Opinion | A World Moving Forward, A Region Left Behind

The Crisis of Women’s Education and Empowerment in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir

In today’s world, it is evident that significant development and progress have been made, particularly in the lives of women. Their presence has been marked in every possible field of human activity. Starting from STEM fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, to the creation of businesses and the delivery of healthcare activities, education, and innovations, the presence of women has been instrumental in changing the world around.

Women are running their own start-ups, heading businesses, pursuing innovative ideas, practicing medicine as doctors and engineers, and even affecting the kind of public policy that is being formed. This is the result of the accessibility of education that led to the completion of master’s degrees, MBBS degrees, technical education, and other specialisations.

This global change emphasises the role of education in harnessing the potential of women. Educated women directly impact economic development, stability, and strong institutions. They help improve the health sector, scientific discoveries, technological development, and inclusive development. Countries that educate girls increasingly see the impact of increased productivity, good governance, and resilience. Now, education is the driving factor that shifts women from the periphery to the center of developmental changes.

In contrast to the global scenario, the position of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) shows a grim and troubling picture. While the global developments and progress revolve around the empowerment of educated women, the truth of the opposite situation seems evident in the prevailing conditions of PoK.

The education of girls in PoK faces many challenges from a very young age. There is a shortage of functional schools, qualified teachers, and teaching facilities in many localities. The geographical distance of learning institutions, particularly at the secondary and higher levels, discourages many parents from sending girls for further education. Social pressures also tend to focus more on doing home-related tasks, particularly limiting girls’ ambitions and goals. The parents send their sons for higher education, but girls are often confined to the household and childcare work.

Despite the completion of higher education by girls, there are limited areas for these females to explore their careers. Job opportunities in PoK are very limited for women with professional and technical degrees. Lack of mobility opportunities, absence of a safe means of transport, and restricted professional networks are a few reasons why women are not economically independent in PoK. Women are often deprived of entering the health sector, the administrative department of education, and the sector of technology when they possess global standards of education.

The women of PoK are actively involved in unpaid domestic work and informal economic activities. These activities support family and communities yet remain invisible in the system. Family businesses and home-based industries consume time and skill to help the women gain economic independence or recognition for their work. As a result, the contribution of women is undervalued and excluded from economic planning.

Social norms play a significant role in women’s economic engagement. Cultural expectations related to marriage, caregiving roles and family honour often shape women’s biographies. Aspiration to occupational prestige is frequently obstructed, weakening the social presence of education.

In most other countries, education serves as a passport to leadership, innovation, and economic prosperity for women. Women scientists, entrepreneurs, doctors, and engineers symbolize achievements in PoK. In contrast, the same achievements in education remain isolated from public engagement in PoK. It thus underscores the importance of support, social norms, and infrastructure that turn education, a mere achievement, into empowerment.

Education remains a promising instrument for change. Female education equips women with awareness, confidence, and the ability to articulate their demands. They also impact their children’s education, the health of their households, and community decision-making. The key to unleashing this potential is to take deliberate steps to improve education accessibility and provide opportunities for employment, leadership, and entrepreneurship.

To tackle these issues in PoK, there is a need to address them comprehensively. Investment in girls’ education should prioritize access, quality, safety, security and continued learning. The economic framework needs to open up opportunities within it to allow women to enter the workforce according to their skills, either as entrepreneurs or as caregivers in terms of their role in the household. The social mindset needs to be changed incrementally through awareness and outreach programs.

The aftermaths of exclusion from education and economics continue to be significant. The ripple effects include the loss of professionals in their communities and missed opportunities for economic growth. In addition, the development of societies continues to experience inequality. If women continue to lack engagement with the economy and society, the pace of development will continue to slowdown.

However, as the world continues to advance in its investments in women’s empowerment, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir risks being left further behind. The potential of education will be fully realized if women can apply their knowledge to influence their economies, institutions, and their next generations. When the link between education, employment, and social interaction is solidified, women can play a pivotal role in national development and contribute to the world.

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