http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/07-investing-in-women-ha-02
Investing in women Saturday, 11 Jul, 2009 | 07:58 AM PST | Maternal mortality is still high, reflecting on the state of healthcare women receive and also the low esteem in which they are held in Pakistani society. -AP WORLD Population Day today comes as a reminder to the international community that humankind is at great risk from man-made and natural disasters that can be traced to a rapidly growing global population. The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) now recognises the close link between women's education and health and demographic issues. Women empowered through education, healthcare and employment invariably show a lower fertility rate. This has a positive impact on a country's population growth and development. A holistic view must be taken of these interacting factors when seen in the context of demographics. In fact, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has expressed concern that the global economic crisis threatens to reverse the gains made so far in these areas because in times of hardship women are the worst affected in terms of education, health and employment. When budgets - national or household - have to be slashed, spending on women is the first to be cut. Hence Mr Ban's call for supporting the UNFPA theme for World Population Day and to invest in women and girls. For Pakistan the day comes at a time when the country has much to worry about. First, contrary to the emphasis that UNFPA places on data collection and the relevance of the latter to demographic research, we have not been able to hold the census on schedule. The last headcount took place in 1998. The next was scheduled for last October. It was put off to June 2009 but has now been postponed indefinitely. Secondly, with no accurate statistics available - the demographic and health survey of 2007 only provided tentative data - planning and policymaking in every field of national life is impossible. Thirdly, given the country's failure to improve the status of women substantially, can we hope to see much improvement in the population sector? Population dynamics affect every sector of national life. The issue of concern is not simply the growth rate and population size, which no doubt are key factors in economic development. Also critical are the age structure, fertility and mortality, spacing of children and migration. With unsatisfactory investment in women's education and healthcare, especially reproductive health, it is unrealistic to expect any substantial change in the immediate future. The female literacy rate is appallingly low while primary school enrolment shows gender inequity. Maternal mortality is still high, reflecting on the state of healthcare women receive and also the low esteem in which they are held in Pakistani society. It is the women's issue that has to be addressed if Pakistan's population crisis is to be defused. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
