Patriarchy begins from women, Pakistani filmmaker says
In many parts of the world, women are often assigned traditional roles, excluded from decision-making, and sometimes held back from pursuing their dreams, including in their careers.
Gender inequality has been a global issue for years. A report by the World Economic Forum shows a 68.5% gender gap in 146 countries, including Sudan, Pakistan, Algeria, and Morocco.
This data was based on indicators including economic participation, educational attainment, health and survival and political empowerment.
Majority of these gaps are attributed to poverty, child marriage and gender stereotypes but beyond that, Pakistani filmmaker Bushra Sultan believes patriarchy plays a huge role in all of these and largely, its as a result of their orientation from birth.
According to her, the root of the problem often lies in how boys are raised at home.
“Patriarchy begins from women. It’s how we raise our sons,” Sultan said, explaining how societal norms shape boys from an early age.
She pointed to South Asian societies, where boys are sometimes treated as superior simply for being male.
“When you tell a boy that he is a king for being born as a boy and that he is entitled to do whatever, that is where the problem lies,” she added.
Sultan believes this sense of entitlement is the root cause of many issues. While she acknowledges that this doesn’t apply to everyone, she highlights a segment of society where such attitudes prevail.
“I’m talking about a fragment of society with such men,” she clarified, highlighting how these cultural practices contribute to larger issues of gender inequality.
Watch the full interview here:
