Rise of Feminist Storytelling in Pakistani TV Dramas and Impact of Womenomics
By Shireen Mushtaq
Where traditional gender roles dominate Pakistani TV dramas, “Zard Patton Ka Bunn,” aired on Hum TV, stands out as a prime example of feminist storytelling.
Produced by Kashf Foundation and Momina Duraid Productions, the drama addresses issues such as overpopulation, girl-child education, freedom of choice, freedom of want, violence against men and women, maternal health, and the lack of healthcare facilities in rural Pakistan. It highlights the struggle for basic human rights and the structural violence that women face—a battle that echoes in every nook and cranny of the country. The trumpet of cultural norms and traditions creates enough noise to mask inequality and injustice.
Previously too, Hum TV aired dramas such as “Udaari,” “Zindagi Gulzar Hai,” and “Yaqeen Ka Safar,” which highlighted major social issues such as child abuse, harassment, and the struggles of women to survive. Mainstream media is a major source of information with the power to steer public opinion. However, traditional TV dramas constantly portray women as only homemakers, sidelining the perception of women leading different lives.
Education and Independence
“Zard Patton Ka Bunn” is a recent attempt at using a feminist lens to tell a critical story. It revolves around a girl wanting a basic education, which is rare in Pakistani dramas where women’s education and career goals are often portrayed negatively. The storyline strikes the right chord.
Most dramas confine women’s roles to spousal duties and motherhood, but in “Zard Patton Ka Bunn,” we see a loving father protecting his daughter not only from people in the village but also her own four brothers. These brothers are shown as jealous, violent, spiteful, and naive. The drama illustrates that the toxicity women face in society begins at home. We create these monsters and then resent society for them. Parents who want to educate their daughters must fight a daily battle for their freedom of choice and want.
Sajal Ali’s Meenu represents all Pakistani women who get up early in the morning and run to school or college. Despite challenges due to patriarchy, domestic abuse, restrictions, and discouragements, some courageous girls fight through while others quit. Even uneducated women, who are utterly robbed of agency and choice, can make careers for themselves as agricultural laborers or household help. For such women, financial needs allow them to break through domestic barriers. Women face numerous challenges in society in pursuit of financial independence, which affects not only their mental health but also has broader implications. The country’s economic growth depends on women being educated. An educated woman has a broader range of career opportunities and can contribute to both the household and the economy as a tax-paying citizen and job creator.
Educate the Girl Child – Freedom of Want
Statistics show that Pakistani women lack access to education and healthcare facilities, especially in rural areas. With 2 million more girls out of school than boys, it is estimated that 22.8 million children aged 5-16 are out of school in Pakistan. Due to poverty, many girls do not get a chance at even primary education. Pakistan had 23 million children out of school in 2023, the world’s second-highest number.
Issues linked to girls’ education include distance to school, child security, and multidimensional poverty. A large segment of society in both rural and urban sectors is not providing young girls and boys the opportunity to read or write. The current literacy rate in Pakistan stands at 62.8%, according to the Economic Survey 2023-24.
Consequently, Pakistan has the lowest level of gender parity in South Asia, ranking 142 out of 146 countries in the World Economic Forum (WEF) Gender Gap Report 2023. Therefore, serious dedication is required to integrate women into the workforce, accompanied by social, cultural, and economic security. Several countries have launched programs to integrate women. The World Bank’s #ClearHerPath lists several such programs in South Asian countries, including the “Mama Baby Fund” in Pakistan, “Incessant Rain Studios” in Nepal, “Rangsutra” in India, “Viluthu” in Sri Lanka, “Kashf Foundation” in Pakistan, “Samuh” in Bhutan, and “Wonder Woman” in Bangladesh. Pakistan’s GDP can rise by 60% if the female labor force becomes equal to the male labor force. Currently, only 13.5 million (20%) of Pakistani women are part of the workforce.
Awareness campaigns and Womenomics to integrate Women into Workforce
Awareness campaigns and civic engagements need to highlight that women cannot be kept out of the economy any longer. Women need to become part of the workforce to establish a stable economy. ‘Womenomics,’ a term coined by Kathy Matsui at Goldman Sachs and endorsed by Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2013, emphasizes the role of women in the economy.
According to ‘Womenomics,’ women can drive the nation’s economy. The idea was endorsed and adopted by Japan to boost its economy by adding more women to the workforce. When this policy was launched in 2013, Japan had 63% of women in the workforce compared to 85% of men. This gap reflected a significant loss for the economy.
Similar is the case with other countries, including those in South Asia. This region is home to some of the world’s most populous countries, including India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. These countries have initiated programs to provide women access to education and economic opportunities. From 1979 to 2015, Bangladesh directed international aid toward Gender in Development (GID) and Gender and Development (GAD) projects, focusing on girls’ education, family planning, and micro-financing for women. Although several initiatives have been taken to make women’s access to education easier, the stigma attached to educating girls remains. Cultural barriers are major hurdles to women’s financial independence and inclusion in the workforce, both of which benefit the economy.
Men need to step up
The current epidemic facing women in Pakistan involves educated men being indifferent observers. Not all men fall into this category, thankfully, but many do. There is a group of educated young men who do not favor women becoming part of the workforce, especially those who intentionally create hostile environments for women at work. They need to be filtered out. Men need to realize that they also have a responsibility that is personal, societal, social, and economic. Ensuring a safe working environment for all genders is the duty of organizations and those in power. Both genders should acknowledge each other as equal economic partners.
Men can make a difference by appreciating the women in their lives: friends, sisters, daughters, mothers, and sisters-in-law. Men need to decide if they will side with old traditional narratives or choose to coexist with the other gender so our state may transition into the 21st century. Society should let women be who they want to be, whether in their attire, profession, education, or life choices as working women, married women, or single women. Any choice they make will add value to society, the state, and the economy. They represent half of the workforce that the current economy is missing. Eventually, the state suffers due to dysfunctional societal and cultural narratives that do not favor women. Change will come only after acceptance.
Media and Women
This brings us back to the role of mainstream media, which capitalizes on the image of the helpless woman. Media has the power to shape the perceptions and attitudes of a diverse audience. Portraying women as submissive housewives, damsels in distress, and confused individuals only reinforces stereotypes, underpinning the idea that women belong at home.
We need a new normal where women are educated, independent, aware of their rights, have jobs and successful careers, and lead happy lives while playing other roles such as mothers, daughters, or sisters. These role models exist in reality but not in TV dramas. Writing one strong female character occasionally is not the solution. To change societal perception, such characters need to be celebrated. We need progressive content that normalizes women’s struggles for education and careers, showing how they overcome obstacles to accomplish their goals. That is what we ought to be witnessing.
The author Dr Shireen Mushtaq is an academic from Lahore. She can be reached at shireenmushtaq@gmail.com