International Women’s Day on 8 March serves as a reminder that women across the world continue to fight for basic rights and equality. In South Asia, Pakistan and Bangladesh—once one nation until 1971—today stand at diametrically opposite ends regarding the status of women.
Pakistan: Entrenched Discrimination and Resistance
Denial of Basic Rights
Women in Pakistan remain severely disadvantaged and subjected to systematic discrimination across economic, social, civil, and political spheres. The persistence of patriarchal structures, enforced through an outdated code of so-called ‘honour’, continues to oppress women by curtailing their right to choose a husband, work outside the home, or even exercise autonomy.
The legal status of women was dramatically reshaped under General Zia ul-Haq’s military regime (1977–87), which introduced a series of regressive laws aimed at confining women to the private sphere. Chief among these was the Hudood Ordinance, which imposed conservative interpretations of Islamic law on family matters and sexual practices. The consequences remain severe: violence against women—rape, ‘honour’ killings, acid attacks, domestic violence, and forced marriages—continues with impunity.
Human Rights Watch estimates around 1,000 ‘honour’ killings occur each year. Victims such as 19-year-old Mahwish Arshad, murdered in 2018 for refusing a marriage proposal, briefly draw national attention, but most cases remain unreported or are misclassified. The 2016 law introducing life sentences for such crimes has had little practical impact. As Pakistan’s Human Rights Commission observed: “Antiquated — and lethal — notions that ‘honour’ resides in women’s bodies and actions still prevail… it will take far more than laws to effect change.”
Women from religious minorities face heightened vulnerability, with at least 1,000 Christian and Hindu girls reportedly forced to convert and marry Muslim men each year. Child marriage persists: 21 per cent of Pakistani girls marry before 18, and 3 per cent before 15.
The Taliban and affiliated militants further endanger women’s rights, targeting schools in particular. In August 2018, militants torched at least 12 schools in Gilgit-Baltistan, half of them for girls. Pakistan has yet to ban the military use of schools or endorse the UN’s Safe Schools Declaration.
Harassment of Female Journalists
For women in Pakistan, even professional spaces offer no respite. Female journalists face a particularly toxic environment, marked by online abuse, threats, and trolling campaigns often coordinated by political and state-linked actors.
In August 2020, a group of women journalists publicly condemned government-affiliated accounts for coordinated harassment, including doxxing and defamatory labelling as “fake news peddlers” or “lifafa” (paid) journalists. Prominent anchors such as Gharidah Farooqi have faced treason accusations and cyber abuse for sharing international news stories. Documentary filmmaker Sabin Agha has been threatened for reporting from Balochistan, while Lahore-based journalist Ailia Zehra warns that online threats against female reporters frequently spill into real-world dangers.
Women’s Resistance: Aurat March
Despite these challenges, Pakistani women have increasingly reclaimed public space. The Aurat March, launched on International Women’s Day in 2018, has become a nationwide movement. Each year, women march, display public art, and perform to highlight systemic violence, harassment, and structural inequality.
Radical Islamists routinely attack marchers with stones, sticks, and shoes, underscoring the dangers women face for demanding equality. In 2021, protesters highlighted the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, calling it a “Pandemic of Patriarchy” and demanding an increase in healthcare spending to 5 per cent of GDP. They also drew attention to rising domestic violence and child abuse during lockdowns.
Women’s greater participation in the workforce and growing awareness of rights—thanks to activism and civil society movements—has paradoxically intensified backlash, exposing the deep resistance of patriarchal structures.
Bangladesh: Gradual Transformation and Progress
Vibrant Feminist Movements
In contrast, Bangladesh has seen significant progress in women’s rights and gender equality since its independence. The feminist movement in Bangladesh is diverse and deeply rooted in historical struggles, from resisting authoritarian repression under Pakistani rule to challenging social, political, and economic discrimination.
On 8 March 2021, while Pakistani women marched for survival, Bangladesh witnessed another milestone when Tashnuva Anan Shishir, a transgender woman, made her debut as a news anchor on national television—a moment emblematic of the country’s evolving inclusivity.
Policy and Institutional Reforms
Since 1971, Bangladesh has incorporated women’s rights into its nation-building process. Women fought in the Liberation War, and the constitution enshrined equal opportunities. Subsequent governments have pursued targeted policies:
- National Women Development Policy (2011): Established equal rights for women and set goals such as support for female entrepreneurs.
- Ministry of Women and Children Affairs: Expanded allowances for widows, support for lactating mothers, and vocational training in sectors like agriculture and electronics.
- Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act (2010): Contributed to measurable reductions in violence against women, with lower rates than regional neighbours such as India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has championed women’s empowerment domestically and internationally, with a 50-member National Women and Child Development Council overseeing reforms.
Political and Economic Participation
Bangladeshi women occupy visible roles in leadership and public life. Women hold parliamentary seats, thousands of local offices, and positions in party leadership committees. The government has supported women-owned businesses through collateral-free loans at concessional interest rates, while the garment sector employs around three million women, forming the backbone of Bangladesh’s exports.
Women are increasingly represented in media, education, and small enterprises. Educational reforms since the 1990s have sharply increased female school enrolment, achieving gender parity in primary and secondary education.
Global Recognition
Bangladesh’s progress is reflected in international indicators. Maternal mortality has fallen by 66 per cent over recent decades, with an annual decline of 5.5 per cent. In the World Economic Forum’s Gender Gap Index, Bangladesh ranks 47th globally and first in South Asia, ahead of India, Nepal, and Pakistan.
Conclusion
The contrast between Pakistan and Bangladesh could not be starker. While Bangladesh has steadily advanced women’s rights through policy reforms, social mobilisation, and inclusive governance, Pakistan remains trapped in patriarchal structures reinforced by regressive laws, political inertia, and extremist violence.
Both societies share cultural roots, but their trajectories since 1971 demonstrate how political will, institutional commitment, and grassroots activism can either entrench inequality or dismantle it. Bangladesh’s progress offers a compelling model for Pakistan—if only its leadership and society are willing to confront entrenched misogyny and embrace reform.