Pakistan : Terrorist Wahabi Islamic Rep Pakistan 7

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[url="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2012/01/13/tory_13-1-2012_pg5_14"][center][size="6"][color="#006400"]‘75% population lives below poverty line’[/color][/size][/center][/url]



ISLAMABAD: The ‘Feminisation of Poverty’ can be defined as the increase in proportion and severity of poverty in women-headed households (WHHs) and the rise in women’s participation in low-paying, urban and informal sectors economic activities.



[color="#FF0000"]About 75 percent of the population in Pakistan lives below the poverty line and a large majority of this population comprises of women and girls,[/color] said Tahira Adbullah, a prominent human rights activist and development worker at a Public Talk organised by the Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad.



Welcoming the speaker and the guests, General Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad Director Ashraf Jehangir Qazi said that Ms Abdullah is a true fighter of human rights in Pakistan that the status quo holders abhor her efforts and that societies live because of people like Ms Abdullah.



He was of the view that more and more people are recognising the fact that poverty is a denial of human rights and that women are at the receiving end in homes. Women are viewed in terms of relationships and are not viewed in terms of their own identity. The situation is worse in traditional societies.



Ms Abdullah gave an insightful and comprehensive overview of the deteriorating social effects of poverty within Pakistan, especially on women. She began by saying that successive governments in Pakistan have manoeuvred the poverty figures and a census has not been carried out in Pakistan since 1998. In order to change the poverty figures, head count goal posts and definitions were changed, and also the rupee-dollar exchange rate was changed. Ms Abdullah was of the view that the work done by Dr Mehboob ul Haq and his centre has greatly contributed in undertaking very credible studies on poverty, development and socio economic issues.



Ms Abdullah said that besides the rise in women’s participation in low-paying urban and informal sectors economic activities, agricultural non-remunerated work is also an indicator of feminisation of poverty. She was of the view that women experience poverty differently, and are ‘worse off’ than men in terms of poverty. Women’s very real contribution to the national economy is still not counted in the gross domestic product of the country. According to Ms Abdullah, the Federal Bureau of Statistics data on women’s employment (released through Labour Force Surveys) does not accurately capture rural women’s work in agriculture, nor women’s work in non-formal and unorganised sectors of urban economy.



According to the government of Pakistan over 70 percent of rural women work in agriculture and livestock and over 3/4th urban female labour force works in the non-formal sector.



Ms Abdullah said that women continue to suffer from inadequate remuneration, skills training, legal protection, social protection and security, health and maternity benefits under labour laws and right of unionisation etc. She highlighted the fact that home-based women workers (64 percent of entire female work force) are not counted, rather they are exploited by both contractor and middleman, and are deprived of labour rights. She said that there was a continuation of gendered division of labour and ‘ghettoization’ of women’s work.



She was of the view that there is an urgent need to address this alarming feminisation of poverty through social security and protection measures and by asserting ownership such as land, property and livestock (through inheritance, gifts and joint title deeds).



Speaking about the suffering of women in the society, she said that although guarantees are ensured in the constitution of Pakistan, such as Articles 25, 27, 34, 35, 37 of the 1973 Constitution, provisions ensuring gender equality and affirmative action for women, recognising need to redress existing inequalities, [color="#FF0000"][size="5"]women continue to suffer from poverty and continue to be victims of the patriarchy and feudalism in the country.[/size] She spoke about how the [size="5"]Jirgas and Panchayats continue to sanction and legitimise customs like Vani and honour killings, and how women have lack of access to justice and decision-making – which leads to the legislated inequality of women and minorities in the society.[/size][/color] The event was concluded after an enlightening question and answer session.



Cheers