SOCIAL
ISSUE
The definition of a social problem,
also called a social issue, is an undesirable condition that people believe
should be corrected.
A social issue
(also called a social problem or a social illness) refers to an issue
that influences and is opposed by a considerable number of individuals within a
society. It is often the consequence of factors extending beyond an
individual's control and local geographical environment.
In Pakistan some of the
major social issues are:
- Chronic illiteracy
- rampant corruption
- increasing population
- domestic violence
- women victimization
- child labour
- problems of the youth
- generation gap
- fast urbanization
- feudalistic mindset
- sinking moral values due to foreign culture and media invasion
CHRONIC ILLITERACY
Education
is a basic need of every society. Education is an essential part of a common
man’s life. A better education system can enhance the social, scientific, and
technological improvement of a country. The human resource development of a
country depends upon the quality of education. It is a factor that helps to
improve living standards and enhances the quality of life; it helps individuals
run their personal lives, support their families and bring improvements in
their society. Each person’s education is an investment in their human capital
which allows them to contribute to their society in a productive way.
Unfortunately,
in our own country, education and illiteracy has always been a grave problem.
Pakistan has one of the lowest literacy rates in the world. The government has
announced nine education policies in the last 60 years, with little effect to
resolve the issue. Instead, the current policy has only served to divide the education
system into segments. Without a unified education system, the authorities cannot
hope to foster a homogeneous society, nor provide individuals with equal opportunities
to meet their needs. Indeed, it is an established fact that proper education is
the bedrock of development in any country if it is provided according to the
increasing population needs.
Article 37-B of the Constitution of Pakistan states that it is government’s responsibility to, “remove illiteracy and provide free and compulsory secondary education within minimum possible period.”
http://unesco.org.pk/education/documents/publications/Why_Pakistan_Needs_Literacy_Movement.pdf
Causes:
- Only 2% of GDP spent on Education whereas 60% is used for defense
- UN-availability of schools in remote and rural areas
- Occupation of schools by influential people in rural areas
- Conversion of Education as an Industry instead of Service
- Expensive education as compared to Europe, where education is free
Solutions:
- Budget for education should be increased
- Schools should be provided in every village of Pakistan
- Available schools should be utilized for education only
- Education should be free for all up to University
- Education should be compulsory for all up to 12th Standard
- Salaries of teachers should be increased so that people can join this profession easily.
RAMPANT
CORRUPTION
Corruption defined as misuse of
entrusted power for private benefit is unfortunately endemic in Pakistan. No
structure, no tier and no office of public sector is immune from it. Its spread
is enormous. It has reached every organ of state — beyond executive it has put
its claws on judiciary and legislature even. It would be no exaggeration to say
that the whole body of the state of Pakistan is suffering from this malaise and
wailing under its dead weight. So enormous is its incidence that Pakistan is
ranked 139th in the comity of nations on the scale of corruption free
governance. This ranking is not at all enviable or acceptable.
Political
leadership is busy in power grabbing process, while the poor suffer under hard environment
where healthy food, clean drinking water, respectable shelter, justice,
education and health care facilities are totally non-existent. In this regard, the ordeal of poor in Pakistan
can well be anticipated by prevailing UN-employment, poor living and health
conditions, price hike, social injustice, contempt for merit, promoting
cronyism, and poor law and order situation in the country.
“Corruption manifests itself in various
forms in Pakistan, including widespread financial and political corruption,
nepotism, and misuse of power. Whereas mega corruption is mainly
in development projects, bank loans and procurements which rock the foundation
of the economy, the common man is more interested in the petty and middle level
corruption that he encounters in the daily dealings in the government offices.
According to one estimate the loss made to the national exchequer is over Rs.
200 billion per annum.This loss is caused collectively by all
the government departments but the most prominent amongst them as per the
Perception Survey carried out by Transparency International Pakistan are:
1. Power Sector
2. Tax and Customs
3. Police and Law Enforcement
4. Judiciary and Legal Profession
5. Health and Education
Genesis of
Corruption in Pakistan:
The roots of corruption in Pakistan date back
to the colonial period when the Britishers rewarded lands and titles to those
who were their loyalists leading to nepotism and corruption (Awan, 2004:19).
Two major crises played a fundamental role in the genesis of corruption in this
part of the world; the spiral in the defense related purchases during and after
the World War II and allotment of evacuee property after the partition of
Indian subcontinent (UNDP, 2002:11). This was followed by industrial and trade
licensing and patronage schemes like bonus voucher and route permits in 1950s
and 1960s. The nationalization policy of the 1970s created new opportunities
for corruption and gave birth to a new breed of corrupt government officers.
The decade of 1980s witnessed the surge of corruption in religious and business
circles. The causes of this malady are to be found in the sociocultural and
political matrix of the Pakistani society which presently is faced with a
gradual loss of value system and even identity.
Causes:
It is extremely difficult to ascertain the
exact causes and their degree in matters pertaining to human psyche and
temperament, yet according to a Perception Survey carried out by Transparency
International Pakistan in year 2004, the following causes have been determined
as the major contributors towards corruption and their estimated degree in
percentage terms has also been indicated in table.
TABLE- Survey on Causes of Corruption
Mega and Petty Lack of Accountability
|
31.68%
|
Low Salaries
|
16.54%
|
Monopoly of Power
|
16.43%
|
Discretionary Power
|
12.61%
|
Lack of Transparency
|
9.97%
|
Power of influential people
|
4.59%
|
Red Tapism
|
4.28%
|
Others
|
4.9%
|
Source: NACS – NAB, Government of Pakistan.
Conclusion:
“Corruption is not a problem that can be attacked in
isolation. It is not sufficient for the criminal law to search for bad apples
and punish them. Of course, the state may need to establish credibility by
punishing highly visible corrupt officials, but the goal of such prosecutions
is to attract notice and public support, not solve the underlying problem.
Anticorruption laws can only provide a background for more important structural
reforms” (Rose Ackerman, 199:226). For almost all the reforms introduced by the
Musharraf government in governmental and administration fields the basic
assumption was that the society was sufficiently educated and hence eager and
ready to change. The assumption proved wrong and rocked the whole foundation of
the reforms agenda as the society proved to be ready for grabbing new
opportunities but not to change its work ethics. If this society is to be saved
and the country has to shake off the tag of a failing or failed state, urgent
and stringent measures need to be taken. Some of which are recommended as
under:
1.
Judgment of the
Supreme Court against NRO is implanted in letter and spirit.
2.
Accountability
from the top is started.
3.
A national
anti-corruption commission is set up as an independent watchdog.
4.
End unnecessary
or archaic discretionary laws.
5.
Ensure time bound
actions in offices.
6.
Use independent
private sector auditors.
7.
Involve people in
diagnosing corrupt systems.
8.
Advocate that all
‘illegal’ money and property transactions in industrialized countries are treated
at par with drug money.
9.
The problem of
corruption is quite severe at the lower judiciary and a system of alternative dispute
resolution needs to be worked out urgently. Require public officials to declare
their assets.
10. Community participation especially of students is
ensured.
11. Creating awareness particularly about the adverse
impact on every one’s life be highlighted to mobilize public against
corruption.
12. Poverty alleviation and economic reforms (Hussain and
Hussain, 1993:161).
13. The remodeling and over haul of higher judiciary and
its clearance from PCO judges through a protracted and participatory process has brought a lot of awakening amongst
the public along with the formation of a formidable civil society which has
manifold increased the chance of a real purge in the system.
INCREASING POPULATION
In human
biology, the whole numbers of residents take up an area (such as a country or
the world) and frequently being changed by increases (births and migrations)
and losses (deaths and migrations)The term “Over Population” or “Population
Explosion” is used to express the idea of more population for fewer resources. According
to the economic survey of Pakistan 2010-11 the total population of Pakistan is
177.1 million against the 173.5 million in last year. Population growth rate is
2.1 % and in the list of most populous countries, Pakistan is at 6th
number.
CAUSES OF OVER POPULATION
Following
are the main causes of over population in Pakistan:
No or
Less Opportunity Cost
71 %
Women are not active in economic activities in Pakistan. Women have no any
economic loss while having a child. Opportunity cost for having a child is very
low or zero in Pakistan.
Low per
Capita Income
We know that
per capita income derives by dividing national income on total population. Low
per capita income shows population explosion. Per capita income in Pakistan is
$ 1254.
Unemployment
Unemployment
is also a symbol of over population. It is difficult to adjust the huge
population in economic activities. Rate of unemployment is 5.6 % in Pakistan.
High
Population Growth Rate
The birth
rate is very high which shows that our country is over populated. Rapid growth
rate of population is 2.1 % in Pakistan.
Need for
More Earning Hands
A single
person cannot sport his large family in developing countries like Pakistan. He
thinks to have more children to be more earning hands.
Afghan
Refugees
An
arrival of refugees from India and especially from Afghanistan is also
resulting in more population.
Low Death
Rate
Reduction
in death rate is another cause of over population. Death rate in 1951 was 2.8 %
while it is just 0.73 % in 2010-11.
Low
Standard of Living
It is
observed that in Pakistan people with low income have more children. It is
difficult to support such large size family. It results in low living standard
of the population.
Warm
Climate
Due to
the warm climate, youth and maturity is attained at an early age. It also
results in rapid population growth.
Absence
of Family Planning
Effective
family planning is not available in Pakistan. People are not familiar with the
methods of family planning. They feel hesitation to consult a doctor.
Joint
Family System
There is
competition among the family member in accordance with the family size in joint
family system. It is also a cause for rapid growth of children.
Early
Marriages
The
marriages take place usually between 16 to 22 years of age in Pakistan. The
duration for re-productivity is very lengthy.
Illiteracy
Due to
lack of education, people are not aware of with the economic problems caused by
high birth rate. Literacy rate is 57.7 % in Pakistan.
Inefficient
Population
Dependency
ratio is very high in our county. Only 32.17 % population take part in economic
activities and other 67.83 % depends upon them. It views as a pressure on land
and population expulsion.
Polygamy
Practice
Polygamy
is the condition or practice of having more than one wife at one time. The
existence of polygamy also contributes to the increase in population.
Urbanization
Due to
rural urban migration and lack of facilities in cities, there are many social
problems. It results in increase in urban population. Higher rate of
urbanization is an indicator of over population.
Low
Saving & Investment
The rate
of saving and investment of GDP are only 9.5% and 13.4% respectively in
Pakistan. Rate of investment and employment is also very low due to low rate of
savings. So these indicate that Pakistan is over populated.
Poor
Nutrition
People in
Pakistan get poor diet, which affects the health and working capacity. It
reduces the per capita income, which is a sign of population explosion.
Concept
of Large Family
Large
family size is considered as a source of power to influence people and to control
the persons around them. People feel pride to have a large family.
Vicious
Circle of Poverty
Very high
population growth rate reduces the per capita income, saving, investment and
productivity. A country is thus caught up in vicious circle of poverty. Vicious
circle of poverty is also a symbol of over population.
Universality
of Marriage
All men
and women of marriageable age enter into wedlock. As such the birth rate is
higher in Pakistan.
Absence
of Other Activities
There is
absence of recreational facilities and employment opportunities in Pakistan.
Time passing and any other enjoyments in Pakistan are very costly. So, people
have a more time to spend with their wives.
EFFECTS OF OVER POPULATION
Low per
Capital Income
The
population growth reduces per capita income of the people because national
income is divided by a big size of population. Per capital income of Pakistan
is $ 1254 during 2010-11.
Unemployment,
Under-employment and Disguised-unemployment
It is
impossible to provide jobs to such highly growing population in Pakistan. It
results in unemployment, under-employment and disguised-unemployment. Rate of
unemployment in Pakistan is 5.6%.
Low
Growth of Agriculture Sector
Very fast
growth rate of population is a pressure on land. It caused to use of
agricultural products at domestic level, increase in the landless workers and
shortage of food. Growth rate of agriculture sector is 1.2%.
Low
Saving and Low Investment
The
rapidly increasing population increases the expenditure of government. It
reduces the saving and investment. Low level of saving & investment means
economic backwardness. Domestic savings are 9.5% of GDP and total investment is
13.4% of GDP during 2010-11.
High Rate
of Inflation
There is
more demand for goods due to more population. More demand results in more
prices and inflation in the country. Rate of inflation is 14.1 % in Pakistan.
Pollution
There is
not any effective system to control the pollution. Capitalists install
industries with billion dollars of resources but do not install treatment
plants of million rupees. The rapid growth of population creates pollution,
unplanned colonies and environment problems.
Backward
Social Infrastructure
Rapidly
growing population creates economic and social problems such as housing,
education, health, transport, water, power etc.
Vicious
Circle of Poverty
Very high
rate of population growth lowers the per capita income, which caused in low
saving and low investment that result in low rate of capital formation. All
this forms the vicious circle of poverty.
Low
Living Standard
Rising
population cannot be provided the basic facilities of life in developing
countries like Pakistan. So, rising population means low living standard. About
21 % population is living below poverty line.
Adverse
Balance of Payment
Over
populated nation has to import various items to support a huge population. On
the other hand their export decreases. Due to over population our balance of
payment is unfavourable in case of Pakistan. At present value of deficit in
balance of payment is $ 8.3 billion.
Reduction
in Wage Rate
High
growth rate of population is caused in more labour force and unemployment.
There is absence of skill and training that leads to low wage rate.
Increase in Dependence Ratio
Rapid
rise in population growth increases the dependency ratio of unemployed
population to employed population. Labour force is 54.92 million of the
population in Pakistan and remaining population is depending upon them.
MEASURES
TO CONTROL OVER POPULATION
Following measures are suggested
by the people and experts to check the rapidly raising population:
Control the Birth Rate
The high birth rate i. e., 2.1% should be discouraged to reduce the
population size. Effective and successful family planning should be introduced.
Use of Medicines
More contraceptive medicines should be introduced to people. By using
these medicines; people will control the birth rate.
Late Marriages
Marriages should take place in late age to control the rapidly rising
population. It will be helpful to control the over population.
Health Centers
Government should open the health clinics in all the regions of the
country. These clinics will be useful for reducing the high birth rate.
High Literacy Rate
Government should provide the more educational facilities to the
backward population. This will provide the true picture of the economy, resources
and population growth rate. Literacy rate is 57.7% in Pakistan.
Women Employment
Only 29 % women take an active part in the economic activities in
Pakistan. They live full time at home and have no opportunity cost to have a
baby.
Family Planning
Government should introduce the family planning to the population to
control the high growth rate of population.
Increase in Employment
More employment opportunities must be provided to the young, talented,
trained and educated population. It will be helpful to decrease the fast birth
rate.
Provision of Credit Facilities
Government should provide the easy credit facilities to population to
adjust the existing population in economic activities. It will lead to reduce
the population explosion.
Growth of Small Scale and Cottage Industries
Growth and development of small-scale and cottage industries is also
necessary to reduce the pressure on land. It will provide more jobs to men and
also to women.
Conclusion:
High
growth rate of population creates unfavourable effects on the economic
development in the developing countries like Pakistan. High rate of population
growth in Pakistan means poverty, illiteracy, low living standard, absence of
prosperity and vicious circle of poverty.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
It is well known that women are
helpless to many forms of violence, and domestic violence signifies the
collective term. Violence against women is one of the crucial social mechanisms
by which they are forced into a subordinate position compared to men.
The United Nations Declaration on the
Elimination of Violence against Women (1993) defines domestic violence as any
act of “gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in,
physical, sexual or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of
such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in
public or in private life.”
Sociological theories indicate that
illiteracy, economic vulnerability, stress, lack of support from authorities
and a closed social network increase the risk. Lack of education leading to
unemployment with resultant low monthly income yields anger, frustration and
depression in husbands eventually leads to misery of women.
Domestic violence includes violence
perpetrated by intimate partners and other family members, and manifested
through: physical abuse such as slapping, beating, arm twisting, stabbing,
strangling, burning, choking, kicking, threats with an object or weapon, and
murder. Acts of sexual abuse include coerced sex through threats, intimidation
or physical force.
Economic abuse includes acts such as the denial of funds, refusal to contribute financially, denial of food and basic needs. Gender bias has also been found as a source of discrimination and abuse in terms of nutrition, education and access to health care facilities amounting to violation of multiple women’s rights.
Economic abuse includes acts such as the denial of funds, refusal to contribute financially, denial of food and basic needs. Gender bias has also been found as a source of discrimination and abuse in terms of nutrition, education and access to health care facilities amounting to violation of multiple women’s rights.
Recently a rising trend of acid throwing and honor killing is observed in Pakistan. Domestic violence is under-reported in Pakistan. Not much research has been conducted on this topic in Pakistan. Factors which stop women from seeking help need to be investigated as well. To the best of our knowledge, there is no data showing whether women are even aware of their rights or not in Pakistan.
HRCP (human rights commission Pakistan)
noted that up to 90% women in Pakistan face some form of domestic violence in
their families and from husband. The studies conducted in developed countries
show following percentage of women facing domestic violence: Canada 29%, Japan
59%, New Zealand 20%, United States 25%, United Kingdom 25%, Thailand 20%,
Egypt 35%, Mexico 30%, and in Colombia 19%[1]. This data shows that domestic
violence is not only problem of Pakistan but is a worldwide menace.
A study conducted by Department of
Community Medicine, Fatima Jinnah Medical College in 2010 revealed following
data: 60.9% of the participants said it was their husband who physically abused
them; in 23.93% of the cases being slapped was the most common mode; 17.09%
said they were abused only rarely i.e. less than once a year.
The reason for violence was most
commonly found to be anger and frustration, 36.36%, followed by money and
addiction in 31.81% of the cases. Most of the victims, 49.39%, took no action
against the abusers and only 0.4% of victims pleaded their cases in the court
of Law. This article is written to break cultural norms of Pakistan that
mandate that violence against women need not be discussed openly.
Laws need to be made for protection of
women rights. The aristocratic thinking of the males needs to be changed. Women
should be educated regarding their rights and values in the family. Awareness
campaigns should be launched for both women and men.
Strategies
to Control Violence
All strategies and interventions
attempting to address domestic
Violence:
·Prevention
·Protection
·Early intervention
·Rebuilding the lives of victim-survivors
Name
of religion.
Religious leaders at all levels have a responsibility to ensure that religious interpretations are not used to oppress women.
Religious leaders at all levels have a responsibility to ensure that religious interpretations are not used to oppress women.
Greater collaboration is required
between research and academic institutes,
women’s organizations, NGOs, and
service providers when conducting qualitative research to
Deepen understanding of the causes of
domestic violence, and its physical and psychological impact on women. Such
research needs to be fed back to the community so that it can lead to awareness
and transformation.
The
state machinery
Violence against women cuts across all
government sectors, with implications for all programming. It demands new
levels of coordination and integration between a variety of government sectors
including the criminal justice system, health, education, and employment.
The criminal justice system
Legal
Reform
It is the responsibility of governments
who have ratified international conventions and
human rights instruments to harmonize
their national laws in line with these instruments. One step towards upholding
the right of women to equal protection under the law is to enact domestic
violence legislation that specifically prohibits violence against women. Under
this legislation, a woman should have protection from threats and acts of
violence, safety and security for herself, her
dependents and property, and assistance in continuing her life without further
disruption.
The
Police
are particularly well-positioned to
provide assistance to victim-survivors, but very often their own prejudices,
lack of training, and reluctance to intervene hinder them from dealing with
domestic violence. Training and sensitization of police at all levels must be
instituted, and guidelines must be developed to monitor police response. Police
must be held accountable for their own behavior towards victim-survivors in
order to prevent secondary victimization of women at their hands.
The
Judiciary
can strongly reinforce the message that
violence is a serious criminal matter for which the abuser will be held
accountable. The judge sets the tone in the courtroom and makes the most
critical decisions affecting the lives of the victim, perpetrator, and
children, and must therefore be sensitive to the dynamics of domestic violence
in order to pass equitable verdicts. Sensitization of the judiciary to gender
issues is, therefore, critical and law schools should include relevant courses
in their programs.
The
health care system
The health care system is well-placed to identify women who have been abused and refer them to other services. The reality, however, is that far from playing a proactive role, the
health care system has usually been unresponsive to women suffering from
domestic abuse. Training for health care providers is necessary to guide them
on the early screening and identification of women who are suffering domestic
violence. Such training, as far as possible, should be integrated into existing
training: Training should be supplemented with protocols to guide health care
providers to implement standards. Protocols should include procedures for
documentation for legal, medical and statistical purposes; legal, ethical and
privacy issues; and up to- date information on local referral services.
Protocols need to be culture-specific with special attention paid to respecting
the rights of women.
Conclusion
The current research explores the
Domestic violence against women in District Jacobabad.
Consistent support for women must be
provided by all relevant sectors – the criminal justice system, health,
welfare, and the private sector. Support must also be available to women via
informal networks such as family, friends, neighbours, and local community
groups. Men should receive one consistent message from all sectors and levels
of society – that those who perpetrate violence will be held accountable. The criminal
justice system must act to reinforce this message by taking action against perpetrators,
as well as providing rehabilitation options for those who offend. Support
services need to address associated behaviour patterns such as drug and alcohol
problems or the risky sexual behaviour in which adolescent girls and boys may indulge
as a result of being victimized themselves.
WOMEN VICTIMIZATION
The South Asian subcontinent is the least
gender sensitive regimen victim in the world. It is the only region in the
world where men outnumber women. The sex ratio is 105.7 men to every 100 women.
In Pakistan, women are not only subjected to financial discrimination, but they
are also victims of inhuman customs and laws such as Karo Kari, Hadood
ordinance, Qasas and marriage to the Quran and half witnesses according to the
state law (whereby in court a female witness is only worth half a male
witness).
In the rural areas, women are like
slaves subject to drudgery. They are there just to obey their fathers, brothers
and husbands. They do not have the right to decide about themselves because
women are considered as foolish creatures according to the dominant social and
cultural norms. Likewise marriage is also a sort of trade between different
families both in the rural and urban areas. They are highly vulnerable to
violation of their rights to life.
A woman's right to liberty is
restricted in the name of modesty, protection and prevention of immoral
activity. In rural areas 90% of women work in the fields. They work for the
whole day with their male family members, but they still have to face their
wrath. Male family members keep a strict eye on the female family members in
the name of "honour". Last year 286 women were murdered in the name of honour by the male
family members (and these are only the registered cases).
There are hundreds of such cases, that
are not registered. But if we go to the root cause of these honour killings we
see that they are linked to the question of land, water, money and property.
But again, only the women of the poor classes are victims of this inhuman
custom of Karo Kari. This custom is seldom implemented against rich women.
In the Punjab brothers, fathers and
husbands subject 82% of women to domestic violence. The incidence of
wife-battering is so common that it is not even recognised as a pernicious form
of violence against women. Even in the cases where women receive serious
injuries and want to file complaints, they are advised by the police to
reconcile with their husbands, as any matrimonial dispute would bring dishonour
to them.
This violence against women begins in
their childhood. They are not allowed to play games like boys that can help in
their speedy mental and physical developmentment. Another practice common in
Pakistan, is cutting off a women's nose if she is suspected of having an
extra-marital relationship. Sexual assault on women, including rape, remains
one of the most common crimes. The Human Rights Commission estimated that rape
occurs every three hours. No estimate, however, can be made of the numerous
cases that go unreported.
52% of women languishing in the jails of Pakistan are
waiting for their fate in these cases.
Another law, "Qasas", is also
used to victimize women, because under this law if a person kills somebody and
the family of the victim compromises with the killer then they are paid an
agreed amount of money, land and of course women by the assassin's family.
Marriage to the Holy Quran (the holy
book of Islam) is also common in Sindh. Under this law a woman has to live
without a husband throughout her life. But this law is only applied among the
class of landlords. They use this only to keep and grab the land of their
sisters and daughters.
Even in the advanced countries the
exploitation and harassment of women on the basis of gender is rampant.
.
Factors:
Without the overthrow of the bourgeois
state and capitalist exploitation, the emancipation of working class women (who
constitute the vast majority in society) is a utopia. Hence the ultimate
liberation of women is linked to the class struggle of the workers of all
religions, nationalities, races, sexes and colours. The ultimate destiny and
victory of this struggle lies in the success of the Socialist Revolution
Factors which mar state of women in Pakistan
Ø Illiteracy
Ø Poverty
Ø Feudalism
Ø Weak institution
Ø Judiciary
Ø Parliament
Ø Executive
Ø Lack of Political awareness
Ø Cultural barriers
Ø Misinterpretation of Islam in terms of woman empowerment
Ø Corrupt media
Factors which mar state of women in Pakistan
Ø Illiteracy
Ø Poverty
Ø Feudalism
Ø Weak institution
Ø Judiciary
Ø Parliament
Ø Executive
Ø Lack of Political awareness
Ø Cultural barriers
Ø Misinterpretation of Islam in terms of woman empowerment
Ø Corrupt media
SOLUTIONS:
The factors that can foster women development are as under:
• Promotion of education among women.
• Reduction of poverty.
• Abolition of feudalism.
• Strong institution ensuring women empowerment.
• Social, political, cultural financial and professional liberty among women.
• Positive role f religions in terms of women empowerment.
• Job opportunities for women.
• Legislation on honor-killing, child marriage and vatta-satta system of marriage.
The factors that can foster women development are as under:
• Promotion of education among women.
• Reduction of poverty.
• Abolition of feudalism.
• Strong institution ensuring women empowerment.
• Social, political, cultural financial and professional liberty among women.
• Positive role f religions in terms of women empowerment.
• Job opportunities for women.
• Legislation on honor-killing, child marriage and vatta-satta system of marriage.
Conclusion:
Finally, the state of women can only be
improved on the basis of promotion of education, greater participation in
politics and widespread awareness about social, economic and political issues.
Professional and financial liberty can further improve the state of women.
Reduction of poverty and feudalism can open numerous chances for the
improvement of the state of woman in Pakistan. Positive role of religious
scholars and media can hopefully ameliorate the miserable state of women in to
a pleasant one. Last but not the least, the role of strong and cogent
institutions can also heighten the state of women of Pakistan.
CHILD LABOUR
Child labour in Pakistan is the employment of
children for work in Pakistan, leading to mental, physical, moral and social
harm to children. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan
estimated in the 1990s that 11 million children were working in the country,
half of those under the age of ten. In 1996, the median age for a child
entering the work force was seven, down from eight years old 2 years prior. It
was estimated that one quarter of the country’s work force was made up of child
labourers. In a city of Pakistan, Hyderabad children
enter work force at the of age 4 or 5 years and they make bangles and
bracelets. They make around 12 sets (per set containing 65 bangles) and only
gain Rs.40 from all the hard work. It depends on the time consumed in
completing these sets it could take as long as 2 or 3 days and they would gain
only Rs.40 in 2 or 3 days. This is not just a situation of Hyderabad but all
over of Pakistan.
Demographics
As
of 2012, it is estimated that 96 per cent of working boys were employed in the
wholesale and retail industry in urban areas, followed by 22 per cent in the
service industry and 22 per cent in manufacturing. As for the girls 48 per cent
were employed in the service industry while 100 per cent were employed in
manufacturing. In rural areas, 68 per cent of working boys were joined by 82
per cent of working girls. In the wholesale and retail industry the percentage
of girl were 11 per cent followed by 11 per cent in manufacturing. Child labour
in Pakistan is perhaps most rampant in city called Multan,
which is an important production centre for exports goods such as sporting
goods.
Cause
International
Labour Organization (ILO) suggests poverty is the greatest single cause behind
child labour. Pakistan has a per-capita
income of approximately $1900. A middle class person in Pakistan
earns around $5 a day on average. The average Pakistani has to feed nine or ten
people with their daily wage. Further to that there is also the high inflation
rate to contend with. As of
2008, 17.2% of the total population lives below the poverty line, which is the
lowest figure in the history of Pakistan. Poverty levels in Pakistan appear to
necessitate that children work in order to allow families to reach their target
take‐home
pay.[7] On the side of the firms, the low cost
of child labour gave manufacturers a significant advantage in the Western
marketplace, where they undersell their competitors from countries prohibiting
child labour, often by improbable amounts.
Government policies on child labour
A number of laws contain provisions
prohibiting child labour or regulating the working conditions of child and
adolescent workers. The most important laws are: The Factories Act 1934. The
West Pakistan Shops and Establishments Ordinance 1969. The Employment of
Children Act 1991 The Bonded Labour System Abolition Act 1992. The Punjab
Compulsory Education Act 1994.
Child labour remains one of the major
problems afflicting Pakistan and its children. Pakistan has passed laws in an
attempt to limit child labour and indentured servitude—but those laws are
universally ignored, and some 11 million children, aged four to fourteen, keep
that country's factories operating, often working in brutal and squalid
conditions. Biggest cause of child labour is poverty that is why the innocent
children have to become a labour it is the history in 2008 the number of child
labour was the lowest and it is the history of Pakistan.
Efforts
to reduce child labour
NGO groups against child labour have
been raising awareness of the exploitation of children in Pakistan.
Football
stitching
By the late 1990s, Pakistan had come to
account for 75 percent of total world production of footballs (or “soccer"
balls in the US), and 71 percent of all soccer ball imports into the United
States. The International Labour Rights Forum and allies called attention to
rampant child labour in the soccer ball industry. According to investigations,
thousands of children between the ages of 5 and 14 were putting in as many as
10 to 11 hours per day stitching. Then, the International Labour Organization,
UNICEF,
Save the Children, and the
Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and
Industry signed the Partners'
Agreement to Eliminate Child Labour in the Soccer Industry in Pakistan
on February 14, 1997, in Atlanta, Georgia.
Save the children has also been working
with some of the sporting goods manufacturers represented by the Sialkot
Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) and their international partner brands,
represented by the World
Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI). This joint effort
is aimed at ensuring that children are not employed to stitch footballs. Save
the Children (UK) includes disseminating information about child labour on
major networks like CBS and the like.
Save the Children has also worked on
project with the British Secretary of
State for International Development to phase out child labour in Sialkot.
The £750,000 donated by Britain will be spent on education and training, and
also on setting up credit and savings schemes in an attempt to provide
alternatives to bonded labour.
SPARC
SPARC has conducted research that goes into producing its
publications, including three major books on child labour, juvenile justice and
child rights. Its annual report The State of Pakistan’s Children and a large
number of brochures, SPARC has conducted a number of research studies. SPARC
has continued to ask successive governments to upgrade their laws to set a
legal age limit for employment in Pakistan, although they have not been
successful in doing so.
Other
NGOs
Other NGOs that has worked on the issue
of child labour in Pakistan includes organisation such as UNICEF. UNICEF supported the NCCWD in
drafting of the Child Protection Law and the Child Protection Policy and
initiated the establishment of Child Protection Monitoring and Data Collecting
System.Many other NGO such as ROZAN has work to protect the child in
NGO. SPARC is a NGO.
YOUTH
PROBLEMS
Challenges Pakistan youth face In most
of the developing countries young people are growing up without opportunities,
information and services they need to reach their full potential. There is
mounting evidence to prove that lack of investment and an indifference to the
needs of youth incur a high cost in terms of lost development opportunities,
ill health and social, physical, mental disruption. And it means failure to
fully support our present "asset" as well as next generation of
parents and leaders. There is no doubt that the youth have been at the centre
of socio-economic and socio-political changes taking place in Pakistan and
elsewhere. The period of the life under which the youth fall, is the most
productive and energetic. If their energies are not channelled they fail to
captivate opportunities that come their way.
At this moment, the youth in Pakistan find themselves in a far better position than many of their peers in other countries because of the demographic advantage they enjoy in Pakistan. As a matter of fact Pakistani population is very young. The census of 1998 counted 56 million children under the age of 15. There were another 13 million adolescents between the ages of 15 and 19, and 11 million youth aged between 20 to 24 years. In other words, in 1998 children, the very young and the youth accounted for 62 million of the total population. Of the 15 largest countries in the world in terms of population size Pakistan has by far the youngest people.
It is unfortunate that the youth, despite their contributions to national developments, find themselves trapped in a culture marked by guns, violence and drugs. All this has resulted in an unstable economy, a shattered confidence of foreign investors, lawlessness, and a break-up of the social fabric.
Pakistan at the moment houses the largest number of youth in its history. Most of our employed youth are misfits in their present positions and employment. They have been yoked to these unwanted engagements either by society, parents or their circumstances. Somebody who wanted to become a lawyer and was sent to a medical college against his wish, cannot give the best output as a doctor at all. We need proper education counselling system in the country if we require a maximum output from our youth. Unemployment is another problem being faced by our youths. We don’t have latest official figures but almost 12 percent (Labour Force Survey, Government of Pakistan, 1997) of our youth is unemployed. Unemployment is a multi-dimensional and complex issue which starts a vicious cycle of associated problems like involvement of youth in politics, bank-household burglaries, social insecurity, lawlessness, use of drugs, etc. Though every government has done something for the youth with regards to eradication of unemployment but the problem is sustainability of these programmes. One government launches a couple of youth promotion and youth investment schemes, the next one slates all the previous programmes and starts anew. The ultimate sufferers in this exercise are the youth.
The role of media
in upbringing of our youth has been minimum throughout the history of Pakistan.
Most of the youth find our TV programmes non-entertaining and unattractive. Every body is interested in watching other South Asian and western channels. As
a consequence we came to know what is call "cultural invasion". The
term is very old but we experienced its magic in Pakistan only from 1990s
onward. As to radio and newspaper, both of these media don’t target youth as
one of their potential audiences. With the start of public-private partnership,
the government should pay extra attention to using them in education, welfare
and development of the youth. Our youth has lost its identity and importance.
We need to enable our youth to rediscover their identity which they were made
to loose over the last 50 years. There must be remedial measures at government,
social and individual levels to restore the confidence of the youth in their
potential qualities. The most important step to be taken by the Government of Pakistan,
in this regard, is revision and revival of a national youth policy which must
be to aspire to create situations whereby youth stand educated, employed and
free from drug abuse, frustration, parochialism, sectarianism and other
numerous evils which have jolted the foundations of our society like
involvement of youth in politics, terrorism and lawlessness. We have to prepare
our youth to face the challenges of the time with unshakable courage and
youthful confidence.
At this moment, the youth in Pakistan find themselves in a far better position than many of their peers in other countries because of the demographic advantage they enjoy in Pakistan. As a matter of fact Pakistani population is very young. The census of 1998 counted 56 million children under the age of 15. There were another 13 million adolescents between the ages of 15 and 19, and 11 million youth aged between 20 to 24 years. In other words, in 1998 children, the very young and the youth accounted for 62 million of the total population. Of the 15 largest countries in the world in terms of population size Pakistan has by far the youngest people.
It is unfortunate that the youth, despite their contributions to national developments, find themselves trapped in a culture marked by guns, violence and drugs. All this has resulted in an unstable economy, a shattered confidence of foreign investors, lawlessness, and a break-up of the social fabric.
Pakistan at the moment houses the largest number of youth in its history. Most of our employed youth are misfits in their present positions and employment. They have been yoked to these unwanted engagements either by society, parents or their circumstances. Somebody who wanted to become a lawyer and was sent to a medical college against his wish, cannot give the best output as a doctor at all. We need proper education counselling system in the country if we require a maximum output from our youth. Unemployment is another problem being faced by our youths. We don’t have latest official figures but almost 12 percent (Labour Force Survey, Government of Pakistan, 1997) of our youth is unemployed. Unemployment is a multi-dimensional and complex issue which starts a vicious cycle of associated problems like involvement of youth in politics, bank-household burglaries, social insecurity, lawlessness, use of drugs, etc. Though every government has done something for the youth with regards to eradication of unemployment but the problem is sustainability of these programmes. One government launches a couple of youth promotion and youth investment schemes, the next one slates all the previous programmes and starts anew. The ultimate sufferers in this exercise are the youth.
The role of media
in upbringing of our youth has been minimum throughout the history of Pakistan.
Most of the youth find our TV programmes non-entertaining and unattractive. Every body is interested in watching other South Asian and western channels. As
a consequence we came to know what is call "cultural invasion". The
term is very old but we experienced its magic in Pakistan only from 1990s
onward. As to radio and newspaper, both of these media don’t target youth as
one of their potential audiences. With the start of public-private partnership,
the government should pay extra attention to using them in education, welfare
and development of the youth. Our youth has lost its identity and importance.
We need to enable our youth to rediscover their identity which they were made
to loose over the last 50 years. There must be remedial measures at government,
social and individual levels to restore the confidence of the youth in their
potential qualities. The most important step to be taken by the Government of Pakistan,
in this regard, is revision and revival of a national youth policy which must
be to aspire to create situations whereby youth stand educated, employed and
free from drug abuse, frustration, parochialism, sectarianism and other
numerous evils which have jolted the foundations of our society like
involvement of youth in politics, terrorism and lawlessness. We have to prepare
our youth to face the challenges of the time with unshakable courage and
youthful confidence.
GENERATION
GAP
Generations, despite any day and age,
have their set mind and rules which invariably are difficult to mend. We all
think of kids to be like soft clay, and by the time they grow up, the society
in which they stay largely constitutes their upbringing. The rest is determined
by the norms that they all live by.
 Generation gap is the major reason
today why parents and children are moving away from each other. As we all know,
the environment has changed, so the life style and with that the mind of
children also changes. Today’s generation doesn’t like others interfering in
any of their personal matters; they don’t like parents ordering them, and if
they try and tell them whats wrong for them, they misbehave with their parents.
The question is what the reason behind
all this is. Generation gap is basically created by the people themselves. They
don’t talk to their children and share their own points of views with the
children. The parents are just too busy with their work and jobs that they don’t
have time for their family and their children. They realize it only when there
has a huge distance between the kids and the parents.
 As to the different attitude of life,
the people belonging to the old generation always wonder what has gone wrong
with the new generation. They feel that during their time, young boys and girls
were better behaved, more obedient and had greater respect for elders. Young
people, on the other hand, feel that they are capable enough to learn on their
own rather than lean heavily on the older generation for any guidance.
The generation gap between parents and
their children really refers to poor communication or lack of thereof. It is
worth noting that the generation gap doesn’t always apply to all families. Most
often it comes down to the parents and the children having different opinions
and values, which by itself is not necessarily a problem. Parents should
understand this thing that children need some space. They should keep an eye on
children but should not impose on them any restrictions.
FAST
URBANIZATION
Social consequences Much like its
economic consequences, urbanisation’s implications for Pakistani society are
both encouraging and troubling.
http://www.riazhaq.com/2009/09/urbanization-in-pakistan-highest-in.html
FEUDALISTIC MINDSET
The democratic system in Pakistan is
constrained by a multitude of forces. Many analysts opine that feudalism is the
major cause which undermines democracy and hinders social equality. Their view
is generally shaped by the issue of land reforms in Pakistan. They tend to
ignore the fact that feudalism as an economic force has fizzled out. It has now
assumed value of power in our society. It is mainly the culture it bred over
centuries which persists now. Feudalism is often employed as an umbrella term
to describe power structure within a rural society. It also describes the
pattern of authority in rural set-up - the relationship between the ruler and
the ruled. In urban centers its use is confined to merely a metaphor for lack
of convenient term to the consumerist, power-hungry and elitist mindset.
Feudal values are often confused with
elitist values. The former rely on the physical use of force and the latter
rely on the structural inequalities of the neo-liberal economic system. The
feudal class is adept in the use of violence to maintain its mastery over the
tenant class. The classical form of feudalism is not present anywhere in
Pakistan. In the classical form it was a medieval contractual relationship
among the upper classes by which a lord granted land to his men in return for
military service.
Feudalism was further characterized by
the localization of political and economic power in the hands of lords and
their vassals and by the exercise of that power from the base of castles. Each
dominated the district in which it was situated. This formed a pyramidal form
of hierarchy. The term feudalism thus involves a division of governmental power
spreading over various castle-dominated districts downward through lesser
nobles. Feudalism does not infer social and economic relationships between the
peasants and their lords in classical theorizing. It was mainly a power
relationship.
Lord and vassal were interlocked in a
web of mutual rights and obligations, to the advantage of both. The lord owed
his vassal protection, whereas the vassal owed his lord a specified number of
days annually in offensive military service and in garrisoning his castle. The
lord was expected to provide a court for his vassals, who were to provide the
lord with counsel before he undertook any initiative of importance to the
feudal community as a whole -for example, arranging his own or his children’s
marriages or planning a crusade.
According to the Marxian definition,
the three elements which characterize feudalism are: lords, vassals and fiefs.
Marx defined the concept thus: “The power of the ruling class (the aristocracy)
rested on their control of arable land, leading to a class society based upon
the exploitation of the peasants who farm these lands, typically under
serfdom.”
Marx’s definition of the feudal mode of
production rests largely on the concept of feudal rent. It characterizes
both relations of production and ways to extract surplus from the direct
producers. Feudal rent requires the existence of large agricultural productive
units (manors) owned by a landlord who, through coercive means, is able to
force peasants to pay a rent in the form of labor, produce or monetary tribute.
In exchange, peasants living in villages are allowed to possess small
individual landholdings and to access forests and pastures as common land.
Surplus extracted as feudal rent reveals a relation of personal subordination
between the peasant and the landlord which is confirmed by the fact that the
landlord is the supreme political authority over the geographical unit (the
fief) that contains the peasants’ plots and common land.
Even now, in rural areas of Pakistan,
feudalistic social relations glaringly stand out. Landlords are seen as ruling
the roost. Their ties with the echelons of power further make them repressive
towards tenants and local populations. The repressive state apparatus in the
form of the police is always at their beck and call. It acts as an agent of
status quo in feudal relationship. Thus feudalism operates within a dual
economic society with the help of state -sponsored institutions. Every act of
opposition to the dominant system is labeled as a police problem. As such, the resultant
crimes are handled with iron hand.
The majority of inhabitants in rural
areas are still aspirants to freedom and liberty. Urbanities are duty-bound to
change this pattern of relations between the forces in rural areas. It will not
only pave the way for democracy but also increase agricultural productivity.
SINKING MORAL VALUES
DUE TO FOREIGN CULTURE AND MEDIA INVASION
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