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Anjum R. Haque, Executive Director, Pakistan Centre for Philanthropy

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Gender Equality & Equity

Equality ______ AbsoluteEquity ______ Process

Equality & Equity

Issues

1. Attitudinal and Cultural

2. Availability of Resources

3. Distribution of Resources

Conditioned by Ignorance and Poverty

Gender Equality & Equity

Equity is the defining framework which moves towards an unattainable absolute seeking gains in terms of:

EducationEconomic empowermentHealthParticipation in the work forceNutritionJusticeEqual opportunities

Gender Equality & Equity

Development Paradigm governed by the MDGs

Improved EducationGender EqualityWomen’s Empowerment

Gender Equality

Equality and Equity issues for women are not restricted to the Muslim world alone

They are universal

Equality & Equity

Gender Equality & Equity

Historical advantages lost by the Muslim world:Women’s rights granted in the 7th century not seen in the rest of the world till the 19th century.

What did we do: Lost advantage for reasons other than religion.

Equality & Equity

Gender Equality & Equity

Gender Equality

The March of Numbers

1. Every minute, everyday, a woman dies in child birth.

2. In Sub – Saharan Africa: 25% women aged 20-29, infected with AIDS

3. 70% women constitute the 1 billion poor of the world

4. ½ billion women stunted by malnutrition

The statistics go on….

Gender Equality

Additional Burdens of Women

1. Lack of Human Rights

2. War Crimes

3. Honor Killing

4. Domestic Violence

5. Genital Mutilationetc.

Gender Gaps in Muslim World

A review of 134 countries on gaps between women and men in four areas:

* Economic Participation and Opportunity

* Educational Attainment

* Political Empowerment

* Health and Survival

Source: “Global Gender Gap Report” by World Economic Forum - 2010

Gender Equality

17 of 20 countries at the bottom of the gender gap scale are Islamic

116 _______________ Lebanon117 _______________ Qatar118 _______________ Niger119 _______________ Algeria120 _______________ Jordan122 _______________ Oman123 _______________ Iran124 _______________ Syria125 _______________ Egypt126 _______________ Turkey127 _______________ Morocco128 _______________ Benin129 _______________ Saudi Arabia131 _______________ Mali132 _______________ Pakistan133 _______________ Chad134 _______________ Yemen

Source: “Global Gender Gap Report” by World Economic Forum - 2010

The 7 countries with the biggest gaps are all Islamic countries

Percentage difference between boys and girls enrolled:

Chad _______________________ 22%

Yemen _____________________ 20%

Pakistan ____________________ 16%

Guinea-Bissau _______________ 16%

Mali _______________________ 14%

Iraq ________________________ 13%

Niger _______________________ 13%

Source: UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) - 2010

School Enrollment

Of the 7 countries with the biggest literacy gaps 5 are Islamic

Percentage of gender gaps:

Yemen ______________________ 36%

Mozambique _________________ 30%

Guinea-Bissau ________________ 29%

Niger ________________________ 28%

Pakistan _____________________ 27%

Literacy Rates

Source: UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) - 2010

In 27 countries where women accounted for less than

one-third of the total adult workforce 22 are Islamic states

Employment

The worst scoring countries by percentage of the workforce:

UAE _______________________ 15%

Saudi Arabia ________________ 16%

Qatar ______________________ 16%

Source: UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) - 2010

If there was one solution

EDUCATION

Aprox. 600 million illiterate women in the world.

Aprox. 500 million in developing countries

Gender Equality

Impact of Low Education Indicators

1.Infant mortality

2.Maternal mortality

3.Violation of rights

4.Unemployment and under employment

5.Lack of respect

6.Poverty

Gender Equality

Challenges Faced by Muslim Societies

1. The battle between moderation and extremism

2. More equitable distribution of wealth

3. Recognition of the dignity of humanity especially that of women.

4. Better channelizing of Philanthropy

5. Selecting and developing strategic approaches for ensuring sustainable development through philanthropy

Conclusion

After three decades of Women in Development and Gender and Development policies, the work of redressing gender inequalities has only just begun;

Investing in women will not put an end to poverty but it will make a critical contribution to improving household well being;

It will help create the basis for future generations to make better use of both resources and opportunities.

Gender Equality

That is the road map for the next decade

Struggle and more struggle for women;

Support and more support for women;

The gains maybe small, but small is beautiful.

Gender Equality

The recognition of equal rights for women along with men, and the determination to combat discrimination on the basis

of gender are achievements equal in importance to the abolition of slavery, the elimination of colonialism and the

establishment of equal rights for racial and ethnic minorities.

(United Nations Development Programme 1995)

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Gender Equality

“Gender equality is more than a goal in itself. It is a precondition for meeting the challenge of

reducing poverty, promoting sustainable development and building good governance.”

Kofi Annan

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