THE list of the challenges faced today by women in Pakistan is quite long and formidable: denial of right to work, non-recognition of work, non-payment for work, denial of a fair wage, gaps in the legislation needed to protect women`s rights, the non-implementation of laws that have already been enacted,the non-recognition of informal-sector workers and, above all, the prevalence of an environment that perpetuates gender inequality.
Each problem has been aggravated by lack of will by the state to resolve it.
The time has come for the state to demonstrate its will to going the whole length for achieving gender equality by adopting a long-term plan for women`s empowerment. What this goal means should largely be decided by women themselves.
During the interim the state and civil society should concentrate on building up women`s capacity to cover the final lap to their rightful place in society. The long-term strategy will obviously include a mechanism for filling gaps in legislation as well as for evaluating implementation of pro-women laws made over the past two decades, and especially since 2004, to ensure their enforceability.
In order to ensure women`s ability to attain their share of jobs, it will be necessary to extend to them educational facilities and an adequate health cover.
The failure to realise the Millennium Development Goals must spur the administration to improve its performance.
Local female leaders must be helped to address all of the problems of citizens, including their vulnerability to preachers of hate and the promoters of conflict.
