International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) ISSN (Online): 2319-7064 Impact Factor (2012): 3.358 Volume 3 Issue 10, October 2014 www.ijsr.net Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY Effects of Social and Religious Context of Women Protection Bill 2006 on the Future Prospects of Female Higher Education in Pakistan Dr. Almas Kiyani 1 , Muhammad Asif Chuadhry 2 1 Assistant Professor, Arid Agricultural University Rawalpindi, Pakistan 2 PhD Scholar, AIOU, Islamabad Abstract: The Women Protection Bill was enacted on Nov 15 2006; shortly it was introduced before the National Assembly of Pakistan for debate. This bill aims to achieve the single objective: to make one of the most controversial and misused Hudood Ordinance to lose its teeth. This research was conducted to study the social and religious context of the Women Protection Bill 2006 in the light of the views of teachers in higher education, and how this bill is effective for the future endeavors of females in higher education; either they are students or teachers. The one of the major objective of the study was to effect of social and religious context of women protection bill, on their higher education. Educational implication of the existing (amended) bill has been given by the teacher, teaching at university level. Therefore, it was concluded that the proper orientation of the bill need to be given to teachers and students at university level, and our student needed to be trained, in order to make them familiar with their social, legal and religious rights. The population of the study was drawn from 5 public sector universities, 50 senior, male and female teachers of these universities (10 teachers from each). 25 male and 25 female from these 5public sector universities of Pakistan, constituted the sample of the study. With the above mentioned sample, the study was conducted by using interviews guide as research tool and was analyzed through in-depth analysis. The study is significant in many ways in social and religious context of women. Keywords: Women Rights, Social, Religious, Women Protection, Bill 2006,Education 1. Introduction Pakistan is the sixth most populous country of the world and the third in the Asia region. Women make 48% of the total population. Women are the important part of society; they are equal to man in potential, they are equal partner of men in very sphere of life. As compare to many other Muslim countries, To give more rights to women, Women’s Protection Bill (WPB) was put forward by government, enacted on November 15, 2006. Emphasis of the women protection bill is to give more rights to women, which it conformed to the Holy Quran and Sunnah. (Chaudhry, 2006) The ratio of female enrollment for higher education is steadily on the rise in Pakistan. Female students in Universities are increasing since a decade now. There are certain fields where they outnumber male students while there are no reserved seats for women in any discipline. Government of Pakistan (GoP) has taken various steps for women's empowerment in all walks of life. (Jehangir, 2005). Agha (2004) stated that regarding the greater strength of females as compared to males in higher education, this study aims to give knowledge and awareness of Women Protection Bill 2006, for the legal protection of their rights as they are the future mothers, wives, and as working women will play an effective role in the development of Pakistan. Both female teachers and students are the part of society. According to the Oxford dictionary, ‘Women’s Rights are the rights, which promote a position of social and legal equality, of women to men. According to it’ they are the rights, claimed for the women, equal to those of men, as regards to suffrage that right to vote, as regards to property, etc (Oxford Dictionary, 1999). 2. Social Context of Women in Paksitani Society Lau (2007) discussed that the social context of Pakistani society is predominately patriartichal. Gender is one of the organizing principal of Pakistani society. Men and Women are conceptually divided into two separate worlds. Home is defined as a woman’s legitimate ideological and physical space, while a man is dominates the world outside home. In the given social context, Pakistani women lack social value and status of negation of their roles as producers and providers in all social roles. The preference for son due to their productive roles dictates the allocation of household resources in their favor. Male members of society are given better education and are equipped with skills to compete for resources in the public arena. While female members are imparted domestic skills to be good mothers and wives. (Lau, 2007) The nature and degree of women’s oppression/subordination vary across classes, regions and the rural/urbandivide. The situation of women in Pakistan varies considerably depending on geographical location and class. Women fare better in urban areas and middle and upper-class sections of society, where there are greater opportunities for higher education and for paid and professional work and women's social mobility is somewhat less restricted. Seventy-five percent of Pakistan's female population is, however, rural, and the average. (GoP, 1998). Paper ID: SEP14306 19