Women Struggle in Pakistan-Need For New Social Contract

Aristotle wrote centuries ago, “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all”. After a long research online and some books I reached a point that “Women Rights Movement” was not a particular or proper set of an event bur rather a series of events happened through centuries. They emerged from centuries of struggle against unequal laws, forced dependence, denial of education, domestic abuse, and exclusion from public life.

In Europe and the West, major women’s rights movements gained momentum during the 18th and 19th centuries. Women demanded:

• the right to vote,
• access to education,
• ownership of property,
• equal wages,
• protection from domestic violence,
• and legal identity independent of men.

Important historical events like the women’s suffrage movement in Britain and America changed laws gradually. Women such as Emmeline Pankhurst and Susan B. Anthony became symbols of resistance.

The Western Women Movement have had “Waves” or some write it as “Jolts” which can be listed as,

• First wave — voting and legal rights.
• Second wave — workplace equality, reproductive rights, domestic violence awareness.
• Third/Fourth wave — identity, harassment, online activism, equal opportunity.

Rather than the West and Europe the Women in Pakistan had to fought for the dignity the most, education rights, protection from child marriage and workplace safety has been the serious issues women have to take stand on in the recent past. Still some parts of Pakistan face these issues specially Interior Sindh and Baluchistan.

Still in 21st Century Karo-Kari (honor killing) and Wani (forced marriage as compensation) persist in interior and rural regions of Sindh. Rooted in feudal structures and parallel tribal courts (jirgas), these customs persist despite provincial legislation and Supreme Court orders, nothing sound has been done in this regard till date.

While the Urban population has a positive change in women employment, women representation in politics and sports presence.

Driving, Riding or Independent shopping was not a common thing now newly developed happening among even young girls making Urban population stand with the International Communities making ways for a better Pakistan.

But the religious and extreme liberal groups have been on conflict developing different social mediums to influence women and men both. Resulting in poor communication and creating sides for both the extremes. It is true and depend on the person to choose but court hearings and evidences prove that the initial conflict between a marriage is usually a religious extreme or a very liberal extreme.

Need for a New Social Contract

It is unfortunate any technological advancement or deep rooted social change is usually “Lazy” process to occur in Pakistan and some South Asian regions. Pakistan is witnessing a visible rise in divorce and khula cases, especially in urban areas like Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, and Rawalpindi.

Recent reports show family courts are overwhelmed with divorce-related cases. Islamabad family courts reportedly received thousands of divorce and maintenance cases in 2026 alone.

Rawalpindi courts also reported a record rise in family disputes and khula filings in 2025.

This rise does not mean the school of marriage is collapsing completely. Instead, it reflects deep social transformation or a new social contract.

Like any ideological or philosophical system a new social contract is not necessary to be a written, drafted or signed document but rather a societal change which can be brought by the philosophers, writers and politicians as well.

European Shift

If we consider the case of Europe both ways the end of religious extremism or the women rights, it took over half a century of “Victims” but writers now agree it is better to be a “Successor” than a victim. This is the only thing right now in Pakistan which can help the recent marriage degree holders who are in conflict by whatever means or reasons from social media to Women March. Clashes and Arguments can be given from both sides with positive or negative approaches but the blatant truth is Europe took a whole hundred and fifty years for a complete social change whether it was Industry, religion, women rights, marriage, education but the great part in case of Pakistan is the major literate cities have the absorbance better than Europe in those times.

As John Gray writes in “Men are from Mars and Women from Venus” that men and women have drastically different communication style, emotional needs and ways of handling stress. In the case of Pakistan as similar to Europe two extremes can be found in the patterns of “Divorce” where north pole and south pole example is best fit to explain as far as handling is concern as some say women are in the “revenge” mode but a lot of writers do not agree saying it as a conflict of family, religion and fantasy related to marriages.

Social Media, Increase in Women Education, Girls in sports, Economic Independence and a lot other social changes have brought more positive changes in Pakistan but a few negative examples as well. Altogether “Expectation creates Depression” can be the best term used as far as social media is concerned, today the women knows court laws, In-laws pressure tactics and action against physical and mental abuse.

Conclusive Solution

Pakistan today stands between two worlds:

• traditional collectivist family culture,
• and modern individual freedom.

Women are no longer completely silent, financially trapped, or socially isolated. At the same time, society is still adjusting to changing gender roles.

The increase in divorce is not caused by one gender alone.
It is the result of:

• economic pressure,
• changing expectations,
• weak emotional preparation for marriage,
• family interference,
• abuse,
• and rapid social transformation.

The challenge for Pakistan is not to suppress women’s rights or blindly imitate the West.

The real challenge is building marriages based on:

• respect instead of control,
• partnership instead of domination,
• and understanding instead of social pressure.

A new social contract based on thorough understanding and acceptance can be a good result, ending the extreme thoughts and action while discussing deeply the root causes and also coming up with positive solutions.