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According to a Gilani Research Foundation Survey carried out by Gallup Pakistan, 32% of Pakistanis think the biggest problem being faced by women today is lack of education.

The Survey says that a nation-wide representative sample of men and women from across the four provinces was interviewed. Question, “In your opinion, what is the biggest problem being faced by women today?” Responding to this, 32 percent said ‘lack of education’, 21 percent said ‘physical abuse’, 18 percent said ‘cultural practices (karo kari, dowry etc), 14 percent said ‘lack of health services’, 7 percent said ‘lack of employment’ and 6 percent said ‘lack of balance between family life and employment’. However, 2 percent did not give any response.

The survey report says that (30 percent men and (35 percent women both see ‘lack of education’ as the biggest problem being faced by women today. However awareness about lack of education being a problem is higher amongst the young with 33% seeing it as the biggest problem, and only 24 percent of the elderly see it as the biggest problem. There is also not much difference between the urban and rural localities, with 33 percent of people in the rural areas identifying lack of education as the biggest problem and 31 percent in the urban areas identifying lack of education as the biggest problem being faced by women today.

According to a Gilani Research Foundation Survey carried out by Gallup Pakistan, majority of Pakistanis (66 percent think access to education has been the source of greatest improvement in the lives of women in the past 100 years. A nationally representative sample of men and women from across the four provinces was questioned keeping in mind the past 100 years, which of the following has improved the lives of women the most?” Responding to this, 66 percent said ‘education’, 23 percent said ’employment’, 23 percent aid ‘family planning’, 19 percent said ‘ability to vote in elections’, 15 percent aid ’employment such as part-time jobs/facility to work from home’, 12 percent said ‘mobile phone use’ and 8 percent said ‘internet/social media access-‘ However, 1 percent did not give any response.

According to survey, there was not much difference in the opinion of men and women, with 68 percent of men choosing ‘education’ and 62 percent of women choosing ‘education’. The second most popular reason for the improvement in the lives of women identified by women was ’employment’ (26 percent)and by men it was identified as ‘family planning’ (22 percent)

According to survey, 12 percent of Pakistani women think men and women are not granted the same rights in terms of access to education. The survey says that a nationally representative sample of women from across the four provinces was asked “In your community/area, are women and men granted the same rights in terms of access to education?” Responding to this, 40 percent said ‘completely’, 47 percent said ‘to an extent’ and 12 percent aid ‘not at all’. However, 1 percent did not give any response. This question is part of a series of press releases regarding Women’s Day.

Source: Business Recorder