Being a girl and living in a society which is confronted with gender inequality, I have always felt the pain of our women. I have always deemed of their sacrifices and their thirst to lightening the name of the society.
Women play an integral role in our society. They are the backbone of every man. A woman is a mother who always accepts the men no matter what. A woman is a sister who always supports her brother and a wife who always stands by her husband.
Empowering women in our society is very essential to raise a firm nation. To empower women does not only mean to talk about women and their essential parts, they make up in our society, rather to empower women also refers to authorizing women equal to men.
Empowering women also means promoting peace and security for the nation. It is about addressing good health centres and educational institutions. It is about raising voices for their rights and motivating them to always stand up.
Women, belonging to the tribal culture of Balochistan, don’t get safety even inside Balochistan. Women from the rural areas are mainly illiterate which makes them suffer a lot. They are historically burdened only within the home.
Woefully, when it comes to my beautiful land (Balochistan); women are told to be beautiful only when sitting in their homes. They are never empowered to support the family through a small income rather they have always been dependent on their husbands and the male family members. They ,too, get a very small income which cannot lighten their woes.
It is very heartsick to mention that apart from every limited social and economic opportunities available, women are left with empty hands. Even if women in my land are not educated, it is not fake to mention that they are highly talented and experienced.
Although, women can too work for the economy. They are archly talented in the work of agriculture and livestock which too helps to maintain the economy in a good rank.
Additionally, Baloch women are hugely expert in agriculture, livestock, handicrafts and embroidery which is one way suitable for them to earn by utilizing their potentials. Women in far flung areas do embroidery to earn a little money to support their families.
Howbeit, it is figured out that only 2 per cent of women in rural areas are educated leaving all the 98 per cent illiterate which increases their woes.
Being a girl, I have always attested gender inequality in my society. I have always seen my people desirous to have a male family member as the decision-maker. Making decisions in my nation is always authorised to male family members. Women who have always been the backbone of this nation are never given any authority in decision-making nor in any other finance. They have always been dependent upon the family not getting an equal opportunity to participate in social, economic and political activities.
Putting a glance over the past few years, the conditions in our society for women have become a little better. It is about some years before, when our women could not even come out of their four wall boundary. It is our tradition having a concept that women are to be confined inside the house. Women could never think of stepping out of their home to do something because it was just told to be a men’s work.
It is not too late when our women hesitated to gather with the male family members and discuss about their problems. It is absolutely proud to say that a section of our society has changed their minds about females and this is good to see women getting empowered .
On the other hand, saddening is that yet there are so many tribes who yet have not empowered their women. There are yet many tribes who curse the family where a baby girl is given birth. There are tribes who yet have not digested that women too have a ‘can do’ attitude. They can perform well rather perfect when given opportunities to participating in the development of the society.
Women in rural areas of Balochistan face a lot of problems and challenges.They are historically discouraged in getting socially engaged. They are yet facing challenges of immense religiosity discouraging women’s liberty. Balochistan always comes last at both health and political participation for women.
Conversely, women were historically given the name as housewife whose works were restricted only within the house like cooking, washing, doing embroidery and many other home chores. On the other hand, men were told to be the head of the family who would work and earn for the family outside the house. This actually shows that women were historically confined within the house. This is what we see as gender inequality yet by now. Women were never given the rights they needed. Their dreams were always buried and those of desires had no existence for them in such a narrow-minded society.
Sad is that even Islam has made some equal rights for both men and women, but our illiterate society could never understand them. They were never asked if they are ready to marry a man they like. Their proposal were meant to be accepted only by the male family members. Apart from educating the women, they married her off at an early age putting more pressures to her life. This led to the misery of women. Their miserable condition yet exists in most parts of Balochistan_ especially in rural areas.
Moreover, the misery of my women led them to harshest of the conditions in the society. They are yet victimised in violence against them; they suffer from discrimination and inequality of rights; they are broken and hurt inside getting no participation in decision making and yet they own a low status in the society. Lack of empowerment for women has made their lives a living hell. They are like caged birds singing in silence and dreaming the impossible. They are helpless.
To sum up, I feel it essential to add that sooner than later we should understand our women and their miserable condition.
Let’s give them the opportunities to work outside and fulfill their dreams.
Let’s work together and help them participate in economic power.
Let’s help them fulfil their dreams they have been dreaming through decades.
Let’s not make them suffer in the harshest days.
Let’s lighten their pains and remove their hurdles.
Let’s strive hard to provide them with their rights.
Let’s not suffer in curse of those murdered women.
Let’s finish women violence and discrimination.
Let’s owe them their basic necessities.
Let’s live and die together.
Let’s empower women.