Girls Illiteracy in Pakistan

In Pakistan 1 in 2 girls is still illiterate, despite the increase of girls literacy by 8% in the last ten years.

Girls Illiteracy in Pakistan Mary Robinson: Women’s rights are very closely linked because of what we call the “feminization of poverty”. The majority of those living in poverty, which is living in refugee camps, a majority who are trying to cope on a dollar a day, are women, are families headed by women Narrator: Ten years after Cairo, there has been huge progress but it’s been uneven. Over half of all countries have adopted laws on women’s rights, ratified the United Nations Conventions, or established national commissions for women. While many countries have introduced laws to prevent violence against women, these are often not enforced. And only 42 countries have increased public spending on schools, and only 16 have increased the number of girls’ secondary schools. In Pakistan, despite girls’ literacy increasing by eight per cent in the last 10 years, one in two girls is still illiterate. Purdah, the practice of secluding women from the gaze of unrelated men, can confine many young women to their homes, uneducated, unable to contribute to their wider community. Hina lives in Koorangi, a poor industrial area of Karachi, the youngest of five sisters. She’s the only one to continue her studies to college level. But Hina’s the exception in a country where less than one in five girls complete secondary school. Sahrina, Hina’s mother, was left to provide for her four youngest daughters after her husband died four years ago. Sahrina had never been to school. Although, her in-laws pressured her to give up her house and move in with them, she refused, determined to maintain independence for herself and her daughters. Hina: They wanted her to sell the house. They said we’ll get you a house, we’ll look after you. But we thought if they’d never helped us while we were here, what would they do there? Narrator: At 17, Hina is now in her final years of secondary school. It was her mother, who only too aware of the vulnerability of being uneducated persuaded Hina to finish her studies. Hina: My mother wanted at least one daughter to have a higher education. Before, to be honest, I wasn’t so interested but when I saw how keen she was, I also felt I must continue at least up to twelfth grade. I would not be able to study further if my father was here, definitely not at college level. He was very strict about Purdah. He wouldn’t even let my sisters go out of the door, only I would come and go. Now it's essential. My sisters weren’t that interested in studying. I mean they knew he would not let them study further so they thought, “Why bother”. Narrator: The sisters support the family by preparing clips for shoes and Tarrant bags. They earn about 14 cents for every 450 clips. But economic independence hasn’t been easy. Hina’s eldest sister, Sughra, works in a factory, a first for this all female household but this was frowned upon by her extended family. Sharina Iqbal: They’d say, “Look, Iqbal’s daughter is working, his wife is working, she’s working in people’s homes”. I listened and listened, I kept quiet. Then I said, “If you cover our daily expenses, I’ll keep my daughters at home”. Narrator: Hina pays her college fees by doing some beautician work but mainly by teaching local children at her home. Her determination to finish her studies means she has to venture out alone, and she’s criticized as a result. Hina: Obviously as I go to college, on the way people talk, I’ll let them. You should feel okay about yourself. I don’t take these things too seriously. But the route, it’s difficult, it’s quite a distance. Once, two boys started following me. I told them off myself. I want to do something, which will be of benefit to me and to others. Like teaching or doing some beauty parlor work. I mean, so that I can save up and open a school. Mary Robinson: There has been progress at some level mainly in getting the message out to women at grassroots level who--until this message comes to them, do not believe they have rights at all or that they have a right to equality, or that their daughters have a right to education, just in the same way as their sons. So getting the message out networking; promoting education particularly of the girl child, has been very important.