Changing Status of Woman In Society

CHANGING STATUS OF WOMEN

 Women is Pakistan has equal facilities for education and an effective voice in the selection of their life partners. There are also a great number of  ‘love’ marriage. Women are participating in social and religious gathering and has an absolute equality in the eyes of religion. In the family the status of wife and mother is highly respected.

Women are now in much better position in Indonesia than before. Muslim women in Indonesia are faring much better than their counterparts in south Asia; literacy among women is 88% (1992);  girls enrollment in primary school 97% (1990). Above all , an gender empowerment measure (GEM) indicator, that concentrates on economic, political and professional participation of women, Indonesia ranks 56^th among 116 countries: a definitely better rank than Pakistan which stands at 114 (Human Development Report, 2995). Indonesian women have a strong sense of  their Muslim identify and through the prism of this identify, they respond to socioeconomic forces in their own way. Though number of highly educated women in the professions is still low compared to the state ideology emphasizes have domestic role of women as mother and wife, yet women in Indonesia have achieved remarkable progress during the last three decades. They have better access to labour markets, education and health facilities, compared to their Muslim counterparts in South Asia, and they are confident of heir future. It is time we looked to our South-East Asian counterparts for a sharing of experience and of cultural exchange.

During the Vedic period girls who went through a course of education were commonly from the higher sections of society in which some of  the women attained distinction in the real of theology and philosophy and a considerable number of them took up teaching career. The age of marriage for girls continued to be about 16 and they had some voice in the selection of their life partners. Divorce was permitted to the wife though it was not extensively utilized.

Since Independence, the pace of change in the role and status of women in Pakistan has been greatly accelerated. By virtue of various Acts, the role and status of women has resin quite high. How the basic attitude of society and specially of men towards the new role and time lag. This gap is particularly noteworthy when it comes for recognition by other family members of the husband, Moreover, there is still a large gap between the legal rights and social attitude and beliefs. This gap is continuing to retard the actual emancipation of women, particularly in smaller cities and villages.

Although legally and theoretically women is now recognized as the social-equal of man, the institutions of caste, the patriarchal family, religious mores and the prevailing values systems are still surcharged with the spirit of male dominance.

The social attitude towards working married who mostly belong to the middle class educated families has changed considerably. It is no longer derogatory for the wife or the daughter-in law to hold a role with the passage of time, even elderly women of the family not only adjust to their daughter-in law taking up gainful employment but also appreciate it. But while the attitude towards her role and relationships in the family or towards her status, rights and privileges remains comparatively unchanged. This puts the working women in a predicament. In spite of the added role she undertakes as a working and the additional income she brings to the family, she is expected to carry out the help of other members or a servant. Men usually consider household roles below their dignity. All this leads to martial maladjustment and in family squabbles.

Conflicting attitude of women towards their role and status as wife affects their relationship adversely even when she is educated and is an earning member of the family. The husband’s attitude towards his employed wife’s status or right in the family with respect to her privilege or right to spend her hard earned money has become a sources of tension in a number of cases. The wife is expected to hand over all her salary to the husband or in-laws and is supposed to ask for her pocket money. The observation goes that even as an earning member of the family the wife is deprived of the privilege like husband to spend the money earned by her the way she wants without his pride permission.

Thus there is a lag between changes in the attitude and behaviour patterns and roles educated urban middle class women want and expect to play as members of the family as well as members of the society want them to play. There  is also a gap between the status that women desire and expect, feeling strongly that they deserve it and the status and the family and society actually given to them. Thus, in the social structure of the tradition oriented family, the typical patterns of husband wife relationship, namely male dominance and female dependence, continues unabated. The husband enjoy the superior position over his wife and the major decision-making role continues to be assumed. The Pakistan society is going through a process of re-adjustment in the already existing complex of ‘role sets’ on each person’s traditionally – assigned ‘status- set’. The working wife has new expectations of ending her marital frustration and disappointment and is struggle for the same. Society’s attitude in general is changing slowly towarde women’s role and status, although the pattern of male superiority in all field is still a dominant factor. The women is still considered to be inferior and the weaker sex.  although theoretically she has the right to divorce if her husband tortures her. There is still so much of social ostracism attached to divorced women that she seldom dares to have recourse to divorce on her own initiative, even when she is capable of being economically and financially independent.

The position of women after independence has greatly impressed. The authorities were correct in appreciating the need for the active cooperation of women to have the way for national progress. Our constitution according ly lays down that our women shall have equal opportunities with men in the field of education, employment and social, economic and political opportunities. They shall be entitles to equal wages with men for equal work. They have also been given the right ti seen business, to take up progressive occupations and professions and enjoy the right to note in the political field. While the position may still not have improved in the village communities, in urban areas womenfolk are today enjoying high position in every walk of life. They are taking to all careers which were previously the preserve of men like the police and administrative service, they hold executive and management posts. They can become Minister. Motarmah Benazir Bhutto remained prime minister of Pakistan for long time.

Today Pakistani women are trying to become economically self- sufficient and do not want to be slaves to their husbands in the old style. They have thrown overboard the purdah system. In Indian Sati                system has nearly abolished and now claim a share in the property. The women are demanding more facilities for education and are farming very well in the examination, sometimes topping in the Universities.

However, the position is still for from satisfactory. Literacy rate among rural women is still very low. In some cases the girls are sold by the parents like commodities against their will, in India.