"There are two powers in the world; one is the sword and the other is the pen. There is a great competition and rivalry between the two. There is a third power stronger than both, that of the women." Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Father of the Nation.
The development and betterment of any society relays upon the quality of human life with high standards of ethical norms both for men and woman. Education is pre condition of development, the only tool for progress and growth and pure source for the transformation of society. It ensures the successful evolution of entire nation. Like many other under developing countries, Pakistan is also facing intense challenges in the field of education generally and women`s education particularly. Women in Pakistan are still deprived of their basic rights and have limited opportunities in all walks of Life. Female Education in Pakistan, its status and standard particularly is at the lowest ebb.
The state of rural women as compare to urban women needs great and urgent attention. The vast majority of rural women undergo worst experiences at the hands of feudal lords. They keep women folk ignorant of their fundamental rights. With all force of terror they are deprived to reach health and justice. Lead by ignorance, they abandon women to participate in politics, work professionally and enjoy their financial liberty. Lack of basic education and fundamental awareness leads to gruesome state of women. Due to feudalism power belongs to men in rural sides. They rule over private and domestic life and thus don`t allow personal choice in marriage. The barrier and stumbling block of feudalism in women empowerment perish woman of our villages economically, politically and socially. Female literacy rate is 45% against male literacy rate that is 69%. The education in Pakistan shows a bleak picture especially in Baluchistan where education is grim. 70% girls are dropped out from schools in Baluchistan. The overall female literacy rate is 25% which is not satisfying. More than 40% girls never go to schools. In 2013, 64% rural areas females` population never went to school in Baluchistan. No doubt, the ratio of out of school children is rising. Women find it hard to get education, as in rural areas no separate schooling is present. They not only lack contemporary knowledge but unfortunately they are not familiar with the rights and blessings sharia bestow upon them. Local customs prevails as an authority over their matters. Cultural norms misinterpret religious thoughts and thus lead to miserable disastrous. Ignorance about marriage and divorce laws has been a largest reason subjecting women to social violence. Married Muslim women`s perceptions to their right of marriage and divorce (khul?) is very poor and ignorant due to which they remains meager frail, most weak and projected to violence thus creates social imbalance.
Women in Pakistan are more likely suspected to be a caretaker of home as a wife and mother. Society does not warmly allow women to contribute their capabilities in human development. Genders are conceptually segregated into two particular distinct perspectives. Due to gender division of labour, education of boys are prioritized over girls.
Educating women in both spheres is the urgent call of an hour. Women`s education is so inextricably linked with the other facets of human development that to make it a priority is to also make change on a range of other fronts; from the health and status of women to early childhood care; from nutrition, water and sanitation to community empowerment; from the reduction of child labor and other forms of exploitation to the peaceful resolution of conflicts.67 Barriers include:
- Multi-furious socio-cultural preconceptions
- Economic reasons/hurdles
- Gender prejudices
It is only education which allows women to participate and amplify their voices and concerns on legislative level. It opens a chance for women to choice their own life. Women labour lead economy towards sustainable growth and prosperity. As it is universally said "The progress and wellbeing of a country largely depends on the education choices made available to its people". It shapes future destiny. Thus education is only crucial and holistic strategy for change and development in any society. It assures mobility towards health prosperity and life. Only through women education Pakistan can achieve global human development goals as a strong link between women education and international development is measured in recent research.