Essay 31 Women Place/Women Rights for 12/BA/B.Sc. English by AG Ahmad

 

Essay No 31

Women Place in Society

Or Women Rights

OUTLINE: (For BA Students)

1. In the past, women did not enjoy many rights. They were expected to limit their activities to the kitchen.

2. Now, women are conscious of their rights as citizens and consider themselves equal to men in every field of life.

3. They have proved their worth in every field of life. Now, they cannot be kept as slaves in the house.

4. She is biologically different from man. Her main function is to produce and look after

children.

5. Our religion Islam is not against the education of women. It does not forbid them from taking part in the social activities of life.

In the past, women were looked upon as slaves. They were limited to produce the children and looked after them. A woman was confined to her husband and the family. Her main profession was to obey and entertain her husband. As Ruskin has rightly said,

“A true wife in her husband's house is his servant,

it is in his heart that she is queen.”

Till the 19th century, it was thought that marriage and home life were the best outlets for a woman's energies. Thus a woman's activities were confined to the kitchen and the nursing the children. Towards the end of the 19th century, there came the revolt of women. Literature of 19th century made them conscious of their duties and privileges. Education was responsible to make the women free and conscious of their rights. Elizabeth Blackwell has wisely said,

“If society will not admit of women's free development,

then society must be remodeled.”

With education, there came the realization that she could do what man had done. She made a great demand for the right to vote. She succeeded in it. At present, a number of women are members of the parliament. Today, women are working as typists in office, telephone operators, teachers, doctors and what not. In Russia and Japan, they were trained as soldiers to serve in the Second World War. Even in Pakistan, we have women athletes, writers, leaders and administrators. They are leaving Purdah and taking an active part in the social life of the country. Oscar Wilde has rightly said,

“Women have a much better time than men in this world;

there are far more things forbidden to them.”

However, there is a group of thinkers who believe that women should not take part the social and cultural activities of the country. They believe that man is for the sword and woman is for the needle, man is to command and woman is to obey. The judgement is based on prejudice and it is one sided. The real danger is that women are making a wrong use of their freedom. They are trying to imitate man everything. With the result, they are losing their essential womanhood. They are losing their delicacy and modesty which are two of their finer virtues. Without them, they would be simply apologies for women. As some-one has rightly said,

“Men and women should own the world as a mutual possession.”

Let us discuss the problem in the light of human psychology. Women are different from men in their physical form and constitution. It is their sacred duty to produce children and look after them. Not only this, but she has to build a nation of moral sound people. She has to play the role of a teacher for her children. The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) said,

“Paradise lies under the feet of a mother.”

This shows that in Islam a woman enjoys great status. Her rights are equal with men, but her duties are different. Islam does not prohibit women to do jobs. Women can do any job provided, they do within the framework of Islam. Women can become doctors and nurses in hospitals. They can become teachers, typists, clerks and receptionists. Women should do a job whether they are actually in need of it. They should first of all look after their children and make them good citizens. Once Nepoleon said,

“Give me good mothers and I shall give you a good nation.”

This means that morally good mothers build a nation of brave and strong people. However, in case of dire necessity, she can take part social and cultural activities.

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