social problems of pakistan essay pdf

• Research article
• Open access
• Published: 22 December 2022

Perpetuation of gender discrimination in Pakistani society: results from a scoping review and qualitative study conducted in three provinces of Pakistan

• Tazeen Saeed Ali   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-8896-8766 1 , 2 ,
• Shahnaz Shahid Ali 1 ,
• Sanober Nadeem 3 ,
• Zahid Memon 4 ,
• Sajid Soofi 4 ,
• Falak Madhani 3 ,
• Yasmin Karim 5 ,
• Shah Mohammad 4 &
• Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta 6 , 7  

BMC Women's Health volume  22 , Article number:  540 ( 2022 ) Cite this article

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Gender discrimination is any unequal treatment of a person based on their sex. Women and girls are most likely to experience the negative impact of gender discrimination. The aim of this study is to assess the factors that influence gender discrimination in Pakistan, and its impact on women’s life.

A mixed method approach was used in the study in which a systematic review was done in phase one to explore the themes on gender discrimination, and qualitative interviews were conducted in phase two to explore the perception of people regarding gender discrimination. The qualitative interviews (in-depth interviews and focus group discussions) were conducted from married men and women, adolescent boys and girls, Healthcare Professionals (HCPs), Lady Health Visitors (LHVs) and Community Midwives (CMWs). The qualitative interviews were analyzed both manually and electronically through QSR NVivo 10. The triangulation of data from the systematic review and qualitative interviews were done to explore the gender discrimination related issues in Pakistan.

The six major themes have emerged from the systematic review and qualitative interviews. It includes (1) Status of a woman in the society (2) Gender inequality in health (3) Gender inequality in education (4) Gender inequality in employment (5) Gender biased social norms and cultural practices and (6) Micro and macro level recommendations. In addition, a woman is often viewed as a sexual object and dependent being who lacks self identity unless being married. Furthermore, women are restricted to household and child rearing responsibilities and are often neglected and forced to suppress self-expression. Likewise, men are viewed as dominant figures in lives of women who usually makes all family decisions. They are considered as financial providers and source of protection. Moreover, women face gender discrimination in many aspects of life including education and access to health care.

Gender discrimination is deeply rooted in the Pakistani society. To prevent gender discrimination, the entire society, especially women should be educated and gendered sensitized to improve the status of women in Pakistan.

Peer Review reports

Gender discrimination refers to any situation where a person is treated differently because they are male or female, rather than based on their competency or proficiency [ 1 , 2 ]. Gender discrimination harms all of society and negatively impacts the economy, education, health and life expectancy [ 1 , 2 ]. Women and girls are most likely to experience the negative impacts of gender discrimination. It include inadequate educational opportunities, low status in society and lack of freedom to take decisions for self and family [ 1 , 3 ].

Likewise, gender discrimination is one of the human rights issues in Pakistan and is affecting huge proportion of women in the country [ 1 , 2 ]. In Pakistan, nearly 50% of the women lacks basic education [ 4 ]. In addition, women in Pakistan have lower health and nutritional status. Furthermore, most of the women are restricted in their homes with minimal or no rights to make choices, judgments, and decisions, that directly affect their living conditions and other familial aspects [ 2 ]. In contrast, men are considered dominant in the Pakistani society [ 5 ]. This subordination of women has negative influences on different stages of women’s life.

Study design

The mixed method study design was used. Systematic review was done in phase one and qualitative interviews; in-depth interviews (IDIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted in phase two.

The objective of the systematic review

To map a broad topic, gender discrimination/inequality research in Pakistan including women undergoing any form of intimate partner violence.

Systematic review

The three authors (TSA, SSA and SN) independently performed an extensive literature search using two databases: PubMed and Google Scholar and reports from organizations such as WHO and the Aurat Foundation. Quantitative and Boolean operators were used to narrow down the search results. The following keywords and phrases were used: Intimate partner violence (IPV), domestic violence, violence against women, domestic abuse, spousal violence, and Pakistan. Articles from 2008 to 2021 were assessed. The selection criteria of the articles included: women undergoing any form of IPV (physical, psychological, and sexual); quantitative study design; English as the publication language; and articles in which Pakistan was the study setting. The shortlisted articles were cross-checked by two of the authors (TSA, and SN) for final selection. The quality of the selected articles was reviewed using a STROBE (Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology) checklist, which ensured all articles followed a structured approach, including an introduction, methodology, results, and a discussion section. It was also determined that all selected articles are published in peer-reviewed journals and have been used nationally or internationally. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) chart was used for study selection (Fig.  1 ).

PRISMA Diagram to select the final articles

The selected articles were approved by one of the authors (TSA), who is an expert in the field of IPV. Articles were excluded: (i) If the study was not conducted in Pakistan; (ii) Studied spousal violence against men and (iii) Domestic violence involving in-laws or other family members. Furthermore, from the selected articles, the data were extracted by 3 authors (TSA, SSA, SN) by carefully studying the methodology and results. The methodology was entered into an extraction template in which location was summarized including the study design and sample size in the articles. The results covered: (i) The title, (ii) Authors, (iii) Publication year, (iv) Objectives of the research, (v) Population and Setting, (vi) Research design, (vii) Data collection methods, (ix) Results, (x) Perpetuating factors (xi) Recommendations and (xii) prevalence of Intimate Partners Violence (IPV) faced by women, which was further categorized into: (a) Psychological/emotional violence, (b) Physical violence, (c) Sexual violence, (d) Both combined and (e) Violence of any other type.

Qualitative data collection

Participants selection.

Purposeful sampling was done to recruit the participants for qualitative data collection. Participants included groups of married men and women aged between 18 to 49 years, groups of unmarried adolescent boys and girls aged between 14 to 21 years, and groups of healthcare professionals (HCPs), comprising of doctors, nurses, Lady Health Visitors (LHVs), Lady Health Workers (LHWs) and Community Midwives (CMWs). Ethics approval was obtained from the Aga Khan University, Ethics Review Committee.

Study sites

The selected study sites included two districts from Chitral (Upper and Lower Chitral), six districts from Gilgit (Gilgit, Ghizer, Hunza, Nagar, Astore, and Skardu), and two districts from Sindh (Matiari and Qambar Shadadkot). The following are the details of the data collection (Refer Table  1 ).

Data collection

Data were collected by conducting (IDIs) and (FGDs). The IDI and FGD interview guides were developed specifically for the study and reviewed based on the literature. IDIs were conducted with the healthcare industry administrators, Heads of the Departments (HODs), and HCPs of private and government health settings, including gynaecologists, LHWs, LHVs, and CMWs. The IDI interview guides comprised of the questions related to knowledge, sources of information, and attitudes regarding gender-based discrimination (how each gender is perceived in society and how physical and social differences in the roles of males and females affect an individual or society). The IDIs were conducted in Urdu and local language. The interviews were audio-recorded. Each IDIs lasted for 45–60 minutes.

Likewise, the FGDs were conducted using different interview guides, which were designed to assess the perception of adolescent girls and boys, married men and women and health care workers regarding gender discrimination in the society (perceptions of masculinity and femininity, and gender role expectations of a society). The FGDs were conducted in Urdu and local language. The interviews were audio-recorded. Each FGDs lasted for 60–120 minutes.

Data analysis

All interviews were audio recorded and transcribed in English. Training was provided to the data collectors, and they were supervised by the authors throughout the process to ensure transcriptions are written accurately and correctly, representing the actual data collected during interviews. Thematic analysis was carried out in four different steps. Firstly, manual analysis was done by the research team where transcriptions were thoroughly read, and codes were identified. These codes were combined according to their contextual similarity which followed the derivation of categories, based on which, themes were developed. Secondly, similar manual analysis was conducted by an expert data analyst. Thirdly, analysis was conducted using QSR NVivo 10. In the final step, all three analyses were combined and verified by the research team followed by the compilation of results.

Data integrity

To maintain the credibility or truthfulness of the data, the following strategies were used: (1) Prolonged engagement: Various distinct questions were asked related to the topic and participants were encouraged to share their statements with examples, (2) Triangulation: Data was analyzed by the author, expert data analyst and through QSR NVivo10, (3) Persistent observation: The authors read and reread the data, analyzed them recoded and relabeled codes and categories and revised the concepts accordingly, and (4) Transferability: The ability to generalize or transfer the findings to other context or settings, was ensured by explaining in detail the research context and its conclusions [ 6 ].

Ethical considerations

Ethical approval was obtained from the ethics review committee (ERC), Aga Khan University. The ERC number is 2020-3606-11,489. To ensure voluntary participation of the study participants both verbal and written consent were obtained. For those who were younger than 18 years of age were given written assent, and their parent, or guardian’ verbally consented due to literacy issues. In addition to anonymity of the study participants were maintained by assigning codes to the study participants. To avoid loss of data, interview recordings were saved on a hard drive and in the email account of the author. The data on hard copies such as note pads used during IDIs and informed consents were kept in lock and key. All the data present in hard copy was scanned and saved in the hard drive with password protection. To ensure confidentiality, only the authors had access to hard and soft data of the study.

The studies selected were scrutinized to form a data extraction template with all the relevant data such as author, publication year, study title, purpose, design, setting, sampling, main results, perpetuating factors, and recommendations (Refer Table  2 , provided in the attachment). Most of the 20 studies included in the review were conducted in Pakistan however the most frequent study design was cross-sectional ( n  = 9) followed by narrative research based on desk reviews ( n  = 8), one was a case study, and two were cross-country comparison by using secondary data. Four studies were conducted in Province Punjab, three studies were conducted in KPK, and one in both KPK and Punjab. Only one study was conducted in Sindh province. The remaining used whole Pakistan in systematic review. The maximum sample size in a cross-sectional study was ( n  = 506). Six major themes have emerged from the review which included (1) Status of Women in Society (2) Gender Inequality in Health (3) Gender Inequality in Education (4) Gender Inequality in Employment (5) Gender Biased Social Norms and Cultural Practices (6) Micro and Macro Level Recommendations.

Status of a woman in the society

The Pakistani women often face gender inequality [ 13 ]. Women are seen as a sexual object who are not allowed to take decision for self or their family. However, the male is seen as a symbol of power. Due to male ownership and the patriarchal structure of the Pakistani society women are submissive to men, their rights are ignored, and their identity is lost. Out of twenty, nine studies reported that a female can not take an independent decision, someone else decides on her behalf, mainly father before marriage then-husband and son [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 13 ]. The three studies report that women are not allowed to participate in elections or have very limited participation in politics. Furthermore, women often face inequalities and discrimination in access to health, education, and employment that have negative impact in their lives [ 1 , 2 ]. In addition, media often portrays women in the stereotyped role whose only responsibility is to look after the family and household chores [ 2 ]. Likewise, women have less access and control over financial and physical assets [ 13 ]. Similarly, in most of the low economic and tribal families’ women face verbal and physical abuse [ 8 ].

Gender inequality in health

Gender disparity in health is obvious in Pakistan. Women suffer from neglect of health and nutrition. They don’t have reproductive health rights, appropriate prenatal and postnatal care, and decision-making power for birth spacing those results in maternal mortality and morbidity [ 13 ]. Women can not take decision for her and her children’s health; she doesn’t have access to quality education and health services [ 13 , 15 ]. Furthermore, many papers report son preference [ 1 , 3 ]. Gender-based violence is also very common in Pakistan that leads to harmful consequences on the health and wellbeing of women [ 9 ].

Gender inequality in education

Low investment in girls’ education has been reported in almost all the papers reviewed. The major reason for low investment is low returns from girls, as boys are perceived to be potential head of the house and future bread winner [ 6 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 15 ]. One of the case study reports, people believe, Muslim women should be brought up in a way that they can fulfill the role of a good daughter, wife, and a mother; and education can have a “bad influence” to develop these characteristics in women [ 12 ]. If girls are educated, they become less obedient and evil and don’t take interest in household chores that is the primary responsibility of her [ 12 ]. Moreover, religious leaders have strong authority in rural areas. They often misuse Islamic teaching and educate parents that through education, women become independent and cannot become a good mother, daughter, and a wife. These teachings mostly hinder girl’s education. Other barriers in girls’ education are access to the facility and women’s safety. Five studies reported that most of the schools are on long distances and have co-education system that is perceived as un-Islamic. Parents are reluctant to send their daughters for education as they feel unsafe and threatened [ 1 , 4 , 12 , 13 , 15 ]. Poverty is another root cause of gender disparity in education, as parents cannot afford the education of their children and when there is a choice, preference is given to boys due to their perceived productive role in future. As a result, more dropouts and lower attainment of education by girls particularly living in rural areas [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 11 , 13 ].

Gender inequality in employment

Economic disparity due to gender inequality is an alarming issue in Pakistan. The low status of women in society, home care responsibilities, gender stereotyping, and social-cultural humiliated practices against women are the main hurdles in women’s growth and employment opportunities. Low education of females, restriction on mobility, lack of required skillsets, sex-segregated occupational choices are also big obstacles in the attainment of economic opportunities. Most of the women are out of employment, however those who are in economic stream are facing several challenges [ 7 ]. They face discrimination in all layers of the economy. Men are mostly on the leadership positions, fewer females are involved in decision making, wages are low for females if compared with males, workplace harassment and unfavourable work environment is common that hinders long stay in job [ 1 , 7 , 8 ]. Moreover, a study reported that in a patriarchal society very limited number of females are in business field and entrepreneurship. The main hurdles are capital unavailability, lack of role models, gender discrimination in business, cultural and local customs, and lack of training and education [ 8 ].

Gender biased social norms and cultural practices

The gender discrimination is deeply rooted in the Pakistani society. The gender disparity in Pakistan is evident at household level. It includes Distribution of food, education, health care, early and forced marriages, denial of inheritance right, mobility restriction, abuse, and violence [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 6 , 7 , 11 ]. Furthermore, birth of a boy child is celebrated, and the girl is seen as a burden. Likewise, household chores are duty of a female, and she cannot demand or expect any reward for it. On the other hand, male work has socio-economic value [ 2 , 7 , 15 ]. Furthermore, the female has limited decision making power and most of the decisions are done by male figures in a family or a leader of the tribe or community who is always a male. This patriarchal system is sustained and practiced under the name of Islamic teaching [ 2 , 12 , 13 ]. The prevalence of gender-based violence is also high, in form of verbal abuse, physical abuse, sexual assault, rape and forced sex, etc., In addition, it is usually considered a private matter and legal actions are not taken against it [ 8 ] . Moreover, Karo Kari or honor killing of a female is observed in Pakistan. It is justified as killing in the name of honor . Similarly, women face other forms of gender-based violence that include: (i) bride price (The family of the groom pay their future in-laws at the start of their marriage), (ii) Watta Satta (simultaneous marriage of a brother-sister pair from two households.), (iii) Vani (girls, often minors, are given in marriage or servitude to an aggrieved family as compensation to end disputes, often murder) and (iv) marriage with Quran (the male members of the families marry off their girl child to Holy Quran in order to take control of the property that legally belongs to the girl and would get transferred to her after marriage) [ 1 , 4 , 9 , 14 , 15 ]. Furthermore, the women are restricted to choose political career [ 13 ].

Micro and macro level recommendations

The women should have equal status and participation in all aspects of life that include, health, nutrition, education, employment, and politics [ 1 , 4 , 7 , 9 , 11 ]. Women empowerment should be reinforced at policy level [ 1 , 7 ]. For this, constitution of Pakistan should give equal rights to all citizens. Women should be educated about their rights [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 6 , 13 , 14 , 15 ]. To improve status of women, utmost intervention is an investment in girls education. If women is not educated she cannot fight for her rights. Gender parity can only be achieved if women is educated and allowed to participate in decision-making process of law and policies [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 9 , 11 , 14 ]. Similarly, access to health care services is women’s right. Quality education, adequate nutrition, antenatal and post-natal care services, skilled birth attendants, and access and awareness about contraceptives is important to improve women’s health and reduce maternal mortality.

Similarly, women should be given equal opportunities to take part in national development and economic activities of the country to reduce poverty. This is possible through fair employment opportunities, support in women’s own business, equitable policies at workplace and uniform wages and salaries. Besides these, female employees must be informed about their rights and privileges at workplace and employment [ 1 , 7 , 8 , 11 ]. Policy actions should be taken to increase the level of women’s participation in economic growth and entrepreneurship opportunities. There should be active actions to identify bottlenecks of gender parity and unlock growth potential of social institutions [ 5 ]. Another barrier for women empowerment is threatened and unsafe environment to thrive. There should be policies and legislation to protect women from harm, violence, and honor killing that ensure their health, safety, and wellbeing [ 4 , 12 ]. Educational institutions and mass media are two powerful sources that can bring change in society. Government must initiate mass media awareness campaign on gender discrimination at household level, educational institutes, and employment sectors to break discriminatory norms of patriarchal society and to reduce the monopoly of males in marketplace. Parent’s education on gender-equitable practices is also important to bring change at the microlevel. It includes gender-equitable child-rearing practices at home including boys mentoring because they think discrimination against females is a very normal practice and part of a culture [ 3 ]. There is insufficient data on women’s participation and gender parity in health, education, and employment. Thus, there is a strong need to identify effective interventions and relevant stakeholders to reduce the gender discrimination in Pakistan [ 5 ] .

Findings from primary data collection

The following are the major themes emerged from the primary data collection (Refer Table  3 ).

Theme 1: perception of women regarding gender discrimination in society

Woman as a sexual object.

Female participants highlighted that they are seen as “sexual objects” and “a mean of physical attraction” which prevents them from comfortably leaving their homes. One female participant explained this further as,

“We are asked to stay inside the house because men and boys would look at our body and may have bad intentions about us” (Adolescent girl, FGD).

Male participants echoed this narrative as they agreed that women are judged by their physical appearance, such as the shape of their bodies. A male participant stated,

“ Woman is a symbol of beauty and she's seen by the society as the symbol of sex for a man" (Male HCP, IDI).

A male participant reported,

“Women should cover themselves and stay inside the house” (married man, FGD).

One female participant verbalized,

“ We have breasts, and therefore, we are asked to dress properly". (adolescent girls, FGD).

Another stated,

“ Girls are supposed to dress properly and avoid eye contact with boys while walking on the road” (adolescent girls, FGD).

Women as dependent beings

One of the major study findings suggests the idea that women must be “helped” at all times, as they are naturally dependent upon other persons to protect them. One participant stated,

“If a woman is alone, she is afraid of the man's actions ” (adolescent girl, FGD).

Some female participants, however, agreed with this statement to some extent because they felt that men help women to fit into society. Oftentimes, judgment is passed for women without an accompanying male. Participants verbalized that wife cannot survive without husband and similarly daughter cannot live without her father. One participant mentioned,

“We are only allowed to go out when we have our father or brothers to accompany us” (Adolescent girl, FGD).

Other participants agreed with the sentiment differently. Since it is implied that men easily get attracted to women, having a male figure with female will protect her from naturally prying eyes. However, if she cannot be accompanied by a male, she must protect herself by covering fully and maintain distance with males.

Women’s autonomy

Female participants, especially young adolescent girls, shared how restrictions have affected their livelihoods. Participants expressed how easy it is for males to gain permission and leave the house, while females often have series of obstacles in front of them. A young girl stated,

“ There are lot of constraints when we see women in our culture. They must take care of everything at home, yet they must get everybody's permission to go five minutes away. Whereas a boy can go out of town and that too, without anyone’s permission. Looking at this, I wish I were a boy. I'd go wherever I want, and I could do whatever I want” (adolescent girl, FGD).

Males as an identity for females

Women are often identified through a prominent male figure in their life and are not considered to have individual personalities and identities. A female participant mentioned that,

“Woman is someone having a low status in society. People know her through their husband or father name” (married women, FGD).

Child’s upbringing responsibility

Culturally, it is expected from the female members of the family, often mothers, to rear children and take care of their upbringing. Male members, mainly fathers, are expected to look after finances. Thus, mothers usually take a greater portion of responsibility for child’s upbringing and blame in case of misconduct. A married woman explained that,

"If a girl does something, the mother is blamed for that. Even in our house, my mother-in-law talks to my mother if I argue or refuse for anything. This is the culture in my maiden home as well" (Married Woman, FGD).

Unrecognized contribution of women

Many female participants verbalized their concern for disregard they receive from their families despite contributing significantly. Women who perform major roles in maintaining the family and household chores are not recognized for their efforts. By doing cleaning, cooking and other duties, they keep family healthy and help keep costs low. One participant mentioned,

“If women don’t clean the house, it is extremely dirty. If women do not rear children, no one else would do it. We do so much for the family” (married woman, FGD).

Gender differences in daily activities

Both men and women struggle with self-expression as certain expectations from both genders hold people back from expressing their views and opinions. Men, for example, as indicated by participants, are expected to remain firm in challenging situations and not show emotions. Even for hobbies, participants shared that, parks and recreational activities are geared towards young boys and men, while girls and women are given more quiet and indoor activities. A female participant verbalized that,

“ Boys have a separate area where they play cricket and football daily but for girls like us, only indoor activities are arranged” (adolescent girl, FGD).

In places where males and females freely mix or live closely in one area, people often find themselves taking extra precautions in their actions, as to not be seen disgraceful by the community. One female participant reported,

“ Two communities are residing in our area. Events for females, such as sports day, are very rarely arranged. Even then we cannot fully enjoy because if we'll shout to cheer up other players, we would be scolded as our community is very cautious for portraying a soft image of females of our community ” (adolescent girl, FGD).

Another participant stated that,

“ After prayers, we cannot spend time with friends as people would point that girl and say that she always stays late after prayers to gossip when she is supposed to go home ” (adolescent girl, FGD).

Deprivation of women’s rights

A woman’s liberty has always struggled to be accepted and males are always favoured. Thus, women are given lower status. Participants highlighted that, in general, men are seen as superior to women. One participant stated,

“ Men are the masters of women…” (FGD married women).

On the other side, male suppress female liberty and women are unaware of their rights leaving them vulnerable to deprivation. A female participant explained,

“Women do not dominate society that's why people take away their rights from them” (married woman, FGD).

Female participants also shared that they see men as strong and dominant personalities, making them better decision makers regarding health care acquisition, family income, availing opportunities and producing offspring. One female participant verbalized,

“If there's one egg on the table and two children to be fed, it is considered that males should get it as it is believed that males need more nutrition than us” (HCP, IDI).

Another reported that,

“There is a lack of equal accessibility of health care facilities and lack of employment equality for women” (HCP, IDI).

Theme 2: perception of men regarding gender discrimination in society

Male dominance.

Inferiority and superiority are common phenomenon in Pakistan’s largely patriarchal society. This allows men to be seen as dominant, decision-maker of family and the sole bread winner. Women, however, are caught in a culture of subordination to men with little power over family and individual affairs. A female participant said,

“If we look at our society, men are dominant. They can do anything while a woman cannot, as she is afraid of the man's reactions [gussa] and aggression” (adolescent girl, FGD).

While another reported,

"In our society, husband makes his wife feel his superiority over her and would make her realize that it is him, who has all the authority and power” (married woman, FGD).

Preference for male child

There is often an extreme desire for birth of sons over daughters, which adds to the culture of gender discrimination in Pakistan. Male children are important to the family as they often serve their parents financially, once they are able. This is one of the main reasons that parents are more inclined towards birth of a male child rather than female. Consequently, education is prioritized for male children. Female participants expressed that their desire for a male child is to appease their husband’s family and reduce the pressure on her to fit in the house. According to a female participant,

“When my son was born, I was satisfied as now nobody would pressurize me. I noticed a huge difference in the behavior of my in-laws after I gave birth to my son. I felt I have an existence in their family” (married woman, FGD).

Participants highlighted that, women who have brothers are often more protected. According to a young participant,

“Brothers give us the confidence to move within the society because people think before saying anything about us” (adolescent girl, FGD).

Lack of communication among husband and wife

Married couples often lack communication and rarely discuss important matters with each other. Men often choose not to share issues with their wives as they believe they are not rational enough to understand the situation. A male participant stated,

“ Women are so sensitive to share anything. They can only reproduce and cook food inside the home” (married man, FGD).

Men are protectors

Many female participants considered men as a source of protection, as they manage finances and ensure safety of family members. They feel confident in man’s ability to contribute to their livelihoods. One participant mentioned,

“We go out when we have our father or brothers to accompany us” (Adolescent girl, FGD).

Another highlighted,

“Men are our protectors. We can only survive in the society because of them” (Married woman, FGD).

Theme 3: factors influencing gender discrimination

The role of family head.

A tight-knit family situation, difference of opinions, cultural values and generation gap can highly affect one’s view on gender. Participants highlighted the role of elders in the family who often favor their sons and male family members. Married women expressed that daughter in-laws often struggle to raise their voice or express their concerns in such family situation. One participant mentioned,

“We don’t take decisions on when to have the child or what method needs to be used for family planning. Our mothers-in-law decide and we must obey” (married woman, FGD).

The family system that often includes three generations living closely, allows traditional norms to carry forward, as opposed to a typical nuclear family. This includes attire, conduct, and relationships. One participant mentioned,

“I live with my mother-in-law. I must cover my head whenever I had to leave the house”. (Married woman, FGD).

Media influence

Media plays an important role in disseminating gender awareness. For example, advertisements of cooking oils and spices usually show young girls helping their mothers in kitchen, while men and boys are observed enjoying something else or not present. These short advertisements are impactful in perpetuating gender conduct solely for societal acceptance. One participant verbalized,

“Every household has a radio, on which different advertisements are going on. People get messages through media” (married man, FGD).

The study reveals that women are seen as sexual objects and therefore confined to their homes. Women are often judged on their physical appearance that hinders their autonomy in various aspects of life. Many women face difficulties in leaving their homes alone and require protection from men [ 3 ]. Men are, therefore, labeled as protectors while women are regarded as dependent beings who need man’s identity. The role of men inside the house is identified as authoritative, while women need approval from male because they are considered incapable of making appropriate decisions. Women are caretaker of their families and have primary responsibility of husband, children, and in-laws. However, these contributions are mostly unnoticed. These gender power differentials are so strong in households, that many women do not know their rights. Women comply with societal and cultural values that force them to become lesser beings in the society. Girls in society grow up and eventually adopt the traditional role of women [ 8 ]. Increased education and awareness level among communities can improve status of women in the Pakistani society [ 3 ].

Moreover, males have dominant role in the society [ 1 ]. Likewise, there is discrepancy in power structures between male and female in the family system that often leads to lack of communication especially between married couples as husbands do not share concerns with their wives nor ask for their advice, considering women incapable to understand anything [ 5 ].

Furthermore, a common phenomenon observed in the Pakistani society, is the strong desire for a male child, while the birth of a female child is mourned [ 5 ]. Girls are seen as a liability, while the birth of a male child is celebrated as it is believed that males will be the breadwinner of the family in the future [ 5 ]. Thus, preference for a male child leads to illegal termination of pregnancies with female fetuses in many situations [ 9 ]. In addition, some of the studies suggest that the preference for a son is significantly high in low socioeconomic areas if compared with the middle and upper ones. Men are seen as economic and social security providers of the household. Therefore, men are tagged as manhood in the society as it is considered that hierarchal familial structures are produced from them, and all powers are attributed to men. This increases the disparity of roles between men and women leading to gender discrimination [ 5 ]. Our study also reveals that media has important influence towards gender discrimination. It is commonly observed in the Pakistani TV advertisements, that household chores are mostly performed by women while men have professional roles in the society [ 6 ].

Thus, lack of female autonomy and empowerment are recognized as the major reasons of discrimination of women in our society. They do not have the means to participate in society, neither they are allowed to speak against traditions. Therefore, interventions are required to increase female autonomy and decision-making capacity. The other significant contributor to gender discrimination is male dominance, which must be brought down to empower women. To reduce this, communication is key between spouses, family members and community members. Gender discrimination has greater influence at different levels of Pakistani society. Certain schools and television advertisements portrays stereotypes, such as allowing boys to be active outdoors and forcing girls to remain indoors. Therefore, media channels and other public systems such as healthcare facilities and schooling systems must promote gender equity and equality. In terms of Sexual and Reproductive health (SRH), the health care facilities should play an important role in providing knowledge and effective treatment to both males and females. The SRH related services are often compromised for people due to lack of resources, staff, and attention. Schools and communities should play an important role in creating SRH related awareness among youth and adults that include puberty, pregnancy, and motherhood. SRH should also be made part of curriculum in educational institutes.

The use of group interviews allowed rapport development with communities. With multiple people present sharing similar views, many were inclined to give purposeful answers and recommendations regarding gender roles in communities. Based on previous literature searches, this study, to the best of our knowledge, has not been published in Pakistan at the community level. No other study explores the views of Pakistanis on gender discrimination with inclusion of multiple community groups and across multiple districts. In limitations, due to the topic’s sensitive topic, may have held back participants from answering fully and truthfully. Thus, considerable time was taken to develop trust and rapport. Therefore, it is possible that some study subjects might not have answered to the best of their ability. Furthermore, challenges were faced due to the COVID-19 pandemic and extreme weather conditions in some areas, as some participants could not reach the venue. Also, the lockdowns following the pandemic made it very difficult to gather 10–12 people at one place for the FGDs. Interviews could not be done virtually as the information was very sensitive.

Gender roles in Pakistani society are extremely complex and are transferred from generation to generation with minimal changes since ages. This study reveals some of the factors due to which women in Pakistan face gender discrimination. The cultural and societal values place women in a nurturing role in the Pakistani society. Through reinforcement of these roles by different family members, as well as by the dominant men in the society, women face adverse challenges to seek empowerment that will help them defy such repressive roles assigned to them. Gender discrimination is evident in public institutions such as healthcare facilities and schooling systems. Thus, administrative reorganization and improved awareness in the healthcare facilities, and appropriate education in schools for boys and girls will help decrease gender discrimination in the Pakistani societies.

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Abbreviations

Aga Khan Foundation

Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses

Reporting of Observational studies in Epidemiology

Intimate Partner Violence

Healthcare Professionals

Lady Health Visitors

Lady Health Workers

Community Midwives

In-Depth Interviews

Focus Group Discussions

Heads of the Departments

Sexual and Reproductive health

United Nations Population Fund

Ethics Review Committee

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the research specialist, coordinator, and research associates for data collection, and the study participants for their time and valuable data. We would also like to appreciate and thank Mr. Adil Ali Saeed for helping us with the literature for the systematic review of the paper, and Ms. Amirah Nazir and Daman Dhunna for the overall cleaning of document. We are thankful to UNFPA and AKF for providing advisory and monitoring support. We would like to acknowledgment UNFPA Pakistan that through them the funding was received from Global Affairs Canada.

Global Affairs Canada (GAC). Project No: P006434; Arrangement #: 7414620.

Role of the funder: This is to declare that there was no role of the funding agency for planning and implementation of this study.

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Contributions

All authors have read and approved the manuscript. Their contribution is as follows: TSA contributed to proposal development, interview guide development, ERC approval, data supervision, data validation, systematic review, data analysis, manuscript development, and overall supervision. SSA assisted in proposal development, data collection supervision, data validation, systematic review, data analysis, and reviewed manuscript. SN, contributed in -literature Review, analysis of literature review and write up of findings. ZM reviewed interview guides, assisted in ERC approval, filed preparation for data collection, assisted in data validation and enhancing the approval processing, reviewed data analysis, and the final manuscript. SSA, contributed to proposal development, assisted in ERC approval, overall supervision, filed preparation for data collection and training of data collectors, assisted in data validation and enhancing the approval process and review of final manuscript. FM contributed to the interview guide development, facilitated field data collection, and contributed to the validation and analysis processes. Reviewed the final manuscript before submission. YK contributed to the interview guide development, facilitated field data collection, and contributed to the validation and analysis processes. Reviewed the final manuscript before submission. SM, contributed to proposal development, field preparation for data collection, validation, and review of the final manuscript. ZB, contributed to proposal development, brought the funding, assisted in ERC approval, overall supervision, data validation and enhancing the approval process and reviewed the final manuscript. He provided overall mentorship.

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Correspondence to Tazeen Saeed Ali .

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate.

The ERC approval was taken from the Aga Khan University Ethics Review Committee for primary data collection. The ERC number is 2020-3606-11489. The written informed consent was taken from all the participants. For those who were younger than 18 years of age were given written assent, and their parent, or guardian verbally consented.

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Ali, T.S., Ali, S.S., Nadeem, S. et al. Perpetuation of gender discrimination in Pakistani society: results from a scoping review and qualitative study conducted in three provinces of Pakistan. BMC Women's Health 22 , 540 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-022-02011-6

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Social Issues in Pakistan – 10 Major Social Problems

Pakistan is a South-Asian developing country. It is 5th most populous country in the world. Given this fact, Pakistan is beset with multiple social issues. In this write-up, we shall discuss the social problems of Pakistan that are miring the progress of the country.

Some major social issues in Pakistan are:

• Over-population
• Unemployment
• Child Labour
• Lack of Rule of Law
• Violence, Terrorism, and Extremism
• Gender Discrimination
• Issues pertaining to Girls
• Early and Forced Marriages
• Acid-Throwing

…and the list goes on and on… These are some major social issues that Pakistan is currently beset with.

Top 10 Major Social Problems And Issues In Pakistan

Let us now discuss the major social issues in Pakistan in detail.

1. Over-Population

Overpopulation is a major social issue in Pakistan. The total population of Pakistan is circa 221 million making Pakistan the fifth most populous country in the world.

Moreover, the population growth rate is 2.8% which means an additional 3.6 million each year in Pakistan. As per estimates, the population of Pakistan will double from the current 221 million to 440 million by 2055. Thus, the population is increasing day by day.

Overpopulation is generally considered the root cause of all social evils. Over-population leads to crimes, social unrest, deforestation , environmental issues, water crisis, exhaustion of resources, unemployment, lawlessness, corruption , etc.

2. Illiteracy

As per reports , the literacy rate in Pakistan is 58 percent only. Illiteracy leads to inequality among the masses, class differences, social divisions, unemployment, poverty, etc. Illiteracy is the major reason why Pakistan is still a third-world developing country and lagging behind the world in various fields.

3. Unemployment

Unemployment is another major issue in Pakistan. As per reports , the unemployment rate in Pakistan was at approximately 4.45 percent in 2019. Recently, due to the recent pandemic, like in other countries, unemployment has obviously skyrocketed.

The lack of meritocracy and illiteracy on a large scale are major factors behind unemployment. Furthermore, unemployment gives rise to various social issues like poverty, backwardness, the economic downfall of the country, etc.

Poverty is another major social problem in Pakistan. According to a report submitted by the Ministry of Planning and Development in the National Assembly of Pakistan, around 29.5% of Pakistani lived below the poverty line which translates into 55 million people. Moreover, the Economic Survey 2019-20 estimates that another 10 million people are likely to slip below the poverty line.

Devoid of resources to earn, people often turn to illegal ways like snatching, stealing, corruption, extortion, etc. for survival. Thus, it will be apt to say that poverty is the mother of various social evils.

5. Child Labour

Child labor is in an inverse relationship to the literacy rate and development of the country. Due to poverty, children are often forced to earn for the family.

In Pakistan, many young boys are working in restaurants, workshops, as conductors in public transport, etc. These children without schooling often get involved in various social evils. Morality and character-building are something one can learn from his social circle, companions, and schools.

Thus, child labor gives rise to a number of other social issues.

6. Corruption

Rampant corruption in almost every stratum of society in Pakistan is another social evil. Corruption is widespread in every class of society. It leads to illiteracy when students fail to get admission where they deserve it. Moreover, it also leads to unemployment due to a lack of merit and nepotism.

Corruption also leads to economic downfall. It also leads to injustice. Moreover, corruption also gives rise to crimes and terrorism when people fail to get their rights.

7. Lack of Rule of Law

In Pakistan, lawlessness is another social problem. On the lower level, people commonly violate traffic rules i.e. breaking signals. On a higher level, the ‘one country two rules’ principle is observed when influential people even after doing massive corruption on large scale go scot-free, while a poor person gets proper punishment after committing a minor crime.

Thus, the lack of across-the-board accountability and lack of rule of law is severely tarnishing the image of Pakistan on the global stage.

8. Nepotism

Nepotism means; favoring relatives or friends, especially by giving them jobs. Nepotism falls under the category of corruption.

Due to nepotism, deserving people cannot get admissions or jobs. As a result, intelligent and skilled people couldn’t serve the country in various domains. Also, for this reason, Pakistan is lagging behind the world in many fields.

9. Violence, Terrorism & Extremism

Violence exists in many forms in Pakistan. Most women suffer from domestic violence. Moreover, many cases of violence in Madrassahs and schools often surface on social media or in the news.

On the state level, religious violence and extremism are commonplace examples. Sit-ins at Faizabad interchange Islamabad by TLP and the destruction of public properties by some extremist elements are examples of religious violence in Pakistan.

Moreover, Pakistan has remained a target of terrorism since 2001. However, the incidents of terrorism have scaled down considerably.

10. Gender Discrimination

In Pakistan, gender discrimination has remained a major social issue since independence. Women are mostly sidelined from the educational and economic sector and confined to a domestic sphere with unpaid jobs. Undue restrictions are often placed on girls mostly in rural areas.

Furthermore, women and girls are not allowed to leave the house, thus barring them from jobs. In fact, gender discrimination is a social problem in Pakistan . Pakistani society is predominantly a patriarchal society that places women in an inferior position to men.

Moreover, there are various other social problems and issues in Pakistan pertaining to women and girls that include early or forced marriages, public harassment, acid attacks, and rape.

Mostly, in rural areas, child marriage at an early age is very common. It leads to excessive childbearing and health deterioration. Moreover, girls remain uneducated which ultimately impacts the upbringing of children.

Moreover, in the urban sphere and cities, girls often face public harassment. Most girls are sexually harassed at their workplaces. Many relevant cases have been reported so far in Pakistan.

Apart from these, cases of acid throwing at girls are also increasing day by day. Usually, when a girl rejects a proposal, considering this humiliation, the rejection is often avenged by acid thrown on the face of the girl leaving her disfigured for good and spoiling her future.

Also, rape cases are also rampant in Pakistan. Almost every day we hear such news on television.

Stringent law-making is the need of the hour to curb the issues pertaining to girls and women in Pakistan.

Wrapping Up

So these were the major social problems of Pakistan . For the progress and development of the country, it is the need of the hour that the state must make policies and take pragmatic measures to tackle these social issues.

Otherwise, these social problems and issues will keep hampering Pakistani society from making progress.

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About the author.

A versatile human being with a passion for reading and writing - always striving for growth, living in the moment but trying to keep pace with the evolving world.

[…] But, with the introduction of social media at all levels, the gap between rulers and those ruled vanished. Today, people are vocal about their problems on social media that usually results in swift action from concerned authorities. Thus, governance structures have considerably improved now. Moreover, corruption cases are highlighted more frequently today due to social media. Thus, social media has given people a medium to highlight various social issues. […]

[…] we dig deep, first we will discuss why this article is significant to read. Given large scale unemployment, rampant poverty, and economic crisis, a huge bulk of Pakistani youngsters are struggling with a […]

very helpful and well said by author i am agreed with them

informative and comprehensive explanation

can you please give the refrences for all these headings up there ?

you declared TLP protest as a social evil-extremism that is nothing but merely to protect the Law of Khatm e Nabuwat…Truth is that wrong is so common to people like you so right thing will obviously appear as an extremism in your senses.

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Education system in Pakistan: Key issues, problems and future challenges

This paper reviews the current key issues and problems in the education system of Pakistan that pose a challenge for the future growth of the country. The paper uses documentary analysis as the research methodology for data collection. The paper attempts to understand which factors have contributed to the downfall of Pakistani education system. The first part of the paper explains how the system is operated by the government. Moving on, the problems be them external or internal in nature are highlighted and it is delineated how these problems have contributed to greater social demise. The paper further looks into some solutions to the problems aforementioned and urges the government to contribute in due diligence what is required to the education system.

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Pakistan: Five major issues to watch in 2023

Subscribe to the center for middle east policy newsletter, madiha afzal madiha afzal fellow - foreign policy , center for middle east policy , strobe talbott center for security, strategy, and technology @madihaafzal.

January 13, 2023

1. Political instability, polarization, and an election year

Politics will likely consume much of Pakistan’s time and attention in 2023, as it did in 2022. The country’s turn to political instability last spring did not end with a dramatic no-confidence vote in parliament last April that ousted then Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan from office. Instability and polarization have only heightened since then: Khan has led a popular opposition movement against the incumbent coalition government and the military, staging a series of large rallies across the country through the year.

The struggle for power in Pakistan continues into 2023. While the incumbent government has not ceded to Khan’s demand for early elections, country-wide elections are constitutionally mandated to be held by October this year. It benefits the government politically to hold them off as long as it possibly can as it tries to dig itself out of Pakistan’s urgent economic crisis and its lackluster domestic performance (its diplomatic foreign policy approach has fared better, but that may not matter for elections). The last year has cost it precious political capital, and Khan’s party did very well in a set of by-elections held in July and October. The state has tried to mire Khan and his party in legal cases, relying on a familiar playbook used against opposition politicians in Pakistan, albeit to limited effect, with the courts’ involvement.

Khan’s party still controls two of Pakistan’s four provinces, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and the incumbent federal government’s (extra-legal) efforts to try to wrest power from it in Punjab, the largest province, have been unsuccessful (thanks to the courts). The year is off to a dramatic start, with Khan’s party initiating the process to dissolve the Punjab and KP assemblies this month to pressure the federal government into early elections.

For politics-obsessed Pakistan, the biggest question remains who will win the next general election. Will former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif (brother of current Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif) return to Pakistan to run as the head of his party, the PML-N? Can Imran Khan win on the strength of his popular support, despite his confrontation with the military? Regardless of the outcome, we can say this much given the histories of the main contenders: The direction of the country is unlikely to change.

2. A precarious economic situation

Pakistan’s economy has been in crisis for months, predating the summer’s catastrophic floods. Inflation is backbreaking, the rupee’s value has fallen sharply, and its foreign reserves have now dropped to the precariously low level of $4.3 billion, enough to cover only one month’s worth of imports, raising the possibility of default.

An economic crisis comes around every few years in Pakistan, borne out of an economy that doesn’t produce enough and spends too much, and is thus reliant on external debt. Every successive crisis is worse as the debt bill gets larger and payments become due. This year, internal political instability and the flooding catastrophe have worsened it. There is a significant external element to the crisis as well, with rising global food and fuel prices in the wake of Russia’s war in Ukraine. The combination of all these factors has spelled perhaps the greatest economic challenge Pakistan has ever seen. Yet the government has been mired in politicking, and the release of a $1.1 billion loan tranche from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) remains stalled as Islamabad has pushed back on the IMF’s conditions. The government has now resorted to limiting imports and shutting down malls and wedding halls early, small measures that fail to adequately address the problem.

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Pakistan may end up avoiding default for the time being with IMF help and loans from friendly countries, especially Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations. But those won’t address the clear underlying malaise of the economy – and the fact that something fundamentally will need to change, in terms of how much the economy produces versus how much it spends, to avoid default down the road. But none of Pakistan’s political parties seem to have the political will or ability to bring about such change.

Pakistan must reportedly pay back $73 billion by 2025; it won’t be able to do so without debt restructuring.

3. Flood recovery

A “ monsoon on steroids ” – directly linked to climate change – caused a summer of flooding in Pakistan so catastrophic that it has repeatedly been described as biblical. It left a third of the country under water – submerging entire villages – killed more than 1,700, destroyed homes, infrastructure, and vast cropland, and left millions displaced.

More than four months after the worst of the flooding, nearly 90,000 people are still displaced from their homes, and the floodwater is still standing in some areas. It would be enormously difficult for any country to recover from such a disaster and rebuild lost infrastructure, including roads and schools, let alone a government dealing with a cash crunch like Pakistan’s.

But the Pakistani government – in particular the foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who has visited the United States twice since the summer, and the minister for climate change, Sherry Rehman – has done an admirable job bringing awareness of the flooding catastrophe to the world stage. A donors’ conference Sharif co-hosted with the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres in Geneva this month raised pledges for more than $9 billion for flood recovery over the next three years (the money is mostly in the form of project loans). Pakistan has also played an important role in discussions about the devastating effects of climate change on developing nations, spearheading the effort to place loss and damage on the agenda at COP27 for the first time, and pushing for COP delegates in Egypt to agree to a loss and damage fund.

With billions of dollars in help promised, the government has passed one hurdle. But the road for recovery ahead will be tough: Displaced people are still sleeping under open skies in Sindh province. Implementing a sustainable recovery will require enormous capacity, resources, and transparency in a country already mired in other troubles.

4. Mounting insecurity

The Pakistani Taliban (or TTP), the terrorist group responsible for killing tens of thousands of Pakistanis from 2007 to 2014, have been emboldened – predictably so – by a Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, and once again pose a threat to Pakistan, albeit in a geographically limited region (for now). The group engaged in at least 150 attacks in Pakistan last year, mostly in the northwest. Because the TTP have sanctuary in Afghanistan, the Pakistani state increasingly finds itself out of options when it comes to dealing effectively with the group. The state’s negotiations with the TTP have failed repeatedly, as they are bound to, because the group is fundamentally opposed to the notion of the Pakistani state and constitution as it exists today. The Afghan Taliban have, unsurprisingly, also not proved to be of help in dealing with the TTP – and Pakistan’s relations with the Afghan Taliban have deteriorated significantly at the same time over other issues, including the border dividing the two countries.

At this point, Pakistan’s first preference will be to strike kinetically at TTP targets within its borders, but that will be limited by TTP movement across the border into Afghanistan. That movement is what leaves Pakistan with the difficult-to-resolve TTP issue and complicates things beyond the military operation it launched against the group in 2014. Still, the Pakistani Taliban at this point is not the biggest threat Pakistan faces, given the country’s major political and economic challenges – but left unchecked, it could morph into a significant crisis.

5. Civil-military relations

Pakistan has a new chief of army staff as of November 29 last year. General Asim Munir replaced General Qamar Javed Bajwa, who had held the all-powerful post for six years (due to a three-year extension). The appointment of the army chief was a subject of considerable political contention last year; a major part of the reason Khan was ousted from power was his falling out with the military on questions over the appointments of top army officials.

All eyes are now on how civil-military relations shape up under Munir. Under Bajwa, the military solidified its control over all manner of policy behind the scenes. Bajwa presided over a close “same-page” relationship with Khan; when that frayed, the PML-N was eager to take Khan’s place as the military’s ally and head of the civilian government. Bajwa left office saying the army would no longer be involved in political matters; few in Pakistan believe him. With politics set to dominate the agenda this year and an election imminent, Munir has a chance to show the country whether he will follow in his predecessor’s footsteps, or chart a new course for civil-military relations in Pakistan. Pakistan’s history indicates the former.

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18 Major Social Problems of Pakistan and Their Solutions

Nobody we know wishes to become a substance abuser or a poor person. Most of us want to be cool, lucky, rich, and successful. Some of us are, luckily, but many of us are not. A part of our success and failure is associated with what we are given biologically in terms of intelligence and good health . The other part of it is related to the social problems of Pakistan.

From the moment Pakistan came into being, we have faced many issues in the shape of poverty, unemployment, crime, low status of women, child marriage, rape, and gender inequality. These are the social problems of Pakistan that, if solved, can make life more comfortable and society more productive in some manner.

A social problem is an issue that prevents society from functioning at an optimal level. Understanding that not all events in society can be considered social problems is essential. A problem is considered a social problem when:

• The public recognizes the situation as a problem.
• The situation is against all those values which are accepted by society.
• A large number of the population recognizes the issue as a valid concern.
• The problem can be alleviated through joint action of community resources or citizens.

Table of Content

Health Sector

Health care availability is one of the major social problems of Pakistan. According to the World Health Organization , Pakistan is ranked 122 out of 190 countries regarding healthcare. And if we look at infant mortality, Pakistan stands third-highest ranked country in the world.

Even after decades of Pakistan’s existence, there is no equal distribution of resources and wealth. Many of us still suffer from emotional and physical issues, but no proper healthcare system exists. The stigma surrounding mental illness persists. There are still many children suffering from malnutrition because of widespread poverty. Many patients with an emergency condition only visit a physician when they get a violent and nervous breakdown.

Due to a large number of infectious and vaccine-preventable diseases in Pakistan, it is clear that the healthcare system of Pakistan is still struggling. Thousands of new instances of COVID-19 arrive every day, putting Pakistan’s healthcare system under tremendous strain.

Illiteracy 

According to a survey, Pakistan has a 60 percent literacy rate which means that 40% of the population is illiterate. People in rural regions are uneducated because they are focused on earning a living rather than attending school. Therefore, advancement in our country is relatively slow. Because of illiteracy, crime rates are high in our culture.

Crime As A Social Problem

There is a very deep connection between crime and illiteracy. In countries with fewer literacy rates, the crime rate is at a peak, and in the countries with good literacy rates, the crime rate is lower. Education makes a person civilized, and also aware of their right or wrong. But due to illiteracy, unemployment increased, which forced the people to get money from unfair means. The increasing crime rate is one of those social problems of Pakistan which are associated with unemployment, inflation, and poverty that are directly or indirectly linked to illiteracy.

Poor Law Enforcement

In Pakistan, the situation of law enforcement agencies is miserable. Like if we talk about the police, they lack professionalism. They don’t have proper training on managing a case or even how to investigate it properly. In the police department, the bribe is common. Most of the issues are pending even not reported by our police department. There are several events in which our law and enforcement agencies are failed to control the situation or protests.

Social Problems Of Women In Pakistan

Some of the leading causes of social problems of women in Pakistan are:

Gender Discrimination

Gender inequality in Pakistan, and its influence on malnutrition, begins at the time of childbirth. Despite significant shifts in beliefs, a girl’s birth is still not celebrated today. There is a difference in attention paid to women and men. Several taboos prevent females from routinely eating nutrient-dense foods like meat and eggs when it comes to girls’ diets. This is associated with the girls reaching puberty early, and many parents believe that it would be harder to protect their daughters from sexual harassment and males after puberty.

The main social problem of Pakistan is that girls are typically seen as somebody’s possession, whereas males are seen as an asset to their parents’ well-being as they mature. As a result, boys are well-fed, well-educated, and given high priority. A woman is usually the last one to eat in most homes, and she may not even get enough food to fill her stomach in some cases, especially in poorer households.

It is undisputed that men enjoy unfair advantages over women in certain circumstances. Many private and government institutions have unofficial policies regarding hiring women since it is widely believed that they will either get married and quit or take maternity leave days. As a result of this discrimination, women are deprived of many opportunities that place them at the bottom.

Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment is one of the current social problems in Pakistan. A working woman is often considered to be “public property” and exploited. In Pakistan, unhealthful and unsafe environments are widespread, encouraging men to view fragile women as an easy target.

Read the diary of a rape survivor here.

Finding a work-life balance.

Being from Pakistan and having a desi background means that the first thing your family expects of you is that you take care of household chores and the responsibilities your elders have entrusted to you. If you want to be an independent working woman, you will find yourself living a double life of a cook at home and a professional worker in the office.

Education And Marriage

So many parents ask why their daughter wants a higher degree when she is at the perfect age for marriage. Marriage is the only and ultimate destination for any Pakistani lady. Be it death threats from her brother or physical abuse from her parents, the majority of Pakistani girls are likely to be compelled to give up their dreams of getting an education overseas or in their nation in favor of marrying older men.

Husband’s Insecurities

It’s likely that if you’ve been lucky enough to continue work after you get married, you’ll have to deal with your husband’s ego and obscure anxieties regularly. As a general rule, men in Pakistan think that they should be the sole breadwinners in their families. When you deal with male coworkers, they may perceive your successes as a threat.

Log Kya Kahain Gai?

Compared to any other reason or claim, this one has damaged the lives of most women more than any other. Whether you work or stay at home, there is always the fear of ‘log kya kahain gai’ and how people see you via their judgments. Assuming you neglect your home, family, and children, they will probably give you dirty or insulting labels for working or doing anything for yourself.

Rape And Honor Killing

Rape and honor killing is one of those social issues in Pakistan that many people choose to ignore. Rape culture is wrong, yet in Pakistan, it is justified. It is explained with an excuse that Islam encourages modesty and assigns males the responsibility of safeguarding weaker women. In addition, the most harmful of all excuses, established norms, is used to justify it. And the tribal jirgas, which are the backbone of Pakistan’s rural power structure, function as the opposite of state law, making unsympathetic judgments about women and favoring these terrible acts.

Social Problems In Family

In Pakistani families, some of the common social problem examples are:

Child Marriage As A Social Problem

Child marriage is one of the social problems in Pakistan. As soon as a woman marries, she becomes an adult and is held to a higher standard of maturity and responsibility. It seems unfair to make her accountable for someone else’s care while she is at the most vulnerable stage of her life. Sexual activity puts a burden on these young brides since they are unprepared physically and emotionally. Early marriage can have a negative impact on the personal and social development of a girl. Besides this, it affects a child’s mental and emotional health as well.

On the other hand, male children who are married at a young age are also under financial stress, interfering with their education and training. While both boys and girls are married off at a young age, the number of girls who fall prey to this practice is significantly higher.  According to research, twenty-one percent of Pakistani females marry before the age of 18, while 3 percent marry before 15. The number of child brides in Pakistan is the sixth highest in the world.

Traditional Dowry

None of the parents want to give their daughter anything, but when the bride’s parents start expecting dowry at the time of marriage, this “something” takes on a whole new dimension. You may be asked to provide expensive jewelry, a large sum of money, or even an expensive automobile. It doesn’t matter to the wealthy, but those who can’t afford it have to deal with many issues. As a result of poverty, some females remain unmarried, while others go to extreme means such as suicide out of frustration. There are more dowry deaths in Pakistan than anywhere else in the world.

Caste System

There are an estimated 260 million individuals in the globe who are affected by caste prejudice, with the great majority of them living in South Asia. These rights are being violated in large numbers daily. People are divided into unequal and hierarchical social groupings based on caste which is one of the prevalent social problems of Pakistan.

Social Problems Of Youth In Pakistan

Pakistan’s youth is also a victim of many problems. Social problems of teens in Pakistan include:

Unemployment

Unemployment is one of the current social problems of Pakistan, especially for the youth. When they have finished their schooling, they cannot find a position where they may put their abilities to serve their nation. The inability of the government to properly employ youth is the cause of this. Deteriorating economic conditions also cause reduced investment and fewer job possibilities. In addition to being a multi-faceted and complex issue, unemployment may lead to many other types of social problems, such as young engagement in radical politics, bank and home burglaries, social insecurity, and drug usage.

Child Labor

Pakistan has a long history of being known as one of the worst ones for child labor which is considered a violation of human rights by the United Nations. A poor child is regarded as an earning hand of the families in Pakistan which deprive the child of primary education. Since the future and success of every country rely on a well-educated and well-informed young, child labor is a significant social issue in Pakistan.

Drug Addiction

Some young people who find themselves in a bad position have no other option than to turn to drugs for relief. The usage of drugs by our kids is on the rise. They believe that is the cheapest way to alleviate their suffering. Nevertheless, they are unaware that this practice is wasting their valuable skills and bringing them to the edge of death.

Depression and Suicide

Our young, the saddest of all, are committing suicide as a result of their disappointment. They waste their lives because they don’t realize what their worth is. Major causes of this social problem include drug use, poverty, unemployment, and failure in life.

Learn how to control social anxiety here.

Ways to prevent social problems.

The social problems of Pakistan can be solved by:

• Eradicating poverty through education, skill development, and job opportunities in society.
• Maintaining law and order situation in the country.
• Various awareness programs such as street drama, procession, and advertisements of tobacco and alcohol on media should be banned to solve the social problems.

Social problems are as old as human history. If you too are victimized, do not wait for more. Consult a Psychologist as soon as possible. Depending upon your condition, your therapist might refer you to a Psychiatrist, take your mental health seriously and get yourself treated at the earliest via Marham.pk.

1- Why is teenage pregnancy a social problem?

Teenage pregnancy is among the social problems of Pakistan because besides posing a health risk to the mother and baby, it continues the poverty cycle, including early school dropout by pregnant teenagers.

2- How can a school help abolish social problems?

As today’s students are tomorrow’s society, teaching starts from school makes a moral society.

3 – Is mental health a social problem?

Well, mental health itself is not a major social problem. It results from many of the social issues that individuals have to face.

4- Why is it important to study social problems?

To change society for the better, it is essential to study social problems.

Book an appointment now, to answer all your queries. You can book an appointment with the top Psychiatrist in Pakistan through Marham by calling at Marham helpline: 0311-1222398 or by online booking facility through the website or Marham mobile app.

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A Biotechnologist graduated from Lahore College for Women University. A passionate and dedicated writer who believes that words can bring in revolution.

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