HOW SOCIAL NORMS SHAPE WOMEN'S RIGHTS IN PAKISTAN: EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, AND POLITICS

Abstract

This article concerns the complex interplay of social norms and women's rights in Pakistan. It examines how longstanding cultural practices and traditions suppress women's rights, particularly where Education and employment are concerned – much less political participation. This article reviews the constraints on gender equality in Pakistan due to prevailing social norms. It summarizes recent studies by Pakistani researchers, which explored areas where progress has been made. The results of this study further demonstrate that a comprehensive approach, ranging from legal reform to Education and grassroots activism, is necessary to contest these norms. The paper ends by enumerating policy and civil society-oriented recommendations, which target the improvement of women's rights in Pakistan but consider that implementation must be made within a culturally devised context.