Women at work

Before I start to write any further, I want to make a clarification that this is not an advertisement of a Dutch brand, rather I am referring to the actual meaning of the subject. When women in Pakistan go out for work, they encounter three broad categories of their male colleagues. I would give a name to each one of them. The first one is "Open" category, which means that these guys are relatively young, open, willing to help (only women) but often their help is useless, give women some nice ( though personal) suggestions and lots of efforts to develop frankness. The second category is the "Jealous " ones; they lack the skills of articulated speech, or somehow fall short in their looks, style or because of slightly over-aging problem, they cannot offer a helping hand or give open suggestions. Because of this, they just talk behind (of course not something good). A third category is called neutral/ nice. Their presence or absence doesn't matter much for your work.

Oops, I missed the most important category of males. I would call it "Risky Olds". They are the first generation of your organization at the time when third generation is also mature enough. They don't know how to work, or rather the working methodologies they know are now obsolete. Their task is to look around for a potential life partner in the presence of at least two or three wives at house just to avail the relaxation from Islam to the fullest extent. The most peculiar attribute of this group is their age approaching retirement very soon  (from job as well as life) but although there are some minorities in this which are not fulfilling this age requirement. I am not calling them "Risky" because of their fragile health problems and their vulnerability to death soon but because they might be really Risky for your job.

These forces from all corners of your office make the life of working women hell. Personal suggestions are as great in number as there are stars on the sky. Of course these come from the first group I have mentioned above. Advises such as there is no progress in job if you don't dress like a model, the turbans on your head are the major obstacle to your promotion, eating out ensures handsome bonuses, looks are important than her hard work etc. are the most common ones. The comments from the second group are as bitter as hemlock. They are not willing to accept the abilities of women and if her hard work and sincerity give her an elevation in the job title, they cannot digest it and they make such heinous comments that the opposite gender start to think that its better to quit the job rather than putting your respect aside just for few pennies. They cut stupid jokes when the first group is trying to help you (which you don't want at all). In their jealousy, they even dare to give remarks about your family such as "Respectable people don't send their daughters/ sisters out for work", or "She earns money not because of work but because of extra time spent with the boss". They are not ready to accept any success that you achieve due to your hard work". The fourth and the most dangerous group makes your day-to-day life very difficult. They give you heavy tasks such that you have to stay longer than the office hours so that later on, when there is no mode of transportation left, they can offer you a service to drop you at home (plus a dinner in a nice restaurant). If you cannot help them, they will make your survival difficult in your job.

This is the tale of every woman who goes out for work. Considering Pakistan as one of the most expensive countries of Asia, average middle class families are trodden down due to the hiking prices. The high sloped inflation arise the need that females should help their male counterparts in earning the bread and butter for the family. This is a very serious issue that when she goes out, she is not given the due respect. On the contrary, she has to face such circumstances that makes her life miserable. She cannot share her problems because she thinks that this may put her into big troubles and she also doesn't want to lose her job. Even if the family doesn't need women's support in earning, the economic development does not discriminate between the genders. It straightforwardly put the need that 52% of the population cannot just sit behind and watch the game of economic development silently. She has to come forward for economic development of her country. As her education level increases, this enhances the need that she should work because we lack educated workforce. She has to come forward to contribute in country's development and growth. The comments she hears from her colleagues kill her from inside. When they tell her that she cannot develop if she wears Islamic cloths,  come without wearing any makeover, or not giving proper style to her hair, it is nothing but their personal desire to make her disabled in her job. No job requires you to look nice but what job wants from you is your dedication, sincerity and decency. When they give her stress by offering lunch/dinner/lift and look for every possible opportunity to pick or drop her (like a primary school van driver), this actually restricts her opportunity to work. I would request the indecent masses of our society to treat women nicely because our holy Prophet P.B.U.H. always asserted to treat her nicely and that "She is like a delicate pearl". Nobody treats a "delicate pearl" this way.