Perpetuation of Gender Discrimination in Pakistani Society: Results from a Qualitative Study Conducted in Three Provinces of Pakistan

Abstract

BackgroundPrejudice based on one’s gender leads to contempt, mistreatment, and marginalization, which can be characterized as gender discrimination. This occurrence appears in every country of the world and in many societies in which women are often on the receiving end. It affects the provision of women’s rights and negatively impacts their physical and emotional livelihoods. Thus, this study aims to qualitatively evaluate the reasons for gender discrimination in a specific country, Pakistan, and how women are affected. MethodsParticipant recruitment was done with purposive sampling. The collection of the data included community leaders/workers and various families using in-depth interviews and focused group discussions. The subsequent data analysis was manually done and electronically through QSR NVivo 10. All data were then complied with and verified by the research team. ResultsThe focus of the collected data resulted in three emergent themes. Firstly, gender discrimination seems to be geared more towards women based on how they are perceived by the community. Specifically, women are viewed as sexual objects and dependent beings, who are not identifiable as an individual unless they have a male partner. They are also subject to restrictive responsibilities, inherent to the household, while being deprived of rights, being neglected, and forced to suppress self-expression. Secondly, men are viewed as dominant figures in the lives of women, who often make all the familial decisions and do not share issues with their wives. This puts them in the role to be the financial provider and a source of protection, hence, the desire for male children to be born over female children. Thirdly, many institutions are involved in perpetuating gender discrimination including older generations, media, schools, and healthcare. Participants also gave recommendations to tackle the issue at hand including increasing education and healthcare resources. DiscussionThis study highlights the perpetuation of gender norms as a result of perceptions and cultural norms held by Pakistani society. To promote the wellbeing and rights of women more action is needed. Social movements, drawn out from social institutions, have proven useful for women's empowerment and advocation of societal change. Conclusion Due to the largely patriarchal society, Pakistani society continues to encourage gender discrimination through complex gender roles, with high resistance to change. Yet, this can be slowly altered as education can grow for men and women, thus, leading to a public effort with the power to improve the provision of rights for women in Pakistan

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“…This behaviour is particularly evident in conversations with young or middleaged women (two study participants) because of the cultural norms and the gender inequality women face. Previous research showed that women face gender inequality in Pakistan, are discriminated against based on their gender, and are seen as 'sexual objects' -a term used in [50].…”