In 2020, the Human Freedom Index ranked 162 countries as personally and economically free (Vásquez & McMahon, 2022). While this may be true, it does not change the fact that today’s society is still full of social issues. A social issue is anything that impacts people in society, ranging anywhere from environmental issues to issues revolving around the LGBTQ+ community. Another prominent social issue or dilemma is the challenges that women in Pakistan face when it comes to obtaining an education.

Access to education is a global issue. What many fail to realize, however, is that it is a women’s issue specifically. Women in America have access to free education. Although biases regarding women and education are still prevalent, for the most part, American women still have the opportunity to receive an education. However, in Pakistan, women are denied the right to an education, and the topic has become taboo (Theirworld, 2021). Keep in mind that even though some people feel as though women do not deserve an education, not all people think this way. Take Malala Yousafzai for example, a girl who wanted an education and almost lost her life because of it, but continues fighting for women’s rights to this day (Malala’s Story | Malala Fund, n.d.).

Many people may look at education in other countries and have a negative viewpoint. Statistically speaking, 32% of school-aged girls in Pakistan do not participate in school (“Shall I Feed My Daughter, or Educate Her?”, 2018). Men and boys are affected by this as well, but at a rate not nearly as high as women. One of the major issues causing this difference between boys and girls and their access to education in Pakistan is funding (Empowering Girls through Education in Pakistan, n.d.). Regardless, an outsider may look at the situation and blame the lack of education on the Taliban’s presence in Pakistan. While this is an issue that prevents girls from getting an education, it is only one of many. Another reason is that girls in Pakistan face sexual harassment from men while going to and from school, causing them to drop out from discomfort (Empowering Girls through Education in Pakistan, n.d.). There is also a social construct in Pakistan that leads people to assume that education is meant solely for boys. As previously stated, women have a higher percentage rate of not finishing school in Pakistan than boys do (“Shall I Feed My Daughter, or Educate Her?”, 2018). This reality further perpetuates society’s cultural narrative that says women are meant to be wives and mothers above all and do not require an education.

Another factor that plays a role in the accessibility of education for women in Pakistan is a social work perspective called intersectionality. As previously stated, a large portion of Pakistan’s population lives in poverty. This reality leaves families incapable of paying for the education that their children, both male and female, deserve. Not only are these women impoverished, but they face discrimination due to something as simple as the biological sex they received at birth. A person cannot control whether they are born with male or female genitalia; however, society is denying these women access to education for just that. Seeing this situation, one must consider the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) values and Code of Ethics, where social injustice is a crucial concept (National Association of Social Workers, 2021). Women not being granted an equal education or any education at all is a form of social injustice. If we do not challenge this, we will not be able to move on from it. In addition to this, we must consider the value of a person’s dignity and worth (National Association of Social Workers, 2021). If we do not address the unfair treatment of these women by the systems in place in Pakistan, then we are refusing to recognize their worth as people.

The lack of accessibility regarding education for women in Pakistan is a major social dilemma. However, it is possible to address this issue in various ways. From afar, people can advocate for the rights of these women in their own country. For a more hands-on approach, one could travel to places such as Pakistan and volunteer to teach women seeking an education. There are also several organizations that people can donate to that help fight for this cause. An example of this could be donating even a small amount to fund the construction of schools in Pakistan. While it may seem small to an individual donator, this is one way to get involved that can significantly impact education for women.

Education became a social issue the moment it was not accessible to all. The women in Pakistan are being denied access to education and fundamentally taken advantage of by their society. We as a people have the capabilities to change these women’s future for the better through an array of volunteer resources and ways to donate. This is not a matter of whether these women are meant for more than playing the roles of wives and mothers. It is a matter of what they could add to society if simply given the opportunity and resources their fellow human beings have taken for granted. It is a matter of recognizing these women as humans and acknowledging their dignity and worth.

References

Empowering Girls through Education in Pakistan. (n.d.). Opportunity International Edufinance. https://edufinance.org/latest/blog/2021/empowering-girls-through-education-in-pakistan

Malala’s Story | Malala Fund. (n.d.). from https://malala.org/malalas-story?sc=header

National Association of Social Workers (NASW) (2021) Code of Ethics. https://www.socialworkers.org,About,Ethics,Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English

“Shall I Feed My Daughter, or Educate Her?”: Barriers to Girls’ Education in Pakistan. (2018). Human Rights Watch. https://www.hrw.org/report/2018/11/12/shall-i-feed-my-daughter-or-educate-her/barriers-girls-education-pakistan

Theirworld. (2021, October 18). Why is Pakistan facing a crisis in girls’ education? (http://theirworld.org/) [Text/html]. Theirworld; Theirworld. https://theirworld.org/voices/pakistan-girls-education-crisis-gender-equality-priority-in-schools

Vásquez, I, & McMahon, F. (2022). The human freedom index of 2020: A Global Measurement of Personal, Civil, and Economic Freedom. Cato Institute. https://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/2021-03/human-freedom-index-2020.pdf.