan
rather than a progressive ideology.
• Feminism does not necessarily mean negation of all
cultural, social and religious norms.
• It’s viewed as anti-Islamic, and is considered to be
influenced by foreign and especially Zionist policy
• Although Islam advocates gender equality, the
religious authorities have always been opposing
governmental steps to empower womenfolk

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 How to support and strengthen Feminist
Movement?
• PESTEL Analysis:
– Political
– Economic
– Social
– Technological
– Environmental
– Legal

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 2. Status of Gender Studies in
Pakistan (1/8)
• Problems:
• Taught in Western perspectives.
• Absence of indigenos content and dearth of
indigenous writers
• Dearth of reliable statistics

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 2. Status of Gender Studies in
Pakistan (2/8)
• Timeline:
• Institute of Public Studies (IPS), a civil society
think tank has undertaken a number of studies
and publication of gender studies since its
inception in 1979.
• IPA established Study Group on Gender Studies in
2001.
• Institute of Women Studies Lahore (IWSL) 1986
started offering Diploma and Certificate
Programmes and engaged in research and
advocacy
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 2. Status of Gender Studies in
Pakistan (3/8)
• Center of Excellence for Women Studies
(CEWS) in 1989 by Ministry of Women
Development, in 5 public universities.
– CEWS offers courses and seminars, conducts
research and acts as a functional base of
knowledge.
• Pakistan Association for Women Studies
(PAWS) in Karachi in 1991

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 2. Status of Gender Studies in
Pakistan (4/8)
– Objectives of PAWS:
• A forum for interaction and coordination among female
activists
• Build solidarity among women
• Develop feminist research on indigenous issues
• Strengthen the capabilities of women through training
and education
• Assist women in self-employment
• Report findings to assist policy makers
• Organize conferences, workshops and short courses

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 2. Status of Gender Studies in
Pakistan (5/8)
• First MA in 1996 in University of Karachi
• M. Phil / Ph D programs in 2002
• As a subidiary course at First Year (Hons.) level
from 2004
• BS Hons. 4 years program from 2007
• MA evening program from 2010
• Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
has been working on perception of the subject in
Pakistan.

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 2. Status of Gender Studies in
Pakistan (6/8)
• Universities:
• AIOU, Islamabad
• University of Sindh Jamshoro
• Islamia University of Bahawalpur
• Quaid-e-Azam University Islamabad
• Szabist Islamabad
• Bahauddin Zakaria University, Lahore
• Bahauddin Zakaria University, Multan
• University of the Punjab, Lahore
• University of Peshawar
• Women University Islamabad

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 2. Status of Gender Studies in
Pakistan (7/8)
• Steps:
• To be established as an optional subject and
secondary, intermediate and bachelor’s level
• Promoting indigenous research
• Collection of reliable statistics
• Avoiding labelling of Westernization
• Islamic feminist discourse to gain larger
support of society
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 2. Status of Gender Studies in
Pakistan (8/8)
• Objective research based on ground realities to
identify the scope and gravity of issues
• Gender studies departments in universities to
coordinate with other departments
• Different shades of opinion be reflected in the
indigenous discourse
• Examples of women in developing life be quoted
• Enhanced participation of women in life without
disintegration of family

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