Essay by Aiman Faisal

"What is the biggest challenge facing women and girls in your country today?" "Feminism is hated because women are hated. Anti-feminism is a direct expression of misogyny." As long as a girl or woman continues to be a suffering victim, people are satisfied. If she tries to make decisions to alleviate her sufferings, then she is perceived as a negative person. This is 2017 and females in Pakistan are still facing many challenges and trials for instance gender biases, lack of education and other facilities, sexual harassment, rape, financial discrimination, victims of inhuman customs etc. None of these is a minor and insignificant one. I will prefer highlighting the main issue of gender biases to women in my country Pakistan. There is no debate over the fact that men are given prejudiced and unfair advantage over women. Every woman and girl who chooses to ignore the desires of the society and do whatever makes them satisfied such as work, marriage and date is seen as rebellious and incapable of managing a family. In every situation, people judge females without knowing the truth. Similarly, if we discuss about work, women are not employed because people believe that they will get married or quit or go to a maternity leave. This is discrimination between the genders and therefore snatches succeeding opportunities from the females in Pakistan. This discourages them and gets them to a lower status and position in society, beside being very talented and multiskilled. Pakistani families expect their girls to take responsibility of the house and if you desire to be independent, you find yourself in a dual life, a house cook and a professional worker. Mary Kom aforementioned: " Don't let anyone tell you, you are weak because you are a woman " A woman always need to balance her work life and personal life, unnecessary of what she wants. Further, gender bias also includes the marriage differences. After all, this it the ultimate end for all Pakistani girls. Many parents question their daughters getting higher education, but not their sons. Why? Are boys more intelligent? Girls are far more quickwitted than boys. If a girl rejects a marriage proposal, this would simply mean that she has an affair and thereafter she'll have to suffer from physical thrashing. However, if this is the case among men or boys, they'll have to get education to get settled and they are the family's name. This is also a discrimination among boys and girls. Even if a girl is married, she will have to bear the husband's insecurities as boys always need a housewife rather than a financial supporter, as his ego comes between. In some cases, men don't want their wives talking to any other guy no matter how important it is. Next, if a woman already divorced wants to get remarried and get settled then society will raise questions to her and she will be the one who is characterless. No one is going to ask or say anything to the man. They assume that she had an affair during her first marriage and therefore she is willing to marry again. She is wicked, she has no respect, she is ruining family name etc. The real reason is not seen, only the girl is judged, in marriage and all other situations. This also includes another major factor of "What will people say?" that has ruined women's lives since day one. Whether you are a working woman or you are a housewife people will question you, your character, your attributes and notice every single thing to judge it. There is always this threat that how will people perceive you through their own opinions and thoughts. Society will assume that by working or doing something for yourself, you are ignoring the house and they further accredit you with hurtful and filthy titles. If a girl choses to wear hijab, she will be anticipated as backward and religious fanatics and if she wears tight dresses and short skirts she will be perceived as a streetwalker or nymphomaniac. Women can't go anywhere without the permission of parents and husband. If a woman is independent, she will have to face cat calling by men and what later? Girls are criticized of being independent and wandering alone and are perceived as loose women who wants to provoke boys. No one stops their sons and brothers to misbehave with girls. There is no respect in society for any woman or girl of any age. Women who get abused are blamed of not dressing modestly but this is not a valid excuse because those in burrqas are also harassed. Rape and honour killing are the parts of a bigger picture in Pakistan and other countries that is utterly neglected. Rape culture is said to be wrong but societies adopted it as being justified. This issue is sustained by the excuse that Islam requires modesty and there is a responsibility of males to ' protect ' women? What protection when they are the ones raping girls all around the world of every age? Up to 1000 of girls are killed for the sake of family's honour, name and greatness. 

Unfortunately, this society is the biggest critic for their own women; sisters, mothers and wives, who are raped, slapped for nothing, forced to obey the society, unnecessary of their own happiness and peace of mind and hence gender bias is the biggest challenge faced by any female in Pakistan that is ruining their lives and making it worser than hell. This is all because of a negative state of mind of people in the society and their unnecessary thoughts on others especially girls. This issue would be covered up only if people get enough education and learn the ethics to stay happier and not interfering in one's life but unfortunately this is not that easy and people are still living in ancient times where there was no life without commenting each other.