UNIT NO 05: TECHNOLOGY/GENDER INEQUALITY (2ND YEAR NOTES)

Unit # 05: TECHNOLOGY/GENDER INEQUALITY 

Reading selection 5.2: GENDER INEQUALITY IS DETRIMENTAL TO SOCIETY

Study Questions:

Q1. What is the ratio between male and female population in the world? 

The ration between male and female population in the world is quite obvious. According to a survey world’s  population comprises of more than 50% women. And the number of women is increasing day to day. Of the  2010 census population, 50.8 percent were female and 49.2 were male. 

Q2. Do women in the poor and developing countries enjoy equal rights? 

No, the women in the poor and developing countries do not enjoy equal rights. They are leading a miserable  life. For example, in Pakistan, women are facing many hurdles in the race of life. They are far behind from  men in all fields of life. Most of the people are illiterate and conservative and they do not like to send their  daughters to schools. Similarly, they are not provided with proper medical facilities. They are given less job  opportunities and are maltreated even in case of inheritance. 

Q3. Why are women deprived of their due rights in our society? 

Women are deprived of their due rights in our society because of ignorance. There is no awareness in the  public. Majority of the people are illiterate. They don’t know about the rights of women. Women are  considered inferior to men. They are not even given their share in property. Seeking of knowledge is the  duty of every Muslim but unfortunately this golden saying is neglected in case of women.  

Q4. Who consider women as ‘Fragile human beings’? 

Men consider women as ‘fragile human beings’, both physically and emotionally. They think that women  cannot do whatever men can do. Women are not given equal opportunities with men to take part in different  activities of life. They are not fragile but they have been made fragile.  

Q5. What is the status of women in Islam? 

Islam gives equal rights and status to both men and women. No religion or society has given so many rights  as given by Islam. They are expected to fulfill the same duties of worship, prayer, almsgiving, fasting, and  pilgrimage to Mecca. It is the religion Islam that had improved the status of women by prohibiting female  infanticide and recognizing women's full personhood. Status of women in Islam is quite obvious from the  following sayings: “Seeking of knowledge is the duty of every Muslim man or woman”. “Paradise lies  under the feet of the mother”.  

Q6. Describe the hurdles and hardships faced by women in Pakistan.  

Women face many hurdles and hardships in Pakistan and suffer more than other members of the society.  They are deprived of their right of education. They are not provided with health facilities and their worse  situation can be observed during maternity. They are given less job opportunities and women workers in  factories are given less wages. In addition there is no effective security plan to safeguard their rights. They are also maltreated in case of inheritance. Even the quality as well as quantity of food for female and male is  based on discrimination. 

Q7. Why do parents in most of the rural areas not send their daughters to schools?

Parents in most of the rural areas are illiterate and conservative. That’s why they do not send their daughters  to schools. They don’t think education necessary for their daughters. They do not know that education is as  much important for women as for men. They are not aware of the fact that if we want our nation and country  to make progress, we must educate our women 

Q8. What has been said about the importance of education for a woman? 

Islam teaches us that “Seeking of Knowledge is the duty of every Muslim” but it is an irony of fate that  this golden saying has been totally neglected in the case of women. Education of women is as important as  that of men or even more. It is said, “If we educate a man, we educate an individual, but if we educate a  woman, we educate a whole family”. An educated woman can raise and train her children well. Men and  women are as the two wheels of a cart, if one wheel is out of order the other wheel cannot function. 

Q9. What are the causes of high mortality rate of women during child-birth? 

The main cause of high mortality rate of women during the child-birth is the lack of proper health facilities in remote areas. More over qualified health care staff i.e. mid-wives and lady health visitors are also not available in rural areas. Besides the male members of the family do not want to take their women to the male  doctors and the poor ailing women die by inches due to the sheer negligence of the male members.  

Q10. Why do the male members of a family not want to take their women to the male doctors? 

The male members of a family do not want to take their women to the male doctors because of ignorance  and illiteracy. Most of the people in rural areas are conservative by nature. They do not like their women to  be operated and treated by the male surgeons. They think that it is against Islamic Sharia to take the women  to male doctors which is very wrongful of them as Islam fully allows medical treatment whether by male or  female. Sometimes women die before they are taken to the doctors.  

Q11. Can ailing and weak women contribute much to the progress and prosperity of a country? 

No, weak and ailing women cannot contribute much to the progress and prosperity of a country. The poor  health situation hampers women participation in the economic growth of the country. Also, weak and  anemic women produce sick and unnourished next generation. Only agile and healthy women can actively  participate in the progress of the country..  

Q12. What are the adverse effects on society when women are mal-treated?  

A nation or a society cannot make progress if women are mal-treated. In fact, women are the important  segment of the society. If they are neglected in any walk of life, the pace of progress and development stops.  Women feel frustration if they are not given their proper rights. They also fall victim to inferiority complex.  Their latent potentialities cease to function. Under these circumstances a nation cannot make progress.  Besides, it cannot keep its pace with the ever advancing nations of the world. Such type of situation  adversely affects our society.  

Q13. Do women deserve to be given share in inheritance? 

Yes, women deserve to be given due share in inheritance. There are many verses in the Holy Quran about  giving due share to the women in property left by their parents. But in our society, women are deprived of  this right. People think that it is not necessary to give them share. They just give them dowry and feel that  they have done their duty. Those people who deprive their daughters or sisters of this right, they would be  accountable to the Lord at the Day of Judgement.  

Q14. There are religious as well as national laws about the rights of women. How can these laws be  enforced? 

There are religious as well as national laws about the rights of women. But the main problem is the  implementation. There are many hurdles in the way of enforcement. First of all, our rulers are secular  minded. They do not know much about religion Islam. Secondly, they are not sincere about the implementation of national laws. They do not want to solve the problems of the citizens. Not only in  Pakistan, but all over the world women are ignored in all walks of life. Their rights are not fulfilled.  

 Reading selection 5.3: THE SCHOOL BOY

THEME: 

The poem deals with the childhood and the natural world. The speaker, a young boy, is mirthful in getting  up on a beautiful summer morning, but when he thinks of going to the school, all his enjoyment and mirth  fades away. He expresses his extreme tiredness and sits drooping out in the sea of monotony. He does not  enjoy or learn anything under the “cruel” and fearful look of the teacher. He appeals to his parents that like  the birds, the children too need freedom for efficient growth. If their freedom is snatched away they will  never be able to enjoy the remainder of their life.  

How does the school boy feel waking up in summer morning? 

The schoolboy is very joyful/mirthful to get up early in the fresh and delightful summer morning. The  chirping of the birds announces the day break and the singing of the birds elates him. He gets entertained  by the company of the hunter who blows his horn from a distance field. He also likes to enjoy the sweet  melodious songs of skylark. According to the schoolboy, nature is his best company and he enjoys it very  much. 

How does the school boy feel going to school? 

Whenever the boy thinks of going to the school, all his enjoyment and mirth fades away. He expresses his  extreme tiredness and so he sits drooping out in the sea of monotony. He does not enjoy or learn anything  under the “cruel” and fearful look of the teacher. He spends his day in utter anxiety, dejection and dismay  

as he has to follow the strict rules and regulations of the school under the authoritative teachers. Bower means the school, which according the schoolboy is “worn out” /damaged/defective. 

Why the poet has compared the school boy to a bird? 

The poet has compared the school boy to a bird because the schoolboy feels himself to be imprisoned in  school just as a bird is restrained in a cage. According to his view, a bird is a symbol of joy and freedom, it is born cheerful and jovial and so it will never sing sweet songs if caged. Similarly, a child if remained under  the umbrella of annoying fear and tension, the skepticism of his teacher can never enjoy the natural instincts of joy and playfulness.  

What does the school boy complain to his parents and what message has been imparted  by the poet? 

The school boy complains to his parents that if the buds and flowers are destroyed before blooming and if  the plants are stripped of their branches and leaves, how will the fruits appear to elate and thrill us? Similarly  if childhood pleasures and joys are suppressed by sorrow and care, surely the adult life will be utterly dry  and unproductive. The poet imparts the message that parents should not unnecessarily repress and restrict  children because like the flowers the children too need freedom for efficient growth. 

CRITITICAL ANALYSIS: 

The poem “The School Boy” belongs to Blake’s “Songs of Innocence”. The poet has employed various  poetic devices like rhetorical questions, exclamation, apostrophe, (‘O! father and mother'), alliteration,  (blossoms blown) symbols and metaphors to describe the innocent desires of a young boy and the  oppressive nature of education. He loves summer mornings but going to school turns his joy into  something miserable. “Cruel eye” refers to the teachers. “Learner’s bower” is a metaphor used for school  which, as per the schoolboy, is worn out. He compares himself to a caged bird. Symbols of spring, summer, and winter refers to the child’s present and future.