Aurat Foundation: Education Policy Needs to be Adjusted to Eliminate Gender Disparities
In an event hosted by the “Aurat Foundation” to draw attention to gender inequality and strengthen the position of women in society, Dr. Qibla Ayaz, Chairman of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), stated that a review of the education policy was necessary to alter public opinion.
He said that the education sector had been turned over to private stakeholders for profit, which was counterproductive, when discussing the role of the government in policymaking.
Men in the nation, he claimed, had the opinion that women were inherently “weaker and that they should not work.” He called on men to speak out in favor of women’s equal rights, saying that this was an issue that needed to be brought to light.
Strategic Studies and Defense at Quaid-i-Azam University Dr. Shabana Fayyaz, the department head, revealed that she was the only woman in her family to enter the workforce.
The Aurat Foundation hosts a seminar to promote women’s rights and lessen violence.
“Traditionally, men have been seen as not deserving of a woman’s earnings, but as time goes on, these views are beginning to shift,” she continued.
“We have not made any investments in the education of our nation’s women. As educators, we must work to lessen violence [against women] in our community,” she emphasized.
According to Special Federal Secretary Naela Chohan of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, men and women in society have “separate responsibilities.”
“We need an empowering environment and all young men and women should be taught how to respect and behave toward each other,” the speaker stated.
University of Islam International The director general of the Islamic Research Institute in Islamabad, Dr. Ziaul Haq, praised the “Aurat Foundation” for its data on women, calling it the “most authentic and original” in the nation.
Speaking about violence, he stated that thousands of people joined the Paigham-i-Pakistan countering violent extremism (CVE) project after a small group of individuals started it. According to him, the main goal of the Paigham-i-Pakistan project was to alter behavior.
Regarding women’s rights, he mentioned that Bab-un-Nisa, or the “door of the women,” is the name of one of the Masjid-i-Nabwi’s gates. Women in Pakistan, Dr. Zia continued, were not even safe from their supposed protectors. “We are not even the best Muslims, despite the fact that we call ourselves a very religious society,” he remarked.
Extremism must be understood, according to Wing Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Cyber Crime Deputy Director SP Beenish Fatima.
“There are many forms of extremism in our society and educational institutions,” the speaker stated, noting that because the men in their homes held positions of authority, they felt compelled to be with women everywhere.
“If half of society stays inside their homes and doesn’t work, the economy will never be able to grow,” she continued.
Shahid Rahim discussed the need for and goals of the “Aurat Foundation” SHE-The Peacebuilder project. He stated that the project will finish in September 2024, having started in May 2022.
According to the “Aurat Foundation” website, “this project aims to train 50 women peace architects (WPAs) and increase their capacity to participate in conflict resolution and peacebuilding processes.”
