'Curricula promoting gender bias'

Published November 23, 2004

ISLAMABAD, Nov 22: The curricula being followed in educational institutions of the country is promoting gender biases.

This was the consensus reached at during the first-day deliberations of the national expert group's three-day meeting on 'Development of Strategies for Addressing Gender Biases and Disparities in the Curricula and Primary and Secondary Textbooks'.

The meeting was organized by the Centre of Excellence in Women Studies, Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco).

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Women Development Nilofar Bakhtiar was the chief guest on the occasion. Speakers coming from diversified backgrounds were of the view that a conspicuous shift was needed in curriculum development which promoted masculinity vis-a-vis femininity in the country.

Men are presented as symbols of courage, honour and boldness in textbooks whereas on the contrary even services of a woman in bringing up her family are not recognized, what to talk about accepting their (women) due role in the overall national development, they argued.

The speakers criticized successive governments for not doing enough to address such gender biases and disparities in the curricula. Speaking on the occasion, Ms Bakhtiar said: "Education is one of the key priority areas where gender equality is essential if we are to move forward and take our position as a self- respecting nation."

Without providing a good education for women the dream of creating a modern and developed country will remain unfulfilled, the adviser said, adding that the enrolment of all girls of school-going age at every level of education, from the primary through the middle and secondary must be ensured.

"Curriculum reform is a central issue in education and it is our policy that curricula and textbooks should be sensitive to gender issues. The knowledge we provide to our children will determine how they think and what they think and what kind of human beings they become," Ms Bakhtiar added.

Pakistan, like other developing countries of South Asia, can no longer afford to provide a limited and narrow view of women in stereotyped roles, the adviser said.

Similarly, she said, Pakistan was a signatory to a number of international agreements, covenants and declarations such as the universal declaration of human rights, CEDAW, Beijing declaration, all of which uphold the right to education as well as right to curricula free of gender biases and stereotypes.

In her welcome address, Dr Farzana Bari, acting director, Centre of Excellence in Women Studies, said no country could make progress and become economically efficient if women were not given equal opportunities to make contribution to the socio- economic development of the society.

"There is no doubt that gender disparities in education are a matter of great concern to everyone of us, however, mere access to education will not result in women empowerment or gender equality until gender biases are removed from the curricula that represent women only in their domestic roles as mothers, wives, as passive and dependent beings," she underlined.

Women have multiple identities and roles in productive and reproductive spheres of the society which need to be adequately represented in the curricula, she argued.

Opinion

Editorial

Out of control
Updated 19 Feb, 2025

Out of control

AS bodies continue to fall in Kurram despite a state-sanctioned ceasefire, one wonders how long local militants’...
Hollow words
19 Feb, 2025

Hollow words

IT is not uncommon for politicians to resort to the use of hyperbole in order to boost their public standing. ...
Migration matters
19 Feb, 2025

Migration matters

THE grass, it seems, did appear greener on the other side to millions of people as evidenced by the latest UN ...
Cholistan project
Updated 18 Feb, 2025

Cholistan project

GPI goals align with Pakistan's broader economic aims but the manner in which the initiative was launched raises questions.
Right to know
18 Feb, 2025

Right to know

IT is an unfortunate paradox that while on paper Pakistan has some of the most impressive right to information laws,...
Dam dispute
18 Feb, 2025

Dam dispute

THE situation in Chilas needs attention and a fair-minded approach so that it can be resolved amicably. Diamer ...