Abstract

Empowering women is an important worldwide development problem. It has different forms over time and space but is tightly associated with economic, social, cultural, family or interpersonal fields. As in many other countries, Pakistan has signed various international statements to empower women, yet Pakistani women also suffer from a high level of discrimination and are economically dependent. Academic material on the empowerment of women worldwide and in Pakistan is also available. Media has the power to reach a big audience through mass communications and is regarded as the most important instrument of society in modern times. While the media, on the other hand, have particular tasks to carry out to improve society as the fatal pillar of our democracy. It can play an effective part in communicating knowledge to society by empowering women via the education of society. The researchers have used cultivation theory as a theoretical framework and have conducted a quantitative survey to collect the data.

Key Words

Women, Women Empowerment, Pakistani Dramas, Media

Introduction

As the name shows, “EMPOWERMENT” means giving someone power or authority. And women empowerment means power and authority in the hands of women. It demands equal opportunity in every field of life, irrespective of any gender discrimination or inequality. Empowerment is equal opportunity without any restrictions and limitations, whether it is education, politics, decision making or lifestyle. Free to make your own decisions gives a sense of empowerment, but over the years, we’ve seen that women aren’t given that much sense of ability where they can make their own decisions ad stand for themselves where needed. It includes raising their status through education, awareness, legal rights, literacy and training in every field, whether it’s corporate or public. When women stand for themselves or take their tough decisions all by themselves, they feel empowered and strong. That leads to the development and construction of a strong nation where the people are treated equally and given equal opportunities. The meaning of empowerment is described differently as per the socio-cultural and political contexts. Looking at the general basic knowledge, it means self strength, self-growth, self-power, self-reliance, awareness of legal rights, financial independence, power of decision making, equal opportunities for growth in every field of life.

Women Empowerment can be explained in two terms, i.e., Static and Dynamic. The static concept of power tells about the power but doesn’t define “How to do it” or “How to achieve it”. Women are not only depowered or discriminated only on the basis of violence but also due to the lack of participation in the economy and politics. These are the social and cultural behaviors that motivate the inequality in the state or community. A discriminated woman can be empowered by giving them equal rights of opportunity and education extrinsically. In the case of the media role, since a large group of women cannot read or write, so electronic media like TV channels, Radio channels can educate them with quality content. Pakistan’s status is not homogenous because of the link between gender and other forms of social exclusion.

Due to unequal socio-economic growth and the impact of tribal, feudal and capitalistic social organizations on women's life, the situation of women across classes, regions and the urbanism/rural divide is very diverse. The status of women vis-à-vis men, however, is one of systematic subjugation that is dictated by class, area and rural/urban divides by patriarchal forces. Gender is one of Pakistani society's structuring concepts. The social significance of gender is determined by patriarchal values rooted in local traditions and culture. A division of the ideology of sexual division of work, which has created an artificial division between production and reproduction, has placed women in reproductive roles as mothers and women in private homes and men in a productive role as breadwinners in the public arena. 

This has resulted in poor resource investment by the family and the State in women. Low investment in the human capital of women, compounded by purda ideologies (literally 'disclosed'), negative social prejudice and cultural practices, a concept of honor linked to the sexuality of women, restrictions on the mobility of women and the internalization of women's patriarchy themselves are the foundations of the discrimination of women and of disparities in all spheres of life. Empowering women is an important worldwide development problem. Over time and space, it has several forms but is tightly linked to economic, socio-cultural, family or interpersonal domains, legal, political and psychological (Malhotra, Schuler, &Boender, 2002). The concept of empowerment was defined in several ways on the basis of reality. Previous research has revealed 32 diverse meanings of "agency and empowerment: Proposal for internationally comparable indicators" in different conceptions of empowerment, Ibrahim &Alkire (2007).

The theoretical concept of 'empowerment' rests upon the delegation of power to a marginalized community like women; nonetheless, it is the final purpose of the delegation of power to deal with the questions surrounding women's subaltern status, disparity and inequity (Mathur& Agarwal, 2017). (Geetha,2014). The concept of empowerment can be statically and dynamically described (Mathur& Agarwal, 2017). Static empowerment refers to the concept of power and does not answer 'how to empower' or 'how to achieve' but replies whether the women have the power to decide their lives as individuals or groups and influence those decisions (Abrar-ul-haq, Jali, & Islam, 2016). Women are not only unaware of their rights but also disempowered because of discriminatory economic, social and cultural practices that create inequity within the community and in society in general. In other words, women with disempowerment can be empowered by extrinsically giving them power. While a dynamic idea of empowerment relates to a process, the capacity of women as individuals or groups to decide their lives and influence those decisions has grown inside them. Empowerment is a process that cannot be offered as a gift to women, but women may only achieve it themselves as individuals or groups over time. Empowerment is the 'inner voice' for development; it is the 'power inside' for development if the efforts come from within "bottom-up", the method for empowerment. 




Statement of the Problem

The Gender Gap Index 2018 showed that Pakistan was the lowest (148th) country and the second last among 149 countries in the area with the prevalence of gender-based inequalities. The GGI index analyses national economic, political, health, education and education disparities in gender. Pakistan scored 146th in economic participation and opportunity, 139th in education, 145th in health and surviving and 97th in political empowerment, according to GGI Index. Pakistan (WEF, 2018). Media is also a tool that influences people, and we will also address the role of media in empowering women and women's media engagement. This raises the question of how socio-cultural variables in Pakistan affect women's empowerment. This research is done to understand the role of media in empowering women and also to understand the hurdles in women empowerment. In this research work, we also want to understand the usual portrayal of women in media and Pakistani dramas and films. 




The Role of Media in Accelerating Women Empowerment

The media has the potential to reach out to enormous audiences through mass communication and to have an impact wherever it may reach, which today is widely spread. The media is regarded as the most important instrument of society in modern times. Social media is an inescapable form of influence on the masses by constantly updating apps and networking. Media as a whole have played a major role in promoting the women's emancipation movement, focused on the disregard and marginalization of women's positions in society. For women's growth, communications are vitally crucial, and mass media play an important part. It is important to recognize that the expansion of education and access via employment for women to this business has helped to media growth. It could be an equally potent agent of oppression if the media could be a powerful agent of change. It is, of course, a prominent media for advocating gender equality and women's standing. However, it is possible for the media also to strengthen stereotypical images and social roles of women. The news of their difficulties and horrors has long shadowed women and their contribution to society. The media should take greater responsibility before they report and publish any news since they have an enormous influence over people. The representation of women, which is a denial of their mediums image, demonstrates their lack of gender sensitivity and demands that they be made responsible for such female representation. In such cases, the National Committee for Women recommended that the 1986 Prohibition Act be amended to include the Indecent Representation of women. The Government passed revisions to the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act in 1986 in 2012, aimed at strengthening the legal apparatus to safeguard women's dignity.

The objective was to include new technology such as MMS, electronic media, and others left outside the Act, such as posters and television series that maintain women's stereotypes. It is vitally important to promote a balanced and non-stereotype representation of women in the media, to make progressive use thereof and to avoid the harmful impacts of any such media medium. In most communities, women still have limited awareness of the media and access to and control of the different types of conventional and modern media. The increased involvement and access by the media and new technologies of communication for women to self-expression and decision-making empowers women. 

Women and Media

Advances in information technology have made the global communications network easier throughout the past decade to cross national borders and to have an impact on public policy, private attitudes and behavior, particularly children and young adults. Everywhere there is the opportunity for the media to contribute far more to promoting women. More women participate in communications professions, but few have gained decision-making positions or serve on governing boards and institutions which impact media policy. The ongoing projection of women's negative and degrading images - electronic, printed, visual and aural - through media communication must be addressed. In most nations, printing and electronic media do not present the equilibrium of women's different lives and social contributions in a changing environment. In addition, women and their engagement in society are badly affected by violent and humiliating or pornography media items. Programming that enhances traditional women's roles can also be restrictive.

The global consumerism trend has created a milieu where commercial advertising and messages often portray women as consumers and as targeting girls and women of all ages. Women should be empowered to improve their knowledge, skills and access to IT. This will increase their ability to fight against the poor images of women worldwide and to resist the abuse of the power of an industry that is increasingly vital. Self-regulatory mechanisms for the media need to be developed and strengthened, and gender-based programming techniques must be devised. Most women are unable to access the expanding electronic information routes in an efficient fashion, especially in poor countries, and hence cannot establish networks to supply alternative information. Therefore, in order to fully engage in their growth and influence, females must participate in decision-making about the creation of new technologies. Governments and other actors should actively promote and promote the mobilization of the media gender mainstreaming in policies and programs, a visible policy. The role of the media is highly significant in increasing the capacity of women to contribute to women's economic empowerment. However, mass media, like all social media, provide a good and practical way of enhancing and increasing women's social consideration in many areas of economics and the rest of the world by disseminating healthy concepts of being women, the role of women in modern society and the best examples that women give us every day. With the deployment of media campaigns, Mass Media could potentially make a significant contribution to the spread of the notion of equality between the sexes. When you see it in the media, it will bring you back to normal life by overcoming the distinctions between men and women. The mass media have consistently changed the thinking and conduct of society unintentionally and influenced it. Despite the improper image of women, media should emphasize on success stories of well-known and established women. The mechanisms of gender control and the balance must be strengthened as an important factor for the socialization of gender roles. The media should allow a good and dignified projection of women and encourage respect and dignity for women without negative representation of women. Media professionals need to become aware of gender issues; for those who are able to show women in a favourable light, a system of rewards may be devised. Strict punitive measures against individuals who are defying the standards should also be taken. It is important to provide a new unique decent women's presentation based on Indian culture and society via media.










The Portrayal of Women in Pakistani Dramas

The media is regarded as a socially changing agency. It has the strength to hypercriticize all of us. Women were excluded from nearly every sector of life before the rapid rise of feminism. Media has not been an exception to the list. Although women are the fundamental component of our lives, it is the portrayal of the image of women in the mass media that draws our attention. Where Pakistan is a country that still has a gender problem, where it managed to break from the box and allow women the possibility to blossom over one century ago. A minority of the educated Pakistani populace was able to remain unbiased in gender and female representation concerns. In relation to women's participation in the media, women's models commonly appear in advertising dressed sensually for the benefit of attractive clients. Sometimes the woman has nothing to do with the product itself. This doesn't just include advertising, but also the general media where women are objects utilized to lure and tempt customers and sponsors. They are also exploited to the extent that content often indicates sexual conocimientos, soft porn for several reasons that surround this misrepresentation of women's images. Her youthful looks and flowering beauty are one of the most active and important instruments utilized by the media. Its exterior is employed for trade, where beauty is sold as a price tag market item. Women who consent to expose themselves from local to national and even international levels are particularly deemed immoral with impaired values in a society like Pakistan. Pakistani society bases itself for millennia mostly on a patriarchal system. Men are regarded as having a higher social standing. Women are more subservient, hiding behind the domesticated voile. There is a quiet consensus that men are accountable for outdoor issues while women are in household responsibility. Women had the initiative to step out of their homes, pursue education and establish their work only with the recent entrance of feminism and its limited rays, which penetrate the thick layer of patriarchy in Pakistan.

This particular treatment of women is internationally frenzied and is normally attributed to the religion of Islam. But this is because Islam is preaching gender equality and providing a foundation for achieving human rights with a particular emphasis on women's rights. Muhammad Ali Jinnah remarked in 1940 at Islamia College for Women: "I've always said that no nation will ever have the dignity to live with that couldn't take its women along with males. In 1940, he told Islamia College for Women. Without women, no battle, side by side with men, can ever succeed. “This particular treatment of women is internationally frenzied and is normally attributed to the religion of Islam. But this is because Islam is preaching gender equality and providing a foundation for achieving human rights with a particular emphasis on women's rights. Muhammad Ali Jinnah remarked in 1940 at Islamia College for Women: "I've always said that no nation will ever have the dignity to live with that couldn't take its women along with males. In 1940, he told Islamia College for Women. Without women, no battle, side by side with men, can ever succeed. “Pakistan has deep cultural and historical roots. It is centuries before Pakistan became independent that the history of Pakistani culture and heritage stretches back. In the Subcontinental pre-partition, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan have influenced and integrated the cultural influence of these three now different countries. This was later one of the fundamental justifications for separating India. Indian culture was strongly impacted by Hinduism, which was the religious practice of Sati, where the woman was branded with the dead body of her husband alive.

Because of Pakistan's deeply-rooted past, the media frequently reflect gender intolerance which supports the existing negative picture, which tends to victimize women. The issue of women remains partial even after specific feminist movements and social progress. We need to know the struggle, standard, and involvement of women and their representation in the media before talking about Pakistan's further fibre media.




Working Women in Dramas

News, show business, politics, or modelling all has a spice of scandal with women. Some cultural and political organizations affect the media in Pakistan without explicit women's empowerment and gender insensitivity policies and procedures. Even the Pakistani constitution gives women two fundamental rights: equal rights and no discrimination between women and men. Women, in particular at the workplace, have been abused and susceptible to abuse. Besides the gap in physical and biological, women are able to maintain equivalent knowledge and skill as males. But the status which she deserves and even dislikes is typically not guaranteed. The social taboo that adheres to them is deemed to be inferior and good for nothing. Therefore the article of the Pakistani Constitution is clearly infringed. The media is the most powerful and outstanding means for the development of opinions in the modern century. Women's image in the media suggests that men are more dignified, more confident and more diligent than women. Often problems that have a lighter nature, such as women's mode, culture and housekeeping, and males have more severe problems such as law, crime, and robbery, the economy and country growth. This means that women feel the weaker gender. Like in newspapers, most news items by male journalists include parts that deal with sport and politics and the front page of the main news. Mode and entertainment sections integrate woman reporters. Media are regarded as a profession of men when women are seen incapable of developing and explaining media agenda, norms and procedures, including the depiction of women in Pakistan because they are lower sex or gender preference.




Significance of the Study

Women comprise about half of the world’s population and have a significant role in the development of a community or nation. But they are still subdued and held back in a secondary capacity. The majority of researches conducted on women's status in the context of developing countries shows the high level of inequality existing between the two genders. This research can help society to work on the aspects that create hurdles in women empowerment. Also, media has a great role to play in society; thus, media’s part of influence is also discussed to make women empowered. 




Objectives of the Study

Following are the objectives of this study:

• To identify the role of dramas affecting women socio-cultural empowerment in Pakistan.

• To identify the role of dramas having various social factors depriving women of equal participation in society.

• To study cultural barriers developed in dramas that obstruct women’s empowerment.

Methodology

Smith (2000) explain that methodology is usually an instruction for solving a problem, with specific components such as phases, tasks, methods, techniques and tools. A comprehensive data collection plan whose purpose is to answer research questions and test hypotheses is named methodology. 




Research Design

A research design is a set of methods and procedures used in collecting and analyzing measures of the variables specified in the problem research. The researcher used a survey method to check the impact and the role of electronic media platforms in women empowerment. The researcher has conducted the research with a quantitative approach. 

Population

The population considered for the research are people from Lahore, are male and female, both of whom belong to the age group of 18. The researcher preferred this age group of people because mainstream media is the most dynamic part of their lives. Population research is taken from Lahore.




Sampling Technique

The researcher used a non-random, purposive sampling technique as the sample of the research is specific and selected, keeping in mind like this age group having access to electronic media.




Sampling Size

The study has been conducted on almost 100 participants of age group 18 above from Lahore, Pakistan. Limited sample size just too clearly covers the study. 




Survey Tool

The researcher used a questionnaire as a tool for data collection. The questionnaire consists of written questions used to find out the information about the topic. A close and open-ended questionnaire makes it easy to collect any authentic data without any confusion and exaggeration.




Statistical Tool

The researcher used “percentage method” to evaluate the results of collected data in the ending phase of research. 

Limitations

The main issue faced during the study is because of

the current circumstances of Covid 19, the survey results and work will be much clearer if the study was done prepared during normal routine. The researcher wanted to cover other aspects of impact and role of Pakistan’s entertainment media on general public and during covid 19 among more people of the targeted area but that was not possible in such limited resources. It was also in planned to cover more cities but this time we were restricted to Lahore only. Second issue was of internet; in the pandemic lockdowns are implemented by the government. This results in heavy traffic on internet. Data is collected again and again to get best from it without any mistake. 




Research Questions

• What is the role of dramas affecting women socio cultural empowerment in Pakistan?

• What various social factors depriving women from equal participation in the society.

• What cultural barriers developed in dramas which obstruct women’s empowerment? 




Data Presentation

Following is the data collected through questionnaire survey to understand the role of media in Removing Socio, Economic and Cultural Factors Affecting the Women Empowerment in Pakistan.

Figure 1

Figure show that a large amount of our respondents are females since, females are more into watching dramas. 



Figure 2

Figure shows that a large amount of our respondents are 18 above in age as they can relate and examine the content in a better way. 



Figure 3

Figure shows that 85% of our respondents are the active consumers of Pakistani entertainment media.



Figure 4

Figure shows that a large amount of our respondents believe that there’s no equal portray of genders in dramas while majority of the respondents found that neutral.



Figure 5

Figure shows that majority of the respondents believe that dramas are a progressive tool for educating the masses while few respondents disagree.



Figure 6

Figure shows that a huge number of our respondents believes that audiences are influenced by the dramas they watch. 



Figure 7

Figure shows that a huge no. of our respondents highly agrees that the objectification of women in Pakistani dramas is normalized.



Figure 8

Figure shows Domestic violence in Pakistani dramas is common and being normalized, also a huge no. of our respondents agrees to that.



Figure 9

Figure shows that in Pakistani dramas there’s no pace for socially empowered women. Also, our respondent in huge no agrees to that. 



Figure 10

Figure shows that there are roles for powerful and independent women in dramas but the numbers are very less. 



Figure 11

Figure shows that there’s no place for politically empowered women in dramas. And there’s absolute no equal participation



Figure 12




Figure shows that the Pakistani dramas are still lacking the roles of women who are socially and politically empowered.  



Figure 13

Figure shows that the actual participation of women is completely different from the presentation in dramas. In real life, women are participating in every sector but mostly in dramas women are suppressed.



Figure 14




Figure shows that women are appreciated to get education but again the no. of such representation is very low. 


Figure 15


Figure shows that there are no roles of women in Pakistani dramas who own property or land. 

Figure 16


Figure shows that women should be economically independent and should have a better lifestyle. 

Figure 17


Figure shows that mostly in dramas women are used for attention; they have been objectified for the purpose of attention seeking. 

Figure 18


Figure shows that in Pakistani dramas women are always subjected to some kind of social injustice and also they are suppressed by not providing them the power of decision making.

Figure 19


Figure shows that in Pakistani dramas the patriarchal culture is still practiced where men have the upper hand and women have to dependent on males. 



Figure 20


Figure shows that the portrayal of women in Pakistani dramas should change and there should be the portrayal of independent, educated and progressive women. 


 
RQ 1: What’s the role of dramas affecting women socio cultural empowerment in Pakistan?
According to the survey we conducted, 36% of our respondents agree that the content in dramas is affecting their socio cultural empowerment. In most of the dramas the roles of women are suppressive and men are dominating, the patriarchal mindset is much glamorized. While, some of our respondents do not believe that dramas are affecting the socio cultural empowerment of women. 

Figure 21


 
RQ 2: What various social factors depriving women from equal participation in the society?
According the survey we conducted, we came to know there are many social factors that deprive women from the equal participation in the society. For example; domestic violence, sexual abuse, harassment and not being facilitated enough to stand against the patriarchy and dominancy. 

Figure 22


 
RQ 3: What cultural barriers developed in dramas which obstructs women’s empowerment?
According to the survey we conducted, the main cultural barrier we came to know is lack of education and awareness. In the most of the dramas women are not allowed to get higher studies except intermediate and bachelor’s. So, that’s the main reason behind the equal participation of women is neither celebrated nor normalized. 



Figure 23


Discussion

According to the survey, we have realized that dramas are still portraying the role of women who are suppressed and subjected to some sought of social injustices. In most of the dramas women lack the power of decision making and are obliged to the men of the society. Her individuality is compromised since the patriarchal culture is still practiced in Pakistani dramas. Mostly in the dramas, if the women decide to work outside the house she’s portrayed as morally corrupt and she must be subjected to any sought of sexual and street harassment. In most of the dramas, it is portrayed that women lead roles are always subjected to domestic violence and in result to that they lose their self-confidence and the power to speak up for their rights. According to the survey, there are main reasons like lack of education, lack of awareness about basic rights and the patriarchal culture. It is been seen that majority of the people believes that women do not have to get higher education since they do not have to work as they are dependent on the males and they are providing them good. While the overall literacy rate works out to be 64.8 percent, the male literacy rate is 75.3 percent and that for females is 53.7 percent, demonstrating a discrepancy of 21.6 percentage points between the sexes at the national level. According to the survey, the main reason of barriers in women’s education and equal rights is the patriarchal culture. The patriarchal dramas in Pakistan have been purposefully created and represent the Pakistani society's patriarchy, standards and prejudices. The dramas are extensively seen in the country as the actual image of society can readily be recognized and implied.

Conclusion

It is concluded after a brief research work, that Pakistani dramas are still portraying the suppressive role of women. It has been studied that physical and emotional domestic abuse is being normalized in dramas, almost in every drama women are subjected to domestic violence and harassment. There are no major roles for working and independent women, the research shows that in most of the dramas women are restricted to Kitchens only and sometime they have to stay in toxic relationships because they aren’t financially and emotionally empowered to get settled all alone. These fabricated representations of women reinforce the states or governing dominating class's goal of limiting a woman's genuine and respectable place at home to serve her husband or family. Women are portrayed as subordinate objects of beauty who serve the male gaze's sexual gratification as well as men's happiness in this way. This fabricated image of a woman is the outcome of the exploitation of women by the dominant class and the patriarchal culture. Although the development of protagonist female characters in some dramas has some good orientations, supporting female parts in some dramas still have negative orientations that do not improve women's overall image. This necessitates gender-sensitive content producers and writers, as well as women-friendly policies and legislation from Pakistan's ruling governments. If the media can form and build people's conceptions of discriminatory societal roles and norms, it can also portray women as dynamic and actual human beings with their own rights. This necessitates gender-sensitive content producers and writers, as well as women-friendly policies and legislation from Pakistan's ruling governments.

 If the media can form and build people's conceptions of discriminatory societal roles and norms, it can also portray women as dynamic and actual human beings with their own rights. Dramas have an important role in bringing attention to issues that affect women. When it comes to portraying women in the media, the emphasis should be on improving the way pictures and problems involving women are portrayed. Rather than depicting women in stereotypical ways, the media should take a proactive role in promoting good images and highlighting topics that are important in bringing about change in women's lives. According to a survey done by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in 2017 on “Coverage of women in media,” viewers' tastes are now trending in favor of more gender balanced representation of women on the world's most pressing topics. The study respondents believe that stereotypes of highly emotional and suppressed women should be reduced. In the research study we came to know through survey that most of the dramas are still portraying the suppressive side of women, they aren’t portrayed as social and culturally empowered, still there’s need for better content. 

Recommendations

After this detailed research work, furthermore we would recommend to portray the positive and stronger side of women in dramas so people get inspired and learn lessons. Our respondents recommended that there should be better portrayal of women where women roles are independent and strong. Gender-based violence against women should not be encouraged and suppression should not be normalized. There should be equal participation of women in the society so masses can learn from that since media has a great power to influence masses so it would be very constructive to stop the gender-based violence and harassment against women in every drama. Women aren’t meant to be suppressed; they have a voice too. It would be encouraging if media owners and producers start coming up with roles for women who have voice, who are powerful, who aren’t suppressed and can stand up for their rights. 

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